Tag Archives: Lauren Barwick

*Featured/Spotlights, Competitions, Dressage, Events, Para-Equestrian

Lauren Barwick & Donna Ponessa Earn High Point Awards at Houston Dressage Society CPEDI3*

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Lauren Barwick (CAN) and Off To Paris Champion High Point Rider at HDS CPEDI3*. Photos © 2012 Lindsay Y McCall

Katy, TX – April 29, 2012 – The final day of the Houston Dressage Society (HDS) Spring Classic I & II CPEDI3* concluded with the Freestyle Test competition and presentation of the Para-Equestrian accolades. The HDS Spring Classic I & II CPEDI3* was sponsored by The COR Group and ran concurrently with the CDI3* and CDI1* sponsored by the North Texas Equestrian Center. Over three days Para-Dressage athletes from the United States and Canada displayed dynamite FEI Para-Dressage Tests in front of international judges Kathy Amos-Jacob (FRA), David Schmutz (USA), Kristi Wysocki (USA), and Carlos Lopes (POR). Lauren Barwick (CAN) of Reddick, FL obtained the HDS Spring Classic I & II CPEDI3* Champion High Point Award and the Arbor Gate CPEDI3* award for the highest average score across the Team, Individual, and Freestyle Tests. Donna Ponessa (USA) garnered the Reserve Champion High Point Award for her stellar performance over the weekend. For the United States, the HDS CPEDI3* was the last individual qualifier before the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) 2012 London Paralympics Selection Trials in June.

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Community/Charity, Competitions, Events, JRPR, Para-Equestrian

Parelli Natural Horsemanship Student and Canadian Para-Equestrian Lauren Barwick Judges Special Olympics

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Lauren Barwick judged the Special Olympics Equestrian Games in Tampa, Florida, recently and said the event “put a smile on her face.” (Photo courtesy of Vinceremos Therapeutic Riding Center)

Tampa, FL (May 27, 2011) – Canadian Para-Equestrian Team member Lauren Barwick, a paraplegic who won Gold and Silver Medals in the Beijing Paralympics in 2008, recently spent the weekend in Tampa, Florida, serving as a judge for the Special Olympics Equestrian Games. Barwick, a Four Star Parelli Instructor and a Senior Protégé in the Mastery program at Linda and Pat Parelli’s Natural Horsemanship Program, said the weekend was not only inspiring for her but “put a big smile on my face.”

Barwick, who broke her back in an accident and is paralyzed from the waist down, said she was impressed with the talent and skills of the riders. “As a Parelli student and Instructor I was pleased with the level of horsemanship and the behavior of the horses,” Barwick said. “If only mainstream competitive horses could present themselves as well!  My favorite entry was a young man who was riding a mule. The mule was great and had such an awesome expression; I would have taken him home if I could have.”

Barwick stayed busy during the Special Olympics, judging four dressage classes on Friday, three showmanship and 23 equitation classes on Saturday. “The horses all were presented great and the riders all looked wonderful, from their shined boots, riding jackets, black helmets or cowboy hats,” she said. “I’m very grateful that there are programs and people who are committed to such a great cause.”

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*Featured/Spotlights, Community/Charity, Competitions, Contributors/Press, Disciplines, Dressage, Events, JRPR, Para-Equestrian

Canadian Para-Equestrian Lauren Barwick Shines at 2011 Dressage Affaire CPED13*

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Lauren Barwick dominated the Grade II division at the 2011 Dressage Affaire at the Del Mar Horsepark during the CPED13* Para-Equestrian Dressage competition on her two horses Off to Paris (shown here) and Ferdonia 2 (below). (Photos courtesy of Lindsay Y McCall)

Parelli Natural Horsemanship Student Excels

Del Mar, CA (March 23, 2011) – Canadian Para-Equestrian Team member Lauren Barwick dominated the Grade II division at the 2011 Dressage Affaire at the Del Mar Horsepark during the CPED13* Para-Equestrian Dressage competition, riding away with the blue ribbon on Off To Paris and the red on Ferdonia 2 in the Individual Test. Barwick also took home top honors in the Freestyle, riding Ferdonia 2 to first place with a high score of 75.167% and earning second on Off To Paris with a 73.333.

Barwick’s success in the Para-Dressage spotlight has been aided by mentor and coach Pat Parelli, founder of Parelli Natural Horsemanship, Inc. Barwick is a Senior Protégé and mentor in the Parelli Natural Horsemanship’s Mastery Program.

“Lauren is an outstanding horsewoman and has the ability to easily connect with her horses,” Parelli said. “At the Dressage Affaire in Del Mar, Lauren had only been riding Off to Paris and Ferdonia for 10 days so it was quite an accomplishment to win first and second in both classes. Lauren knows that building a relationship and developing a great partnership with each horse is paramount, and she is dedicated to putting the horse’s needs first which shows each time she rides.”

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