Biography

It is a first Badminton and first competitive visit in the UK for Canadian rider Karl Slezak (40) who is based in near Tottenham, Ontario. With Badminton entry Fernhill Wishes he completed Elkton 5* last year – a first 5* for horse and rider.

Karl first started riding as a seven-year-old when the family moved from city to country. By the time he was 12 he was working on a ranch and discovered eventing at the age of 15. He joined the Pony Club achieved his A level and became an Equine Canada Level 1 coach. In 2002 he was Ontario Horse Trials leading male rider.

The plan to go to university was deferred when event rider Garry Roque invited him to work in Florida for the winter. He subsequently began training and teaching and acquired a reputation for turning round difficult horses. With one of the first, Private Ryan, he was short-listed for the Canadian team in 2004.

In 2005 Karl became manager of Wolf Run Farm where he still runs his yard as well as teaching and training, since 2016 assisted by his wife fellow event rider Katlyn Hewson – who also competes a horse by Chacoa. Although Karl has competed for more than 20-years Fernhill Wishes is his first 5* horse.

Fernhill Wishes owned by Kirk Hoppner and rider is 13-year-old Irish-bred Irish Sport Horse gelding. Bred by Anna Kennedy at Kennedy Equine Centre he is by Chacoa out of a mare by Gildawn Diamond. He was acquired as a four-year-old. The pair contested the Pan Am Games in 2019. He is the first 5* horse for Karl