The United States wasn’t the only country seeking a national dressage coach and chef d’equipe this year. Dressage Canada officials have announced that six-time U.S. Olympian Robert Dover will lead Team Canada as their High Performance Technical Advisor/Coach Advisor.

Dover had interviewed for the U.S. position, but when Anne Gribbons was ultimately hired as technical advisor and chef d’equipe, he was willing to accept other offers.

“As it turns out, just about everything that I was hoping to bring about for American dressage is exactly the same for the Canadians,” wrote Dover on his blog, Doversworld.com. “And also like the U.S., Canada boasts many very experienced and talented riders and trainers, all of whom I hoped, if I were to take the job, to enlist to produce a true team of top professionals working harmoniously together for the benefit of all riders and horses.”

Victoria Winter, the chairman of the Dressage Canada Own The Podium Task Force, said, “We are thrilled that Robert has accepted this position and are confident that his experience and enthusiasm will be invaluable to dressage in Canada. We look forward to having Robert work with our athletes, coaches, owners and volunteers to put together a successful high performance plan for the future.”

This position is part of the new high performance program being developed to assist in identifying talented athletes—human and equine—and to support and compliment their training and competitive goals.

Dover’s position will begin with the Dressage Canada 2009 European Fall Competition Tour, an Own The Podium-funded program that provides European competition experience for some of Canada’s up-and-coming combinations.

The participating athletes include: Cheryl Meisner, Blandford, N.S., with Paganini; Belinda Trussell, Stouffville, Ont., with Anton; and Diane Creech, Caistor Centre, Ont., with Wiona. They are currently in Europe preparing for competition.