MVP Winner - Update
Judi Island
Paralympic Dressage

2003 has been a great year for me. The Nike/CAAWS Girls @ Play MPV Grant has helped me as a disabled rider, with additional expenses of my coach and attendants to help with grooming, tack-up, trailering etc. and mounting which allowed me to compete at National and International competitions. Articles of the Nike/CAAWS Girls @ Play MPV Grant award presentation at the Caledon CADORA May competition appeared in the 'Caledon Citizen', June 25, 2003 and 'The Rider' June 2003.

This year, my horse Gitano and I competed at 3 national qualifying competitions. Gitano and I were the Regional, Provincial and 'CanTRA Canadian National -East Div.' Champions and the 2003 Caledon CADORA Trillium Series Champions in both the IPEC & IPEC KUR.

My goal to compete for Canada at the 2003 World Championships was more than realized. At the 2003 World Championships, Moorsele, Belgium, I was the Bronze medal winner in both the Grade 1a Individual Championship and in the KUR (dressage to music)!

I rode 'Izora', a 16hh, 10 year old Dutch Warmblood, only 4 times prior to the competition. I planned to ride a 14.1hh pony but he acted up when shipped to the venue and there was a quick scramble to find another horse. I was lucky that I was able to borrow Izora on such short notice. Izora is a lovely horse but we only had a short time to get used to each other. I could only ride through each of my tests once before the competition. The organizers realized all the difficulties I was having, as I was awarded a prize for the most 'unlucky rider!' I am very grateful to Izora's owner, Anne-Laure Govers of Vilvoore, Belgium, who was very supportive and has offered Izora to me for the 2004 Paralympics in Athens.

Currently, I am ranked #7 in the World Rankings, I have qualified for the 2004 Athens Paralympics and have begun training.

2003 Awards
Ontario Sport Award -"2002 Sports Person of the Year" -Female with a Disability for Outstanding
Amateur Athletic Achievement.
2002 & 2003 Ontario Equestrian Federation -Recognition of International Achievements of Ontario
Equestrians
2004 "Heroes to Athens" -chosen by the Canadian Paralympic Committee to promote the 2004 Athens
Paralympics

I am very grateful to Nike and CAAWS for the MPV Grant which has greatly helped offset the additional costs for me as a severely disabled rider to compete, so that I can continue to fulfill my dream.