PrintAfter more than 21⁄2 decades riding for Canada, Mario Deslauriers starts the season with a U.S. passport and a stellar string of horses.
By the time Mario Deslauriers made his debut riding for the U.S. flag during the Buenos Aires Nations Cup (Argentina) on Nov. 6, he’d already won an FEI World Cup Final and competed in two Olympic Games—but with a maple leaf on his saddle pad.
While he’s lived and trained in the United States since 1986, Deslauriers, 45, decided to make his relationship with the country official last year, acquiring his U.S. citizenship in September of 2009. Making the switch meant leaving a lot of his past behind, but it also opened doors to more possibilities to again rise to the top of the sport.
“Being from Canada we don’t get to go on the tours,” explained Deslauriers. “If all goes well I’d love the chance to compete on the [FEI Meydan Nations Cup tour] and ride in championships. There’s just a lot more options for U.S. riders.”
The hardest part of the transition wasn’t the mountains of paperwork or the attachment he had to his native country or even the camaraderie he felt toward his teammates of the past 21⁄2 decades. It was watching his parents struggle with his decision that really hit home.
“It was a really big step for my mom and dad,” he said. “To them I’m still a boy from Bromont. I rode on the Canadian team for so long—it was really tough. But they understand that it was a good decision.”
Full Speed Ahead
Armed with a new passport and stable full of top contenders, Deslauriers appears perfectly positioned to tackle the new season. He’s already won his first major outing of the season in excellent company, taking blue in
the $50,000 Purina Mills Grand Prix CSI** aboard Urico on Jan. 23 during week 2 of the FTI Winter Equestrian Festival (Fla.).
Urico caught Deslauriers’ eye when he saw a video of the Dutch Warmblood (Zandor Z—Omara) competing
in an invitational class in Vejer de la Frontera (Spain). As soon as he saw the horse jump Deslauriers immediately knew he’d found a good partner.
“Urico is exactly the style of horse that suits me,” said Deslauriers. “I prefer to ride a horse that has a lot of blood, a horse that’s very smart and always focused and looking for something to happen. He’s got a great expression and a good head. When he trots into the arena he looks around and shies away, but as soon as the bell rings and you point him to the jump he’s all business. He’s very game, and that’s a great feeling. He goes in a fat snaffle, and he’s quick. He can turn, and he’s aggressive.”
They notched a trio of wins through the 1.50-meter level while getting to know one another during the 2009 summer tour at Spruce Meadows (Alta.). Deslauriers considers Urico his top prospect for the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games (Ky.) this fall, should he earn an invitation.
“I happened to be in the right place at the right time to try the horse,” he said. “In this business that’s so important. That and a little luck.”
Deslauriers has had a knack for perfect timing. At the beginning of last summer he headed to Spruce Meadows with a few horses but found his schedule wasn’t jam-packed.
“At Spruce Meadows Jane Clark asked if I would ride a few horses for her, and I happened to have time,” recalled Deslauriers. “We’d known each other for ages, and it just worked out that, again, I was in the right place at the right time.”
