Ottawa, Ontario – Talk about stacking the odds in your favour. With three horses qualified for the jump-off, that is exactly what Marie Hecart of France did in the $15,000 Modified Grand Prix held Saturday, August 22, at the National Capital Show Jumping Tournaments at the Nepean National Equestrian Park in Ottawa, ON.
Of the 43 horses that competed, 11 were clear to advance to the jump-off. Although three of those horses belonged to Hecart, it only took one to win. Hecart was the first challenger over Leopoldo Palacios’s shortened jump-off track riding Lucas, and the pair set a blistering pace of 38.02 seconds which had the other competitors scratching their heads, wondering how they could catch her.
Erynn Ballard of Hillsburgh, ON, relied on sheer foot speed as she guided the Canadian-bred Rio’s Rhapsody home in a time of 39.17 seconds, but it was only good enough for second place. Yann Candele who, like Hecart, is a native of Normandy, France, tried a unique approach by hopping over a small hedge on his way to the second fence, but his time of 39.29 seconds left him third with Azzaro van’t Hagenhof, a nine-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding owned by Susan Grange.
Hecart tried to out run herself with both Catalina and Ryan Star du Rezidal, but her times of 39.95 and 40.20 left her in fourth and fifth positions respectfully. The only other rider to post a clear round in the jump-off was 18-year-old Sarah Johnstone of Toronto, ON, whose time of 40.38 seconds placed her sixth with Starlet, a 10-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare owned by North Ridge. Johnstone trains with Jay Hayes and his daughter, Lauren. Hayes and his wife, Shawn, are the Co-Chairs of the National Capital Show Jumping Tournaments.
“I had three chances so I tried to go as fast as I could and it worked out,” said Hecart, 28.
Even losing a shoe on the jump-off course could not slow down Lucas, a 10-year-old chestnut gelding.
“Lucas is the fastest one,” said Hecart of her three jump-off contenders, all of which are owned by Ashland Stables. “If he is clear in the first round, I know I will be in the top three with him in the jump-off. He is very competitive and really smart. He is not lazy, but he is cool, and when he is in the ring, he is a good competitor.”
Hecart will be one of the favourites for Sunday’s $75,000 Brookstreet Grand Prix at 2 p.m. which concludes the 2009 National Capital Show Jumping Tournaments. Week two of the National Capital Show Jumping Tournaments is rated a CSI2* by the International Equestrian Federation (FEI), which means that in addition to substantial prize money, world ranking points are also on the line.
On Sunday, admission is $10 per person on Sunday, parking included. Children five and under are admitted free. For more information on the National Capital Show Jumping Tournaments, please visit www.hayesco.ca or call (613) 769-7221.
$15,000 Modified Grand Prix – Ottawa, ON
Rider Hometown Horse Faults Time
1. Marie Hecart France Lucas 0:0 38.02
2. Erynn Ballard Hillsburgh, ON Rio’s Rhapsody 0:0 39.17
3. Yann Candele Caledon, ON Azzaro van’t Hagenhof 0:0 39.29
4. Marie Hecart France Catalina 0:0 39.95
5. Marie Hecart France Ryan Star du Rezidal 0:0 40.20
6. Sarah Johnstone Toronto, ON Starlet 0:0 40.38
7. Amy Millar Perth, ON Romanov 0:4 41.80
8. Mark Samuel Toronto, ON Wembley 234 0:4 43.50
9. Cody Auer Fairfield, CT Timo 0:4 45.54
10. Angela Lawrence St. Lazare, QC Unica 0:5 50.44
11. Erynn Ballard Hillsburgh, ON Simply Ahorn 0:did not start
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