It has been a busy summer for Hawley Bennett-Awad with no signs of things slowing down in the fall.
The Langley rider has been named to Canada’s 2011 Pan American Games team by the Canadian Eventing High Performance Committee.
The team will represent Canada at the Pan American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico from Oct. 21-23.
Bennett-Awad will ride Five O’Clock Somewhere, a horse she co-owns with Sue Church and Kimberley Barron.
Following her selection to the squad, the 34-year-old Bennett-Awad was in Montana last week, where she captured top spot in the CIC*** division at the Event at Rebecca Farm.
Riding Gin N’ Juice, which is co-owned by Linda Paine, Bennett-Awad jumped a near-perfect round to finish with a score of 53.4, one point ahead of second place finisher Buck Davidson, who happens to be her coach.
Taking third spot was Allie Slusher, who happens to be a student of Bennett-Awad.
“I am thrilled with Ginny,” said Bennett-Awad. “The crowds were awesome and she was excited. I did make a mistake on one jump and had an unfortunate rail, but I’m very happy. To take the top three with my best friends is awesome.”
Things don’t slow down anytime soon for Bennett-Awad, who has her sights set on representing Canada at the 2012 Summer Games in London.
She also competed at the 2004 Games in Athens.
Bennett-Awad is preparing for the Burghley Horse Trials in England at the end of August/early September, a competition featuring the best in Europe.
Plans are also underway for a fundraiser in Langley this November to help offset some of the financial costs of achieving her Olympic dream.
Bennett-Awad trains in California.
