Rebecca has been an integral part of the Canadian High Performance Eventing Program for well over a decade. In spring 2012 she made the move from the USA to the UK, basing herself with Tim and Jonelle Price at Mere Farm in Wiltshire.

Raised in Salmon Arm, British Columbia, Canada, Rebecca grew up during a booming era for BC eventing. Some of the country’s best coaches, riders and course designers were based within a stone’s throw of her home. Along with a very active local Pony Club, she found herself surrounded by knowledgeable, experienced and hardworking former national team riders, who laid down her foundation and passion for excellence. Nick Holmes-Smith, Joni Lynn Peters and Robin Hahn all were key players in her early development as a rider.

In 2001, Rebecca moved from BC to the eastern United States looking to further her career as a rider, with David and Karen O’Connor becoming her primary trainers and mentors.

From 2007-2012 she was Equestrian Director/Rider at The Fork Stables in North Carolina. At the time home to one of the country’s key 3*, The Fork provided a world-class facility in which to train and learn – both as a rider and as a business administrator. Rebecca built up a cadre of loyal, accomplished students, including a five-year stint coaching British Columbia’s Young Rider squad at the North American Young Rider Championships.

During this chapter, Rebecca was also one of the Canadian Elite Riders Association’s rider representatives and a Rider Advisory Board member for the Professional Riders Organization.

Team Canada
Rebecca has been representing Canada in international competition since 2005 and in team competition since 2010. Highlights include:

2016 Rio Olympics – 10th individually. Highest-placed female rider

2013 Canada’s Equestrian of the Year

2013 Burghley CCI5*-L (12^th)

2013 Badminton CCI5*-L (12^th)

2012 Blenheim CCI4*-L (11th)

2012 London Olympic Games

2011 Pan American Games (Team Silver, 6th individually)

2011 Rolex CCI5*-L (10th)

2010 World Equestrian Games (23rd individually)

Rebecca Howard: In brief
Eldest of three children – two awesome sisters, Sarah and Megan, thanks to parents Bob and Mary. Now aunty to Jade, Abigail and Grayson.

Small-town girl with a rural childhood spent traipsing in British Columbia’s mountains and pristine lake country in the snow or in the sun – otherwise could be found in the gym with a basketball.

Pictures exist of a teenage Rebecca with a half-shaved head and mismatched earrings… clear evidence of her ‘thrift-shop chic’ leanings.

Known to collect rocks, a few of the prize lightweight ones have been retained, adorning shelves in Wiltshire (sorry, Air Canada). The larger boulders have been in safe keeping with the parents since 2001.

Rarely the loudest in the room, Rebecca is more of an observer, worker bee, and quietly fierce competitor (you can check with the sisters on that one).

Large birds = creepy. Unless you are an owl, then very cool.

Not the biggest reader, maybe someday, but does love a good map.

No to meat, but yes to salmon.

Coffee lover… well, addict, really.

Enjoys fitness, pushing herself and feeling like an athlete. Has taken a shine to CrossFit and now working on adding ‘double-unders’ and ‘handstand punch-ups’ to her repertoire.

Not her proudest moments, but has indulged in the odd ‘Say Yes to the Dress’ marathon.

Surrounding herself with quality people has always been her modus operandi and guided decision-making and paths chosen.

Hayley Lombard
Head Girl
Hayley has cared for the horses at Sunhill Stud since the spring of 2019 but is no stranger to the property as she is a return member of the team from years past when she worked for Nicky Roncoroni. Born in South Africa, Hayley’s family moved to the UK in 2001. Her first job was working with film and TV horses, but she soon found a love for competition horses and, after spending two years in Australia working across different disciplines, she narrowed her passion to the sport of eventing. Considering herself lucky to have worked with some talented horses and riders, Hayley has a particular soft spot for watching and being an integral part of working with the young horses.
Hayley has an artistic flare that, when not being expressed with pencil on paper, comes out in the form of a perfectly sculpted muck heap that can be classified as nothing other than art!

