Jeff Brandmaier jumped his way into the winner’s circle when the Jump Canada Young Horse Series was held at the CSI2* National Tournament at the Nepean National Equestrian Park in Ottawa, ON, on August 18 and 19.
Brandmaier guided Damiro van Ter Notelaere to victory over tracks set by two-time Olympic course designer, Leopoldo Palacios of Venezuela, to win the Seven and Eight-Year-Old Division. Their jump-off time of 41.98 seconds was the fastest of the day to secure the win.
“He’s just a one-of-a-kind ride,” said Brandmaier of the eight-year-old bay Belgian Warmblood gelding by Lambada van Berkenbroeck out of Ramira van Ter Notelaere. “I’m an amateur, and to be able to play in that kind of company and to have a horse that allows me to do that is great.”
Brandmaier and his wife, Muffie Guthrie, of Knightwood Stables in Guelph, ON, purchased Damiro van Ter Notelaere in December from Olympic Champion Eric Lamaze’s Torrey Pines Stable in Schomberg, ON.
Of the purchase, Brandmaier joked, “I like the ones that can jump high. Damiro usually clears everything by a good six inches, which gives me a six inch margin of error for my amateur mistakes.”
Lauren Hayes of Orangeville, ON, placed second aboard Zidane, a seven-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding owned by DK Masterson Holdings. They also put in a double clear performance, but their time of 42.85 seconds wasn’t fast enough to catch Brandmaier and Damiro. Zidane was bred in the Netherlands and is by Roquefort and out of a Burggraff dam.
Finishing third was Hayes’ husband, Johan Letimonier of France, aboard Troy, owned by Heidi Harris of Orangeville, ON. Letimonier and the eight-year-old Canadian Warmblood gelding had a rail down in the first round to finish with four faults. Troy was bred by Letimonier’s in-laws, Shawn and Jay Hayes, and is by Indoctro and out of a Flipper mare.
Topping the Six-Year-Old Division was Elliott Stone of Woodbridge, ON, aboard his horse, Stanley Stone. Stone was one of three riders who advanced to the jump-off after putting in a clear first round. They captured the win with a second clear performance in the jump-off with a time of 42.07 seconds.
“He’s awesome all the time,” said Stone, who plans to continue to campaign Stanley Stone in the Young Horse divisions before hopefully moving up to the grand prix level at the end of 2012. “He is the best horse I have ever had. He’s really well bred, is very scopey, and his technique is perfect. He is always really careful and rarely touches a rail.”
Bred in the Netherlands, Stanley Stone is a Dutch Warmblood gelding by Karandasj and out of an Ekstein mare.
Less than one-tenth of a second behind Stone was Roberto Teran of Colombia and ADC Chef Z, owned by Bob Suriwka. The pair was clear in the jump-off, stopping the clock in 42.16 seconds to finish second. The Argentinean-bred gelding is by Chester Z and out of Lasaree Royal.
Jonathon Millar with Alazan, owned by his family’s Millar Brook Farm in Perth, ON, had a clear round and a jump-off time of 44.88 seconds to finish third. The chestnut Dutch Warmblood gelding was bred by David and Janice Baikie of Arva, ON, and is by Contango and out of a Goodtimes mare.
Millar’s younger sister, Amy Millar, won the Five-Year-Old Division aboard Fine Time M, a bay Canadian Sport Horse mare owned and bred by Millar Brooke Farm in partnership with Ann Mathews. They were the only pair to jump cleanly in the first round.
“I couldn’t be more pleased with her,” said Amy Millar. “She was fantastic! We tend not to compete our five-year-olds as often as some others do, so she hasn’t had a lot of experience in the ring. In the last three weeks she has really caught up to her peers.”
Fine Time M is by Fine Line, Jonathon’s former grand prix mount, and out of a Prospector’s Halo xx mare purchased off the track by Amy and Jonathon’s mother, the late Lynn Millar.
“Her dam has only had two foals,” explained Amy Millar. “The first was Itty Bitty, now owned and ridden by Kelly Soleau. They were the Five-Year-Old Reserve Champions last year.”
Millar hopes Fine Time M will follow in her older sibling’s hoof prints.
“I am hoping to take her to the Finals at the Canadian Show Jumping Tournament in Palgrave,” she said. “Then, I would really like to take her down to Wellington with me this winter. I am quickly falling in love with this mare and really think she has what it takes to be competitive on the Florida circuit.”
Letimonier took both second and third in the final standings. He rode Selma de la Batia, owned by DK Masterson Holdings, to a second-place finish. The selle francais mare had a rail down in the opening round to finish with four faults. By Jazz Band Courcelle and out of a Quartz du Vallon mare, Selma de la Batia was bred in France and imported from Switzerland by her current owner last year.
