Canadian Young Horse Development Series

Newmarket, Ontario – September 23, 2003 - Versace topped the highly-contested Five-Year-Old Division at the most recent event in the 2003 Canadian Young Horse Development Series held September 19 at the Tournament of Champions in Newmarket, ON.

Sponsored by Mill Creek Stables, the event at Tournament of Champions was held indoors and was the seventh and final event in the Series before the National Championships are held in November at Toronto’s Royal Horse Show. Fittingly, it was the Mill Creek Stables entry of Versace who took top honours in the Five-Year-Old Division from a field of 16 entries. Having only competed for the first time in the Series two weeks prior at the Fox Run Horse Show in Troy, ON, where he placed second, Versace did one better this time, earning the win under the guidance of international rider, Yann Candele of France. Versace is a Belgian Warmblood stallion by Darco that Henning imported to Mill Creek Stables in Cambridge, ON, after purchasing him in Belgium this winter.

In second position was Dancer B, a Bavarian Warmblood gelding bred in Germany and imported to Canada in May of 2003 by owner Mark Hayes of Kestrel Farms. Dancer B was shown by Melissa Brown of Claremont, ON, a 2002 World Cup Finalist and a member of the Canadian Show Jumping Team at the 2002 World Equestrian Games in Jerez, Spain. Dancer B’s lineage shows he could also be successful in dressage – his sire is De Niro by Donnerhall and he is out of a Rubinstein I dam.

Celebrity 3E took third place honours for owner KingRidge Stables. Olympic and World Championship competitor, Hugh Graham, rode the Canadian Sport Horse gelding by the famous Hannoverian sire, Rio Grande. The Gryphon Farms’ entry, Ella, a Belgian Warmblood mare, was fourth with Christi McQuaker of Schomberg, ON. Granetta, a Mecklenburg mare, placed fifth under Erynn Ballard for owner Augustin Walch and W. Charlot Farms of Stratford, ON. All five horses jumped clear rounds, with style marks from judge Eric Fleming, a professional rider from Belgium, determining the overall placings.

In the Six-Year-Old Division, where horses are judged strictly on performance, PJ topped the 18-horse starting field. Three horses went clear in the first round over the course set by 1976 Olympic silver medallist and international course designer, Michel Vaillancourt. All three repeated their faultless effort in the jump-off, making time the deciding factor.

Marni Von Schalburg piloted PJ, a Dutch Warmblood gelding by Karandasj, to the top of the standings for owner Trimtree Farm. Michael Grinyer of Campbellville, ON, took the next two spots riding his own entries, Rivalin and Rio’s Roxanne. Both mares were bred in Canada by Augustin Walch and are by his Hannoverian sire, Rio Grande.

The winner of the last event in the Series, Shakira, a grey Belgian Warmblood mare by Coronado, settled for fourth place at the Tournament of Champions for owner and rider Gord Munro of Tottenham, ON. Placing fifth under Peter Gisborn was Pacilipo, a Dutch Warmblood gelding by Lester who was imported in March of this year by owner Van Reenen Stables.

In the second straight event, Francois Lamontagne of Cap Rouge, QC, won the Four-Year-Old Division riding Joe and Louise Palmer’s imported Hannoverian mare, Grace by Ginsberg. Despite having the highest style score, one time fault cost Rio’s Ricardo the win. Owned by W. Charlot Farm, the flashy Canadian Warmblood stallion is by W. Charlot Farm’s own Rio Grande, and was ridden by Erynn Ballard.

Riding for KingRidge Stables, Graham earned a third place finish with Democrat 3E, a Canadian Sport Horse gelding by Cruising. Rockcastle, an Oldenburg gelding by Rio Grande bred by Mill Creek Stables and now owned by Deb Bannon, finished fourth with rider Simon McCarthy while Rio’s Desire, a mare by Rio Grande and out of the thoroughbred dam, By The Letter, placed fifth for owner Canterbrooke Farm under Ballard.

The Canadian Young Horse Jumper Development Series was created to encourage the development of young show jumping talent and to give Canadian breeders additional incentives to breed superior show jumper prospects. Competing on a level playing field, the horses are divided according to age and jump at a level suited to their development as four, five or six year olds. This careful development allows the young horses to gain valuable experience and advance to the higher levels of show jumping competition with confidence.

In the Four and Five-Year-Old Divisions, horses are judged solely on their performance and style. In the Six-Year-Old Division, the top ten horses return for a jump-off, carrying forward any faults accumulated in the first round. In order to tabulate the Series standings, points are awarded according to the World Cup system with the number of points given based on the number of horses entered in each class.

Proud supporters of the Canadian Young Horse Jumper Development Series include Amerigo Saddles, Canadian Sport Horse Association, Canterbrooke Farms, Cavalier, Dave Hopps, Dr. Alan Manning, Gary Cooper Chev Olds, Grande Farms, KingRidge Stables, Michael Grinyer Stables, Mill Creek Farms, Mill Creek Stables, Peter Miller – Scotia McLeod, Purina Feeds, TD Canada Trust, Turtle Jack Grill House restaurants, Twin City Dry Storage and W. Charlot Farms.

With the Ontario division of the Canadian Young Horse Jumper Development Series now complete, qualified horses and riders will look forward to going head-to-head at the National Finals held November 8 and 10 at Toronto’s Royal Horse Show.

Canadian Young Horse Jumper Development Series – Results from Tournament of Champions

Six-Year-Old Division

Five-Year-Old Division

Four-Year-Old Division