Elizabeth Bates won the $15,000 Cityscape Grand Prix on Saturday, September 14, at the Ottawa National tournament. The event marks the final Gold level show jumping tournament of the 2024 season at Wesley Clover Parks in Ottawa, ON.
When Bates, a native of Toronto, ON, who is now based in Brussels, Belgium, decided to return for a North American tour, competing at Wesley Clover Parks was high on her list. Bates had fond memories of winning the 2015 edition of the Brookstreet Grand Prix riding Wildfire the year before she relocated to Europe. It was a sweet homecoming, as Bates once again found herself leading the victory gallop following the $15,000 Cityscape Grand Prix.
Held on the grass field, the $15,000 Cityscape Grand Prix saw seven horse and rider combinations deliver clear rounds over the track set by course designer Shane Wooley to qualify for the jump-off. Returning mid-way through the jump-off, Bates was again clear in a time of 42.37 seconds to move into the lead riding Heartbeat W. None who followed could catch her time, giving Bates the win.
“I walked my plan, and I rode exactly what I had planned,” explained Bates. “I have always loved grass arenas, and the course designing has been very fair with very friendly courses to jump.”
Local athlete Mackenzey Nadeau of Stittsville, ON, was also double clear but a slower time of 44.59 seconds left her in the runner-up spot riding HHS Fairy Fort, her 11-year-old grey Irish Sport Horse mare. Stephanie Bourassa of Laval, QC, also left all the rails in place riding Guss de Kergane, an eight-year-old Selle Français gelding, to take third with a time of 45.83 seconds.
American competitor Virginia Bonnie of Upperville, VA, filled the next three places in the final standings. The 20-year-old was double-clear for fourth riding Curtis SL and incurred four faults in the jump-off with both Heldorado and Efodea to finish fifth and sixth respectively.
For Bates, the hard work she has put into building a partnership with Heartbeat W has paid off.
“He’s 12, but when I got him at 10 years old, he had almost no record,” explained Bates of her Dutch Warmblood gelding (Baloubet de Rouet x Heartbreaker). “He had changed hands a lot because he was a difficult horse, but people told me they saw something in him. I’ve had him for two and a half years now and we are still working on our jump-off. In the beginning, I had to work on trust and rideability. For the last six months, I’ve been trying to work more on the jump-off.”
Of Heartbeat W’s personality, Bates noted, “He is not a people person. When I got him, he was not at all relaxed and he did not trust people. He has come around. He is super kind. If you go hacking, he’ll stop and look up at the sky, appreciate the view, and listen to the birds. He really wants to be chill, but he has so much fire in the ring. Those are always the type of horses I’ve ended up with.”
The Ottawa National marked Bates’s second time competing at Wesley Clover Parks this season as she had been in Ottawa three weeks prior for the CSI5* Major League Show Jumping Tournament. Riding as a member of Northern Lights, Bates and Heartbeat W won the $200,000 USD Major League Show Jumping Team event alongside teammates Sean Jobin aboard Coquelicot vh Heuvelland Z and Nicole Walker riding Atout des Trambles.
“A big bonus is having a really nice venue to show at that’s not that far from where I’m based,” said Bates, who is stabling at Adena Springs in Aurora, ON, while in North America. “This is such an amazing venue with the grass arena, good stabling, and lots of space. I love the show. Hats off to the organizer. This is really a show worth coming to.”
Bates will continue to follow the Major League Show Jumping tour for the rest of the season before returning to her Breakaway Equestrian business in Belgium where client and investment horses are waiting.
For more information on the Ottawa Equestrian Tournaments, visit here.
$15,000 Cityscape Grand Prix – Saturday, September 14, 2024
Rider / Hometown / Horse / Faults / Time
1. Elizabeth Bates / Brussels, Belgium / Heartbeat W / 0:0 / 42.37
2. Mackenzey Nadeau / Stittsville, ON / HHS Fairy Fort / 0:0 / 44.59
3. Stephanie Bourassa / Laval, QC / Guss de Kergane / 0:0 / 45.83
4. Virginia Bonnie / Upperville, VA / Curtis SL / 0:0 / 46.60
5. Virginia Bonnie / Upperville, VA / Heldorado / 0:4 / 44.27
6. Virginia Bonnie / Upperville, VA / Efodea / 0:4 / 46.45
7. Jade Lalonde / Candiac, QC / Kapital Creation Z / 0:8 / 41.92
8. Elizabeth Bates / Brussels, Belgium / King of Kannan / 1
9. Paul Halpern / Saint Anne des Plaines, QC / Jerlot W / 1
10. Colleen Loach / Dunham, QC / FE Golden Eye / 4