Bromont, PQ – The 33rd edition of the International Bromont closed its first week of competition with the $60,000 World Cup qualifier. Everything was set-up for a spectacular show with lots of questions: could Mario Deslauriers rouse the crowd by winning a second year in a row? Would American Alison Firestone Robitaille get a second victory following her victory one week earlier in Blainville? Would Ian Millar usurpe them all and prevail on the podium?
Internationa course designer Leopoldo Palacios of Venezuela built an arduous 14 fence course with 17 jumping efforts. Featuring lots of turns, intricate striding and a triple combination at the end, the course forced the participants to ride with clockwork precision.
Thirty-one horse/rider combinations took on the challenge including the cream of the crop from Canada, the USA, Columbia, and France accepted invitations including: Jay Hayes, Ian Millar, Erynn Ballard, Leslie Howard, Norman Dello Joio, Roberto Teran and Yann Candele just to name a few. Quebeckers Angela Covert-Lawrence and of course Mario Deslauriers got all the support from the crowd `