Canadian athletes made a strong statement with multiple top-10 placings at The Fork & 2018 FEI World Equestrian Games (WEG) Eventing Test Event in Mill Spring, NC, on April 6-8, 2018, as well as at the Chattahoochee Hills Horse Trials in Fairburn, GA, on April 7-8.
The WEG Test Event provided the Canadian Equestrian Team athletes with the opportunity to get a feel for the grounds, rings and courses at the Tryon International Equestrian Center (TIEC), which will host WEG in September 2018.
Lisa Marie Fergusson of Langley, BC was the top-ranked Canadian in the CIC 3* division of the WEG Test Event. She placed 11th with Honor Me, her 12-year-old Welsh Sport Horse gelding sired by Brynarian Brenin, known affectionately as ‘Tali’. On April 6, Fergusson and Tali started off in 23rd place with a dressage score of 34.70 penalties. The following day, they catapulted to 10th in the standings after executing a clear cross-country round with just two time penalties. Fergusson and Tali completed the event on a score of 43.50 after the show jumping phase, in which they incurred two penalty points.
A strong Canadian contingent followed Fergusson’s lead: Jessica Phoenix of Cannington, ON placed 12th with 44.80 on Amara Hoppner’s 11-year-old Thoroughbred gelding, Bogue Sound, Colleen Loach of Dunham, QC placed 13th with 45.50 on Peter Barry’s 14-year-old Selle Français gelding, Qorry Blue D’Argouges, and Phoenix also placed 14th (46.20 penalties) on her veteran major games partner, Pavarotti (Pavarotti Van De Helle x Foxiland), Don J. Good’s 16-year-old Westphalian gelding.
In the CIC 2* division, Dasha Ivandaeva of Newmarket, ON earned eighth place on Daria Ivandaeva’s 16-year-old Polish Warmblood gelding, Autorytet (Banita x Askar). The duo started in 14th place with a score of 38.30 penalties after dressage, but improved in the cross-country and show jumping rounds to rise to eighth with a final score of 61.50.
Loach racked up top 10 placings in the CIC 1* division riding a triple-threat string of horses. She nabbed fourth riding Foreign Quality (Warrant x Calvados), a seven-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding owned by Peter Barry and known around the barn as ‘Badger’. The pair began in ninth place after incurring 31.60 penalties in the dressage test. They only added one time penalty to climb to fifth after show jumping, and 4.40 time penalties after a clear jumping effort cross-country to end in fourth on a score of 37.00.
Loach also stayed in the top 10 throughout all three phases on Barry’s six-year-old Hanoverian gelding, Vermont (Van Helsing x Heraldik XX), on whom she scored 41.70 to finish in seventh place. She placed ninth with her own six-year-old Hanoverian gelding, FE Golden Eye (Goldfever x Contendro I), finishing on a score of 46.50 penalties.
“I am very lucky to have such a talented string of young horses coming up behind Qorry,” said Loach of her CIC 1* mounts. “Badger, Vermont and FE Golden Eye are improving every time out, and it is a pleasure to see them learn and evolve. I am very grateful for all of the support I receive from Peter and Susan Barry, Mandy Bernhard and my parents, and I look forward to the future with these youngsters.”
Loach was joined in the CIC 1* top 10 by Bradley Champagne of Guelph, ON, who captured 10th place with a score of 58.20 penalties on his 10-year-old Thoroughbred/Warmblood gelding, Wallaroo W, sired by Staccatto.
Success at Chattahoochee Hills
Canadian athletes also saw success at the Chattahoochee Hills Horse Trials. Holly Jacks-Smither of Orangeville, ON was the top-placed Canadian in the CIC 3* division, capturing seventh place on More Inspiration, a 13-year-old Thoroughbred gelding sired by Inspired Prospect that she co-owns with her husband, Bruce Smither. The pair held on to ninth place throughout the dressage and jumping phases, but jumped clear on cross-country, and added just 8.80 time penalties, pushing them to a seventh place finish on a final score of 47.40.
Hawley Bennett-Awad of Aldergrove, BC was right behind Jacks-Smither in eighth place, scoring 51.50 on her 14-year-old British Sport Horse mare, Jollybo (Jumbo x Danzig Connection). Kyle Carter, a Canadian who resides in Sparr, FL, scored 51.50 for ninth place on FR’s Trust Fund (Ringfort Tinkatoo x Head of the River), the 12-year-old Dutch Warmblood/Thoroughbred gelding he co-owns with Jennifer and Riley Carter.
In the CIC 2* division, Shelby Brost of Red Deer, AB climbed to fifth place on her 15-year-old Thoroughbred mare, Crimson (Etta x Cojak). After starting out in 10th with 37.20 penalties in dressage, she rode a foot-perfect show jumping round and added just 8.40 time penalties cross-country rounds to finish up with a total of 44.80.
Carter followed in eighth place, scoring 58.80 on Sumas Cooley, the seven-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding he co-owns with Jennifer Carter.
For more information and full results from the Chattahoochee Hills April Horse Trials, visit www.chatthillseventing.com. For full results from The Fork FEI Eventing WEG Test Event, click here.
The Fork FEI Eventing WEG Test Event – Top 20 Canadian Results
CIC 3*
Placing / Athlete / Horse / Owner / Final Score
11th / Lisa Marie Fergusson / Honor Me / Lisa Marie Fergusson / 43.50
12th / Jessica Phoenix / Bogue Sound / Amara Hoppner / 44.80
13th / Colleen Loach / Qorry Blue D’Argouges / Peter Barry / 45.40
14th / Jessica Phoenix / Pavarotti / Don J. Good / 46.20
18th / Karl Slezak / Fernhill Wishes / Kirk Hoppner & Karl Slezak / 48.20
CIC 2*
Placing / Athlete / Horse / Owner / Final Score
8th / Dasha Ivandaeva / Autorytet / Daria Ivandaeva / 61.50
CIC 1*
Placing / Athlete / Horse / Owner / Final Score
4th / Colleen Loach / Foreign Quality / Peter Barry / 37.00
7th / Colleen Loach / Vermont / Peter Barry / 41.70
9th / Colleen Loach / FE Golden Eye / Colleen Loach / 46.50
10th / Bradley Champagne / Wallaroo W / Bradley Champagne / 58.20
15th / Dasha Ivandaeva / Valentina / Dasha Ivandaeva / 87.00
Chattahoochee Hills April Horse Trials – Top 20 Canadian Results
CIC 3*
Placing / Athlete / Horse / Owner / Final Score
7th / Holly Jacks-Smither / More Inspiration / Bruce Smither & Holly Jacks-Smither / 47.40
8th / Hawley Bennett-Awad / Jollybo / Hawley Bennett-Awad / 51.50
9th / Kyle Carter / FR’s Trust Fund / Kyle, Jennifer & Riley Carter / 51.50
CIC 2*
Placing / Athlete / Horse / Owner / Final Score
5th / Shelby Brost / Crimson / Shelby Brost / 44.80
8th / Kyle Carter / Sumas Cooley / Kyle & Jennifer Carter / 58.80
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