The Chad Sisters Make a Move to Train with Canadian Gold Medalist Equestrian Eric Lamaze

Local equestrian riders, Bretton and Kara Chad are training with top world ranked Canadian Gold Medalist Equestrian, Eric Lamaze. The new partnership will officially start at the Spruce Meadows Summer Tournament beginning June 3, 2015.

Bretton Chad previously trained with Eric Lamaze in Europe from August – December 2014 while attending a college semester abroad. Kara also has experience training with a top international rider, when she rode with British Gold Medal Equestrian, Ben Maher based out of Oxfordshire, UK from August – December 2013.

Although the sisters are excited by this move, it is a bittersweet transition from long-term trainers Dick Carvin Jr and Susie Schroer of Meadow Grove Farms, Los Angeles, California. Dick and Susie have a skillset to develop their students to the international level then place them with top world-ranked riders. They worked with Bretton and Kara since 2005 and have done a tremendous job developing both riders from the Pony to the Grand Prix ring. Bretton and Kara have a solid foundation and have already proven themselves competitive at the international level. As they continue to develop their careers, this move will be a tremendous opportunity for advancement in the sport of international show-jumping while at the same time strengthening the pool of Canadian Equestrian possibilities for International Championships such as the World Equestrian Games, World Cup Championships and the Olympics Games.

Bretton and Kara have both previously represented Canada on the National Young Riders Team at four international tournaments winning team and individuals silver medals. At the young age of 19, Kara represented Canada on the National Senior Equestrian Team at three Nations Cup events. She was part of Team Canada’s gold medal team at the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup, Mexico in May 2014 and returned as a team member to Mexico again this year for another successful tournament including 2nd place in the CSIO4* North American Grand Prix and 4th place with Team Canada in the CSIO4* Furusiyya North American Nations Cup Team Qualifier. Additionally, she placed 1st in the Longines Global Champions Tour Vienna Masters CSI2* International Springprufung met Stretchen, Gold Tour Grand Prix, 2nd place in the Concours Hippique International de Geneve Prix Credit Grand Prix and jumped with 4 faults at the 2014 Rolex Pan American Cup 1.60m at Spruce Meadows.

Bretton has achieved impressive results at top-level competitions. She was 2nd in a 2013 World Cup qualifier and had several top international placings in 2014, including 2nd place in the CSI2* Longines Global Champions Tour Equita Lyon CWD Grand Prix, 2nd place in the CSI2* HITS Desert Circuit $50,000 Purina Mills Grand Prix, jumped with 4 faults in the CSI2* Longines Global Champions Tour Gucci Masters Prix Laiterie de Montaigu 1.45 m, and was 1st place in the $10,000 Paramount Resources Prix des Nations 1.40m at Spruce Meadows.

Following Spruce Meadows, both Bretton and Kara will compete in an exciting summer tour throughout Europe with Lamaze, including three competitions on the prestigious Longines Global Champions Tour.

Both Chad sisters study at Claremont McKenna College in Claremont, California. Bretton will be in her senior year and Kara in her sophomore year in September 2015. As in the past, they will continue to compete throughout their college education.