The perfect conditions continued at Spruce Meadows today as the ‘Canada One’ Tournament wrapped up. Fans came to enjoy Canada Day and fantastic sport. The athletes were tested by an extremely tough course in the $50,000 Esso Challenge.
There were 54 entries in the competition, of which 10 were either eliminated or voluntarily retired. The first rider to jump clear was Canadian Chris Pratt and Royal Beach Farao. With each rider that followed the prospects of a jump-off got slimmer and slimmer. The demanding course set by Olympic course designer Leopoldo Palacios (VEN) didn’t see another clear round until 16 horses later, Jill Henselwood (CAN) and Black Ice. There were six horse/rider pairs who finally made the jump-off, rounded out by Leslie Howard (USA) and Youp, Karl Cook (USA) and Uno De Laubry, Eric Lamaze (CAN) and Narcotique de Muze and Ken Berkley (USA) with Carlos Boy.
Pratt was the first rider in the jump-off and he proved unbeatable with a clear round and a time of 38.64. It was the first International win at Spruce Meadows for the journeyman rider who has been competing here for the past 20 years. “This is incredible,” said an ecstatic Pratt. “After 20 years of slugging it out here to score a major win at Spruce Meadows on Canada Day feels wonderful.”
Pratt, who has only been riding the 12-year-old stallion Royal Beach Farao since February will now turn his attention to the $1 million Spruce Meadows “North American” Show Jumping Championship which begins Wednesday in the Spruce Meadows International Ring.
The last competition of the 2007 Spruce Meadows ‘Canada One’ Tournament saw a mix of familiar and surprising results in the top 10.
Esso Challenge top 10 results-
1- Chris Pratt (CAN) Royal Beach Farao
2- Jill Henselwood (CAN) Black Ice
3- Ken Berkley (USA) Carlos Boy
4- Leslie Howard (USA) Youp
5- Karl Cook (USA) Uno De Laubry
6- Eric Lamaze (CAN) Narcotique De Muze II
7- Enrique Gonzalez (MEX) Ramanoff
8- Will Simpson (USA) El Campeons Tosca
9- Jill Henselwood (CAN) Callisto
10- Schuyler Riley (USA) Lapacco
The Spruce Meadows “North American” Tournament begins Wednesday July 4th and offers over $1 Million in prize money.
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