Ste. Justine De Newton, Quebec – Twenty-eight-year-old Lauren Hunkin, of Caledon, Ontario, is already making a habit of something she had never done just over a week ago. One week to the day after her first-ever grand prix victory, Hunkin, repeated, scoring her second grand prix victory.
The win came in the same venue and on the same horse as last week’s win. In the $25,000 grand prix at Beaulieu’s Summer Classic II, Hunkin rode her 10-year-old German-bred gelding, Larry, to defeat almost the same field as a week ago. She was not the only one who repeated last week’s performance. Last week’s second-place finisher, Gabrielle Cousin on Aramisse des Pins, finished runner-up again. Last week’s third place finisher, Laurie Bucci, claimed third again, but this time on a different mount. Bucci was aboard Z Girl this week.
Hunkin out-paced Cousin and Bucci in the tie-breaker by a large margin, stopping the clock at 38.82 seconds to Cousin’s 41.60 and Bucci’s 45.52. The other entries in the five-way jump-off had knockdowns.
“It’s feels a little strange this time”, Hunkin said, “I wasn’t expecting it. It feels good going ahead”, she said, but is cautious about getting over-confident, adding, “You never know what the next day will bring”.
Hunkin has been training with Ian Millar for several years. With Millar in Calgary preparing for the Olympic Games, Hunkin is competing in Quebec under the tutelage of Millar’s daughter, Amy, and son, Jonathon. Jonathon Millar was also part of today’s jump-off,on Fahrenheit. Hunkin has been partnered with Larry for just over a year.
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