I was fortunate enough to be able to see most of the Nexen Cup Derby (1.60m...that's 5'3'' for all you stubborn imperialists like me) today - all except the jump-off between Deslauriers (who won) and Barrios. Thanks to Tash for joining me and for standing in line for a good 30 minutes for burgers for us! Here are a few highlight photos:
1st place in a jump-off against Pablo Barrios (VEN) on the 15yo Belgian WB gelding Paradigm. They took home $58,000; 4 faults in the event, 0 in the jump-off.
Pessoa (BRA) and the 10yo Holstein stallion Champ 163 were eliminated for refusals.
Captain Canada (CAN) on the 11yo Dutch WB gelding Redefin placed 3rd and took home $21,500.
Mario Deslauriers (CAN) on the 13yo Dutch WB gelding Obelix R ranked 12 and took home $1,150.
Beezie Madden (USA) on the 18yo Dutch WB stallion Judgement ranked 4th in the derby and took home $17,500.
Eric Lamaze (CAN) and the 10yo Selle Francais gelding Lord Du Janlie placed 7th and took home $5,500.
Leslie Howard (USA) on her 11yo Dutch WB gelding Raimond W placed 9th with $3,000.
Keean White (CAN) on the 9yo Zangersheide* mare Celena Z took 17th place and $650 in earnings.
Jorge Verswyvel (MEX) on his 9yo Warmblood stallion Artifice LS were eliminated for refusals.
Jonathan Asselin (CAN) on the 11yo Hanoverian gelding Coolio finished up 14th with $650.
John Anderson (CAN) on the 14yo Hanoverian mare Gesine 36 ranked 8th overall and took home $3,700.
John Anderson (CAN) on the 9yo Dutch WB gelding Terrific placed 5th and took home $12,700.
Jill Henselwood (CAN) on the 15yo Dutch WB gelding Black Ice finished at 6th with $7,500.
Emily George (CAN) on her 11yo Holstein gelding Quidams Ramiro finished at spot 18 with $650.
Eberhard Bahle (CAN) on the 14yo Holstein stallion Lamborghini Z ranked 16th today and took home $650. Loved this stud's colour, it's not too often you see the liver chestnuts!
Cara Raether (USA) on her 12yo German WB gelding Lord G ranked 15th and took home $650.
Beezie Madden's (USA) second mount, the 9yo Selle Francais mare Creme Brule, placed at 13th and took home $650.A few non-photo'd highlights:
Mario Deslauriers, a Canadian, took away winnings of $58,000 by coming in first on Paradigm, his own 15yo Belgian Warmblood gelding, in a jump-off against Pablo Barrios of Venezuela on his 10yo Dutch WB gelding Sinatra.
Ali Nilforushan of Ireland took a nasty spill at the Devil's Dyke and was eliminated on his own 11yo Belgian Warmblood gelding, Green Sleeps Vioco.
Jorge Verswyvel of Mexico (on his 9yo WB stallion Artifice LS) and Rodrigo Pessoa of Brazil on the 10yo Holstein stallion Champ 163 were each eliminated for refusals.
I felt the 'worst' horse/rider combination (placings aside) by far was Jeanne Hobbs (USA) on her 16yo Oldenburg gelding Night and Day 8. Her gelding spent the entire time switching his tail back and forth (never a good sign - often a sign of discomfort, pain, or frustration), and even threw in a buck at the end to further prove his point. He was completely unfocused and the horse/rider team just did not seem to be in sync with one another. Night and Day was pretty uptight and as a result, they left the ring (first to go) with 24 faults.
The most impressive horse/rider combination (again, as far as partnership goes), I felt was Ian Miller - Captain Canada, and the 11yo Dutch WB gelding Redefin. You never caught Ian once sawing on those reins or pulling on that horse's mouth. They were smooth, elegant, fluid, and quiet. They were working like a true team, and it obviously paid off because the pair took away 3rd place and $21,500 in prize money.
Jorge Verswyvel of Mexico (on his 9yo WB stallion Artifice LS) and Rodrigo Pessoa of Brazil on the 10yo Holstein stallion Champ 163 were each eliminated for refusals.
I felt the 'worst' horse/rider combination (placings aside) by far was Jeanne Hobbs (USA) on her 16yo Oldenburg gelding Night and Day 8. Her gelding spent the entire time switching his tail back and forth (never a good sign - often a sign of discomfort, pain, or frustration), and even threw in a buck at the end to further prove his point. He was completely unfocused and the horse/rider team just did not seem to be in sync with one another. Night and Day was pretty uptight and as a result, they left the ring (first to go) with 24 faults.
The most impressive horse/rider combination (again, as far as partnership goes), I felt was Ian Miller - Captain Canada, and the 11yo Dutch WB gelding Redefin. You never caught Ian once sawing on those reins or pulling on that horse's mouth. They were smooth, elegant, fluid, and quiet. They were working like a true team, and it obviously paid off because the pair took away 3rd place and $21,500 in prize money.
The results of the Nexen cup derby are here. Dutch warmblood geldings definitely dominated, with 7 of the 19 horses being DWB and 4 of the competing horses being mares and 4 being stallions. The youngest horses were 9 years (Artifice, Celena, Creme Brule, Terrific), with the oldest being Beezie's Judgement (18). There was also more than one half-sibling competing against each other - neat! Course designer was Anthony d'Ambrosio (USA). Canadians definitely dominated as well, with 11 Canadians competing, 6 being in the top 10 and a Canadian (Deslauriers on Paradigm) taking the cup! 3 competitors were from Calgary (Anderson, George, and Asselin).
*Zangersheide horses. Yea, I didn't know what they were either. So I did a little research. Seems to be a Warmblood registry based out of Belgium that uses primarily Holsteiner and Hanoverian bloodlines to produce jumpers. It's registered or approved horses are stamped with a Z after their name (which includes a few horses out today). See, you learn a new thing every day!
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