Ottawa, ON – Ainsley Vince of Milton, ON, was named the Jump Canada Series Champion following the final event in the 2009 Series, the $100,000 Canadian Show Jumping Championships, which was held November 6 and 7 during the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair in Toronto, ON.
With Frieda, an eight-year-old German-bred mare owned by The KMA Group, Vince enjoyed consistent results throughout the 2009 season. Highlights included a fourth place finish in the $50,000 Grand Prix at the Caledon National Horse Show in Palgrave, ON, and a second place finish in the $65,000 World Cup Qualifier at the CSI2*-W Classique Internationale de Blainville in Blainville, QC. A sixth place finish in $100,000 World Cup Qualifier at the CSI2*-W Canadian Show Jumping Tournament in Palgrave, ON, in September put Vince at the top of the leader board with a substantial lead. At the final event at the Royal, Vince held on to top spot to become the overall winner of the 2009 Jump Canada Series with a total of 210.20 points. Ironically, her greatest competition came from her younger sister, Courtney Vince, who finished runner-up with 195.8 points riding Nalla.
“It has been awhile since I have been in the ring at this level, and the Jump Canada Series have provided great experience this summer,” said Vince who also won the Jump Canada Series title three times in a row, in 2002, 2003, and 2004, with her long-time partner Catch 22. “I am really excited about Frieda’s development. I have been really lucky to have been able to bring along some really nice, successful horses in my career and Frieda is one of them. I want to thank everyone who has helped me for their support. I could not have done this alone.”
Vince was presented with the prestigious Jump Canada Trophy, generously donated by Barbara Anderson of Alberta, on Friday, November 13, at the Royal. Vince also received a $10,000 cash award, sponsored by Jump Canada, to be invested by the rider into a development program intended to support future elite performance.
The Jump Canada Series has proven successful in providing a national jumper circuit with high standards of competition across the country. At the end of the Jump Canada Series, overall standings are calculated using the best six results, plus the final event in the Jump Canada Series at the CSI-W Royal Horse Show in Toronto, ON.
Since its inception, the Jump Canada Series has recognized the achievements of such great horse-rider combinations as Beth Underhill and Altair (1999), Frankie Chesler and Ravenna Z (2000), Jill Henselwood and Toyzrus (2001), three-time champions Ainsley Vince and Catch 22 (2002, 2003, and 2004), Ian Millar and In Style (2005) and Margie Gayford and Stuntman (2006) and Amy Millar and Costa Rica Z (2007 and 2008).
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