Ready
Ready is eternally youthful. Holding steady at 10 years old for at least the last five years, ‘Reads’ made the voyage to the UK with Rebecca in 2012. Loyal and more clever then the humans she manages, Ready maintains a watchful eye on Rebecca, the lorry, her horses’ stable block and the goings-on in the arena, ensuring safety and standards are maintained at all times, all the while curled up on something soft. She doesn’t need a lead and, if they seem to be required, Reads happily drags it behind her before heading to the secretary’s tent to ask if anyone has seen Rebecca.
At home, she lets the team know when she and Rebecca have arrived for the day’s work by galloping down the yard and personally greeting each person with her helicopter tail. Not only is she the hardest-working member of the team, she’s also everybody’s favourite and has an international fan club. If you see her out and about feel free to offer up a steak or some bacon – she does live with a vegetarian

Scuderia 1918 Horses – Eventing Division
The Scuderia 1918 eventing programme operates out of Sunhill Stud at Kemble Farms and is managed by Italian Francesca Pollara. Located in the heart of the English Cotswolds, Francesca is dedicated to sourcing and developing high-calibre event horses with a systematic approach for launch into enduring high-performance careers.
Partnered with international professionals Australian Kevin McNab and Canadian Rebecca Howard, management of these horses is a fully collaborative effort.

• Kevin has proven himself as an elite athlete at Nations Cup competitions, Boekelo and Pau. Kevin and his wife Emma are based in Compton, Surrey at Coneycroft Farm. He has been working with the Scuderia horses at Sunhill Stud since the inception of its eventing programme
• Rebecca is a two-time Olympian, and her 10^th place at Rio made her the highest-placed female eventer at the Games. She is a Pan American team medallist, has top-12 finishes at Badminton, Burghley and Blenheim, was named Canada’s Equestrian of the Year 2013, and has a World Equestrian Games under her belt (finishing 23^rd). She has been based in the UK since 2012, moving her base of operations from Devizes, Wiltshire, to Sunhill Stud in November 2019.

 

Riddle Master

Stable name: Rupert
Owner/breeder: Caroline and Jean Watson of Blithe Hill Farm & Rebecca
Canadian Sport Horse
Sire: Rodero
Dam: Legacy 3rd
DOB: 2001

Rupert is the horse who led Rebecca around the globe. Throughout their 11-year partnership, despite his antics and peculiarities, Rupert made Rebecca, his owners and Canada proud on many world stages. Rupert showed Rebecca what a top athlete in eventing truly is and is adored and admired for his character, toughness and many achievements. This beautiful, talented boy is now enjoying retired life.

Rupert found his way into Rebecca’s programme at The Fork Stables in 2007 – thanks to his owner/breeders, Caroline Bazley and Jean Watson of Blithe Hill Farm’s determination to breed a Canadian Sport Horse for a Canadian team rider. Despite the 3,000 miles between British Columbia and Ontario, Rebecca and Caroline became acquainted with each other’s aspirations back in 1996.

Rupert’s career developed slowly, with much negotiation required over the role of dressage in his life. Always a superb jumper, Rupert moved up to advanced level in 2009, delivering a 9th place/top Canadian finish at the Fairhill CCI4*-L with his first CCI5*-L being the World Equestrian Games in 2010 as a nine-year-old.

Over his career, Rupert produced good results in every 5-star event in the world (except Adelaide). At the end of 2013, Riddle Master was named Canadian Bred Horse of the Year – and Rebecca received Canada’s ‘Equestrian of the Year’ title. In 2016, Rebecca and Rupert were partners at the Rio Olympics, finishing 10th individually and securing Rebecca position of top female rider in eventing at the Olympics.

Rupert could quite capably tack himself up, clean his own stable and fill his hay net, if he wanted to. But he believes that legends shouldn’t have to clean up after themselves and he can’t buy mints, so he may as well put up with a groom. It’s not uncommon to see Rupert roaming loose around the yard and the lorry – he is very experienced at free ranging.

 

 

Rebecca has been developing coaching and clinician skills since her days in Pony Club (Level A graduate). She now draws on decades of experience and the influence of top professionals. Her North American 12-year affiliation with Team O’Connor established her solid philosophies, standards of training and horsemanship, while her near decade in the UK only expanded her experiences with the world’s top riders and venues, with particular influence and wisdom from Tim and Jonelle Price.

During her time in America, Rebecca’s working student programme helped to launch the careers of many of Canada’s listed riders into upper level sport. Rebecca was a regular at the North American Junior and Young Rider Championships, first as a groom, then twice as a rider and, for five years, as coach to British Columbia’s Young Rider squad. Rebecca has also developed a loyal following of students in the UK and is continuing to grow her teaching and clinic demands to all levels of students.

Rebecca is a thoughtful, creative coach whose priorities are for horses and riders to have a clear understanding of what’s being asked. She aims to help riders develop a system and philosophy, while developing exercises to build confident, happy partnerships. Rebecca is there to support her students in competition and help produce the best, most consistent results possible. She works with those starting out in eventing up to Advanced level competitors.

Rebecca’s lessons and clinics operate out of her home facility, off-site at client yards, or at regional facilities for XC schooling and jump days.

For more information on lessons with Rebecca or to book a clinic click here.