Olympic dreams

Shannon LeClair
Times Reporter

 

Savanah Sandri is hoping to one day be a part of the Olympics for equestrian show jumping. The 13-year-old is selling calendars to help with her upcoming show in California, which she is hoping will help pave the way for her Olympic dream.
“With Chili (my horse) we’re going to try to earn points by winning the competitions to go towards the Olympics,” said Sandri.
“I’m trying to get to the Olympics and the points that go towards it, if I get enough points then I qualify to go to Alberta and then if I qualify from Alberta I go into the Olympics.”
Sandri has only been show jumping for a year, and over the last few months began training with Frank Selinger, who is well known in the show jumping world. In 1975 he won bronze medal at the Pan American games, and for the following three years he competed at Spruce Meadows on Canada’s Cup teams.
Over the past year Sandri has been working on her jumps, and trying to put tips and advice from her trainer into practice.
“I do have a lot of bad habits that I am working on getting better since I have been with (Selinger). I have only been with him three months and the second month I was with him I went to Spruce Meadows and I got fifth place, so I was really proud of that because I had only been on that horse for a month,” said Sandri,
“My goal in this entire thing is to get to the full Olympics, the youth Olympics. I love show jumping so much that I just want to represent Canada.”
Sandri has begun collecting points a few years before the event to try to ensure she comes out on top when it’s time to compete in Alberta.
On Dec. 6 she was selling her calendars at Assist Business Centre, who sponsored the calendars.
“We think contributing to the community and the youth is important. Savanah’s calendars were something we could help with and an easy way to be involved. While it isn’t always feasible for us to assist when asked, we had some room left in our budget for 2014,” said Grace Schouten, owner of Assist Business.
Sandri has a goal of selling 400 calendars.