PHOENIX Jessica
Sport	Dressage, Eventing
NOC	Canada
Gender	Female
Born	16 Oct 1983 in Uxbridge, CAN
Height	1.57 m

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Human Interest

Further Personal Information
Residence	Toronto, ON, CAN
Sport Specific Information
Club / Team	Phoenix Equestrian Team: Toronto, ON, CAN
Further Personal Information
Higher education	Business Administration - Durham College: Uxbridge, ON, CAN
General Interest
Awards and honours	In 2014 she was named Leading Lady Rider in Ontario, Canada. (eventingconnect.today, 07 Jan 2015) She was named Equestrian of the Year at the 2012 Equine Canada Annual Awards. (horse-canada.com, 06 Feb 2012)
Sport Specific Information
When and where did you begin this sport?	She received a pony for her first birthday. She began riding Western saddle before moving on to eventing at age 11 and winning her first major competition at age 13.
Further Personal Information
Occupation	Athlete, Business Owner, Coach, Horse Trainer
General Interest
Other information	STABLES She owns Phoenix Equestrian in Ontario, Canada, where she coaches riders and also trains and trades horses for eventing. "In 10 years [speaking in 2020] I hope to have coached my students to the national team level. To stand next to them on a podium would be a dream come true. I want to see Canada on top." (jessicaphoenix.ca, 29 Jul 2021; horsesport.com, 11 May 2020) TOKYO WITHDRAWAL She withdrew from the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo due to a minor injury her horse Pavarotti sustained during a preparation gallop in July 2021. "While I am devastated that Rotti will not get to compete and show his talent on the world stage, I am thankful that he will be back to his usual self soon." (jessicaphoenix.ca, 29 Jul 2021; horseandhound.co.uk, 29 Jul 2021; equestrian.ca, 28 Jul 2021) 2016 OLYMPIC SELECTION She was originally chosen as a reserve rider for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, but appealed against Canadian team selector Clayton Fredericks' decision. The Sport Dispute Resolution Centre of Canada [SDRCC] investigated the case and ruled that Fredericks had failed to adhere to Equestrian Canada's selection criteria. The SDRCC also deemed that Phoenix's overall results warranted her a place at the Games. She replaced fellow rider Kathryn Robinson, who would later regain her place in the team due to the withdrawal of Selena O'Hanlon. (equnews.com, 26 Oct 2016; horse-canada.com, 29 Jul 2016; eventingnation.com, 25 Jul 2016) OTHER ACTIVITIES In 2017 the book 'Rise: The Jessica Phoenix Story' was released. It was written by her sister Julie Fitz-Gerald, who is a journalist and author, and follows her equestrian career and return from serious injury at the 2015 Jersey Fresh International Three-Day Event in Allentown, NJ, United States of America. She was also the inspiration for the 2017 song 'Rise' by country musician Elyse Saunders, which is based on her comeback from the same accident. In 2020 she was featured as an equestrian mentor in 'All-Round Champion', a North American television series in which 10 young athletes compete in a variety of sporting challenges. (jessicaphoenix.ca, 22 Apr 2020; thebrockvoice.com, 10 Nov 2017; heelsdownmag.com, 04 May 2017)
Further Personal Information
Other names	Jessica Ferguson
Sport Specific Information
Why this sport?	She grew up around horses at her family's farm in Uxbridge, ON, Canada. "Growing up, I had a dream to ride horses at the highest level possible. My parents would go to the local sale barn. I started doing Western discipline, and then one of my really good friends said, 'You have to come over and try this jumping with me'. So I took my Western horse over for a cross-country lesson, changed saddles, and I was hooked. Honestly after I did that first jumping lesson I immediately knew that it was what I wanted to spend my life doing. I didn't think I really knew the difference between eventing and what other equestrian disciplines there were, but when you were out cross-country just galloping on the fields, jumping those natural fences, that was what really attracted me to eventing."
Further Personal Information
Languages	English
Last Update
	19 Apr 2022
General Interest
Nicknames	Jessie, Wonder Woman (horse-canada.com, 04 Jun 2018; eventingnation,com, 11 Jan 2014)
Sporting philosophy / motto	"Don't rush things. Sometimes it will feel like your peers may be passing you by, but don't get discouraged. Stay focused, put in the work, and your time will come." (womenofinfluence.ca, 05 Jan 2019)
Injuries	In May 2015 she spent 13 days in hospital after falling at the Jersey Fresh International Three-Day Event in Allentown, NJ, United States of America. She required surgery on her liver, and also broke three ribs and the sacrum bone at the base of her spine. (eventingconnect.today, 21 May 2015) She broke her left collarbone in 2012 after falling at a competition in Beaumont, AB, Canada. She had surgery on the injury and was still able to compete at the 2012 Olympic Games in London later that year. (100huntley YouTube channel, 31 Jul 2012)
Most influential person in career	Her husband Joel. (horse-canada.com, 01 Jun 2016)
Hobbies	Playing table tennis, camping. (healthyishott.com, 12 Jun 2019; womenofinfluence.ca, 05 Jan 2019)
Memorable sporting achievement	Winning individual gold at the 2011 Pan American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico. (womenofinfluence.ca, 05 Jan 2019)
Superstitions / Rituals / Beliefs	She uses visualisation to go through her rides before competing, and often photographs the jumps to aid in her visualisation process. (useventing.com, 20 Oct 2020)
Other sports	She has competed in equestrian jumping at elite level. (FEI, 24 Sep 2022)

Major Results

Olympic Games
Year	Venue	Horse	Ind. Rank	Team Rank
2012	OG-C London (GBR)	EXPONENTIAL	22	13
World Equestrian Games
Year	Venue	Horse	Ind. Rank	Team Rank
2010	6th WEG-C Lexington KY (USA)	EXPONENTIAL	WD
Continental Championships and Games
Year	Venue	Horse	Ind. Rank	Team Rank
2011	Pan-Am Games-CCI2* Guadalajara (MEX)	PAVAROTTI	1	2
2007	Pan-Am Games-C3* Rio de Janeiro RJ (BRA)	EXPLORING	12
Other Events
Year	Venue	Horse	Ind. Rank	Team Rank
2013	CCI4*-HSBC Lexington KY (USA)	EXPONENTIAL	WD
2011	CCI4*-HSBC Lexington KY (USA)	EXPONENTIAL	7
2011	CCI4*-HSBC Burghley (GBR)	EXPONENTIAL	35
2011	CCI4*-HSBC Lexington KY (USA)	EXPLORING	RET

Abbreviation	Meaning
DNF	Did Not Finish
DNS	Did Not Start
DNQ	Did Not Qualify
DSQ	Disqualified
FNR	Finished No Rank
RET	Retired
WDW	Withdrawal