Bayley for Youth Olympics

THE SPOTLIGHT will once again fall on Barbados as a viable sporting destination when equestrian Kelsey Bayley competes in the 2010 Youth Olympic Games (YOG) in Singapore this summer.Bayley has qualified to represent Barbados after achieving her certificate of capability at an FEI (Fédération Equestre Internationale) Category A Competition in Puerto Rico earlier this month.Barbados was fortunate to receive a wild card for equestrian from the International Olympic Committee, but the chosen candidate still had to provide a certificate of capability.Kelsey, who is studying in the United States, competed at the Wellington Equestrian Festival early this year as part of her preparation for the YOG.Over the two days and four rounds of competition in Puerto Rico, Bayley ended with 12 faults, winning the competition on the second day with two clear rounds and finishing third overall in the FEI Category A Competition.Bayley is a former Caribbean Equestrian Association Junior Jumping champion and her experience in that competiton, which was gained on a borrowed horse, stood her in good stead in Puerto Rico. That she was riding a borrowed horse just two days before the actual competition made little or no difference to the talented rider. Her horse, which was due to be shipped to Puerto Rico, was injured three weeks before the competition. Bayley will travel to Germany to complete her final preparations for the Youth Olympics. (CH)