Briljant and Letimonier finished third with eight faults after two rails down on course. Owned by North Point, the Dutch Warmblood gelding was bred in the Netherlands and is by Hamlet and out of an Elicaro dam.
In the Four-Year-Old Division, Carly Campbell-Cooper jumped to victory aboard Chikita, a bay Dutch Warmblood mare owned by Double C Stables in Harriston, ON. By Veron and out of a Nimmerdor mare, Chikita was the only horse to jump cleanly, earning the maximum of 50 jumping points. The style judge awarded the pair 32 out of a possible 50 style points for a total of 82 points.
“She just keeps getting better and better,” said Campbell-Cooper. “She’s very athletic and has become much more rideable now.”
Stephanie Dubois-Emond of Gurnee, IL, placed second with EWSZ’s Cabamba, owned and bred by European Warmblood Stallion Zentrum Inc. of Arva, ON. The pair had a rail down at the first part of the double combination to finish with 45 jumping points. An additional 26 style points brought their total to 71 points. The bay Rheinlander mare is by Corrido de Chatillon and out of a Le Comte II mare.
Campbell-Cooper took home third place aboard Coryphee, also owed by Double C Stables. The pair finished with 65 points, earning 45 jumping points after a rail down at the fifth fence on course and 20 style points. By Indorado, the Dutch Warmblood mare is out of an Indoctro dam.
Peter Steffens, who owns Double C Stables, asked Campbell-Cooper to ride both Chikita and Coryphee.
“So many people suggested we contact her,” explained Steffens. “She really does seem to have a gift with riding the young horses. We’re really been pleased with how she has been handling both of our mares.”
Campbell-Cooper will continue to ride Double C’s horses for the rest of the season, but will hand the reins over to Steffens’ daughters, Jacqueline and Ashlee, next year.
The purpose of the Jump Canada Young Horse Series is to encourage the development of young show jumping talent and to give Canadian breeders additional incentives to breed superior show jumping prospects. Competing on a level playing field, the horses are divided according to age and jump at a level suited to their development. This careful development allows the horses to gain valuable experience and advance to the higher levels of show jumping competition with confidence. The Jump Canada Young Horse Series also gives prospective buyers for the hunter and jumper markets an opportunity to view a large group of prospects in a competition setting.
The 2011 Jump Canada Young Horse Series is truly national in scope with competitions being held from coast to coast. The National Young Horse Finals will take place at the Canadian Show Jumping Tournament from September 21 to 25 in Palgrave, ON.
For more information on the Jump Canada Young Horse Series, please visit http://equinecanada.ca/jumpcanada/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=88&Itemid=3&lang=en
National Tournament – Ottawa, ON
Seven and Eight-Year-Old Division
Horse Owner Rider
1. Damiro van Ter Notelaere Knightwood Stables Jeff Brandmaier
2. Zidane DK Masterson Holdings Lauren Hayes
3. Troy* Heidi Harris Johan Letimonier
4. Riva* Summerhill Farm Jay Hayes
5. Ozaria* Jennifer Sarsfield Jennifer Sarsfield
6. Ruby Tuesday* Mill Creek Stables Inc. Robert Donaldson
7. Monsieur Taloubet Elizabeth Bates Ainsley Vince
8. Talula* North Ridge Lauren Hayes
9. Lino Allison Zlepnig Allison Zlepnig
10. Rivercross Winsome* Rivercross Stable Angela Covert-Lawrence
Six-Year-Old Division
Horse Owner Rider
1. Stanley Stone Elliott Stone Elliott Stone
2. ADC Chef Z Bob Suriwka Roberto Teran
3. Alazan* Millar Brooke Farm Jonathon Millar
4. EWSZ’s Jerevel* European Warmblood Stallion Zentrum Stephanie Dubois-Emond
5. Color Guard* Katriina Ruotsalo Hyde Moffatt
Five-Year-Old Division
Horse Owner Rider
1. Fine Time M* Millar Brooke Farm Amy Millar
2. Selma de la Batia DK Masterson Holdings Johan Letimonier
3. Briljant North Point Johan Letimonier
Four-Year-Old Division
Horse Owner Rider
1. Chikita Double C Stables Carly Campbell-Cooper
2. EWSZ’s Cabamba European Warmblood Stallion Zentrum Stephanie Dubois-Emond
3. Coryphee Double C Stables Carly Campbell-Cooper
NOTE – The star * beside a horse’s name denotes that it is Canadian-bred.
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