Ottawa, ON—Canadian Eventing riders faced stormy weather conditions throughout the weekend and earned fantastic results at the CIC 3*- W The Fork Eventing World Cup Qualifier and International Horse Trials, held April 3-6 in Norwood, North Carolina, USA.

Competing in the CIC 3* Eventing World Cup Qualifier, as a warm up to the Rolex Kentucky Three Day Event  Mike Winter, originally of Toronto, ON, and now residing in Newnan, GA, secured sixth place against stiff competition aboard Kingpin, a 12-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding owned by The Kingpin Syndicate. A dressage score of 53.4 put the pair in 13th place. Due to the weather, the show jumping was moved to Saturday to allow the cross-country course a day to dry, and Winter and Kingpin moved up to eighth place after a clean show jumping effort. The pair added only 3.6 time faults on the cross-country course designed by Captain Mark Phillips, and finished in sixth on a final score of 57.0.

“I am happy I had four horses at the three star level that were competent, that belonged and that were capable,” remarked Winter, who had two horses competing in the CIC 3* World Cup division and two at the CIC 3* International  level. “With each horse, I have been part of the process. I have brought each one of them up the levels. The owners of all of them have played a major role in our success so far this year.”

2007 Pan American Eventing Team member Jessica Phoenix of Cannington, ON, and her own Exploring, an 11-year-old Thoroughbred gelding, also contested the World Cup Qualifier, finishing in 12th place on a score of 66.3. With her longtime partner Livewire, a 10-year-old Canadian Thoroughbred gelding, Samantha Taylor of Richmond, BC, finished just behind Phoenix in 13th place with 69.1.

Winter and Wonderful Will, Sher and Elliot Schwartz’s 10-year-old Thoroughbred, finished with a score of 95.5, which was good for 19th place. Uni Griffon, a 10-year-old Welsh Sport cross gelding, and Lisa Marie Fergusson of Langley, BC, finished in 21st place.

Winter again dominated the CIC 3* International division by finishing in fifth with Glen Morangie and in sixth with Manhattan. Aboard Glen Morangie, a nine-year-old Thoroughbred gelding owned by Dr. and Mrs. Cathy & Mike Sigman, Winter was in 12th place following dressage with a score of 59.7. The pair had a double clean show jumping round and added only two penalty points after cross-country to finish on a score of 61.7.

With Manhattan, Mary Bess Sigman’s 10-year-old Thoroughbred gelding, Winter was in sixth place following dressage with a score of 54.1. The pair added eight faults, for a pair of rails down, during the show jumping round, but rebounded with a perfect, fault-free performance on cross-country to finish in sixth with a score of 62.1 penalties.

“After the last Olympics, I wanted to improve my string of horses and develop my knowledge and skills at the highest level of the sport,” noted Winter, who was a member of the Canadian Eventing 2004 Athens Olympics Team and the silver medal 2007 Pan American Games Team. “I think I have come close to my goal.”

2007 Pan American Eventing Team member Kyle Carter, of Calgary, AB, and currently based in Citra, FL, earned 13th place aboard Madison Park, an 10-year-old Thoroughbred gelding owned by the rider and Nicole Shinton. The duo were sitting in 17th place after dressage, and remained in 17th after incurring six time faults and four show jumping faults. Adding only 1.2 time penalties after cross-country, Carter and Madison Park rose up the standings to 13th, with a final score of 75.3.

Waylon Roberts of Port Perry, ON, riding his Pan American Eventing Team mount, Paleface, owned by his mother Kelly Plitz, had a final score of 81.6, which put them in 16th place. Kathryn Duke of Calgary, AB, riding Robin R. Bass’ 16-year-old Selle Francais gelding, finished in 17th position with a score of 86.1. Jessica Ruppell of Ravenna, ON and her Appaloosa-cross gelding, Naughty By Nature, finished in 18th.

The CIC 3* World Cup Qualifier was won by American Heidi White-Carty riding Northern Spy, while Leslie Law, of Great Britain, claimed the CIC 3* aboard Mystere du Val.

 

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