Source:  News Release/Julie Cull

Yann Candele Defends Canadian Show Jumping Championship Title

 
Toronto, Ontario—Yann Candele of Caledon, ON, claimed the 2011 Canadian Show Jumping Championship, presented by Greenhawk, on November 6 at The Royal Horse Show in Toronto, ON.  The 10-day international equestrian competition is held as part of the 89th edition of The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair from November 4–13 in Toronto, ON.

Yann Candele of Caledon, ON, riding Game Ready claimed the 2011 Canadian Show Jumping Championship, presented by Greenhawk, on November 6 at The Royal Horse Show in Toronto, ON.”
Photo credit—Benn Radvanyi

 
The Canadian Show Jumping Championship, presented by Greenhawk, opened The Royal Horse Show on Friday evening with a $25,000 speed phase, and riders carried their scores forward to Saturday's two-round final.  After posting the fastest fault-free performance on Friday night, Candele and Game Ready, Susan Grange’s 11-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding, maintained their lead with two more clear rounds.  Candele and Game Ready captured the Canadian Show Jumping Championship title with a perfect score of zero faults.

“I am very pleased to win the Canadian Championship because this makes it two years in a row on two different horses,” said Candele who won the national title in 2010 riding Pitareusa, also owned by Susan Grange.  “This year’s competition was very exciting. The top riders kept having clear rounds, which put a lot of pressure on me to also go clean. It was very nice to win.”

Angela Covert-Lawrence of St-Lazare, QC, and Unica Van de Roshoeve, a 14-year-old Belgian Warmblood mare owned by the Eastwood Group, finished as Reserve Canadian Champion.  The pair also posted three perfect rounds over the two-day competition, placing second to Candele and Game Ready in Friday’s initial speed round.  Over three rounds, the pair incurred just two faults.

“Unica is a fractious mare to say the least, but she is a brave and kind competitor,” said Covert-Lawrence. “This has been the best three rounds in a row that we have ever put together. When it counted and the pressure was on, she was fabulous.”

Third place went to Ian Millar of Perth, ON, riding Dryden, a 10-year-old Belgian Warmblood stallion owned by Sue and Ariel Grange, who also had three fault-free rounds, and finished on their Friday score of three faults.

Beth Underhill of Schomberg, ON, and her own nine-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding, Viggo, finished in fourth spot with a score of seven faults. Hugh Graham of Schomberg, ON, and Fifth Estate 3E, a 10-year-old Canadian Sport Horse gelding owned and bred by KingRidge Stables and Amy Millar of Perth, ON, and Top Gun, an 11-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding owned by Iron Horse Farm, tied for fifth place, both with an overall total of 12 faults. Rounding out the top seven was Elliott Stone of Woodbridge, ON, and Caprilli HSF, a nine-year-old Zangersheide gelding, with 19 faults.

As the top two finishers in the Canadian Championship not already qualified based on their world ranking, Beth Underhill and Elliott Stone have moved forward to the international division of The Royal Horse Show which opened on Tuesday, November 8.  They join fellow Canadians Ian Millar, Yann Candele, Jill Henselwood, Eric Lamaze, Amy Millar and Hugh Graham. Covert-Lawrence also qualified for the international division, but will be travelling to Argentina to represent the Canadian Show Jumping Team in the Buenos Aires Nations’ Cup competition with Utan, a 10-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding owned by the Eastwood Group.

About Jump Canada 

Jump Canada is a committee of Equine Canada responsible for all hunter, equitation and jumper activities in Canada from the grass roots to the international level. Jump Canada is governed by a board of directors, the majority of whom are elected by the stakeholders in the sport. For more information regarding Jump Canada programs and activities, visit http://www.equinecanada.ca/jumpcanada.

About Equine Canada

Equine Canada is a member-based association that represents, promotes and services Canada's equine community and industry. Its core areas of activity involve sport, equine health and welfare, education and safety, governance and marketing, representation and communication. Equine Canada is recognized by Sport Canada, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, the International Equestrian Federation (FEI), the Canadian Olympic Committee and Canadian Coaching Association of Canada as the national organization representing equestrian sport and equine interests in Canada. For more information about Equine Canada, please visitwww.equinecanada.ca.