Kelley Robinson of Russell, ON, opened the show jumping season at Wesley Clover Parks in Ottawa, ON, with a hometown win in the $15,000 Julia MacAngus Memorial Grand Prix on Saturday, May 27, 2023.
Shane Wooley designed an inviting course in the All-Weather Ring which saw three horse-and-rider combinations jump clear in the first round and advance to the all-deciding jump-off. Robinson was the first to go and laid down another clear round riding Foolproof in a time of 36.10 seconds, setting the standard for the two riders still to come.
Frank Hendriks of Carleton Place, ON, was next to challenge and while he had the time in 33.71 seconds, a rail down would eventually leave him runner-up riding Chapeau. As the last to go, Robert Carey of Bolton, ON, had the final say riding Don’t Worry Farmer, owned by Millar Brooke Farm & DK USA Sporthorses. Despite stopping the timers in 35.15 seconds to also be faster on the clock, Carey dropped a rail midway through the course, handing the victory to Robinson.