Palgrave, Ontario – Yann Candele of Caledon, ON, and Mustique won the $100,000 Summer Festival Grand Prix on Sunday, August 9, at the CSI2* Summer Festival held at the Caledon Equestrian Park in Palgrave, ON.
From a 24-horse starting field, five were clear over the first-round course set by Michel Vaillancourt to advance to the jump-off. An additional eight riders incurred four faults, including Courtney Vince of Milton, ON, who turned in the fastest time to place sixth with Nalla.
First back for the jump-off, Erynn Ballard of Hillsburgh, ON, had two rails down late in the course riding Sorbette, a 10-year-old grey Dutch Warmblood mare, for owner Jennifer Rogers.
Candele was next into the ring riding Mustique, a 12-year-old chestnut Dutch Warmblood mare owned by Susan Grange. The pair posted a clear round in a time of 37.25 seconds to put the pressure on the remaining jump-off contenders.
Candele’s strategy worked, as his would prove to be the only double clear performance of the day. Canadian Olympian Beth Underhill of Schomberg, ON, did her best, but when a rail fell mid-way through the course, it ended her hopes of a victory with Top Gun, a nine-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding owned by Iron Horse Farm. However, her quick time of 36.13 seconds would prove to be good enough for second place and $22,000 in prize money.
Karen Cudmore, originally from Victoria, BC, and now based in Omaha, Nebraska, was next to tackle the jump-off with her 11-year-old American-bred Holsteiner stallion, Southern Pride. When the pair dropped a rail, Candele remained in the lead with only one challenger left. Keean White, 26, of Rockwood, ON, had been second in this event in 2008 and was looking for a win. When two rails fell, fourth was the best he could manage this year riding Celena Z, a nine-year-old Belgian Warmblood mare owned by Ashland Group and Angelstone Farms.
“Erynn had two down and I still had Beth, Karen Cudmore, and Keean coming after me, so I knew I had to be efficient and put on enough pressure to win,” said Candele of his jump-off strategy. “Only Beth was faster, but I think that is why she had the rail – she had to push for it. Everything went my way.”
Having welcomed his third child, a daughter, Mathilde, into the world on August 3, Candele joked that the first place prize money of $30,000 would buy a lot of diapers.
A native of Normandy, France, Candele obtained his Canadian citizenship in 2008 and, this past March, helped Canada win the 2009 Nations’ Cup in Wellington, FL, riding Mustique. The win in the $100,000 Summer Festival Grand Prix marked the pair’s first major victory since Candele began riding for Susan Grange in 2007.
“Mustique jumped beautifully today, she was on,” said Candele, 38. “She jumped at Spruce Meadows earlier this summer and then we took it easy, and she came back very fresh and jumping beautiful. It was nice to see. We’ve had a hard time winning a grand prix of this caliber.”
Candele was quick to compliment the horse show management, who had to deal with heavy rainfall prior to the start of the Grand Prix.
“It had been raining, but then it got really hot with very high humidity,” said Candele. “The horse show management was sharp; Craig Collins and his crew did a great job of putting the ring in order. It dried quickly, and the conditions were good.”
Candele also won Saturday’s $10,000 Champion Shavings Modified Grand Prix riding Carolla Z for owner Liz Currie and placed second with Susan Grange’s Azzaro. On Friday, Candele had been double-clear riding Susan Grange’s Game Ready to finish second to France’s Marie Hecart and Why Not in the $25,000 HEP Open Welcome.
Since 1986, the Caledon Equestrian Park has been operated by Equestrian Management Group in partnership with the Town of Caledon and the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority. Set against the backdrop of the Niagara Escarpment, numerous Olympic, World Championship and Pan American Games selection trials for Canada’s show jumping and dressage teams have been held at the Caledon Equestrian Park. The Caledon Equestrian Park has been selected as the equestrian venue by the 2015 Pan American Games/Para Pan American Games Bid Corporation.
For more information on EMG, including full results, please visit www.equiman.com.
$100,000 Summer Festival Grand Prix – CSI2* Palgrave, ON
Rider Hometown Horse Faults Time
1. Yann Candele Caledon, ON Mustique 0:0 37.25
2. Beth Underhill Schomberg, ON Top Gun 0:4 36.13
3. Karen Cudmore Victoria, BC Southern Pride 0:4 38.48
4. Keean White Cambridge, ON Celena Z 0:8 39.21
5. Erynn Ballard Hillsburgh, ON Sorbette 0:8 42.09
6. Courtney Vince Milton, ON Nalla 4
7. Mac Cone King City, ON Ole 4
8. Amy Millar Perth, ON Costa Rica Z 4
9. Jonathon Millar Perth, ON Contino 14 4
10. Marie Hecart France Why Not 4
11. Kim Farlinger Ottawa, ON Bay Street 4
12. Marie Hecart France Tempete v/h Lindehof 4
More from Horse Sport:
