Palgrave, Ontario – The 2006 Canadian Young Horse Development Series concluded with the National Championships held September 20-24 during the CSI-W Tournament of Champions in Palgrave, ON.

Formerly held at Toronto's Royal Horse Show, the change of venue in 2006 allowed all four age groups to participate in the National Championship over three days of competition. Following two days of competition, the top 15 horses in each category were invited to move forward to the National Championships where $5,000 in prize money was offered in each division.

Ridden by Beth Underhill and owned by Triple Seal Ltd., Rhiannon was crowned the National Seven and Eight-Year-Old Champion. Tested over a track set by British course designer Robert Ellis in the Grand Prix ring, 11 entries were fault-free to advance to the jump-off. There, speed became the deciding factor as four horses were again able to repeat their faultless performances. Canadian Olympian Underhill called on her experience to guide Rhiannon to a clear round in a time of 33.13 seconds, shaving more than two seconds off the second-placed competitor, Windus, who clocked in at 35.52 seconds. Rhiannon, who was also named the Co-Ontario Champion, is a seven-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare by Larino out of a Wolfgang dam that was imported one year ago from the Netherlands.

Windus won the National Seven and Eight-Year-Old Reserve Champion title for owner Aimee Deluce. Ridden by Canadian Equestrian Team member Erynn Ballard, Windus is a Belgian Warmblood gelding by Skippy II, the same sire as Ballard's top horse, Robin van Roosendael.

Encore 3E lived up to his name by being crowned the National Six-Year-Old Championship. Consistent results throughout the week saw Encore 3E claim no less than three championship titles for owner and breeder KingRidge Stables of King City, ON. The Canadian Sport Horse gelding was named the Ontario Reserve Champion before winning the Eastern Canadian Championship title. Encore 3E is by the KingRidge stallion, Class Action, out of Alley Cat by Emilion, and was bred through embryo transplant.

Ridden by KingRidge resident rider Roberto Teran of Colombia, Encore 3E was one of only three entries to advance to the jump-off. As the last to go, Teran knew exactly what he had to do - go fast and clear, and he did it with considerable ease, clocking in two seconds faster than his nearest competition.

"The achievement of Encore 3E is quite promising," noted Seymour Epstein, owner of KingRidge Stables. "We are happy with the results that we are getting from our breeding program, and it appears that we are raising the standards every year."

Melissa Brown, one of Canada's representatives at the 2002 World Equestrian Games, claimed the National Six-Year-Old Reserve Championship title riding her own Trigger B. Imported nine months earlier, Trigger B is a bay Dutch Warmblood gelding by Jimtown by Darco and out of a Ramiro Z dam.

After finishing as the Reserve Champion in both the Ontario and the Eastern Canadian Championships, Frieda finally claimed the National Five-Year-Old Championship title for rider Ainsley Vince of Milton, ON. The two-time Canadian Show Jumping Champion guided Frieda to a clear round and suitably impressed style judge, 1968 Olympic Team Gold Medalist Jim Day, to earn top honours. Owned by the KMA Group, Frieda is a Sachsen Anhalt Warmblood by For Future by For Pleasure and out of a Graf Anhalt dam.

The Canadian-bred entry of For Rosas Pleasure earned the National Five-Year-Old Reserve Championship for owner Sher-Al Farm. Bred by Grande Farms of Orangeville, ON, and ridden by Juan Ortiz, For Rosas Pleasure is a registered Hannoverian by Rodero out of a For Pleasure dam. Interestingly, six of the top eight placed horses in the Five-Year-Old Division were Canadian-bred, demonstrating the strength of Canadian breeding.

A new name appeared at the top of the leader board when the National Four-Year-Old Champion was crowned. With a clear round under the guidance of Danny Forbes, Revel's Bolero caught the eye of the style judge to claim the national title. Owned and bred by Nikki Lishman and Turtle Creek Farm, Revel's Bolero is a Canadian Warmblood by the well-known selle francais sire, Quidam de Revel, out of a Kalusha dam.

Another Canadian-bred entry, VDL Viper H, rode away with the National Four-Year-Old Reserve Championship. Owned and ridden by Michelle Vandal of Milton, ON, VDL Viper H was bred by Hogendoorn Farms, and is a registered Dutch Warmblood by Corland out of an Ahorn dam.

"The Canadian Young Horse Development Series took a huge step forward this year by expanding into a national program, a change made possible due to the tremendous support of our sponsors including the Ontario Hunter Jumper Association and Jump Canada," said Phil Henning, Chair of the Canadian Young Horse Jumper Development Series. "The addition of Young Horse classes across the country was met with enthusiasm from the competitors and the competition organizers alike. It is also very important to note the large number of Canadian-bred entries that are now successfully competing in the Series - almost one half of the top-placed horses in the National Championships were Canadian-bred. This is strong evidence that the Series is fulfilling its purpose of developing young horse talent in this country, and also supporting and showcasing the efforts of Canadian breeders."

The purpose of the Canadian Young Horse Jumper Development Series is to encourage the development of young show jumping talent and to give Canadian breeders additional incentives to breed superior show jumping prospects. Competing on a level playing field, the horses are divided according to age and jump at a level suited to their development. This careful development allows the horses to gain valuable experience and advance to the higher levels of show jumping competition with confidence. The Canadian Young Horse Jumper Development Series also gives prospective buyers for the hunter and jumper markets an opportunity to view a large group of prospects in a competition setting. The 2006 Canadian Young Horse Jumper Development Series included events in Ontario, Quebec, Alberta and British Columbia.

Proud supporters of the Canadian Young Horse Jumper Development Series include Jump Canada, the Ontario Hunter Jumper Association, 4 Star Trailers, TD Waterhouse, Scotia McLeod, Peter Miller, Canadian Warmblood Horse Breeders Association, W. Charlot Farms, Gary Cooper Chev Olds, Henry Equestrian Insurance Brokers Ltd., Dutch Masters Construction Services Ltd., Dr. Alan Manning, Mill Creek Stables, Brubacher’s Harness Shop, KingRidge Stables, Sea Air International, Mr. Charles Ormston, the Hannoverian Breeders Club of Eastern Canada, Mr. Michael Boyd, and Mrs. Elaine Gray.

For more information, please visit the Canadian Young Horse Jumper Development Series website at www.jumperdevelopment.com.

Canadian Young Horse Jumper Development Series – National Championships

Seven and Eight-Year-Old Division

Horse - Owner- Rider
Champion - Rhiannon - Triple Seal Ltd. - Beth Underhill
Reserve - Windus - Aimee Deluce - Erynn Ballard
3. Kelly du Lautier - Kathleen Selke - Hyde Moffatt
4. Kinsale- Burmonds & Wetmore - Beth Underhill
5. Weber - Eastwood Group - Angela Covert-Lawrence
6. Double Diamond - KingRidge Stables - Hugh Graham
7. Carolla Z - Liz Currie - Martien van der Hoeven
8. Denver - Hawkestone Farms - Hyde Moffatt

Six-Year-Old Division

Horse - Owner - Rider
Champion - Encore 3E* - KingRidge Stables - Roberto Teran
Reserve - Trigger B - Melissa Brown - Melissa Brown
3. Aslan- Sher-Al Farms - Frankie Chesler Ortiz
4. Baron - Mark Hayes - Hyde Moffatt
5. Assini van de Gastmoeve - Eastwood Group - Angela Covert-Lawrence
6. Split Decision - Susan Grange - Chris Pratt
7. Concorde's Tiantha - Sentinel Farm - Beth Underhill
8. Divine Diva* - M. Vandal and J. Van Wieren - Michelle Vandal