Karl Slezak
Photo By Andrew Bailini
Karl Slezak has been involved in equestrian sports for the past twenty years. At twenty-eight Karl has produced quality results in his relatively short competition career. His determination for success has earned him great respect amongst his colleagues. In 2001 Karl achieved the prestigious ‘A’ level in Pony Club and became an Equine Canada Certified level one coach. In 2002, he competed as a member of the sixth place Ontario Three-Day Event Team at the North American Young Riders Championships. In that same year he was the youngest man to be awarded the Ontario Horse Trials Leading Male Rider Award.
Karl began his eventing career working under Olympic event rider Garry Roque. The 8 years of shadowing the veteran trainer proved to be an invaluable experience. Daily training and guidance from the horseman helped Karl progress in a remarkably short period of time. Karl also takes advantage of clinics and training opportunities with some of the world’s top Olympic level riders & coaches.
Karl competes in Canada and the United States at both national and international levels of competition. In 2004 Karl completed The Foxhall Cup International Three-Day Event in seventeenth place at the CCI*** level which qualified him for the Olympics and put him on the Short List for the Canadian Three-Day Eventing Team for the first time. Unfortunately, Karl was not selected to represent Canada at the 2004 Olympic Games but was still able to travel to Athens and take part in the Canadian Team experience as a Groom for Garry Roque. Working for Garry and grooming for him at every major international competition in
Karl and 'Charley Farley' place 1st at Bromont CIC** in 2009. Photo by Andrew Bailini
North America and some overseas competitions has provided Karl immeasurable amounts of experience and knowledge to further his own career.
Since 2004, Karl has competed with a wide variety of horses, at all levels and produced a number of wins. Of these horses he has produced a remarkable 8 Advanced horses and accomplished Short Listed status on four of them which included one for the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.
2009 wrapped up a very successful season for Karl. With an impressive 4th place at the demanding Jersey Fresh CCI*** event and a strong result at the Fair Hill International, Karl received the Colonel Michael Gutowski Award for being the Highest standing Canadian in FEI world Rankings for Eventing. His results this past year have also qualified him for short-listed status on his two main horses (Charley Farley and Kachemak Bay) for the 2010 World Equestrian Games in Kentucky.
