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Updated: Aldergrove rider leads Canadian team at world championships

‘Pretty rad,’ a pleased Hawley Awad remarked
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Hawley Awad and Jollybo cleared a jump at the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) World Championships in Italy on Saturday. (Cealy Tetley photo)

Aldergrove’s Hawley Awad and Jollybo, an 18-year-old British Sport Horse mare she co-owns with the Jollybo Syndicate LLC, were the highest-finishing combination for Team Canada at the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) World Championships in Pratoni del Vivaro, Italy.

The pair posted the best performance of any team member Saturday and Sunday, but it wasn’t enough to achieve an Olympic berth.

Hawley Awad and Jollybo at the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) World Championships in Italy. (Cealy Tetley photo)
Hawley Awad and Jollybo at the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) World Championships in Italy. (Cealy Tetley photo)

Saturday, Awad and Jollybo were first Canadians on the course, turning in a strong, clean round, and bringing back knowledge of the course to share with her teammates.

“I was proud to go out first, for them to have that much belief in me to go around is something special,” said Awad.

“To be on Jolly, she is absolutely amazing. I lost my rein coming down the slide. I literally came down the slide with one rein, any other horse would have run out, but she went straight. It’s that bond and relationship I have with her.”

Chef d’equipe Rebbeca Howard agreed.

“Hawley certainly set out and did her job, that was a hard role for her being number three out,” said Howard. “She went out and showed us the course was very much jumpable.”

With the pair jumping clean, getting through in the 9:50 optimal time was their obstacle for the day.

“I went as quick as I could,” said Awad.

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“And time is going to be tough to get if you are going to get it. If I could do it again, there is a couple spots I would ride a little different.”

The pair finished in 47th place, the highest of all the Canadian pairs for the day.

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“I’m really pleased with myself and my horse, to finish my fourth world championship on a clean round is pretty rad,” shared Awad.

The world championships concluded on Sunday, Sept. 18 with the Canadian eventing contingent 12th in a field of 16.

The top-seven finishers in the team event qualified for the Paris Olympic Games in 2024.

Germany was victorious for the first time in 20 years, while U.S.A. took second, and New Zealand surprised the field to win bronze.

Awad and Jollybo were the top-ranked Canadian pair, finishing the competition in 56th place.

“Obviously I’m extremely disappointed. That was not the plan. I’ve been working really hard and Jolly’s been jumping great,” said Awad.

“I think that course [yesterday] took a little bit of a toll with the terrain and the hills. She didn’t feel tired. She just wasn’t as sharp as she normally is.”


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