"It means a lot [to win this]," Pathy said.
After two days and three rounds of pressure-filled competition, Lexi Pathy of Westmount, Quebec emerged as the 2026 Champion of the CET Medal Final, Canada's most prestigious equitation Championship.
Riding Eros van de Schrale Hamme Z, Pathy, 15, finished on a winning total of 257.5 points. Lillian Curry finished second with 253.5 points, followed by Shenae Johnston (250).
Lexi Pathy and Eros van de Schrale Hamme Z. All photos by Ben Radvanyi Photography
"It means a lot [to win this]," Pathy said. "Coming in on the first day, I was probably aiming for top four or something since it's my first year in the CET, so this is really way past my expectations, honestly. I don't even know what to say."
Pathy, who trains with Amy Millar and Rob Carey, put her maturity and poise on display in her CET Finals debut. She received a score of 85.5 from the judges for her opening Flat/Gymnastics phase, which put her in second heading into Thursday's final rounds. In the Jumping phase, she earned a round-best base score of 90, but a rail deducted four points from her score to leave her on 86.
Still, her two-round total was enough to put her on top of the overall leaderboard and secure a place in the final work-off, reserved for the top four competitors. In that test, which asked rideability questions with a number of rollbacks off the left and right leads, Pathy incurred two time penalties, but her score, another 86, was still the best of the group.
"I got a chance to watch everybody [in the test] since I went last," Pathy. There were a lot of turns that I was debating, and I saw some do them properly and [others] not as well. I really think that helped me and set me up."
When Curry was revealed as the runner-up, leaving only Pathy left to be announced as the class champion, the emotion was palpable. Pathy wiped tears from her face, while her team ringside was brought to their knees.
"The progress this girl has made in the past year in her riding is truly remarkable, and she deserves this," Millar said. "I have to say that the format of this CET Medal is brilliant for developing championship riders, because it's just like a championship. It's requires an absence of errors over many rounds.
Eros, a 9-year-old Zangersheide gelding, has played a key role in Pathy's success, helping build up the rider's confidence after an injury setback.
"I had a little bit of an injury in Florida, so I didn't really get to show him all winter," Pathy said. "We started showing [together] at the end of May, and we instantly clicked. I just feel so confident with him, and he helps me a lot."
From here, Pathy will set her sights on other medal success in the U.S., along with continuing to climb the ranks in the jumper ring.
"Since we've started working with Lexi, we really are teaching her to be a jumper rider. What that means is that you put a quality canter under your horse, and you execute. You don't just post," Millar said. "That's what she's learned to do. She's learned how to ride. That's what I see out there, and that's what I see when she rides her 1.30m jumper. And that is what makes me super happy."
Full Results: https://www.longinestiming.com/equestrian/2026/royal-agricultural-winter-fair-toronto/resultlist_112.html
SOURCE The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair