In sport, winning would seem to be mostly about who stands on the podium and takes home the medals at the end of the day. At the first ever North American Junior Dressage Championships, held at Paxton Farms, Batavia, Ohio, the Canadian Junior Team did that by winning a first ever Bronze with a first ever Junior FEI Dressage Team! On July 1st, Canada Day, there were four radiant Canadian girls, 15 to 18 years of age, standing on the podium to receive the recognition of five Olympic level judges and the North American Dressage community. Winning a Bronze medal at the North American Junior Dressage Championships was the result of the hard work and skill not only of the riders, but of their dedicated supporters. For all of them the Bronze medal was an enormous achievement. But something as important as a medal was brought home to Canada. Medals eventually tarnish, but pride in exceptional courage, grace and generosity does not.

Of the Canadian Junior Team members there is one girl who stands out because she didn’t stand on the podium and receive a bronze medal. Her story should be told and remembered because it represents that which is best and most valuable in all of sport and perhaps in all of life. Her name is Stephanie Koepke and she is a winner.

The Canadian Junior FEI Team arrived at Paxton Farms late Saturday night, June 23rd in blistering 100+F temperatures which persisted throughout a week where heat exhaustion and dehydration was suffered by horses and humans alike. All of the Canadian horses arrived sound and remained healthy despite the heat. The Training Camp that had begun in Toronto, continued with many horse/rider combinations making last minute breakthroughs and improvements in their test riding. “Jogging” was practiced throughout the week without mishap and its importance was continually stressed. Failing the official Horse inspection Thursday would result in being unable to ride and it was therefore critical that each rider learn how to present her horse to the Jury correctly.

On Thursday morning, having trained well all week, Stephanie Koepke of Calgary, Alberta, justifiably hoped to compete for Canada on the “A” Team, made up of some of the Team’s strongest rider and horse combinations. At 18, this would be her last year to compete as a Junior; it was now or never.

On Thursday night, Stephanie’s dreams were dust. Her horse Xanadu, was not “accepted as fit to compete” and was disqualified from the Championships. Zhivago, Heather Doherty’s horse, was also not accepted, and in shock, the entire Canadian Team returned to the barns, completely demoralized at the loss of two important Team members. Team Veterinarian, Dr. Alan Young was called in to assess the two horses and to discuss whether there was even the remotest possibility of presenting the two horses for a second time on Friday morning. The request was officially made by Dr. Alan Young, and the Juniors began to wait.

The Juniors were depressed, tired and in shock. There were tears in the eyes of all of the riders, both for their two riders who would now not compete after working so hard, and for their chances at a medal having lost two strong competitors. Xanadu and Zhivago were taken out of their stalls and examined. Neither horse had shown signs of lameness prior to the jog. It began to get dark and it started to rain lightly for the first time since the Canadians had arrived.

And then something magical happened. Ignoring the rain and the lateness of the hour, some of Canada’s top Grand Prix riders began to gather at Team Canada’s barn. Generously, these Senior Canadian riders offered the Juniors their jogging expertise. Perhaps the horses were sound but the inexperience of their riders in presenting them had caused some wobbles and moments where the Jury had seen bad steps or bad form. Tom Dvorak, Cindy and Neil Ishoy, Jacquie Brooks, Crystal Kroetch, Lee Tubman, and The Junior’s Team Coach, Albrecht Heidemann all took turns jogging Xanadu and Zhivago to determine which of them could do the best job of presenting the horses if a second official Jog opportunity presented itself. Dr. Young supervised and encouraged them as they jogged in the rain. The Juniors stood by in awe, watching seven of their riding idols and an FEI Veterinarian work on their behalf. It was almost dark, it was raining, one of the Grand Prix riders was running on a sprained ankle, the Juniors were in tears. True sporting generosity was demonstrated in that magical hour when the elite of Canadian Dressage helped the JuniorTeam.

