Tag Archives: Rocky Mtn. Show Jumping

Vernon Turns Up the Heat with First Grand Prix Victory

Amelia Vernon and Udolente take home her first Grand Prix win at the Bow Valley Classic I in the $25,000 TD Equine Veterinarian Services Grand Prix.

Calgary, Alberta – The $25,000 TD Equine Veterinarian Services Grand Prix was the stage for a Saturday afternoon full of fun, excitement and great competition at the Bow Valley Classic I Tournament. Any time of year is spectacular in the Canadian Rockies, but Springtime is especially remarkable with new beginnings, including what should prove to be the start to a fantastic Grand Prix career.

The afternoon at Rocky Mountain Show Jumping (RMSJ) began with a field of 27 horse and rider combinations set to tackle an exacting course designed by International course designer Manuel Esparza from Mexico. With the riders up to the challenge asked by Manuel, an impressive 9 combinations jumped clear in the first round to set up a spectacular race for the crown.

The first person to qualify and come back for the jump-off round was the very skilled Tamie Phillips of Strathmore, AB, starting with a clear round and a blazing time that looked like it couldn’t be caught. A fantastic foot race ensued with three riders beating the time, and in the end, and a new champion was sitting on top of the leader board with her first Grand Prix victory ever.

Amelia Vernon, the daughter of hockey legend Mike Vernon (two time Stanley cup champion), showed fierce determination in bettering a jump-off field that just kept getting faster and faster with every turn. “My horse is very, very scopey and very careful, but she is not very fast, so that I was worried about and I have never really had to the chance to test to see how fast she can go,” said Amelia.

Amelia’s mount Udolente (known as Lentil in the barn) is a 12 year old mare who actually was a children’s hunter prior to her purchase in December 2011. “She can be a little stiff to turn, so I was a little worried about the inside turns that I wouldn’t be able to make it, but I galloped up to the first fence and really galloped up to the second one and there was a really tight turn after a vertical. I looked and opened my rein and she spun so fast; I was very impressed with her,” beamed Amelia, “as usually we don’t do that very well.”

Nothing makes Springtime at Anderson Ranch better than seeing a new young face at the Grand Prix level. Rocky Mountain Show Jumping provides riders with the opportunities to hone their skills at any level, from beginner through to seasoned Grand Prix riders, and supplies them with the opportunities to advance throughout the levels of the sport. Just a few years back, Amelia Vernon won her first 1.30m competition ever here at RMSJ, aboard her brilliant mount Ruby in another big jump-off featuring 13 challengers.

On hand to watch the exhilarating events were Dr. Dan French and Dr. Candice Crosby, two of the three principal founders of TD Veterinarian Services Group. “We had a wonderful time watching the Grand Prix tonight, and Amelia put in such a beautiful ride,” said Dr. Candice Crosby. “We didn’t think that anyone was going to go faster than Tamie at the beginning, so it was a really exciting finish for Amelia and we are very happy for her.”

Dr. Dan French reflected upon Amelia’s Victory: “It was a great class; I have known the Vernons for a long time. Amelia is the same age as my daughter and they started riding about the same time. It was a great win for her. They are just a wonderful family and great supporters of the sport, so it is nice for them to have that red ribbon.”

More new beginnings are happening in Southern Alberta with the new TD Equine Veterinarian Group started, after the closure of the Okotoks Animal Clinic. The three founding principals are extremely respected sport horse veterinarians Dr. Dan French and Dr. Candice Crosby on the English side and Dr. Suzon Schaal on the Western side. “We all have established clientele in the sport horse community,” noted Dr. Dan French. “Candice Crosby and I deal primarily with the English performance sport horse and Suzon Schaal is very well established in the Western performance. Our goal is to maintain a service to our clientele and focus on the performance horse clients. We are just regrouping; we have not set up a permanent home yet, but we are working out of a couple of facilities.”

With such a talented group both in TD Veterinarian Services Group and young Amelia Vernon, Springtime and great beginnings have come to Southern Alberta and Rocky Mountain Show Jumping, a fabulous start to the exciting 2013 tournament season.

John Anderson, president of Rocky Mountain Show Jumping, had the chance to reflect on the Grand Prix after having competed himself incurring just one time fault with his faithful steed Terrific: “I’m just so happy for Amelia; she is exactly what Rocky Mountain Show Jumping is all about. She, along with so many others here in Alberta, is the future of our sport, and it pleases our team to see the model we have built work for so many competitors striving to be Canada’s next superstars. You will see many more victories from this talented young rider in the years to come.”

Rocky Mountain Show Jumping hosts its tournaments at Anderson Ranch in Calgary’s south end, a world-class facility featuring permanent stabling for 300 horses and a grass grand prix field complete with natural obstacles.  For more information on Rocky Mountain Show Jumping, please visit www.rmshowjumping.com.

Competition continues next week with the Bow Valley Classic II, featuring the $25,000 1.40 Grand Prix (Talent Squad Qualifier).

