The pulse quickened at the Royal West in Week Two as the big names began gearing up for the weekend’s big prizes. On Wednesday, Canada’s Erynn Ballard sharpened her game in the $45,000 GGT Footing & Whiteline Structures Classic 1.45 m with a dramatic win in an all-Canadian 11-horse jump-off.
In what was an all-female winning podium, Ballard rode her chestnut 10-year-old gelding Appy Cara to a clear round that beat out Ali Ramsay on the bay 8-year-old mare Hermelien vd Hooghoeve by 1.82 seconds, also with a clear round. Third place in the tightly bunched field went to Vanessa Mannix on the bay 14-year-old gelding Nirvanan de Terlong) who rode clean as well.
Other riders making the jump-off were Laura Jane Tidball (Prim’ de Lairaud), John Anderson (Terrific), Jill Henselwood (Farfelu du Printemps), Keean White (For Freedom Z, Carrera van het Westleven Z), Ben Asselin (Plume de la Roque), Chris Sorenson (Bobby), and Yann Candele (Granit S).
In the afternoon’s feature event, the $25,000 Salentein Wines Canadian Hunter Derby 3’6”, Brent Balisky riding Vigolo Z took home top honours with 106.00 points. Darcy Hayes aboard Crush captured second place with 104.5 points, and in third was Ashton Belcher aboard Contifax.
Results for all Royal West classes can be found at showgroundslive.com/rmsj/results/DailyResults
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