BERMUDA show jumper, Rayman Butterfield, has been competing at the renown Spruce Meadows Continental event in Canada and managed a seventh place at the ATCO 1.4-Metre Classic.

And Butterfield, who competed in the Young Riders competition last year, also told reporter Lauren MacGillivray from the Calgary Herald that "independence" has helped his career in show jumping after he left Bermuda at 16 years old to pursue his show jumping dream.

Butterfield, now 21 years old, rides his "bulky and bold" horse Gemini De Turlong.

MacGollivray wrote: "Rayman Butterfield left his family and everything he'd ever known in Bermuda when he was a teenager.

The 16-year-old was hopeful moving to Canada would improve his chances of starting a career in show jumping.

He was scared and lonely in the beginning and, at age 21, he admits he still sometimes longs for the way life was. 'My family used to have Sunday night dinners after church with my grandparents,' he says. 'Every time I see my sisters (Lindsay, 13, and Jenna, nine), they've grown so much.'

"But, with his family's blessing, he's edging closer to breaking through to the international show jumping circuit. He lives near Toronto, where he trains with and works for established circuit rider Mac Cone. Butterfield is competing during this week's Spruce Meadows Continental event and plans to enter the International Ring - with fences 1.45 metres and above - likely before the tournament season is over at summer's end.

"So far, his best result came earlier this week in the ATCO 1.4 Metre Classic. He made the jumpoff and finished seventh of 37 entrants, which included some top-calibre competition, in a faultless 53.06-second ride. He earned $145 for his finish.

'This is my second year at Spruce Meadows but my first year doing 1.4-metre classes,' he says. 'My mare's jumping well and I feel good.' While veteran riders often have several horses to choose from, Butterfield has one - Gemini De Terlong, a nine-year-old Selle Francais mare. He's been training with her almost two years.

'She's very bulky and bold,' he says.

"In the ring, Butterfield is rather bold himself, showing much confidence for a young rider. He says his fearlessness likely resulted from leaving his parents so early.

'Independence gives you more exposure to real life experiences,' he says. 'It can give you more confidence in who you are.

'In this business, you have to be that way. One minute, you can be on the top, and the next on the bottom. Confidence is the majority of the battle.'

"His level head will also likely help him achieve success outside the ring. After finishing high school at Appleby College, a private school in Toronto, he attended McMaster University for one year in the business administration programme.

"He eventually wants to start a business buying and selling horses, like longtime show jumper Ian Millar of Perth, Ont., has done so successfully."