May 2, 2006 – Wellington, Florida – “If we had the option of hand-crafting the ideal Canadian columnist, the end result would have closely resembled Jennifer Ward. Her impeccable credentials, her knowledge and perspective of the equestrian industry and her reputation are well-deserved,” said Jean Llewellyn, PhelpsSports.com’s Executive Editor. “I’ve known Jenn for a number of years, and recognize that she’s the ultimate professional. Having her on-board is a real boost for PhelpsSports.com.”
PhelpsSports.com is a new and highly innovative equestrian sports website offering equestrians and fans of equestrian sports from around the world a single web address for the latest breaking news from the high performance disciplines. The website will include up-to-the-minute audio reports, live video interviews and features from around the globe, photography, and the creative writing and reporting of some of the finest equestrian journalists in the world. According to Executive Editor, Jean Llewellyn, “PhelpsSports.com is the most exciting initiative to hit the equestrian industry for a long time. Our team of professional contributors will be second to none in terms of the knowledge, skills and expertise that will be applied to the everyday delivery of news, reports and regular columns, not forgetting the world-class photography as well as the audio and audio-visual components. PhelpsSports.com is destined to become the CNN and the New York Times of equestrian sport rolled into a unique package.”
The seed from which Jennifer Ward’s highly successful career has flourished was planted at the age of six when she began riding at an equestrian centre in her hometown of Peterborough, Ontario. Weekly lessons as well as annual summer camps nurtured a growing passion and, once in high school, her resourceful organizational skills were realized when she founded an equestrian club.
Originally attracted to Ottawa's Carleton University for its Journalism program, another talent blossomed while working part-time in the University's Public Relations department, providing the catalyst for furthering her education with a post-graduate degree in Public Relations. Completion of this program required a two-month internship and, knowing her interest in horses, Humber College arranged for Jennifer to work with the Canadian Equestrian Federation (now Equine Canada), in the run-up to the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. This temporary sojourn turned into a five-year term as Media Relations Coordinator. When Jennifer left the equestrian industry in 2001 to take up a new position working on a United Nations project, the proverb “You never miss the water till the well runs dry,” suddenly developed new meaning.
She may have left the Canadian Equestrian Federation, but the phone calls from the equestrian industry kept on coming. As a result, Jennifer said, “I had found a niche, and decided to start my own business, Starting Gate Communications, which would specialize in Public Relations for the equestrian industry. I figured I would give it two years and if it didn’t work out, I could go back to working in the ‘real world.” For anyone familiar with Starting Gate Communications, this is one contest the ‘real’ world lost!
Although Jennifer no longer rides regularly she freely admits that, “barely a day goes by that I don’t miss riding, and I look forward to the day when I have the time to ride seriously again.” Thanks in part to her forthcoming association with PhelpsSports.com, that’s unlikely to happen any day soon. “ I am at most of the biggest horse shows in Canada, and I look forward to providing PhelpsSports.com with the latest results and behind-the-scenes stories about Canada's thriving equestrian industry. Every day through my work at Starting Gate Communications, I am in contact with riders, show organizers, sponsors, owners, breeders, and associations, and sharing the news with the readers of PhelpsSports.com will be a great service to the industry and keep everyone up to date on what is happening in Canada."
Jennifer will write a weekly column, 'On the Canadian Scene' for PhlepsSports.com and will also provide on-site coverage from the majority of Canada's FEI competitions, including dressage and eventing in addition to show jumping. The inclusion of Canadian content will only serve to make PhelpsSports.com an even stronger source for global news.
"Mason Phelps is a true visionary when it comes to promoting equestrian sport, and I have no doubt that his quick wit and boundless energy will see PhelpsSports.com transforming equestrian communications," said Jennifer, noting her own elation at the prospect of doing a little 'creative' writing. "I had the opportunity to work from the Phelps Media Group office for a couple of weeks during the Winter Equestrian Festival, and I was most impressed by the level of commitment, professionalism and talent displayed by all of the staff members. It is very exciting to join forces with such a dynamic organization and I have no doubt that, once launched, PhelpsSports.com will quickly become ‘the place’ to go for all of the latest news and results from around the world.”
For Jean Llewellyn, “Being able to tap into Jenn’s huge reservoir of Canadian industry knowledge will be invaluable to PhelpsSports.com, as well as a real bonus for me personally. Having someone with Jenn’s diligence and integrity on-board exceeds the boundaries we’ve set, and having the opportunity to work with her regularly will be an absolute joy.”
