Canadian Ladies come out on top in the $100,000 CN FEI World CupTM Qualifier Grand Prix at The Royal
November 18, 2009
by Michelle Dunn… One year
ago tonight the anthem played for Individual Gold medalist Eric Lamaze,
and this year it played for his Olympic Silver medal team-mate Jill
Henselwood. She was a hair too fast opening night, and a hair too slow
the second night, but managed to get it just right tonight to win the $100,000 CN FEI World CupTM Qualifier Grand Prix
at The Royal Horse Show. Fellow Canadian and past Olympian Beth
Underhill picked up second and Ireland’s Dermott Lennon held on for
third.
Twenty-four horses started the class tonight, over
the extremely challenging course designed by Anthony D’Ambrosio of Red
Hook, New York. Just five were able to master the first round to
qualify for the jump-off, over a shorter but more challenging course.
D’Ambrosio most notably designed this year’s Rolex FEI World CupTM Final, in Las Vegas, USA.
“It was a real riders course,” said Beth Underhill following the class.
“It was very visual for the horses with lots of colour and you really
needed scope to get through the combinations. You had to be spot on –
the distances, angles and widths were tough.”
Both riders
agreed you had to know your horse and know going into the ring what
your strategy was going to be, if you were to elude trouble.
“You have to have enough experience to know what your horse does well,
and what he finds hard,” explained Henselwood. “I’ve known Bottom Line
for a long time, I’ve trained the owner Jenn Serek and the horse for
years. I know she’s naturally a little ‘hot’, and I know she needs a
mental re-group at spots on course. So I had to go inside to the second
jump or I was going to have another time fault!” she laughed, referring
to her opening weekend in the Canadian Championships.
“I
decided against going inside to the second jump,” said Underhill,
outlining why her strategy was opposite to that of Henselwood’s. “I
thought it was a bad decision for my horse because he tends to jump a
little high at times and not cover the width. I think going around to
the second fence just found me a better rhythm and better course
overall.”
Earlier in the evening, Greg Aziz and family, the
owners of Underhill’s mount Top Gun, were honoured in a special
presentation naming them the Jump Canada Owners of the Year. Aziz
bought his first show jumper in 1999 and has been an avid supporter of
Canadian equestrianism ever since. His Iron Horse Farm has also
supported youth agriculture at The Royal for many years.
This
afternoon also saw the Grand Prix phase of the CDI 3* Dressage
presented by Dominion Regalia with 2008 winners Ashley Holzer and Pop
Art were once again at the top of the pack with a final score of
71.830, more than five points better than their closest rivals.
When asked about her short and long-term plans, Holzer responded: “My
total focus is on the FEI World Equestrian Games that will be held in
Lexington, Kentucky next year, nothing else.”
Her partner,
Pop Art is an 11-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding that she imported
when he was six. ”It is a very special partnership,” Holzer enthused.
”He’s a terrific horse. In just over a year he has travelled to Hong
Kong, Florida, Las Vegas, New York, Hickstead and now Toronto.”
The hugely popular Freestyle to music headlines the Royal Horse Show Thursday evening, following the inaugural $50,000 Royal Team Challenge for International Jumpers.
This year’s Royal Horse Show continues all week with a full slate of International jumper classes including the $50,000 Weston Canadian Open
Friday evening. The event runs through November 15th. By the time the
competition ends, nearly $750,000 will have been awarded in prize
money, making The Royal the most prestigious and hotly contested event
of the season. For more information, media accreditation, live
webcasting, complete schedule, results and to purchase tickets, please
visit www.royalfair.org.
$100,000 CN FEI World CupTM Qualifier Grand Prix
Rider / Hometown / Horse / Faults:Time
1. Jill Henselwood / Oxford Mills, ON / Bottom Line / 0.00 : 36.35
2. Beth Underhill / Schomberg, ON / Top Gun / 0.00 : 37.86
3. Dermott Lennon / Ireland / Hallmark Elite / 0.00 : 39.36
4. Ljubov Kochetova / Russia / Aslan / 0.00 : 39.36
5. Charlie Jayne / Elgin, IL / 8.00 : 37.27
Attached Photo: Olympic Team Silver medalist, Canada’s Jill Henselwood took top spot in the $100,000 CN FEI World Cup Qualifier Grand Prix with Bottom Line.
Photos © Michelle C. Dunn 2009.
Leafs rumble in Ottawa, lose again
November 18, 2009
by Jeremy Visser…
The Battle of Ontario is back, though that doesn’t necessarily mean the Leafs and Sens are great teams or anything. Toronto and Ottawa went at it tonight it the form of four brouhahas and the Senators managed to do a tad more damage on the actual scoresheet, winning 3-2 behind a pair of Mike Fisher goals.
This one had some fire but was the same old result for the Leafs, who dropped their fourth in a row after a run of seven straight games with a point. Goals by Phil Kessel and Niklas Hagman gave Toronto a 2-1 lead early in the second, but a power play tip by Milan Michalek and a softy three minutes later by Fisher proved to be the difference.
The Leafs out-shot the Sens 32-21 but didn’t exactly get the best of efforts from Vesa Toskala, who started in place of Jonas Gustavsson. The Monster was pulled midway through the first Saturday after giving up three goals on five shots to the Flames.
The loss drops Toronto to 3-11-5 — tied for last in the NHL with the Hurricanes, who they face Thursday in Carolina.
Being a Sports Fan in Toronto: A Look back at the Last Decade
November 18, 2009
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