Freedom Acrobatics athletes took home ribbons, trophies and championship titles when Chilliwack hosted the BC. Provincial Equestrian Vaulting Championships two weekends ago at Heritage Park.
In equestrian vaulting, athletes perform acrobatics and gymnastics on a moving horse.
Vaulting levels range from walk (beginner) to canter (advanced). Vaulters compete as individuals, in pairs or in team events where six vaulters perform a freestyle with up to three on the horse at the same time.
All vaulters perform both compulsory exercises and a freestyle to obtain their final score.
Freedom Acrobatics entered trot and intermediate canter crews in the team competition, winning provincial titles in both events.
Trot team members were Jordan Sandulak, Jessica VanNuys, Ava Burgener, Kambria Waddington, Mariah Thiessen, Mya Kuipers and Mirrah Webster.
Canter team members were Emma Eidsness, Jocey Vanderlende, Trinity Smadello, Brooke Carter, Ashley Dykstra, Emma Donegan and Amaya Burgener.
Samantha Kennedy and Railey Bird finished first in the trot pairs competition.
Kennedy was also named the Zone 3 (Fraser Valley) individual champion, taking top spot in the intermediate canter division.
Smadello was named the reserved zone champion for her second place finish in that same class.
Bird competed in the intermediate (division B) canter group, finishing second in freestyle and third overall.
Other top three finishes for the local club were:
– Jordan Sandulak, who finished second in compulsories, first in freestyle and first overall in beginner canter.
– Jessica VanNuys who finished first in compulsories, second in freestyle and second overall in beginner canter.
– Emma Eidsness who placed third in freestyle in intermediate (division B) canter.
– Ashley Dykstra who finished first in freestyle and third overall in novice (division D) canter.
– Emma Donegan who was third in freestyle in novice (division D) canter.
Freedom Acrobatics doesn’t return to action until Sept. 1-3 when Chilliwack hosts the Canadian National Equestrian Vaulting Championships.