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Canadian Artist Captures a Hickstead “Moment in Time”

Calgary, Alberta – One of Canada’s great Equine artists will forever be remembered for capturing a “Moment in Time” of the world’s most famous show jumping horse. 2012 is an Olympic year, and a new horse will reign as champion and carry the title for another four years, but the world will never forget the one whose place it will take. Rocky Mountain Show Jumping is pleased at this time to announce that Kim Penner has captured a famous Hickstead “Moment in Time.”

Kim’s rendition of the Hickstead “Moment in Time” is a must see, and will be unveiled next month in Goby’s Grill at Anderson Ranch, available for all who love the sport to see during their tournaments hosted this summer.  Just one month prior to the London Olympics, John Anderson and Phillip Rozon, the lead promoters’ of the project will be pleased to present Kim’s painting of Hickstead, Eric Lamaze’s four legged partner who carried him to countless victories around the world, and was tragically lost last November during an International competition in Verona, Italy.

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Eric Martin Makes It a Double for Manitoba

Eric Martin over the third fence with Kumano. Photos - Cansport

Calgary, Alberta – Eric Martin of Oakbank, MB, scored victory in the $50,000 CSI2* Friends of Rocky Mountain Show Jumping Grand Prix held Saturday, August 27, at Anderson Ranch in Calgary, AB.

Manitoba athletes won both of the major competitions held at the Rocky Mountain Classic II show jumping tournament. Hayley Alfonso of St. Andrews, MB, posted the only clear round to win the $31,000 CSI2* Eunice Krausert Memorial Grand Prix held August 24 before Martin claimed his victory to make it two for two for Manitoba.

“We like Alberta money,” joked Martin, who pocketed $15,000 for his win.

Course designer Werner Deeg of Germany set a track that produced 11 clear rounds from a starting field of 24. The crowd was treated to an exciting jump-off that saw five horse-rider combinations leave all the jumps in place in an effort to win. In the end, it was Martin with the seven-year-old stallion Kumano who succeeded in doing it in the fastest time, 45.43 seconds.

“I just tried to be as smooth as I could,” explained Martin. “I have a good turn of foot; he’s fast through the turns.”

Martin makes the 16-hour journey to Calgary twice a year to compete at the Rocky Mountain Show Jumping tournaments. Having competed at the May events, he was back for the Rocky Mountain Classic series in August.

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Rocky Mountain Show Jumping & Equestrian Events Design Pleased to Host a 3 Day Clinic with World Champion Philippe Le Jeune!

Calgary, Alberta – The management of Rocky Mountain Show Jumping, along with Equestrian Events Design, is pleased at this time to announce that they will be hosting a special clinic with the 2010 World Champion of Show Jumping, Philippe Le Jeune of Belgium.

“We wanted to do something special this year to thank all of the exhibitors who have joined us this year at our competitions, and teaming up with Bea Jarzynska of Equestrian Events Design to bring the World Champion to Anderson Ranch seems like a great thing to do for those who support us here all year long” explained John Anderson of Rocky Mountain Show Jumping.

“I heard about Rocky Mountain Show Jumping from friends of mine and took a trip to Calgary during one of John’s shows earlier this year and thought it would be an excellent place for Philippe to teach a Clinic. He did one in Quebec earlier in the year, and it was a tremendous success, and John said, “Well if it’s good enough for the great folks in Eastern Canada, it’s good enough for me. Let’s do it!” said Bea of Equestrian Events Design.

The clinic is being hosted at the conclusion of the third Rocky Mountain Classic, and just prior to the Spruce Meadows Masters. As a means of thanking competitors who have competed at the Classics, it will be offered to them first before other entries are considered. “It is important that we treat our competitors well here at our events, and we try so hard to do new and innovative things at all of our tournaments to keep them exciting”

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John Anderson and Lindsay Wendt Win in Calgary

John Anderson jumps to victory aboard Terrific. Photo credits – Cansport

Calgary, Alberta – Calgary’s own John Anderson and Lindsay Wendt of High River, AB, rode away the winners following the first event of the season at Rocky Mountain Show Jumping in Calgary, AB.  Anderson scored victory in the $31,000 CSI2* Rocky Mountain Grand Prix on Thursday, May 14, while Wendt won the $31,000 CSI2* Cymric Brae Grand Prix on Saturday, May 14, during the Bow Valley Classic I show jumping tournament.

Despite having snow on the ground one week earlier, 35 entries turned up at Anderson Ranch for the $31,000 CSI2* Rocky Mountain Grand Prix to open the first show jumping tournament of the year hosted by Rocky Mountain Show Jumping.  Course designer Manuel Esperanza of Mexico designed a track that produced 17 clear rounds, making for an exciting jump-off.

When Anderson jumped ninth in the jump-off order, he was chasing a target time of 34.78 seconds set by Manitoba’s Eric Martin riding Kumano.  With his veteran partner Terrific, Anderson was able to use the turns to his advantage to take a full two seconds off the leading time, stopping the clock in 32.77 seconds.  Eight more riders attempted to better Anderson’s time, with 17-year-old Ben Asselin coming closest, crossing the timers in 34.27 seconds with Magic Man.

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