Canada
Beats United States in $75,000 CN Nations Cup Jump-off
at Winter Equestrian Festival
 Wellington,
FL – March 10, 2006 – Show jumping teams
from ten countries took the field for two rounds of
show jumping in the 2006 $75,000 CN Nations Cup at the
Winter Equestrian Festival, but in the end the title
was decided in a jump-off off between two riders from
the two top teams.
A record Friday night crowd of 12,101 fans filled every
nook and cranny at the Internationale Arena to witness
the fifth edition of the Nations Cup, under the lights
at the Palm Beach Polo Equestrian Club.
The Course Designer for the event was Steve Stephens
of the United States. Stephens’ stout test
was a track with twelve numbered obstacles and fifteen
jumping efforts that included a rugged triple combination
(5a-b-c) and a problematic double combination (12 a-b)
placed as the final two fences on the course. A very
tight time allowed, adjusted for the second round) only
added to the already difficult challenge.
The first round course did its job separating the teams
and saw only three teams emerge with a legitimate shot
at the Friday night Nations Cup title. With only the
top six teams eligible for the second round, Venezuela,
Mexico, Argentina and the Netherlands failed to advance.
Great Britain, with only three riders competing, moved
into the second round with 26 faults in the first, and
withdrew before the second round got underway. Brazil
collected 18 faults over the first course, and then
in the second round, when Rodrigo Pessoa notched his
second eight fault total score and Sergio Campos was
eliminated, the Brazilians elected to call it a night
and settle for the fifth place prize.
Team Ireland picked up 21 faults in round one and then
improved to 12 in the second. Their two round total
of 33 faults would net the 2005 Nations Cup champs a
fourth place ribbon this year.
France returned with only 10 faults from the first round,
using scores of one time fault from Yann Candele on
Tyra, four faults from Herve Godignon on Obelix and
five faults from teammate Philippe Rozier on Heritier
D’Adriers. But for the French, they would have
to count on some misfortunes from the two top teams
to have any shot at the title, because the United States
and Canada each entered round two with only four total
faults.
In round one for the United States, Margie Engle and
Hidden Creek’s Perin and McLain Ward on Sapphire
were clear, and Beeezie Madden with Authentic had four
faults. For Canada, clear rounds came from Chris
Pratt on Mustique and from Ian Millar on In Style. Mario
Deslauriers’ four fault score on Paradigm rounded
out the Canadian’s first round effort.
France’s second round of 21 faults earned them
a 31 fault two round total and the eventual third place
finish.
For the United States and Canada, the battle would continue,
as both teams emerged with identical scores of zero
following the second round.
Engle, Ward and this time Madden, were all fault free
for the home team, but were matched by clear rounds
again from Millar and Pratt, with Eric Lamaze producing
the third clear for Canada to keep the class tied after
two complete rounds.
Each team designated a single rider for the shortened
jump-off course against the clock, with Madden and Authentic
getting the call from Chef D’ Equipe George Morris
of the United States, and Eric Lamaze and Hickstead
being summoned up by Terrance Millar of Canada.
The neck and neck battle between neighboring nations
that had lasted for two long rounds of show jumping
would be decided by two of the fastest riders in the
world, over the shortened speed course. What promised
to be a tremendous finale to an epic battle ended quickly
however, when Authentic slipped on loose footing going
into jump two in the tiebreaker, and couldn’t
do what Madden had asked him to do. The stop and subsequent
rail down cost Madden eight faults. Her finish time
was 41.11 seconds.
Madden’s misfortunes meant that all Lamaze of
Canada had to do was get home with less than eight faults.
He did it easily, crossing the finish line with no faults
at all, in 39.65 seconds to seal the win for Canada.
“Beezie had some bad luck at that fence, so with
eight faults in hand I was basically very careful. I
was just doing my best to leave the jumps up and be
as cautious as I could be,” said Lamaze following
the win. “You’re nervous because anything
can go wrong, but with eight faults in hand it was a
pretty good feeling.”
Madden said that something went wrong coming around
the corner to fence two. “I think he lost his
footing somewhere in the turn. As I was coming around
the turn I saw that I had to hold out a little bit for
the distance, and then all of a sudden it was very long,”
she explained. “Something happened just as I went
to commit to the fence. It’s been a long circuit
and there’s not a lot of grass left out there
and he slipped. Under the lights it’s a little
spooky, and I think he just lost a little heart out
there. He’s never done that before.”
“I predicted that Canada would be the team to
beat,” said United States Chef George Morris.
“Four great riders with four lovely horses. I
think they have the top team for the World Equestrian
Games, to be perfectly frank,” he said. “We
also had a top team tonight, but it just boiled down
to a little bad luck. Most of the grass is gone and
it’s down to the dirt, and it looked like Beezie’s
horse lost his legs a little bit at that fence. He’s
never stopped before.”
“Eric’s had a very good circuit. Hickstead
is a very fast horse and he’s very careful. I
thought he had the best chance to have a fast round
and leave the rails up,” said Canadian coach Terrance
Millar of his decision to use Lamaze for the tiebreaker.
“Same for my decision to use Beezie,” said
Morris. “That horse is fabulous. He won a speed
class on Thursday, so that was my choice, but I could
have used any of the four riders really.”
Jean Maurice Bonneau, the manager of the French team
said, “For us, it’s a very good place to
be, behind the two best teams from Canada and the United
States. I think it’s excellent for us to be the
best team from Europe in the standings.”
“I couldn’t be happier,” said a beaming
Chris Pratt. “This is my Nations Cup debut and
to be able to do it with this great group of riders
is just a real honor.”
“This is turning into such a premiere CSIO and
Nations Cup competition,” said nine-time Olympic
veteran Ian Millar of Canada. “The Nations Cup
works for some competitions and for some it doesn’t,
but it really seems to works well here in Wellington.
Friday night is a spectacular success every year. The
crowd grows and grows each year, their knowledge of
what’s happening is right on. It’s just
a great event to participate in and it’s even
better when it ends up with a Canadian victory.”
The richest show jumping event of the seven weeks in
Wellington will take center stage on Sunday, March 12th.
The $150,000 US Open Jumper Championship, presented
by CN, CSIO-5* brings the WEF Wellington series to a
close.
$75,000 CN Nations Cup CSIO 5* - CN Wellington Finale
– FEI art. 264 –
Internationale Arena – 3/10/06
1 – Canada – Total 4
Eric Lamaze – 9-0
Chris Pratt – 0-0
Mario Deslauriers – 4-8
Ian Millar – 0-0
Eric Lamaze – Jump-off - 0/39.65
2 – United States – Total 4
Margie Engle – 0-0
Kent Farrington – 4-8
McLain Ward – 0-0
Beezie Madden – 4-0
Beezie Madden – Jump-off – 8/41.11
3 – France – Total 31
Katie Prudent – 9-12
Philippe Rozier – 5-5
Yann Candele – 1-8
Herve Godignon – 4-8
4 – Ireland – Total 33
Kevin Babington – 13-4
Darragh Kerins – 8-8
Niall Grimes – 12-4
Conor Swail – 1-4
5 – Brazil (withdrew after 2 riders in 2nd round)
Rodrigo Pessoa – 8-8
Sergio Campos – 9-Elim
Fabio Leivas – Elim –X
Keri Potter Pessoa – 1 – WD
6 – Great Britain (elected not to compete in 2nd
round)
Robert Smith – 8
Tim Gredley – 5
Nick Skelton -13
From www.StadiumJumping.com
Photos:©professionalsphoto.com |