Bromont, PQ – The 33rd edition of the International Bromont, presented by CN, ended on an excellent note with $125,000, 1.60m CN Grand Prix, a CSI*** event.
Course designer, Brazilian Guilherme Jorge, put out all the stops with a difficult course composed of thirteen fences, including a water jump, a double and triple combination for a total of sixteen jumping efforts over a distance of 520 meters in a time allowed of 84 seconds. Twenty-nine horse/rider combinations took on the challenge. Quebeckers in the pack included Angela Covert Lawrence and, of course, Mario Deslauriers, on this two horses Obelix R and Paradigm. The entire Millar family and Jill Henselwood, who is flying to the Olympic Games, were also in the fray as well as renowned Americans Leslie Howard, Alison Firestone Robitaille and Todd Minikus.
Second rider on the course, Alister Gatherum of Great Britain, got a clear round. Young Ontarian Kim Farlinger was eliminated following a fall, luckily harmless. There were a number of other clear rounds including: Jenna Thompson, Erynn Ballard, Yann Candele, Keean White, Norman Dello Joio, Ian Millar, Schuley Riley and Todd Minikus who dominated this edition and once again gave a brilliant performance. He participated in the jump off with both his mounts, Pavarotti and Presidente. Bromont’s Mario Deslauriers got the crowd really excited by also scoring clear rounds on both his horses, Paradim and Obelix. The battle was close between the twelve remaining riders, including the formidable Todd Minikus and Ian Millar also part of the group. Ian Millar’s children came close to a clear round but both knocked a bar down in the triple combination.
The jump off was made up of seven fences including a double combination. Alister Gatherum finished in 44.32 seconds, but knocked a bar down. Jenna Thompson also has a rail with a time of 44.99 seconds. Erynn Ballard sets the bar with a clear round and the time to beat 46.92 seconds. The flying Frenchman, Yan Candele, went for broke and with 41.51 seconds he had the time but it cost him a rail. Keean White on Vienna Rouge bettered Ballards time to 44.39 seconds with a clear round. Super Mario beath them both on Paradigm with a clear round in 41.78 seconds. Precious seconds won in tight turns and carefully angled jumps. Todd Minikus on Presidente establishes a new time to beat: 40.94 seconds. When he returns on Pavarotti, he tries to beat his own time and succeeds making it 40.64 seconds but gets 4 penalty points. Captain Canada, Ian Millar, puts on the turbo jets and gets through in 41.04 seconds. Second to last participant, Mario Deslauriers comes out on Obelix R, a very powerful horse with a long stride. Again the crowd is suspended. At the last fence the cheering can be heard from all over the ground and all eyes are on the clock: 40.35 seconds and a clear round! Schuyler Riley cannot do better and Mario wins the class for the second consecutive year in front of his home crowd!
Results:
1 Mario Deslauriers / Obelix R (CDN)
2 Todd Minikus / Presidente (US)
3 Ian Millar / Redefin (CDN)
4 Norman Dello Joio / Malcom(US)
5 Mario Deslauriers / Paradigm (CDN)
6 Keean White / Vienna Rouge (CDN)
7 Erynn Ballard / Robin Van Roosendael (CDN)
8 Todd Minikus / Pavarotti (US)
9 Yann Candele / Mustique (FR)
10 Jenna Thompson / Zeke (US)
11 Schuyler Riley / Lapacco (US)
12 Alister Gatherum / Santana(GB)
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