Bennett_Gin_CCI3_1web.jpgOttawa, 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.”

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