Sierra Mark of Augusta, ON, proved consistency is key when she captured the 2019 National 1.40m Junior/Amateur Jumping Championship, presented by Dominion Regalia, on Nov. 3 at the Royal Horse Show in Toronto, ON.

“I couldn’t believe it,” said Mark of the win aboard her 16-year-old Canadian Sport Horse mare, Heat Wave 3E (sired by Jamestown). “It’s very exciting: this is my sixth year at the Royal with her, and every time we’ve come we’ve had spotty placings. To come here and put in three consistent rounds which eventually got us the championship is incredible.”

The title was anyone’s to grab out of 22 entries, with the top spots constantly switching hands over three competitions that were masterfully mapped out by FEI Level 4 Course Designer, Michel Vaillancourt. The excitement began right off the bat in the Coca-Cola Coliseum with the $2,500 Junior/Amateur 1.40m Welcome Stake on Nov. 2, where less than four seconds separated the top six in an incredibly tight jump-off race.

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