Alexander Grayton of Priddis, AB, took home top honours at the $20,000 Jump Canada Young Horse Western Canadian Finals held September 1 to 4 at the Rocky Mountain Classic III at Anderson Ranch in Calgary, AB. Run in a three-day championship format, points were accumulated over the course of the competition to determine the overall champions.
It was the second win in a row for Grayton and Alban in the Six-Year-Old division as the pair had also topped the field one week earlier during the Rocky Mountain Classic II. During the Western Canadian Young Horse Finals, Grayton and Alban won two out of three classes to claim the Six-Year-Old Western Canadian Championship with a total of 25 points.
“Alban did very well during the week of the Young Horse Series Finals,” said Grayton of the grey Dutch Warmblood gelding. “He jumped a couple of classes the week before to get ready and was in top form heading into the week.”
By Cavalier and out of a Voltaire mare, Alban is owned by Grayton Farm Ltd. and was purchased almost a year ago at the Dutch Sport Horse Sales in the Netherlands.
“I have been very fortunate to be working with Paul and Emile from Stal Hendrix for several years, and we had our eye on Alban right away when we knew he was going to be in the sale,” explained Grayton. “He’s a very eye-catching horse, very tall, and nearly white already, which is quite flashy. When my girlfriend, Holly, and I watched the video, we were impressed right away – he jumped so well, so easily, and looked to be so rideable already as a five-year-old. I was very excited to ride him.”
Alban will next compete at the Spruce Meadows indoor shows in October. This winter, they plan to compete in Thermal, California.
“It is definitely in my plans to continue competing in the Young Horse Series next year,” said Grayton. “It is the best way to continue to develop young horses in competitive classes against others at a similar stage in training. Having top quality young horses is one of the best avenues for riders to develop the stars of the future that will represent Canada in international competition. I really think that Alban is a horse for the future at the top level of the sport. He is a very talented horse who really seems to enjoy jumping. His instincts at the jumps are spot on – he handles the technical aspects of courses so well, especially for a big horse.”
The Reserve Six-Year-Old Championship title went to Chris Surbey aboard another Dutch-bred horse, Armus G.S. Owned by Bradon Construction of Calgary, AB, the bay Dutch Warmblood gelding won the opening leg of competition and placed second in the other two legs to finish just two points off the leaders. Armus G.S. is by Germus R and out of a Voltaire dam.
Don Dorsch of Wayburn, SK, captured the title of Five-Year-Old Western Canadian Champion aboard Alderan Z, a horse he owns with his wife, Connie Dorsch.
“I had been to Germany and looked at horses,” explained Connie Dorsch. “We bought him through our contacts over there. He was hardly broke at the time, had only jumped a little, but he was a nice mover and a very attractive horse. Although, once we brought him home, he was probably even greener than we first thought.”
Since being imported last April, the bay Hannoverian gelding has been brought along carefully.
“Don is a genuine horseman and really wants to do what’s best for the horse” said Connie Dorsch. “He only shows the horses in a class a day, really taking his time and making sure the horse is confident and happy about his job. Alderan hasn’t been over-shown, so obviously winning the championship really was the highlight of the season.”
The win came after what Connie Dorsch described as a “very shaky start. He had never shown in the grand prix ring and was a little overwhelmed at the beginning of the show. Every morning Don took him down and led him around the ring for half an hour to let him get used to it. By the end of the week he was a real pro, very consistent.”
Dorsch and Alderan captured the title with a total of 25 points after winning the first and third legs of competition, putting in the only clear round during the third phase.
While the couple are in the business of buying, developing and selling young horses, and have been for more than 30 years, Alderan may be staying at Dorsch Farm for a little while longer.
“Several people did inquire about him at the show,” said Connie Dorsch. “We’re not getting any younger and Don says he can trust this horse completely and really loves him. I think Don will keep him and continue showing. It takes a long time to find a horse that’s this nice. I don’t know if it was luck, or if we just really picked that well.”
Callista, ridden by Jay Duke for owner Pam Yerxa of Calgary, AB, took home the title of Reserve Champion in the Five-Year-Old Division after winning the second phase and placing second in both the first and third phases to finish with 23 points. The bay Canadian Warmblood mare is by Carthago Sun III and out of a Hail Victorious mare. She was bred by Wachter Horses of Innisfail, AB.
Georgann Gregory of Vancouver, BC, captured the Seven and Eight-Year-Old Western Canadian Championship aboard Phlush, owned by Jackie Magno. Bred in Belgium, the eight-year-old selle francais mare is by Kannan out of a Vetiver de Gamet dam.
The purpose of the Jump Canada Young Horse 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 Jump Canada Young Horse Series also gives prospective buyers for the hunter and jumper markets an opportunity to view a large group of prospects in a competition setting.
The 2011 Jump Canada Young Horse Series is truly national in scope with competitions being held from coast to coast. The National Young Horse Finals will take place at the Canadian Show Jumping Tournament held from September 21-25 in Palgrave, ON.
For more information on the Jump Canada Young Horse Series, please visit http://equinecanada.ca/jumpcanada/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=88&Itemid=3&lang=en
Jump Canada Young Horse Western Canadian Finals – Calgary, AB
Seven and Eight-Year-Old Division
Horse Owner Rider
Champion Phlush Jackie Magno Georgann Gregory
Six-Year-Old Division
Horse Owner Rider
Champion Alban Grayton Farms Ltd. Alexander Grayton
Reserve Armus G.S. Bradon Construction Chris Surbey
Five-Year-Old Division
Horse Owner Rider
Champion Alderan Z Dorsch Farm Don Dorsch
Reserve Callista* Pam Yerxa Jay Duke
NOTE – The star * beside a horse’s name denotes that it is Canadian-bred.
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