“It was the most fun thing I have ever done in my life! On the way home from there, I literally said out loud that I didn’t want to do anything else.” These were the thoughts of a thirteen-year-old Nicki Reynolds after an opportunity to school cross country at a property not far from her home in Coldwater, Ont.
Ten years earlier, at the tender age of three, her grandmother brought her to trail ride at a friend’s farm. She remembers the day that changed her life. “I rode a pony named Sky,” said Reynolds. “Ever since then, I was hooked.” She continued to ride and purchased her first pony, Sky’s son Scooter, at the age of five.
Nicole Reynolds on one of her first trail rides on pony Sky
Photo Credit: Nicole Reynolds
Reynolds continued to grow in her love of horses and riding doing hunter jumpers at local barn, and home of coach Shawn Butler, Butler Show Horses. A friend convinced her to join pony club, where she learned a lot and made great friends. Then one day, they asked if she wanted to join them at a cross country clinic nearby. “I thought, sure, I can go jump some logs in a field. That sounds like fun,” said Reynolds about what had intrigued her about starting eventing. But it was so much more. The thrill of this new challenge ignited something in her.
“That was it,” said Reynolds. “Eventing was what I wanted to do.” She was steadfast in her decision and moved barns to begin training that winter at Grandview Farm, touted as one of Ontario’s premier Eventing facilities, located in nearby Oro. “It’s a great facility, and they have hosted horse trials there for over twenty-five years. They had everything I needed to learn.” She did lessons with international event rider Sarah Irving and Canadian team member Bob Holman and headed to her first competitions in the spring of 2014.
Her Grandmother Donna, who raised her and shares a horse farm and business with, has supported her dream from the beginning. “She introduced me to horses, but she has done everything to support me, every step of the way in my riding,” said Reynolds. “She took me to clinics; is my groom at competitions and my biggest fan.”
Her grandma has instilled another important skill for athletes that want to excel in the equestrian world – hard work. They began by leasing a paddock from Butlers to keep her pony. Then when she was eleven, they moved to a new property where they slowly built their own horse farm over the years and now have an arena where she trains, teaches and a barn where they keep their 10 horses and house 10 boarders on the property.
Three of those she trains herself. Her current mount for competition is her chestnut mare One in a Million, who’s barn name is Daphne, or as Reynolds lovingly calls her – Daffy Duck. “I was pretty young – 16 – when we got her,” said Reynolds. “She was an unbroke seven-year-old. We sent her to Pam Dawson, and then I put in the training over the last five years myself.”
From L to R: Four-year-old geldings Its Kite Pazible (Eddie), Glendening Totem (Tommy), Nicole and One in a Million (Daphne)
Photo Credit: Kaitlyn Reynolds
Reynolds beams when she talks about her, and from how she tells it, the horse loves to compete as much as she does. “She is a phenomenal horse, full of personality.” said Reynolds. “She’s come up the levels and having her as a partner is amazing. She’s full of fire and wants it as badly as I do.” At twelve-years-old now, Reynolds laughs when she shows up to event grounds with the 15.3 hh mare. “They all call her pony when we’re walking around, but she’s a born eventer and not one to be underestimated.”
Daphne isn’t the only one. When asked about what she loves about eventing – it’s clear Reynolds understands the challenge it poses as a discipline. “It’s the complexity of it. You have to be good at a variety of things – dressage, jumping and cross country.” The cross-country portion, like for any eventer seems to be her favourite. “I find the series of obstacles and variation in terrain – and the speed to be absolutely thrilling.”
She shares that she feels brave when she’s out on course navigating everything but her Grandma gets scared sometimes. She does confess that her current barriers lie in the show jumping portion. “Fortunately, as part of OE’s GRIT program I get to train with Ian Millar, and my coach Holly is amazing.”
The young rider, at twenty-one, already knows the struggles of balancing everything and finding a way to make it work. She trains with Canadian Eventing coach Holly Jack-Smithers out of Erin, Ont., – a two-hour drive away. “I go down once a week in the spring in preparation for show season,” said Reynolds. “Then will ship down once or twice to get our fix in the summertime. Holly is great and will even make the trip up here if needed.”
She also works part-time at Tim Hortons, volunteers at competitions, does some equine massage therapy for clients and teaches lessons through the week for three hours every night. She’s graduated as a Certified Advanced Equine Sports Massage Therapist and is working towards her OE and EC coach certifications. When she’s not doing barn chores or training her two four-year-old geldings, she’s riding. When asked how she manages it all, she talks about her straightforward strategy. “The simple answer is, I either get up early or stay up late. Whenever I’m free, I ride. I put in the work at 5am or 10pm some days, but I am committed to doing whatever it takes.”
The hard work and training haven’t gone unnoticed. This past October, Reynolds was selected as part of the Canadian youth team to head down to North Carolina and compete at the 2021 Adequan/USEF Eventing Team Challenge East Coast Final from November 10-14, 2021. “We crossed into the States the day the boarder opened. We were a little nervous, but it ended up being totally fine,” as she recounted her first trip to Tryon, and during a global pandemic. “I had never been there before. The facility alone was just spectacular. It is the biggest and nicest facility I have ever been to. The footing was incredible; it’s every kids dream to gallop across a golf course – that’s how good it was.”
Nicki Reynolds and One in a Million competing at the 2021 Adequan/USEF Eventing Team Challenge in Tryon, NC
Photo Credit: Anthony Trollope for RedBayStock.com, www.RedBayStock.com
One her favourite parts of the trip was the fact that the group of youth were competing as a Canadian team. The event hosted eventing athletes between the ages of 14 and 25 from across the US and Canada in CCI 1* CCI 2* and CCI 3* levels. “You don’t have a lot of teams in eventing,” said Reynolds. The team supported each other through the experience as well as had plenty of assistance from the team’s veterinarian Dr. Usha Knabe, Chef D’Equipe Kendal Lehari and Olympian eventer Jessica Phoenix. Dressage coach Justin Ridgewell also joined the team to show his support. “It was awesome the people that were there. I got to walk the course with Jessica. Everyone was so supportive,” said Reynolds.
Support was necessary for the team to get there. At a cost of over $10,000 per pair that included an entry fee of close to $2,000, the Ontario Eventing Association and their Chair of the Fundraising Committee, Veronica Low worked hard with the team to fundraise to help out. They held two online auctions, sold 50/50 tickets and gained sponsorships from KC Equestrian Colours, The Roar Group of Companies and Horse and Hound Tack Shop. “Of course, I couldn’t do it without my personal tack and apparel sponsors Exclusive Equine – Kentaur Canada and KC Equestrian Colours,” said Reynolds. “Their help makes a world of difference.”
The experience was a great first start of representing the maple leaf for the young rider. “The competition went really well. I was so happy with my horse. With 78 riders in my division, I finished 52nd,” Reynolds recounted. “I was pretty happy, but emotional. I had tears in my eyes when I finished and realized that dreams do come true.”
Her dream, from a very young age, was to represent Canada. “In grade eight, not long after I had started eventing, we had an assignment to create a drawing of our future self. I drew me, jumping cross country in the Olympics. I still have that picture.”
With the help of those around her and the internal drive she clearly has, the pathway to continuing to represent Canada is promising. She has now upgraded to the intermediate level, is hoping to get some experience at the FEI level and also wants to go back to Tryon next year as a 3* rider pair. “My tentative plan,” said Reynolds, “is to go to the States again next summer and Ontario, New Brunswick, and I hope to get to Bromont.”
When asked about the future of eventing in Canada, it’s clear she believes her experiences have worked. “We need to support kids in exposing them to cross country, because that’s what sets us apart,” Reynolds explained. “I know a lot of parents are afraid to send their kids out there, but if they can do it safely and have fun out on the course in a no-pressure environment, I know they will be hooked for life.” There is no doubt she is. “Volunteering at shows is another great way to get the exposure. I like it so much; I still do that. You always learn at shows, even on the ground. And being around it all, it’s exhilarating.”
As for her future, this young hard-working, fearless athlete is ready to take on the world. “I am going to keep eventing with Daphne as far as she wants to go, and my four-year-olds too,” she stated. “It would mean everything to me to represent my country doing the sport I love.” Her dreams may very well continue to come true; it may be just a question of on which courses and in what countries.