WELLINGTON, FL. – Canada’s top-ranked show jumper, Eric Lamaze, claimed victory in the competition that was intended to be the first that the Canadian Equestrian Team Selection Committee was officially observing for Olympic team selection. However, the win came under the most unusual circumstances due to powerful storms tracking through the southern U.S.. Originally scheduled for Thursday evening, the competition was postponed until Friday morning when torrential rains and wicked lightening shook Palm Beach County throughout Thursday evening. The venue was left with deep, pond-sized puddles throughout.
By re-scheduling it to Friday, it put it on the same day as the all-important team competition scheduled for Friday evening. Both are important in the selection process for both the U.S. and Canadian Olympic teams. Therefore, Lamaze, of Schomberg, Ontario opted to use his up-and-coming 9-year-old gelding, Sadin, this morning, instead of his intended Olympic mount, Hickstead.
He and Sadin defeated a 40-entry field from which only three were faultless. The other two fault-free entries opted not to go forward to a jump-off, due to the wet conditions. They were 2004 Olympic team gold medalist and individual silver medalist Chris Kappler and one of this year’s U.S. Olympic hopefuls Will Simpson. Kappler was on VDL Oranta and Simpson was on Carlsson. Lamaze jumped the jump-off course, therefore cinched the win. “This is going to be a good horse”, he said of Sadin, who just began jumping at this level late last season.
The leader of the U.S. Olympic team selection trials, Laura Kraut on Cedric, finished 11th with one knockdown. Most Canadian team candidates sat this one out, saving their horses for tonight’s team competition, with the exception of Mac Cone, of King City, Ontario. Cone rode his 2007 Pan American Games mount, Melinda. Ian Millar is not present due to the recent death of his wife. Canada will meet 8 other teams in tonight’s nations cup, where they are the defending champions.
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