Halton Place, Ontario – The final event of the Ontario Championships, held as part of the 2009 Canadian Young Horse Jumper Development Series, took place during the Canadian Country Classic I at Halton Place, ON, from August 26-30.
The Ontario Champions are determined using the best five results from all Ontario competitions included in the Canadian Young Horse Jumper Development Series. When the points were calculated, there were some familiar faces at the top of the leader board with well-known stables KingRidge, North Ridge and Mill Creek all claiming championship titles.
KingRidge Stables dominated the Seven and Eight-Year-Old Division, earning the Ontario Championship title with Fifth Estate 3E and the Ontario Reserve Championship with Grand Slam 3E.
Ridden by long-time KingRidge jockey Hugh Graham, Fifth Estate 3E garnered enough points to take the championship title, despite only competing in three classes. Bred by KingRidge Stables in King City, ON, Fifth Estate 3E is an eight-year-old Canadian Sport Horse sired by Class Action and out of Alley Cat by Emilion.
Grand Slam 3E, ridden by Roberto Teran of Colombia, is also a registered Canadian Sport Horse, but one year younger than stable mate Fifth Estate 3E. Grand Slam 3E is sired by Jamestown and is out of Celeste by Challenger.
As his name would imply, Wonderboy performed consistently well throughout the 2009 season to claim the Ontario Six-Year-Old Championship title. Owned by North Ridge and ridden by two-time Canadian Olympian Jay Hayes of Orangeville, ON, Wonderboy is a Dutch Warmblood sired by Lupicor and out of a Renville dam.
Hudson took the Reserve Championship title for owner Susan Grange under rider Yann Candele. Imported from France last fall as a five-year-old, Hudson is a selle francais by Epsom d’Utah out of a Yarlands Summer Song dam.
Riding for two different owners, Frankie Chesler-Ortiz claimed both the Champion and Reserve Champion titles in the Five-Year-Old Division. The Five-Year-Old Division proved to be the most hotly contested this year with a total of 40 horses vying for top honours.
Eli won two competitions and placed second in two others to run away with the Ontario Championship title. Owned and bred by Mill Creek Stables in Cambridge, ON, Eli is a registered Hannoverian by El Bundy out of Rachelle by Rio Grande.
Masquerade took the Reserve Championship title for owner Sher-Al Farm of Orangeville, ON, who had imported the horse earlier this year. Bred by Alan Waldman in the Netherlands, Masquerade is a registered Zangersheide by Calvino Z out of a Quick Star dam.
It was no surprise that Stevie Wonder was named the Ontario Four-Year-Old Champion. Having won the last two competitions he contested, Stevie Wonder continued his winning ways by taking home the Championship title for owner and breeder Mill Creek Stables. The Canadian-bred gelding is registered Oldenburg and is by Stolzenburg out a Kannan dam.
“A great cast of characters played a role in helping Eli and Stevie Wonder win the Ontario Championships,” said Phil Henning of Mill Creek Stables. “Eli spent the winter in Ocala, Florida, with Sergio Campos who did a great job of getting him ready for the 2009 competition season. Stevie Wonder was started by Paulo Miranda of Brazil with the help of Ann Vorvoort of Belgium. After Stevie’s initial training, he spent the winter in the field with his friends. In the spring, both Eli and Stevie Wonder were given to Frankie Chesler-Ortiz and the team at Sher-Al Farm. With Frankie’s professional guidance, they became the champions they are today.”
Viva’s Victory W was named the Reserve Four-Year-Old Champion for owner and breeder Augustin Walch of W. Charlot Farms in Stratford, ON. Ridden by Kevin Maxie, Viva’s Victory W also won two competitions this year. A registered Canadian Warmblood, Viva’s Victory W is by Viva Voltaire out of Rio’s Ravissant by Rio Grande.
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.
Proud supporters of the Canadian Young Horse Jumper Development Series include Jump Canada, the Ontario Hunter Jumper Association, Lothlorien Farm, Gary Cooper, Dutch Masters Construction Services Ltd., Equus Integral (exclusive Canadian distributor of Cavalor and Devoucoux), Henry Equestrian, KingRidge Stables, Dr. Alan Manning, Mill Creek Stables, Peter Miller, Preston Sand and Gravel, Jennifer Rogers, Scotia McLeod, Sher-Al Farms, and W. Charlot Farms. An additional donation was made in memory of Morgan Firestone.
For more information, please visit the Canadian Young Horse Jumper Development Series website at www.jumperdevelopment.com.
Canadian Young Horse Jumper Development Series – Ontario Championships
Seven and Eight-Year-Old Division
Horse Owner Rider
Champion Fifth Estate 3E* KingRidge Stables Hugh Graham
Reserve Grand Slam 3E* KingRidge Stables Roberto Teran
3. Naiade de Garins Mark Hayes Hyde Moffatt
4. (tie) Grand Finale 3E* KingRidge Stables Roberto Teran
4. (tie) Feature Attraction 3E* KingRidge Stables Hugh Graham
4. (tie) Airborne Laurel Graham Hugh Graham
Six-Year-Old Division
Horse Owner Rider
Champion Wonderboy North Ridge Jay Hayes
Reserve Hudson Sue Grange Yann Candele
3. Caprice Z Sarah Bellamy Frankie Chesler-Ortiz
4. Phenix de Coquerie Kingsfield Farm Susan Horn
5. (tie) Troy* North Ridge Johan Letimonier
5. (tie) Heads Up 3E* KingRidge Stables Roberto Teran
Five-Year-Old Division
Horse Owner Rider
Champion Eli* Mill Creek Stables Frankie Chesler-Ortiz
Reserve Masquerade Sher-Al Farm Frankie Chesler-Ortiz
3. Lino Ottawa Southway Inn Group Allison Zlepnig
4. (tie) Espresso B* Michael Boyd Carly Campbell-Cooper
4. (tie) Intrinsic* Uplands Farm Erynn Ballard
Four-Year-Old Division
Horse Owner Rider
Champion Stevie Wonder* Mill Creek Stables Frankie Chesler-Ortiz
Reserve Viva’s Victory W* Augustin Walch Kevin Maxie
3. Los Pehuenes Tornado Bob Suriwka Miguel Elicagaray
4. Marlboro* Mill Creek Stables Frankie Chesler-Ortiz
5. Viva’s Destiny W* Augustin Walch Kevin Maxie
NOTE – The star * beside a horse’s name denotes that it is Canadian-bred.
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