Ottawa, Ontario—Canadian riders won all of the international and national divisions at the 23rd annual Bromont CCI Three Day Event, The Todd Sandler Challenge held in Bromont, QC, June 10–14, 2009. One hundred top international competitors from Canada, United States, Belgium and Australia competed in five divisions — including one of only three CCI 3* competitions held in North America. The competition was hosted on the site where the equestrian events of the 1976 Olympic Games were held. The cross country courses were designed by internationally renowned American course designer, Derek Di Grazia, of Pebble Beach, CA, and beautifully presented by course builder Jay Hambly, of Fergus, ON, and his team.
Canadian Olympian, Hawley Bennett of Langley, BC, won the CCI 3* division with Gin & Juice, a nine-year-old bay Thoroughbred mare co-owned by Bennett and Linda Paine. Sitting in third place after dressage with a score of 51.9, the pair were clear with no time penalties on cross-country moving into second place after this phase just 0.3 of a point behind the leader. A fault-free show jumping round secured the win for Bennett topping American Corrine Ashton and Dobbin who dropped one costly rail in show jumping to finish second. For her victory, Bennett was awarded the Todd Sandler Challenge Perpetual Trophy.
“After the misstep that happened to us at Jersey Fresh, for Gin & Juice to come back and win Bromont was just amazing,” said Bennett, who was a member of the Canadian Eventing Team at the 2004 Athens Olympics. “I would like to thank Buck Davidson. He helped me keep her going and without his support this win would not have happened.”
Kelly List of Bracebridge, ON, riding her 11-year-old Canadian Thoroughbred gelding, Minstral, completed their first CCI 3*three day event in 13th place.
The CCI 2* division was won by Karl Slezak of Tottenham, ON, and Don J. Good’s 13-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding, Charley Farley. Following a dressage score of 51.20, and adding only 1.6 time penalties on cross-country, the pair finished on a score of 52.80. In honour of his victory, Slezak was presented the bronze bear — The Eaman Perpetual Trophy.
Jessica Ruppel of Ravenna, ON, and her long-time partner, Naughty by Nature, a 12-year-old Appaloosa cross gelding, finished in 10th place with a score of 82.60. Port Perry, ON, native Waylon Roberts and Gigi, a nine-year-old Selle Francais mare owned by Roberts and Kelly Plitz, earned a 12th place finish with a score of 86.70. In 16th were Diana Burnett and Wild T’ Mater, an eight-year-old Canadian Thoroughbred gelding owned by Burnett and Don J. Good. Finishing in 17th spot was Sarah Green of Calgary, AB, riding Wondaree Penelope, her 12-year-old Canadian Thoroughbred mare. Nicole Parkin paired with Lexus, a nine-year-old Hanoverian mare, owned by Gail Hendrie, finished in 18th place, and Edie Tarves with the Robin Campbell’s Canadian bred Swedish Thoroughbred cross, Arwen, rounded out the top 20.
Winning the CCI 1* division was 1996 Olympic Team member Kelli McMullen Temple with Carl Bouckart’s seven-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding, Veelion. The duo scored 42.4 in dressage, and had fault-free cross country and jumping rounds to finish on their dressage score.
“Veelion was fantastic. I am very happy that he led from the start with such a great dressage score,” remarked McMullen Temple. “He is a horse that we are looking forward to the future. He is ready to move up.”
Penny Rowland of Orangeville, ON, earned a third place finish aboard Sula Coulson’s 13-year-old Canadian Thoroughbred gelding, Flying Finn, on a score of 52.90, while Olivia Todaro of Candiac, QC, placed fourth, on a score of 56.50, with Cosmic Girl, her 11-year-old Oldenburg mare. Olympian Selena O’Hanlon of Elgin, ON, and A First Romance, Sean Dennis’ eight-year-old Canadian Thoroughbred gelding, finished in fourth with 58.00. Seventeen-year-old Rachel Vear of Markham, ON, and Chocco de Pomme, a 10-year-old Selle Francaise gelding owned by Lynne Vear, finished in sixth with a score of 62.10. Riding the eight year old thoroughbred cross mare Poetic Justice, owned by Polaris Stables, Maya Studenmund, who currently resides in Southern Pines, NC, finished in seventh with 63.90 Rounding out the ribbons was junior rider Sophie Laframboise, 15, of Westmount, QC, with Way Cool who placed 12th on a score of 67.7.
Young rider, Rebecca Rebus, 18, of Burlington, ON, won the CIC 1* division riding her horse Rubies to Diamonds, her nine-year-old Thoroughbred mare. Following a dressage score of 51.5, and adding only 5.60 time penalties on cross-country, the pair finished on a score of 57.10.
“My horse was really good,” said Rebus, who has owned Rubies to Diamonds for three years, bringing her from the Training division up to the CIC 1* level. “She won the dressage and was great during cross county.”
Since 1999, 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 the future.
For full results of the CCI Bromont Three Day event visit www.bromont3dayevent.com
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