Page 19 - Sports Energy News, Cornwall, Issue No 44

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Learning to Ride at Local Equestrian Centre

her which makes her work hard at
By Todd Anderson what she learns. Both girls are great

students who are always eager to
wo young Cornwall girls are learn.”
Tjust a few of the many talented Abbey notes her favourite memory,
horse riders honing their skills at
in regards to riding horses, was
Lancaster’s equestrian centre Reithof her first show in North Gower and

Rumke Inc.
getting a second-place ribbon on a
Abbey Bellefeuille, 13, and test. She also fondly recalls the fi rst
younger sister Ava, 11, have both time she rode Bella, her six-year-old

been riding for the past five years. quarter-horse, “at Gitti’s camp” and
Their passion for horses and riding being able to ride Titus. Other shows
was sparked immediately once in which she has competed have been
introduced to the sport. They thank located at Rumke Dore’s barn in
their instructor, Reithof Rumke Inc. Lancaster plus Maxville, Navan, and
owner and operator Brigitte “Gitti” Sainte-Justine-de-Newton.
Rumke Dore, for helping them “Actually getting to be on a horse is
become involved.
enjoyable but the most enjoyable part
“She has helped me by teaching to me would be making a new friend
me new skills and positioning which (the horse) and connecting with it
has led me to being successful at and loving it with kisses, hugs, treats,
shows.” says Abbey. “She has etc.; to see their fl aws and make them
allowed me to work at the barn to a better horse,” says Abbey.
help with therapeutic riding, and on Rumke Dore is a CEF certified Ava Bellefeuille riding Lexi-Lou in the summer of 2015.

the weekends, which has gained my Level 2 coach. She started vaulting Submitted photo Angela Bellefeuille
confidence level with the horses a lot.

at age 12 and moved on to the saddle she was six. This season she will softball, track and fi eld, and cross-
I enjoy it because you get to work at age 14. A year later she chose
with the horses and learn more about play for the Cornwall Typhoons country. She attends St. Lawrence
dressage as her given discipline of bantam competitive team. She also Intermediate School in Grade 7
their behaviours and talents.”
preference, a discipline she continues enjoys playing on school sports
Reithof Rumke Inc. has many with today. At a young age, shortly teams including basketball, soccer, Like her sister, Ava has competed
services to offer for riders of all skills after high school, she completed Continued on page 23
such as training, riding instruction, the diffi cult Canadian Young Riders Brought to you by Kings and Little Ones
summer camps, working student level. Later she travelled to Germany
packages, horse retirement packages, to train, before enrolling at Laurentian Rookie of the Month
and more. University in Sudbury in 2002 where
she graduated with a bachelor’s
For Ava, helping around the Chad Nichol
facilities has given her lots of degree of Science in Nursing. All the
meanwhile she would return home to ou have to be quick to get a glimpse

confidence around the horses.
coach and train horses, as well as hold Yof Chad Nichol. On and off the field

“(Gitti) gives me a lesson once summer camps. Now she provides he is always moving, and climbing Having
a week to help me become a better services including training, boarding, attended most of his brother Bruce’s football
rider. She also lets me help out with showing, and lessons at her centre in practices and games, in 2016, Chad decided to
therapeutic riding and that lets me Lancaster. The facility also offers give football a try and enrolled in the Cornwall
interact with the kids and be more summer camps, with some coming Wildcat’s winter clinic. Coaches discovered

confident with the horses. I enjoy up in July and August. Openings are he was a natural football player. With his
speed and understanding of the game, he was
riding because you get to learn new still available. encouraged to play spring ball. What a great
skills and meet new people.” addition to the mosquito age group! Chad
“I love the sport because it’s very
As with each and every student, challenging as your partner is a has scored four touchdowns and can be

Rumke Dore sees different qualities 1500 pound animal,” says Rumke seen running down the field blocking and
tackling. When he is not playing football,
from the Bellefeuille girls. Dore. “You have to build trust with you’ll have to look up to see Chad as he

“Ava and Abbey are very different an animal that has a fight or flight continues to climb anything in sight.
people but both share the passion of response which can sometimes be Every time his mom asks him why he likes football; he smiles and says “Mom, it’s just
horses and are both very talented in dangerous and risky, however, the amazing!”
this sport. Ava loves to ride, learn outcome of when a horse and rider Hope to see Chad back for spring ball next year!
new skills, be around the horses, and come together and work as a team
mostly have a lot of fun. She is very outweighs all the negatives. It is also
outgoing but when she needs to be a sport that is for every age. You
serious and work hard on the horse, can start riding as soon as you learn
she does exactly that. Abbey on the to walk to as old as your body will
other hand is a much quieter person allow you to ride.”
who also loves being around horses Along with horse riding Abbey
all around. She is a very determined has played with the Cornwall
rider and has a competitive side to Girls Hockey Association since