Toronto, ON – One year ago tonight the anthem played for Individual Gold medalist Eric Lamaze, and this year it played for his Olympic Silver medal team-mate Jill Henselwood. She was a hair too fast opening night, and a hair too slow the second night, but managed to get it just right tonight to win the $100,000 CN FEI World CupTM Qualifier Grand Prix at The Royal Horse Show. Fellow Canadian and past Olympian Beth Underhill picked up second and Ireland’s Dermott Lennon held on for third.
Twenty-four horses started the class tonight, over the extremely challenging course designed by Anthony D’Ambrosio of Red Hook, New York. Just five were able to master the first round to qualify for the jump-off, over a shorter but more challenging course. D’Ambrosio designed this year’s Rolex FEI World CupTM Final, in Las Vegas, USA.
“It was a real riders course,” said Beth Underhill following the class. “It was very visual for the horses with lots of colour and you really needed scope to get through the combinations. You had to be spot on – the distances, angles and widths were tough.”
Both riders agreed you had to know your horse and know going into the ring what your strategy was going to be, if you were to elude trouble.
“You have to have enough experience to know what your horse does well, and what he finds hard,” explained Henselwood. “I’ve known Bottom Line for a long time, I’ve trained the owner Jenn Serek and the horse for years. I know she’s naturally a little ‘hot’, and I know she needs a mental re-group at spots on course. So I had to go inside to the second jump or I was going to have another time fault!” she laughed, referring to her opening weekend in the Canadian Championships.
“I decided against going inside to the second jump,” said Underhill, outlining why her strategy was opposite to that of Henselwood’s. “I thought it was a bad decision for my horse because he tends to jump a little high at times and not cover the width. I think going around to the second fence just found me a better rhythm and better course overall.”
Earlier in the evening, Greg Aziz and family, the owners of Underhill’s mount Top Gun, were honoured in a special presentation naming them the Jump Canada Owners of the Year. Aziz bought his first show jumper in 1999 and has been an avid supporter of Canadian equestrianism ever since. His Iron Horse Farm has also supported youth agriculture at The Royal for many years.
$100,000 CN FEI World CupTM Qualifier Grand Prix
Rider / Hometown / Horse / Faults:Time
1. Jill Henselwood / Oxford Mills, ON / Bottom Line / 0.00 : 36.35
2. Beth Underhill / Schomberg, ON / Top Gun / 0.00 : 37.86
3. Dermott Lennon / Ireland / Hallmark Elite / 0.00 : 39.36
4. Ljubov Kochetova / Russia / Aslan / 0.00 : 39.36
5. Charlie Jayne / Elgin, IL / 8.00 : 37.27
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