Eric Lamaze named both Leading International Rider and Leading Canadian Rider

Canadian course designer and Olympic individual silver medalist Michel Vaillancourt set a course that challenged some of the world’s best show jumping athletes and their horses in the sold-out Coca-Cola Coliseum, which was packed to maximum capacity with a crowd of 6,631 in attendance. When four riders jumped clear to advance to the tie-breaking jump-off, speed became the name of the game and youth shined through. The times became faster and faster until the final challenger, Allen, 24, brought the crowd to its feet with a thrilling jump-off performance riding GK Casper in a time of 34.70 seconds to overtake Belgium’s Jos Verlooy, 23, who had stopped the clock in 35.41 seconds aboard Igor.

“This is a super show,” said Allen, who was making his Royal Horse Show debut. “I didn’t have my best week until tonight, but it all came together. It’s one of the biggest classes that GK Casper has jumped and his first World Cup. It was hard, but I knew if I got the first round behind me, I didn’t have to worry about the jumps as much in the second round. I could really give it a lash.

“He’s always been a fantastic jumper, but it has taken him longer to get to this height,” continued Allen of his 11-year-old Holsteiner stallion (Canto 16 x Quantum) owned by Ballywalter Farm. “Most horses start their first season off doing this at about nine, but this is his first season now.”

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