When Virginia McKey and her horse Wolkenglanz trot out at the OLG Caledon Pan Am Equestrian Park tomorrow it will be the culmination of years of hard work, pain and sacrifice.

Achieving her lifelong ambition of reaching a major competition has been a winding and rocky road for the 44 year old, who moved to Simcoe, Ontario, in 2007.

To help cover the hefty costs of travelling, training and competing in order to qualify for the Pan Am Games, she sold her horse farm last year, spending the winter in Florida competing regularly in top-level competitions.

All of the struggles and significant financial outlay has finally paid off for McKey, who has been competing in dressage — where horse and rider perform a series of predetermined movements — since she was six years old.

“We started this journey to the Pan Am Games about six years ago,” said McKey, who is perhaps more recognised for her MarketPlace commercials promoting healthy eating.

“That’s when I bought Wolkenglanz with the hope that he could do it. It’s been a long haul but I always thought he had the talent and he’s proved me right.

“He has the ability to be absolutely amazing one day and absolutely terrible on another. I can only hope he behaves himself on the day and that all the stars align. On a good day we have a chance of doing very well.”

McKey and Wolkenglanz — a Hanoverian from Germany who is affectionately known as Wolly — competed at last year’s Central American and Caribbean Games in Veracruz, Mexico, finishing 21st out of 22 riders in the Prix St Georges and eighteenth in the Intermediate 1.

She knows the competition will be even tougher in Toronto, with the host nation and the United States expected to be particularly strong, but is hopeful considering the Pan Am Equestrian Park will feel almost like a home venue.

“We were showing at the Pan Am level last year, doing very well and qualified for the CAC Games and that started the ball rolling,” said McKey, who broke her back in a riding accident in 2010 and required surgery two years later to avoid the risk of paralysation.

“I stayed in Florida for the winter, which is where most of the competitors go to qualify for Pan Am. They have international dressage competitions almost every weekend, so we gained lots of experience in front of international judges.

“It’s going to be very stiff competition and I’m very nervous, but I think I’m as ready as I can be.

“I think it will be a huge advantage having the Games in Toronto. I’ve competed at the show ground where the dressage is being held many times and Wolly likes it, which is a huge plus.”

McKey, who also works as a personal strength trainer and health coach, will be hoping to advance to the musical freestyle where the top 15 riders will compete on the final day of competition.

“I’ve had a dream of representing the Island since I was six years old and competed regularly in Bermuda when I lived there,” said McKey, who has been training with Canadian Olympian Cindy Ishoy.

“I know Wolly will have to put his best hoof forward in both tests, but I’m hoping and praying we make the top 15. I’ll be absolutely ecstatic if we can.”

McKey, who finished second at the Equivents CDI in Cedar Valley, Ontario, last month, competes in the Prix St Georges tomorrow and the Intermediate 1 on Sunday. The musical freestyle will be held on Tuesday.