Two-time Canadian Olympian Amy Millar of Perth, ON, was crowned the 2024 Canadian Show Jumping Champion on Saturday evening, November 2, in front of a packed Coca-Cola Coliseum at the Royal Horse Show, held as part of the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair in Toronto, ON.
The $125,000 Henry Equestrian Canadian Show Jumping Championship was held over two phases on Friday and Saturday evenings. Following Friday’s speed test, riders returned on Saturday in reverse order of standing to tackle the two-round finale, where the top six from the opening round advanced to the all-deciding jump-off set by course designer Oscar Soberon of the United States.
Millar finished second in Friday’s opening round and was foot perfect aboard Jelvinia MB, a 10-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare (Kannan x Indoctro), on Saturday evening to earn her second Canadian Championship title. She last claimed the honour in 2017 riding her Rio Olympic mount Heros.
After a brilliant clear was met with enthusiastic cheers in Saturday’s first phase, Millar was one of six to advance to the final round where she again jumped fault-free. Millar had to wait and watch the final challenger, Jacqueline Steffens Daly of Harriston, ON, riding Freaky to decide the outcome. Millar and Jelvinia MB had put the pressure on and when Steffens Daly had two heartbreaking rails, Millar moved to the top of the leaderboard to claim the Canadian Show Jumping Championship title.
With a fault-free performance, former FEI World Cup™ Champion Mario Deslauriers of New York, NY, became the Reserve Canadian Champion riding Costa Quick PS, owned by Aram Ampagoumian, LLC. Three-time Canadian Olympian Tiffany Foster of Langley, BC, also put forth a perfect night by leaving all the rails in place to finish third riding Electrique, a horse she owns together with 5 Roosters.
Jelvinia MB is a new mount for Millar and received high praise after carrying her to the coveted national title.
“She is one of the nicest horses I’ve had the privilege of riding,” said Millar, 47, of the mare, owned by J-Team. “I had been looking for [a horse like] her for a long time. When I tried her, I just knew. She is super careful and scopey and has great technique. She has all of it.”
After leading the victory gallop in front of supportive Canadian show jumping fans, Millar noted, “This is such a special event. It’s a strange pressure because everybody wants to do their best here in front of the hometown crowd and be able to walk around all year long as the Canadian Champion.”
Basked in tradition, the Royal Horse Show is celebrating its 102nd year, a legacy that Millar takes to heart when entering the ring.
“Anyone who is anyone in the sport has been here, and when you look at the lineup for the international division, there’s a whole lot more coming,” said Millar. “The world knows that this is a special show.”
Now a newly minted Canadian Champion, Millar will join 2023 Canadian Champion Sean Jobin as well as Deslauriers, Foster, Vanessa Mannix and Nicole Walker for the Royal Horse Show’s CSI5*-W international division after pre-qualifying based on their standings in the Longines World Rider Rankings. In addition, Steffens-Daly and Carly Campbell-Cooper have accepted invitations to move forward and compete as the top two athletes not already qualified. The star-studded international division begins on Wednesday, November 6, and culminates in the prestigious Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Toronto on Saturday evening, November 9.
For more information on the Royal Horse Show, including daily schedules and to purchase tickets, visit www.royalfair.org/royalhorseshow.
$125,000 Henry Equestrian Canadian Show Jumping Championship
Saturday, November 2
Rider / Hometown / Horse / Total Penalties
1. Amy Millar / Perth, ON / Jelvinia MB / .88
2. Mario Deslauriers / New York, NY / Costa Quick PS / 5.61
3. Tiffany Foster / Langley, BC / Electrique / 5.91
4. Sean Jobin / Toronto, ON / Coquelicot vh Heuvelland Z / 7.84
5. Jacqueline Steffens Daly / Harriston, ON / Freaky / 8
6. Nicole Walker / Aurora, ON / Atout des Trambles / 11.16
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