Ottawa, ON – With over 130 top international competitors representing, Australia, France, Mexico, Sweden, Ecuador, Thailand, Haiti, the United States and Canada, the 24th annual CCI Bromont Three Day Event, The Todd Sandler Challenge, once again proved to be a tremendous success. Held in Bromont, QC, the site of the equestrian events of the 1976 Olympic Games, on June 10–13, 2010, the Canadian riders continued their winning ways by finishing strong in all of the international divisions.
Internationally renowned American course designer, Derek Di Grazia of Pebble Beach, CA, designed the CCI 3*, CCI 2* and CCI 1* cross country courses and course builder Jay Hambly of Fergus, ON, and his team did an incredible job of beautifully presenting Di Grazia’s vision.
Rebecca Howard of Salmon Arm, BC and Riddle Master, Caroline Bazley’s nine-year-old Canadian Sport Horse gelding, finished second in the advanced CCI 3* division. Out of a strong starting field of 31 entries, the pair sat in ninth place after dressage with a score of 54.6 and was clear with only 4.8 time penalties on cross-country, which moved them into fourth place. A fault-free show jumping round secured second place for Howard, who posted a final score of 59.4.
“Riddle Master was super all weekend in all phases,” said Howard. “Our dressage is getting really exciting. We have made a quantum leap forward, and I was really able to ride him during our test. He only got better as our cross country went on, and he jumped great in the show jumping round.”
Finishing close behind Howard, was Jessica Phoenix with her 12-year-old Canadian Thoroughbred gelding Exponential. Sitting in 12th place after dressage on a score of 57.6, the pair posted the only perfect cross country ride of the day, which moved them up the leader board into second position. A costly rail in the jumping round slipped them into third place on a final score of 61.6. Phoenix also finished in 11th place with her 2007 Pan American Games partner Exploring, a 13-year-old Thoroughbred gelding, on a score of 83.2. Jessica Ruppel of Ravenna, ON and her 13-year-old Appaloosa-cross gelding, Naughty By Nature, finished in 17th place. Diana Burnett of Blackstock, ON and Wild T’Mater, a nine-year-old Canadian Thoroughbred gelding co-owned by Burnett and Don J. Good, rounded out the Canadian entries in 21st spot.
American William Coleman III and Nevada Bay finished just 0.6 ahead of Howard for the win posting a score of 59 for the victory.
The CCI 2* division was won by 1996 Olympic Team member Kelli McMullen-Temple riding her eight-year-old German Warmblood gelding, Axel Rose. Earning a dressage score of 45.0 together with a fault-free cross-country performance, the pair had a substantial lead in the competition heading into show jumping which they maintained despite taking down two unfortunate rails. They finished on a score of 53.0. In honour of her victory, McMullen-Temple was presented the bronze bear — The Eaman Perpetual Trophy. McMullen-Temple’s victory also helped secure her team a second place finish in the Greenbrier Farm Team Challenge, which is sponsored by Nicole and Alan Shinton. Greenbrier Farm Team Challenge a friendly team competition in which competitors from each of the three CCI divisions join forces to compete for $10,000.00 in prize money.
“I was really pleased with Axel. He is quite confirmed at the intermediate, two star level so Bromont was his stepping stone to move to the advanced, three star division,” said McMullen Temple, who has won an international division for the past three years at the CCI Bromont Three Day Event. “David O’Connor gave us some really great pointers that helped our dressage score. Derek did a beautiful job with the cross country course by asking some good questions while remaining inviting.”
“I would really like to thank the Shinton family for sponsoring the Greenbrier Farm Team Competition. It is a very enjoyable opportunity for the riders,” she added.
Riding Amanda and Jorge Bernhard’s eight-year-old Irish Sport Horse, Fionn McCuhal, Shandiss Wewiora of Oakville, ON added just four show jumping faults to her dressage score to finish with 59.4, which was good for fourth place. Penny Rowland of Orangeville, ON, earned a 10th place finish aboard her 14-year-old Canadian Thoroughbred gelding, H.S. Flying Finn, with a score of 83.2, and 18th with her second horse, Amazing Grace, a nine-year-old Thoroughbred x Selle Francais mare. Emily Daigneault of Gatineau, QC and Misty Vale Bacardi, her 15-year-old Morgan gelding, finished 19th.
Samantha Galway of Toronto, ON and Tangerine, her eight-year-old Canadian Sport Horse mare, were the top placed Canadian entry in the CCI 1* division. Out of 37 starters, Galway, 19, was 32nd following dressage with 63.4, and easily moved up the leader board with fault-free cross country and show jumping rounds to finish in eighth place. In ninth place was Kelly List, 23, of Bracebridge, ON and Smarty Pants, her six-year-old Canadian Thoroughbred gelding. The pair added 3.2 cross country time penalties and four show jumping penalties to their dressage score of 56.6 to finish with 63.8. Stephanie Castonguay, 17, of Vaudreuil, QC, finished in 14th place with Tyne Be Merry, her nine-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding, on a score of 67.5. In 15th place was Haley Armstrong-Laframboise of Orangeville, ON and Ichabod, an eight-year-old Thoroughbred cross mare owned by Moira Laframboise with a score of 67.8. Scoring 68.8 for 16th place was Anita Nemtin-Gilmour of Palgrave, ON riding Topper, her seven-year-old Canadian Sport Horse gelding, while Katie Duke of Calgary, AB rode Patricia Duke’s Volare to a 17th place finish with a score of 71.0.
The CCI Bromont Three Day Event proudly hosts The Todd Sandler Challenge in memory of an aspiring young event rider, Todd Sandler, 18, of Dollard des Ormeaux, QC. Todd died tragically in a car accident on April 26, 1999 while returning home from the Rolex Kentucky Three Day Event. He was one of Canada’s best eventing prospects.
For full results of the CCI Bromont Three Day event visit www.bromont3dayevent.com.
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