Bellaryn, A New Grand Prix Prospect for Canadian Olympian Gina Smith

Dressage

Canada

Gina Smith, a Canadian Olympic team rider in 1988 and 1996, has welcomed Liz Steacie's Bellaryn into her barn, a new Grand Prix prospect that could bring back into the international dressage arena.

Gina Smith

The 65-year old Smith is based at Faith Berghuis' Franklands Farm in Brockville, Ontario and competed at the highest echelons of Canadian high performance dressage sport in the 1980s and 1990s.

Gina made her career aboard the Westfalian bred Malte (by Milan x Freischutz), which she took over from Johann Hinnemann. With Malte she became a member of the Canadian team for the first time in 1984 and was named reserve rider for the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles. At the 1986 World Championships in Cedar Valley, Gina finished fifth with the team. Coached by German Siegfried "Bimbo" Peilicke Gina and Malte won historic team bronze and placed 12th individually at the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul.

Smith (left) wins Olympic team bronze in Seoul

On Dutch Treat she won team gold at the 1991 Pan American Games in Havana. Five years later, her equine partner Faust took her to the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, while in 1997 Gina won her first Canadian Grand Prix Champion's title in her career. At the 1997 North American Dressage Championships in Maryland, Gina won team bronze on Fledermaus (by Purioso). This pair also competed at the 2000 World Cup Finals in Den Bosch. This was her last international show.

Sport in Canada

After Fledermaus Gina retreated from the international stage but continued to have an impact on national level as a rider and official.

In 2004 she began showing Frappuccino (by Florestan out of Wanja) and in 2007 clients' horses Encore (by Escudo out of Lady), Cashmere (by Contucci out of Dulcinee) and Delight (by De Niro x White Magic) joined the ranks. Gina stayed busy competing horses up the levels, such as Flagship (by Friendship out of Thais), Walencia (by Waterford out of Papagena), Rhythmix (by Rubino Rosso out of Mireille) and Zandor MF (by Krack C out of Roxanne), but it was Frappuccino that brought her back in the national Grand Prix arena.

On Fledermaus at the 2000 World Cup Final
(Photo © Dirk Caremans)

In 2010 she served as assistant Chef d’équipe for Canada’s dressage team at the 2010 World Equestrian Games in Lexington. In 2012 she was the volunteer Chair of Dressage Canada's High Performance Committee, a position she was officially appointed to a year later. She acted as Canadian Chef d'equipe for the 2011 Pan Am Games in Guadalajara and the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

From 2010 till 2012 Gina competed Royal Flush xx and between 2012 and 2015 she showed Danbury (by De Niro out of Weltina). A four year break from competition followed and Smith only showed one more time in August 2019 on Grandine (by Jazz out of Androdine).

Most recently she spent a stint in Europe training with Leonie Bramall in Germany.

Bellaryn

Canadian Grand Prix rider Liz Steacie has decided to retire from riding and allocated the ride on her 12-year old Hanoverian mare Bellaryn (by Bonifatius x Desperados x Wolkentanz) to Gina.

Bellaryn was born in Canada, but German Jorn Wedermann is listed as her breeder. He sold the dam to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in foal to Bellaryn. Steacie purchased Bellaryn as a 2-year old.

"Every two or three years the Royal Canadian Mounted Police holds an auction where they sell off any young stock from their breeding program who do not meet their requirements. Bellaryn is not black. I bought her at the 2013 auction," Steacie explained.

Two years later Steacie took her to the Canadian Hanoverian mare inspection in 2015 where she was named Champion mare. She competed her through the levels to Intermediaire II with great success, Smith will move her into the Big Tour.

Gina Smith, Liz Steacie, Shelly MacArthur, Sharon Jordan,
Jane Clark with Bellaryn

“I am beyond thrilled that Gina will have the ride on this wonderful mare”, said the 66-year old Steacie. “I am retiring from riding, and I can’t think of anyone I would rather see riding Bella, so it was a no-brainer to accept Gina’s offer when she approached me. Gina and I have been friends and colleagues for so long, and I will be her most avid supporter now, that’s for sure”.

Recently, Smith has branched out into breeding, raising several top prospects. Bellaryn brings top bloodlines to Smith’s broodmare herd as well as opportunities in competition.

"I am very grateful for the group of supporters that came together for this exciting adventure," Gina stated. "It means so much to me that these special horses can remain in Canada. I have admired Bellaryn throughout her career with Liz and look forward to what the future holds for us!"