The Saskatchewan Horse Federation assists athletes in their quest to reach High-Performance (HP) levels of competition through both programming and funding. In the “excellence” category, we allocate grant monies for athletes competing in the recognized High-Performance (HP) disciplines of Dressage, Hunter/Jumper, and Reining. We do this through Athlete Assistance grants, the HP Symposiums, and now, the Pathways to High-Performance clinics.
The clinics will provide training opportunities as well as allow us to keep track of athletes who may be identified to be part of a team to represent Saskatchewan at championship events such as CIEC. The targeted group is High-Performance, but the clinics also support Talent ID Athletes who show the ability, motivation, and competition results indicative of someone who is on the pathway to becoming a High-performance athlete.
Note that the priority is to support HP athletes wherever possible, and to open it up to Talent ID where space permits.
2025 Pathways to High Performance
Application
Technical Package
Reining - Hurbert Heule
June 13-15
Prairieland Park Saskatoon
As the decade long manager of HDC Quarter Horses Hubert took his clients to achieve status of NRHA #1 Owner and has managed the careers of top stallions such as Arc Gunnabeabigstar and Shining In Town. Known to have a great eye on selecting horses Hubert has been successful in buying, selling, showing and managing top performing reining horses. Hubert is an international competitor, notably representing the Netherlands at the World Equestrian Games and All American Quarter Horse Congress Ltd Open Champion.
Hubert Heule is an NRHA Judge and an NRHA professional. Hubert shows Open caliber horses owned by customers in local and international competition. With a background of riding for and with world renowned ranches and legendary horsemen in the industry, he has trained horses and riders with consistent results. Including starting the careers of many successful show horses such as Mr. Masota Star, Cee Mr Stop and Mr Royal Hollywood. HRH attends numerous practice and competitive shows throughout the year in Canada and the USA.
Hunter/Jumper - Alex Grayton
June 20-22
East Edge Equestrian Saskatoon
The Saskatchewan Horse Federation is excited to invite Alex Grayton for our 2025 Pathways to High Performance Clinic! He is an accomplished Grand Prix rider and highly sought after clinician. Alex has competed around the world and is known for his compassionate, fluid riding style on all kinds of horses. He has worked at Spruce Meadows as the head of sales, training and competition for the Horse Program for 3 years as well as the trainer at Miller Brooke Farm LTD under the direction of 10-time Olympian Ian Miller. He has worked with top athletes and horses at his own Grayton Farms Ltd since 2008. Alexander’s approach to training is rooted in precision, patience, adaptability, and a fundamental understanding of the horse. We are very fortunate to be able to offer his skill set to riders seeking to improve their abilities.
Dressage - Belinda Trussell
June 21-22
East Edge Equestrian Saskatoon
Belinda Trussell spent her childhood in locations across the globe and dabbled in multiple disciplines before focusing on dressage at age 13. She represented her native Australia in FEI competition until 1994, when she became a Canadian citizen. In 2002, Trussell represented Canada as the youngest member of the Canadian Dressage Team at the FEI World Equestrian Games (WEG) in Jerez, ESP, with Royan II. They then competed at the 2003 European Dressage Championships in Hickstead, GBR, and won the Swarovski Canadian League World Cup Final at the 2003 Royal Agricultural Winter Fair in Toronto, ON. They also represented Canada at both the 2004 World Cup in Dusseldorf, GER, and the Athens Olympic Games.
Trussell returned to WEG in 2010 and in 2014 in Normandy, FRA, where she was Canada’s highest-placed individual in dressage, finishing in the top 25 with Anton. They then representing Canada at the 2015 Toronto Pan American Games, where they helped the Canadian Dressage Team earn the silver medal and break the Canadian record for the highest team average score achieved at a major games. Trussell also broke a Canadian record in Toronto for highest individual score after receiving 75.078% in the Grand Prix Special. Trussell and Anton by broke the Canadian record for the highest score in a Grand Prix Special at the prestigious Adequan Global Dressage Festival in Wellington, FL, with 75.529% in 2016. She returned to the Games in Rio de Janeiro, BRA, aboard Anton. Tattoo 15 then took over as Trussell’s top mount; he kept her winning record alive throughout the 2017 season and made his major games debut at the 2018 WEG in Mill Spring, NC. In 2019, Trussell switched her focus to Carlucci, and together the combination helped Team Canada secure the silver medal in the CDIO 3* FEI Nations Cup in Wellington, FL.
2024 Pathways to High Performance
Clinician: Matt Hudson
May 24-26, 2024
Prairieland Park Saskatoon
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Clinician: Gareth Graves
June 7-9, 2024
Prairie Star Stables Saskatoon
Clinician: Belinda Trussell
June 22-23, 2024
Prairie Star Stables Saskatoon