An hour later, the request for a second official Jog for the two horses was granted. Xanadu and Zhivago would have a second chance the following morning. Now the real wait began. At 7 am the next morning, the horses were warmed up for the Jog. It was another hot and sunny day with temperatures in the high eighties by 7:45 am. The entire team turned out to watch the Jog and at 8 am Neil Ishoy presented Xanadu to the Jury. There was a long pause and finally the hoped for verdict came, “Xanadu is accepted”. The Juniors were quiet: one accepted, one to go. Then Tom Dvorak presented Zhivago. Also accepted! Both horses were back on the Team and the Juniors, with great relief, thanked the Grand Prix riders who had helped them, and returned to the barns to prepare their horses for the day’s Preliminary Test.

But Stephanie Koepke’s story doesn’t end here. As required under the FEI rules, the “A”, “B” and “C” Teams had been announced the previous evening after the first Horse Inspection. Team “A” had been announced with four members and Teams “B” and “C” with three members each. The draw for Friday’s riding times had already been made and under FEI rules, Xanadu and Zhivago could only be added to Teams with less than a full complement of four members.

Without complaint or protest and with grace beyond her youth, Stephanie Koepke was assigned to Canada’s Team “C”, a good team but not the one she deserved. Later that day, in the Preliminary Test, Stephanie and Xanadu, rode hell bent for leather and achieved a score of 64.60, and in a field of 29, shared 4th place with Canada’s Team “A” rider, Amy McIlwam. On the second day, in the Team Test, Stephanie and Xanadu, scored 63.372 placing 10th in a field of 31 and qualifying with the top twelve to advance to the Individual Test. On July 1st, Canada Day, four Canadians prepared to ride the Individual Test. Three riders from Team “A” and Stephanie from Team “C”. Stephanie and Xanadu drew the third ride of the day, scheduled for 7:50 am of a beautiful, sunny day. They entered the ring, began their test, and while proceeding smoothly through their trot work, one of the Judges blew the whistle, indicating an error and requiring Stephanie to halt. Stephanie walked Xanadu over to the Judge for clarification. The Canadian spectators watched in shock; Stephanie was riding well and was not off course as far as they could tell. Why had the Judge stopped her ride? Following a brief discussion too far away for the spectators to hear, Stephanie resumed her test with style and accuracy. Perhaps not with the same confidence as before, but with elegance and composure. In error, one of the five Judges, had called her to a halt in the middle of her test believing that she was off course. Regardless of this, under the FEI rules, Stephanie was required to complete the test and accept the score she was given. Again, she carried on without protest. She behaved with professionalism and dignity. Stephanie Koepke, achieved a score of 62.919 placing 9th out of a field of 12 in the Individual Test in spite of the demoralizing effects of an incorrect call by the Judge. Her Team “C” placed 6th in the Team Test.

Stephanie maintained her composure, good humor and a professional attitude in spite of the obstacles she encountered at the North American Junior Championships. At the presentations, she did not stand on the podium and she did not receive a medal. She did not complain or protest, she simply rode tall and proud with an intensity and focus that was observed by all of the Canadians with admiration. Stephanie Koepke, at the North American Junior Dressage Championships, embodied all that is fine in sport; courage and determination in the face of mishap, grace under pressure, comradeship and joy in the achievements of her fellow Team riders.

Other Team Canada riders also experienced difficulties and overcame them with grace. Heather Doherty, who shared the fear of disqualification with Stephanie, regained her composure after her horse was accepted in the second Horse inspection. She continued throughout the Championships as a steady competitor and cheered her Team members on with enthusiasm and she was the first to applaud those with scores higher than her own. One of the youngest Team members, Joyce Cameron, qualifying for the Championships at the last possible moment, appeared to grow inches taller and years older over the weeks of preparation and competition. She achieved some of the best scores of her riding career at the Championships. All of the Junior Riders who took part in the Championships experienced special rites of passage as young women and as junior riders. Every rider learned and grew from the experience of representing Canada but none of their experiences can quite compare to those of Stephanie Koepke.

At the Championships Stephanie Koepke set an exceptional example of grace and courage in the face of adversity. Canada’s Senior Riders and their Team Vet set an example of generosity and teamwork when they reached out to help the Juniors. These examples of unsought and unexpected courage, grace and generosity inspire all of us to be the best we can be, to achieve great things as individuals and as Teams. And it is this inspiration which nurtures us in all of our hopes and dreams. Medals tarnish, but the pride and joy which the Juniors brought back from Ohio will remain shiny and bright forever.