Spruce Meadows North American - Saturday

Mario Deslauriers has had a Spruce Meadows Summer Series of a lifetime. He is riding with confidence and on a talented string of horses.

With his 9 year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding, Ardeche Van De Zelm, Deslauriers showed he could win against nay and in any competition taking first place today in the $200,000 ATCO Power Queen Elizabeth II Cup.

The first round course featured 16 jumping efforts over 565 metres with a time allowed of 85 seconds. The first round saw 38 entries looking for a perfect score to move on. The 12 best would take on a shortened course in the second round.

The second round saw five horse/rider combinations clear the 13 jumping efforts forcing a jump-off. It was a field of Olympians, former World Cup Champions and simply the best in the sport.

Two time defending champion Eric Lamaze (CAN) came into the jump-off with his Olympic mount Hickstead. They were putting together a fast round but suffered a rare rail. Four faults meant they would have to be super fast if they had any chance of a three-peat. The clock stopped at 45.80 seconds, fast but Beezie Madden (USA) and Mario Deslauriers (CAN) were still to come.

Deslauriers was next into the ring. A clear would put him in perfect position but again a rail came down. The veteran Canadian turned the speed up as he finished off the course, coming home in 43.07 seconds, good enough for first place.

Last into the ring was the always threatening Beezie Madden. Riding her Olympic mount Authentic she would only need a clear to win her third ATCO Power Queen Elizabeth II Cup on this horse. To the shock of the crowd she had a rail, it was going to be tough to make up the time on the clock. It wasn’t possible, their time stopped at 45.60 seconds.

The win was a first for Deslauriers in the ATCO Power Queen Elizabeth II Cup. It was all the sweeter on a horse he has been bringing along with his wife Lisa for the last three years. “He’s scopy, straightforward, careful and smart,” said Deslauriers of his mount. “He always fights for you, some horses fight against you but Ardeche is always there fighting with me. This is his first big win,” added today’s champion.

ATCO Power Queen Elizabeth II Cup top 10

1-         Mario Deslauriers                 CAN               Ardeche Van De Zelm

2-         Beezie Madden                     USA               Authentic

3-         Eric Lamaze                         CAN               Hickstead

4-         John Anderson                      CAN              Terrific

5-         Will Simpson                         USA               Archie Bunker

6-         Jaime Azcarraga                   MEX               Presley Boy

7-         Jonathan Asselin                   CAN               Rayana Chiara

8-         Antonio Chedraui                  MEX               Don Porfirio

9-         Beth Underhill                       CAN               Top Gun

10-       Shane Sweetnam                  IRL                 Amaretto D’Arco

The second competition of the day was the $75,000 TD Cup. The speed competition had each fault counted as four seconds. The west bank and table top factored into the 16 jumping effort, 730 metre Guilherme Jorge (BRA) designed course.

One of the fastest riders in the sport is American Olympic Team Gold Medalist, Will Simpson. Today he was riding his 14 year-old Dutch Warmblood mare, Nadia. They were chasing Beezie Madden’s time of 88.48 seconds, so the foot was definitely on the gas.

Simpson took tight turns and galloped between fences, shaving off any time possible. Nadia did her part too, stretching out her nose to cross the finish line. The time stopped at 87.07 seconds. They were in first place.

Now the waiting game began for Simpson who had to watch his fellow American, Leslie Howard, take on the course. Howard is a fierce competitor and today was no different as she sped around the course with Lennox Lewis 2 her 10 year-old Oldenburg gelding. The race to the finish line was fast and all eyes were on the clock over the last fence, 88.20 seconds.

It was Simpson’s day to be the champion of the TD Cup. “She was fresh and ready to go,” said Simpson of his winning mare, Nadia. “I had a really nice day, a really nice tournament. The horses have gotten better and better each week,” added the winner of the TD Cup.

TD Cup top 10

1-         Will Simpson                         USA                Nadia

2-         Leslie Howard                       USA                Lennox Lewis 2

3-         Beezie Madden                     USA                Exclusive

4-         Will Simpson                         USA               Black Cherry

5-         Cody Auer                           USA                Okido

6-         Beezie Madden                     USA                Prima

7-         Marie Hecart                         FRA                Lucas

8-         Nick Dello Joio                      USA                Draco

9-         Tamie Phillips                       CAN               Lucas

10-       Antonio Maurer                     MEX                El Cigala

Tomorrow’s feature competitions, the Mecedes-Benz Classic and the Sun Life Financial Reach for the Sun will begin at 11:00 am in the Spruce Meadows International Ring.

Calgary’s John Anderson will defend his Mercedes-Benz Classic title again this year on Gesine 36. Anderson will have to face Beezie Madden who will be riding Judgement in his final Spruce Meadows Derby.