Up In the Air! Canadian Olympian Megan Lane Leaves Deer Ridge to Become Pilot

Dressage

Canada

Canadian Olympic team rider Megan Lane has made a major career shift, giving up her job as head rider at Deer Ridge Equestrian Centre to venture into a new profession, pilot.

The 32-year old Lane is originally from Collingwood, ON and discovered dressage at the age of eight.

Five Times NAJYRC

Her training reached a new level when she spent time at the Hanoverian Riding and Driving School in Verden, GER. Shortly afterwards Lane's international dressage career started with the 14.3 hh standing, Canadian bred Dolany, who took her to the 2008 North American Junior Riders Championships.

From there she rode at four more, consecutive North American Junior/Young Riders Championships from 2009 through 2012, three of those aboard the KWPN mare Caravella (by Contango x Riverman) which her mom Cathy bought in 2009. The KWPN mare was originally named U.Fashion and bred by Canadian GP rider Jill Irving.

In 2012 she rode Lucky Lemon at her fifth NAYRC. She showed him at small tour and Under 25 level through 2014.

From Juniors to the Olympics with Caravella

Lane's career making ride was Caravella, which took her from junior level to the Olympics.

After six medals at the NAJYRC, they moved to Under 25 Grand Prix level in February 2012 and then jumped straight into senior Grand Prix division one month later in Florida. Megan was 21 years old at that time.

They represented Canada at the 2014 World Equestrian Games in Caen, where they finished 37th in the Grand Prix. They were coached by Oded Shimoni at that point. In 2015 Lane and Caravella competed at the Pan American Games and placed fourth and got team silver.

The road to the 2016 Olympic Games was a bumpy one as Lane clinched an individual spot for Rio based on her scores, but country mate Karen Pavicic appealed, alleging Lane was deliberately upscored to secure her spot for the Games in Rio de Janeiro (BRA). The FEI conducted an investigation but closed the case. At the 2016 Olympic the 25-year old Lane and Caravella were 33rd in the Grand Prix.

Deer Ridge Equestrian

By 2011 Lane had decided on a professional career in riding and taken up the post of resident trainer at Deer Ridge Equestrian in Loretto ON, owned by Lorna Minz and Froukje Staal.

Deer Ridge enabled her to compete internationally for 13 years, commuting between Canada and Wellington, Florida, where Deer Ridge has its winter base. They supplied her with a string of horses, including San D'Or, which she showed internationally from 2013 until 2018 and then sold to Switzerland, and Zodiac MW with whom she returned on the Canadian team for the 2018 World Equestrian Games in Tryon. They placed 75th in the Grand Prix. She competed him at international Grand Prix level through Jannuary 2023 when he was 19.

In 2023 she rode at CDI's with Deer Ridge's now 16-year old Denver (by Vivaldi x Amethist) and the now 10-year old Furst Foundation (by Foundation x De Niro). Megan's last CDI was in Caledon, ON in June 2023.

Up in the Air

Lane has done a 180° turn and completely thrown her career around. She made her first discovery flight in December 2022 and felt this appetite for flying would change her life and career.

"When I walked through the terminal that day I knew my life was going to change," she told Horse Sport. Megan has begun the process of becoming a commercial airline pilot and quit her job at Deer Ridge six months ago to accommodate to her new schedule.

Her target in aviation is to acquire the prerequisites for the ATPL in order to become a First Officer and, ultimately, Captain. She has not bid dressage a final adieu, though.

"My goal is to become a commercial pilot as well as continuing to pursue my riding and training career,” she explained Horse Sport. “I have a deep love and commitment to both careers and believe that performance at a high level can be achieved in more than one direction. I have a wonderful group of horses and riders that I teach and am excited to see them develop as I continue my education as a pilot.”

Megan Lane told Eurodressage on 19 January 2024 that she "travels all over the Greater Toronto Area. From Erin to Stouffville on my regular schedule and clinic all over." When asked if she has any horses coming along for CDI competition, she replied, "the ones I’m working with now aren’t quite CDI ready so we’ll see where the next few months take me. I love the training side of it so am not in a rush to compete, however horses always surprise me so I might be showing sooner than I anticipate."