Hot on the heels of their outstanding performances during the CSI 3*-W Bratislava, held July 22-24 in Slovakia, Canada’s brightest up and coming show jumping talent took to the ring at the CSIO 3* Samorin, held July 28-31, also in Slovakia.
The second and final stop on the Canadian Developing Rider Tour, which provides up-and-coming riders the chance to shine on the international stage, the CSIO 3* Samorin offered athletes the rare opportunity to compete as a team during the highly anticipated Nations’ Cup on July 29.
With Canada drawing first position, 29-year-old Chris Surbey of Calgary, AB, set the competition off on a great hoof. Aboard Quetchup de la Roque (Quidam de Revel x Kannan), a 12-year-old Selle Francais mare owned by Linda Southern Heathcott, he set the bar high, putting in a clear first round. The pair followed it up with a second fault-free trip, one of just five double-clear performances of the day.
Unfortunately fellow Calgary native Vanessa Mannix, 27, was disqualified, leaving Canada with just three riders and no option to drop the lowest score. But that didn’t stop the team from pulling together and facing down the pressure.
Ali Ramsey of Victoria, BC, had a good start in round one, incurring just four jumping and one time faults. Riding Hermelien VD Hooghoeve (Tangelo Van De Zuuthoeve x Thunder Van Du Zuuthoeve), her nine-year-old Belgian Warmblood mare, the 25-year-old returned to the ring to lay down an impressive clear performance during round two.
Brian Morton, 30, of Langley, BC, rode Atlantis T (Padinus x Guidam), an 11-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding owned by Grafton Farms Ltd., to a clear first round, but the pair ran into some difficulties during round two, finishing with 16 faults.
At the end of two rounds of intense competition, Team Canada finished with a total of 21 faults, good enough for fifth place. France claimed the win with just four faults over the two rounds. Italy earned second with nine faults, Germany finished third with 12 faults, and the Netherlands landed in fourth with 16 faults.
“Our entire Team Canada had a fantastic two weeks in Slovakia,” said Surbey. “I was absolutely thrilled with the performance of my horse, Quetchup, in the Nation’s Cup in Samorin. Our team drew first in the order and I was nominated by our Chef to ride first on the team which added an extra element of difficulty to my senior team debut.
Thankfully, I had the support of the other Canadian riders, our chef Jill Henselwood, stable manager Darren Roberts, and my team mate from Spruce Meadows, Kelly Koss-Brix. We were able to come up with a plan for the questions in the course that really suited Quetchup’s way of going. She responded perfectly and jumped two fantastic rounds for Canada! I am so proud of her and consider myself lucky to have the chance to ride a horse with her ability and character.”
It wasn’t just during the Nations’ Cup that Canada’s athletes proved they have what it takes to compete against the best in the world. In the Welcome Stake, held July 28, Surbey and Quetchup de la Roque jumped clean in a time of 72.52 seconds to finish ninth.
At the Sliver Tour level, Jaclyn Duff, 29, of Edmonton, AB, partnered with Pater Noster (Parco x Heartbreaker), her 14-year-old Belgium Warmblood gelding, enjoyed success at the 1.40m level. The pair finished third in a class on July 28 with a clear round behind Harold Boisset of France riding T’Obetty Du Domaine and Marek Lewicki of Poland on Codetia VDL who finished first and second, respectively.
Duff and her up-and-coming partner Caesar Z (Chopin x Pilot), a nine-year-old Zangersheide gelding, put in a clear round and earned an impressive fourth-place finish on July 28 out of a starting field of 81 in a 1.35-1.40m class, part of the Smaragd Tour.
As part of the Gold Tour, Ramsay and Hermelien VD Hooghoeve placed sixth on July 30 in a 1.50m class with a clear round performance. In another 1.50m class on the same day, Surbey and recently acquired partner Carnaval (Chacco-Blue x Landadel), an 11-year-old Oldenburg gelding owned by Spruce Meadows, finished an incredibly close second. Their clear round in 73.81 seconds was just off the pace of winner Andreas Kreuzer of Germany and Quick Jumper who stopped the clock in 73.59 seconds.
Joining Surbey in the top 10 was Mannix, who guided Grand Cru VD Vijf Eiken (Contact van de Heffinck x Heartbreaker), her 10-year-old Belgian Warmblood Stallion, to a ninth-place finish. The pair put in a clear performance in 77.73 seconds.
The Canadian jumping athletes were supported throughout the Canadian Developing Rider Tour by Canadian Olympian, Jill Henselwood of Oxford Mills, ON, who took on the role of Chef D’Équipe, as well as Stable Manager, Darren Roberts.
For more information and full results from the CSIO 3* Samorin, visit www.hippoarenasamorin.eu.
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