Fifty years ago, Quebec’s Michel Vaillancourt won an Olympic silver medal at the Bromont Olympic Equestrian Park, and this weekend Granby, QC’s Adrien Lemieux rode Roger Deslauriers’s Impec Champeix to victory at the Assante Wealth Management El Chaer Group Grand Prix at International Bromont II on August 1st, 2026. The show jumping course he triumphed over was set by the very same Michel Vaillancourt.
Michel Vaillancourt.
Lemieux and his mount, who have been partnered together since 2024, have achieved many successes on their journey and are now adding a well-deserved Grand Prix win to their score card.
Of the 14 horse-and-rider combinations to start the course designed by the renowned course designer Vaillancourt, only four managed to make it to the second round: Quebec’s Sabrina Lefebvre, Adrien Lemieux and François Lamontagne, and Ontario’s James Gillam.
First to go for the jump-off, last week’s ATP Lab Open Welcome winner Sabrina Lefebvre riding her own Una D&W Z, a 2018 Zangersheide mare by Untouchable 27, stopped the timer at 42.610 seconds, but four penalties were received for a rail down. Second to go, Lemieux and Impec Champeix, a 2018 Selle Français gelding by Corrado du Moulin, executed a perfect performance with a time of 42.670 seconds to secure a guaranteed podium placing in the Grand Prix for the second week in a row. The two last pairs to jump off were François Lamontagne (St-Eustache, QC) and Dulliard Inc.’s Coulio HDS, a Quebec-born and -bred Holsteiner gelding by Cabardino; and James Gillam (Acton, ON) and Pepino V Wichenstein CH, property of AMHG Holdings. Both had opportunities to best Lemieux for the top honours with their impressive speed, but both pairs suffered jumping penalties and first place eluded them. Lamontagne with the fastest time yet again (a blazing 38.300 seconds) took second, and Gillam posted a lightning-fast 38.670 seconds, but with two rails down had to settle for fourth.
“It is always nice to ride on a course designed by Michel Vaillancourt,” praised Lemieux. “The course was very technical, and his courses all week were very good.
“Impec was really great. Over the last month, every week, every competition, we are only improving. It is exciting to see what is yet to come,” said Lemieux. When asked about their first-ever Grand Prix victory, at home, Lemieux shared, “It could not have been better. It is Roger’s own horse, it is the 50th anniversary of the 1976 Montreal Olympics, and it is in front of family.”
Michel Vaillancourt, who won the silver individual medal in show jumping for Canada at the 1976 Olympics, was happy to be back in Bromont for the 50th anniversary. “It feels like it was yesterday. I have such great memories of Bromont. I’m always a bit sentimental, but it’s always wonderful to be designing here in Bromont. It’s like coming home.”
Courtney Donaher and Conquista, Town of Bromont Hunter Derby winners. (Equishot photo)
Conquista Conquers the Town of Bromont Hunter Derby
Forty-one horse-and-rider combinations competed in the $10 000 Town of Bromont Hunter Derby. First place went to Conquista, own and ridden by Courtney Donaher (Cornwall, ON). Second place was awarded to Savannah Matthews (Athens, ON) and her own Silavsco Keizersberg. The podium was completed by Stakkato Grande W owned and ridden by Marie-Soleil Dubois (Mirabel, QC).
Lamontagne Victorious Once Again
François Lamontagne of St-Eustache, Quebec, added another victory to his tally at Bromont Olympic Equestrian Park, topping a field of 20 horse-and-rider combinations aboard Groupe Zacar’s Lacros VDL, a 2016 KWPN gelding by Kannan, in the Open 1.30m Défi Bromont. Adrien Lemieux, winner of Saturday’s Assante Grand Prix, finished third with Tiamo D’O, owned by Ellie McMaster, while second place went to Emma Bao aboard her own Chitto 3, a 2017 Mecklenburger gelding.
Pelletier and Lincoln Rise to the Top
The Hunter Classic drew a field of 25 horse-and-rider combinations, with Sofia Pelletier claiming top honours aboard her own Lincoln, a 2017 Hanoverian gelding by Like Angel. Lilirose Champagne followed in second place with her own Bellino de Beussent, a 2011 Selle Français gelding by Dollar de la Pierre, while Will MacMurtry rounded out the podium in third aboard Watch Me, his 2018 Hanoverian gelding.
Savannah Matthews Doubles Up with Jump Canada Medal Victory
In addition to her victory in the CET Medal class, Savannah Matthews of Athens, ON, also took the Jump Canada Medal aboard her own Silavsco Keizersberg at International Bromont II. Olivia Trickey Thind of Carignan, QC, riding her own FE Pelle, finished second, while Mckenna Wu of Ottawa, ON, completed the podium aboard her own Gatsby.
Assante Wealth Management El Chaer Group Grand Prix (August 1st, 2026)
Rider/Hometown/Horse/Faults:Time
1. Adrien Lemieux, Granby, QC & Impec Champeix 0-0, 42.670
2. François Lamontagne, St-Eustache, QC & Coulio HDS 0-4, 38.300
3. Sabrina Lefebvre, Ste-Anne des Plaines, QC & Una D&W Z 0-4, 42.610
4. James Gillam, Acton, ON & Pepino V Wichenstein CH 0-8, 38.670
5. Sabrina Lefebvre, Ste-Anne des Plaines, QC & Norris 1, 81.240
Town of Bromont Hunter Derby (August 1st, 2026)
Rider/Hometown/Horse
1. Courtney Donaher, Cornwall, ON & Conquista
2. Savannah Matthews, Athens, ON & Silavsco Keizersberg
3. Marie-Soleil Dubois, Mirabel, QC & Stakkato Grande W
Défi Bromont (August 2nd, 2026)
Rider/Hometown/Horse/Faults:Time
1. François Lamontagne, St-Eustache, QC & Lacros VDL 0-0, 31.960
2. Emma Bao, Ottawa, ON & Chitto 3 0-0, 33.130
3. Adrien Lemieux, Granby, QC & Tiamo D’O 0-0, 34.320
4. Melissa Marcotte, Contrecœur, QC & Louba de la Rive 0-0, 38.500
5. James Gillam, Acton, ON & Django 460 0-4,39.180
Hunter Classic (August 2nd, 2026)
Rider/Hometown/Horse
1. Sofia Pelletier, Mont-St-Hilaire, QC & Lincoln
2. Lilirose Champagne, Laval, QC & Bellino de Beussent
3. Will MacMurtry, Bedford, NS & Watch Me
Jump Canada Medal (July 31st, 2026)
Rider/Hometown/Horse
1. Savannah Matthews, Athens, ON & Silavsco Keizersberg
2. Olivia Trickey Thind, Carignan, QC & FE Pelle
3. Mckenna Wu, Ottawa, ON & Gatsby
For complete results, visit www.showmanagementsystem.com
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