Fort Langley, BC - An enthusiastic crowd of spectators enjoyed a glorious summer evening at Thunderbird Show Park, as well as an exciting spectacle in the hotly contested $25,000 Tommy Bahama Grand Prix. But in the final reckoning, Eric Lamaze reigned supreme, winning from the front in a seven-rider jump-off and afterwards praising the Darco daughter, Narcotique de Muze II. “Narcotique is such a great player. I don’t even know how many clear rounds she’s jumped this year at major international shows: La Baule, Madrid. But since I was away for two weeks in Brazil she was left at home relaxing, which was good, and why we put her into this show prior to the Masters.”
Course designer Peter Holmes from Victoria, BC, had a tough job reconciling the range of abilities and ages, but his track achieved a masterful balance of tricky distances and dimensional challenges that provided an education for all 39 entries and gave everyone a fair crack at claiming the top prize.
Having already completed an eight-fault opening round with Lindberg des Hayettes, Lamaze later Narcotique de Muze home in textbook style to produce the first clear round of the 39-horse field.
Five riders later, Calgary’s Susan Anderson followed in his footsteps with Telegraph and was soon followed by former Irish international Eddie Macken riding Tedechine Sept. Kyle King, who had earlier faulted with Kosta, piloted Spitfire to a round that exuded rhythm to join the jump-off line-up, and although local lad Gary Brewster left with ring with four faults, after Watermark ironically tiptoed through the water, there was some consolation as the pair finished the day as the winning combination of Equine Canada�s Western Talent Squad.
Meanwhile, three further riders completed the jump-off line-up: Jonathan Asselin riding his second horse, Rayana Chiara, Eric Lamaze with his third ride, Lorrain Z, and Sayre Happy with Kilkenny Rindo following a beautifully balanced round.
Holme’s jump-off course left little room for error with sweeping turns tempting riders to negotiate sharp angles, and fences demanding the ultimate respect. As front-runner, Eric Lamaze certainly threw down the gauntlet and maintained a fabulous rhythm, clocking a fast time in 35.93 seconds and remained the only rider to go under the 36-second barrier.
Susan Anderson and Eddie Macken left the ring with eight and four faults respectively after Telegraph flattened over the oxer and vertical at fences four and six, while Tedechine Sept lowered an unlucky rail at the penultimate obstacle.
Crossing the start line at a determined pace, Kyle King and Spitfire scuttled around the course, holding off well at the fence six vertical before launching themselves to the last with a clear-round time of 36.58 seconds which was good enough for fourth place.
Never one to ignore a challenge, last Sunday’s winner of the $50,000 Sea to Sky Grand Prix Jonathan Asselin gave it his best shot, but despite Rayana Chiara�s marvelous effort and cooperation, they left the ring over half a second adrift of Lamaze�s remarkable time. And another friendly slap in the face was soon to follow.
There was no doubt that when Lamaze cranked up the 12-year-old mare Lorrain Z’s speed going to the first, he was aiming at claiming double honours, and although luck played no part in a second impeccable ride, the clock was certainly on his side stopping 1/100th of a second ahead of Asseli’s 36.55! Laughing, the Calgarian said, “I could have done it, but checked going to the last. But it’s not Sunday”, referring to the fact that he would be out for revenge in the $75,000 Keg Steakhouse & Bar Grand Prix conclusion to this Thunderbird Summer Festival.
Although final competitor Sayre Happy had decided to take the cautious option, rails fell and she finished seventh riding Kilkenny Rindo.
A delighted Lamaze said, “I had the benefit of a cushion; leading coming in and only one horse behind me. She’s [Lorrain Z] normally not such a fast horse, but I had nothing to lose. I was actually planning to do seven strides to the Tommy Bahama oxer, which was completely mad”, he laughed, “so changed my mind and went for eight.”
Talking about the course, Lamaze said, “Peter [Holmes] I think is one of the most modern course builders there is. I’ve jumped young horses around his courses this week, and he’s a fabulous course designer for that. When I walked this course I thought what a brilliant piece of work, but didn’t realize how brilliant it was until I rode it. I really thought the line from eight to nine didn’t look much to walk, but I got caught off guard there.” He continued by saying, “These are the toughest shows to build because it has to be just right for the horses that are capable, just right for the young horses, exciting for the seasoned riders, and fair for the younger riders. I know people say the winner always praises the course designer, but I would say the same if I’d lost.”
Although Asselin might be gunning for revenge on Sunday, Lamaze has an ace up his sleeve with the brilliant Hickstead, although he admitted, “He’s just got back [from the Pan American Games], the quarantine was long after Brazil, but he’s a horse that doesn’t do well waiting between shows, so I’m going to give him this class. The footing’s great, but if he goes clear I don’t really see myself going full-out in the jump-off, unless, of course, Asselin has the opportunity to throw down his own gauntlet!”
Result: $25,000 Tommy Bahama Grand Prix
1. Eric Lamaze/Narcotique de Muze II (0/35.93)
2. Eric Lamaze/Lorrain Z (0/36.54)
3. Jonathan Asselin/Rayana Chiara (0/36.55)
4. Kyle King/Spitfire (0/36.58)
Full result: http://www.thunderbirdshowpark.com
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