Ottawa, Ontario – Erynn Ballard of Hillsburgh, ON, produced the only faultless performance riding Simply Ahorn to win the $25,000 National Capital Show Jumping Tournaments Grand Prix held Sunday, August 16, in Ottawa, ON.
A total of 34 horse and rider combinations negotiated the course designed by Guilherme Jorge of Brazil with six producing clear rounds to advance to the jump-off. Two riders also jumped clear, but incurred one time fault for exceeding the 87-second time allowed. Ballard riding Sorbette left all the rails in place but stopped the clock in 87.35 seconds to finish seventh while Margie Gayford of Sharon, ON, guided Showgirl to a clear effort in a time of 87.63 seconds to place eighth.
Leslie Howard, a 1984 team gold and 1996 team silver medalist for the United States, opened the jump-off with Utah, an eight-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding owned by The Utah Group. A tight roll back to the Brookledge signature jump cost them a rail, and the pair finished with four faults in a time of 41.59 seconds which would prove to be good enough for fourth place.
Ballard was next in the ring with Simply Ahorn, an eight-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding bred in Canada. The pair produced a clear round in a time of 41.35, setting the standard to beat.
Canadian Team Silver Medalist Mac Cone of King City, ON, was next on to the grass grand prix field with Unanimous, an impressive eight-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding owned by The Unanimous Group. Again, the Brookledge jump came down, and the pair’s conservative time of 45.78 seconds would leave them in sixth position. Ottawa fans were also treated to a performance by Cone’s 2008 Beijing Olympic mount, Ole. The pair had a four-fault performance in the first round to place 11th overall.
France’s Marie Hecart, 28, and Ronaldo were favoured to win following their convincing victory in Friday’s $10,000 The Marshes Open Welcome. However, the Brookledge fence once again ended hopes of a win, and the native of Normandy settled for fifth place.
Howard of Westport, CT, then returned to the ring with Lennox Lewis 2, the 10-year-old Oldenburg gelding she had guided to victory in Saturday’s $15,000 ATCO Derby. Although the pair stopped the clock with the fastest jump-off performance, 40.57 seconds, a fallen rail placed them third.
The crowd was behind the final jump-off challenger, Ian Millar of Perth, ON, aboard Stedet’s Leroy, a 10-year-old Danish Warmblood gelding that he began riding earlier this season. With the advantage of having seen the riders before him, Millar opted for a conservative performance which included a wide turn to the problematic Brookledge fence. Although the rails stayed in the cups, Millar’s slow time of 53.54 seconds cost him one time penalty, and the nine-time Olympian conceded victory to Ballard.
“Leroy is new to this work and he is not what you would call a naturally fast horse,” explained Millar, 62, of his jump-off tactic. “I had two choices. I could slow down and go for the clear round, or I could keep the hammer down and try to be the fastest. Everything went well for Erynn. I wanted to jump it clear, take second, and try again next week.”
Millar collected $5,000 for his second place finish while Ballard rode away with the lion’s share of the prize money, earning $7,500.
“My plan was to go double clear, and he is a naturally fast horse,” said Ballard of Simply Ahorn, her first of four entries in the Grand Prix. “He is a competitive horse, and he is a winner. He is a cocky horse. Every time he goes in the ring, he goes to win – he doesn’t want to be second. He really wants to keep the jumps up, probably more than any other horse I have ever ridden.”
Ballard will be looking to make it two for two in next week’s $75,000 Brookstreet Grand Prix when she saddles up both Simply Ahorn and Sorbette. However, she will face stiff competition as Millar will be bringing out his Olympic Silver Medal mount, In Style. In addition to prize money, next week’s grand prix event, rated a CSI2* by the International Equestrian Federation (FEI), also has world ranking points on the line.
The National Capital Show Jumping Tournaments hosts its second week of competition from August 19-23, featuring the $10,000 CompetitiveJumpers.com Open Welcome on Friday, August 21. On Saturday evening, August 22, the $15,000 Modified Grand Prix and a BBQ will be held in support of the United Way City of Ottawa Campaign. The National Capital Show Jumping Tournaments concludes with the $75,000 Brookstreet Grand Prix on Sunday, August 23, at 2 p.m.
Competition begins each morning at 8 a.m. and is open to the general public. Admission is $5 per person on Thursdays and Fridays, and $10 per person on Saturdays and Sundays, parking included, in support of the United Way City of Ottawa Campaign. Children five and under are admitted free.
For more information on the National Capital Show Jumping Tournaments, please visit www.hayesco.ca, or call (613) 769-7221.
$25,000 National Capital Show Jumping Tournaments Grand Prix – Ottawa, ON
Rider Hometown Horse Faults Time
1. Erynn Ballard Hillsburgh, ON Simply Ahorn 0:0 41.35
2. Ian Millar Perth, ON Stedet’s Leroy 0:1 53.54
3. Leslie Howard Westport, CT Lennox Lewis 2 0:4 40.57
4. Leslie Howard Westport, CT Utah 0:4 41.59
5. Marie Hecart France Ronaldo 0:4 42.00
6. Mac Cone King City, ON Unanimous 0:4 45.78
7. Erynn Ballard Hillsburgh, ON Sorbette 1
8. Margie Gayford Sharon, ON Showgirl 1
9. Lauren Hunkin Ottawa, ON Larry 0146 4
10. Cody Auer Fairfield, CT Okido 4
11. Mac Cone King City, ON Ole 4
12. Beth Underhill Schomberg, ON Tjengo 4
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