GRIT - Great Rider Intensive Training - Great Rider Intensive Training

Welcome to Ontario Equestrian’s high-performance program, GRIT – Great Rider Intensive Training! GRIT athletes are between the ages of 13 and 27, reside in Ontario, are current OE members, and compete in any one of the following three Olympic disciplines – Show Jumping, Eventing, or Dressage.

GRIT is targeted at podium-bound athletes with successful competition experience, whose goal is to represent Ontario in one of Equestrian Canada’s National Team programs:

Entry into the program will require the athlete, their parents, and their coach to commit to participating in a series of cross-discipline training camps, led by top international discipline experts. This program will also include sport-specific training in partnership with CSIO (Canadian Sport Institute of Ontario) located at the Pan Am Centre in Toronto, Ontario.

GRIT is led by GRIT Coaches and Technical Advisors Christilot Boylen and Ian Millar, and Performance Advisor, Ruth Allum with the assistance of additional discipline advisors who will provide their expertise to build the program.

For more information regarding eligibility, applications, and deadlines to apply, please click on the links below:

2024 GRIT Application

GRIT Press

2023-12-21 – Hitting your Stride Podcast – Episode 71 – Canada’s Future is in Ruth Allum’s Hands
2022-03-25 – Horse Sport – 2022 GRIT Team Announced
2022-03-15 – 2022 GRIT Team Announced
2022-03-10 – Hitting Your Stride Podcast – Episode 33 – Dancing Through the Tough Times: with Christilot Boylen
2021-04-02 – Hitting Your Stride Podcast – Episode 8 – GRIT: More than just a mindset
2021-03-10 – Ontario Equestrian Announces 2021 GRIT Team
2020-10-02 – Ontario’s GRIT Team Holds Second Training Camp
2020-01-17 – Ontario Equestrian Announces GRIT Training Program Athletes
2019-11-04 – GRIT Program with Christilot Boylen launched by Ontario Equestrian
2019-11-01 – Press Release – GRIT

GRIT Team 2023

Olivia Blaber

Ashlynn Crowley

Rayne Dubois

Eva Kennedy

Poppy von Maltzahn

Mackenzey Nadeau

Allie Schmidt

Ruby Stringel

Becca Turnbull

Kyleigh Whitwell

Taylor Wood

Lucy Zhang

GRIT Grads

The GRIT Grads archive is a collection to celebrate the graduates of the program. Search or browse the directory to read more on their success stories and connect with them through social media.