Now that her daughter Hawley is established as a rising star in the international eventing world, Langley resident Gerry Bennett can finally relax and enjoy the ride.
“Hawley worked her butt off to get where she is. She had to. I was a single mom raising two kids, and there wasn’t a lot of money for lessons,” said Gerry.
“I was her first coach. She worked at McDonalds and Milestones to pay for her own horses. She trained her own horse, Livingstone, and the two learned everything together. They were both green.”
Hawley’s latest honour was to receive the Equestrian of the Year Award at the Equine Canada annual awards gala in Ottawa on Jan. 20 on behalf of the Canadian Eventing Team at the World Equestrian Games. It was the first time a team has been granted such an award by EC.
The tiny equestrian with the bright blonde hair has, at 34, established herself as a notable coach, trainer and competitor in California and operates Hawley Bennett Eventing out of KingsWay Farm in southern California. Two of her students are top eventers. She has become, to all appearances, the quintessential California girl, and mingles effortlessly with wealthy clients and keen young riders.
“Hawley has such an upbeat, positive personality. People are drawn to her. She had great teachers, like Pam Arthur and Buck Davidson, and she also loves to teach. Her students are doing really well. She understands the power of positive reinforcement,” said Gerry.
Hawley is an inspiration to young riders who hope to achieve great things on a shoestring budget.
According to her mom, Hawley zeroed in on eventing when she was 14 years old, and never looked back. Her background in 4-H and Pony Club and her ability to turn her childhood horses Ibn and second mount Hank into willing partners and great friends have served her well.
“She brought her horses along the right way. Her horse Hank did the Olympics in a rubber snaffle. We couldn’t afford a $300,000 ‘made’ horse. Hawley stood out at shows as a rider whose horse was her best friend.”
While other riders ended their show day at a cozy hotel, Hawley and Gerry would hunker down behind a tarp on two cots in their old horse trailer.
After graduating from high school in Langley, Hawley typically tried to do it all. She worked 35 hours a week at Milestones as a bartender, enrolled in college to study criminology, and galloped race horses at the track in the morning before school.
Eventually she left college to concentrate on her riding career, and made her big move to California, where she married husband Gamal Awad, a massage therapist.
Hawley’s great success has not changed her much. She has not forgotten the community, the coaches, and the horses who helped her achieve her dreams.
On her web site, the Olympic rider expresses her gratitude to all the people on her ‘team’ including her mother, mentor, horse hauler and first coach — Gerry Bennett.
“This spring, Equine Canada is funding three riders, including Hawley, from the eventing team to go to Badminton, England to help prepare them for the Olympics. I’m so very happy for her,” said Gerry.
Anne Patterson is a Langley writer and horse owner. Contact her at accidentalrider@yahoo.com.