Erynn Ballard 

Birthplace: Oakville, Ontario, Canada
Birth Date: September 13, 1980
Hometown: Hillsburgh, Ontario, Canada
Occupation: Full Time Athlete
Coaches: David and Sandi Ballard
Stable: Looking Back Farm

Erynn began riding at the age of five on Looking Back Farm, with her parents as her coaches. After a period of only one year, she entered the Equestrian show ring, and there has been no turning back since.

She has competed on a number of horses during her career. “Ordinary Man”, was the mount with whom she earned a team bronze medal at the 1996 North American Young Rider Championships. In 1997, Erynn won the $15,000 Junior American Invitational in Tampa, Florida riding “Aramex”. In 1997, riding “Raphaella”, Erynn became the first to capture all four classes comprising the junior/amateur division at the 1997 Royal Winter Fair.

Following the 1998 Cosequin Winter Equestrian Festival in Florida, Erynn was awarded the Christie Conrad Perpetual Trophy for Equestrian Excellence. At Madison Square Gardens in November of that year, She became the second Canadian to capture the ASOCA Maclay National Championship, which rewards excellence in flatwork and jumping. The winning streak went on into the 1999 season when she captured the individual gold medal at the North American Young Riders’ Championship with her Irish Thoroughbred gelding “Leacock”.

When Erynn made her Nation’s Cup debut at the 2006 Spruce Meadows Masters Tournament, she was part of the team that helped Canada win the event for the first time in its thirty-year history. She was becoming a household name in the sport by this time. Then later that season, in March of 2007, she and “Robin Van Roosendael” delivered two clear rounds to help Canada win yet another Nation’s Cup tournament in Wellington, Florida.

Erynn is acclaimed for her ability to ride all types of horses and she is often the pilot of multiple mounts in the Young Horse classes where she has numerous championships to her credit. In recognition of her extraordinary skills in horsemanship, she was awarded the Dr. George Jacobsen Trophy as the 2006 Equine Canada “Equestrian of the Year”.

A graduate of Milton District Public School in Ontario Canada, Erynn is now a full-time professional trainer and coach. She operates Looking Back Farm with her parents, Sandi and David. David was the course designer for the 1999 Pan American Games.