A young equestrian from the Cowichan Valley made his mark at the first horse show for riders on Canada’s Pacific Coast since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Nicholas Pietrzak, 14, and his horse, Rieslynd, took first place in the Thunderbird .90m Good Hands and Seat Class at the West Coast Classic Series at Fort Langley’s Thunderbird Show Park on July 4.
The show attracted riders and horses from all over Canada’s Pacific Northwest. In most years, it attracts American riders as well.
The class is designed to showcase youth equestrian talent in the Pacific Northwest, Lynne Adam of Glenora’s Foxstone Stable explained. Pietrzak and Rieslynd train at Foxstone with a licensed and certified Equine Canada coach Georgia Hunt. Nicholas also works with several horses and ponies at his family’s farm in North Cowichan.