2/ DECEMBER 2018 THE RIDER Longines FEI


Jumping World Cup Continued from Page 1.


ON. Ward topped a 21-horse


starting field over tracks set by 2018 World Championship course designer, Alan Wade of Ireland, to claim the ninth Royal Horse Show World Cup title of his career. As the final challenger in the jump- off, Ward saved the best for last, executing a brilliant


Lamaze’s legendary 2008 Olympic gold medal partner, and a Longines timepiece for his win. “I know Devin and his horse are quick because he has beat me a few times. Sometimes you get lucky. “This was a gymnastics


test, which is what courses are now at the highest level,” con- tinued Ward of Wade’s track, one that HH Gigi’s Girl, a 10- year-old Dutch Warmblood mare (Vingino x Celano) owned by Double H Farm, conquered with style. “The mare performed beautifully


this as a second home. The show is being run beautifully and the organization is phe- nomenal. As you saw, we had a sold-out crowd, and I’m thrilled to be part of it.” The victory earned Ward


coveted qualifying points for the 2019 Longines FEI Jump- ing World Cup™ Final, an event he won in 2017. The 2019 edition will be held next April in Gothenburg, Sweden. Ward, who had also won the $50,000 Weston Canadian Open one night earlier riding Tradition de la Roque, earned the Leading International Rider title. Ryan’s second-place fin-


ish placed him closer to his goal of qualifying for the 2019 Longines FEI Jumping World CupTM Final after a spectacular year for him and his mount, Eddie Blue, a nine- year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding owned by LL Show Jumpers LLC. “As I always say, take it


one day at a time, but this year I am going to try to make it back to the World Cup Final,” he said. “We’ll see how the cards play out, but he’s had quite a big year this year, and I think he’s a really special horse, so I don’t want to over use him. “You always think about


Keean White of Rockwood, ON, took home the Leading Cana- dian Rider and the Leading Canadian-Owned Horse titles from the 2018 Royal Horse Show. Photo by Ben Radvanyi Photogra-


round to stop the clock at 32.42 seconds riding HH Gigi’s Girl. Ward’s U.S. gold medal teammate at the recent World Championships, Devin Ryan, posted a time of 33.88 seconds with his World Championship partner, Eddie Blue, to finish runner-up. “It was nice to have the


last spot in the order,” said Ward, who was presented with the Hickstead Trophy, given in memory of Eric


the whole second part of this year and is really putting things together, and it’s a great way for her to finish her season. She has always been a spectacular jumper and I feel she has a really exciting future.” Ward, 43, estimates that


he has been competing at the Royal Horse Show for almost a quarter of a century, saying, “I love it here. Obviously, I’m not Canadian, but I think of


what you would you have done differently,” continued Ryan, 36, of his position be- hind Ward. “I didn’t take quite the shot that McLain took. I probably should have tried it, but that’s show jumping for you!”


Ali Ramsay of Victoria,


BC, posted the first clear round of the evening riding her 11-year-old Belgian Warmblood mare, Hermelien vd Hooghoeve, and opened the jump-off by again jump- ing clear in a time of 34.62 seconds for third place. “It’s always harder going


first because you know you have to go clear,” said Ram-


Ali Ramsay of Victoria, BC, and Hermelien vd Hooghoeve took third place with a double-clear performance in the $205,000 Longines FEI Jumping


World Cup™ Toronto, presented by GroupBy, in front of a home crowd. Photo by Ben Radvanyi Photography


say, 26, who first attended the Royal Horse Show in 2012 when she won the Running Fox CET Medal Final. “I think my horse did everything I asked of her. We are really lucky to have this Canadian indoor venue here at The Royal and having this crowd is really unlike anything else.” Great Britian’s Amanda


Derbyshire also posted a dou- ble-clear performance in a time of 35.20 seconds to fin- ish fourth riding Roulette BH for owner Gochman Sport Horse LLC, while New Zealand’s Sharn Wordley rounded out the jump-off field in fifth place after having a rail down over the short course aboard Barnetta, owned by Sky Group. Athletes


representing


seven nations traveled to Toronto for the 2018 edition of the Royal Horse Show, held as part of the 96th Royal Agricultural Winter Fair, and the more than 7,000 show jumping fans that packed the Coca-Cola Coliseum on Sat- urday night were treated to in- ternational show jumping at its finest. The Royal Horse Show


is fast approaching its centen- nial celebration and is getting better with every passing year, according to Charlie Johnstone, CEO of the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair. “The Royal is about the


best of the best and we are thrilled with the experience that the customers had today, the show the riders put on, and to be part of the Longines FEI World Cup,” said John- stone. “We’re in a good place and I think the future is very bright for The Royal and the Royal Horse Show. “I think The Royal’s spe-


McLain Ward aboard HH Gigi’s Girl is presented as the winner of the $205,000 Longines FEI Jumping World CupTM Toronto, presented by GroupBy. From left to right: Charlie Johnstone, CEO of the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair; Roland Gossage, CEO of GroupBy and his wife, Laura; Robert Flack, President of the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair; Willa Gauthier, Chair of the Royal Horse Show, and Neil O’Connor, FEI Foreign Judge. Photo by Ben Radvanyi Photography


cial in that we’re in the heart of downtown Toronto,” con- tinued Johnstone. “It’s impor- tant that we have a show that’s not just show jumping; it really attracts people from all different sectors. There were folks I was speaking to


Devin Ryan and Eddie Blue, members of the 2018 U.S.


World Championship gold medal team, finished second in the $205,000 Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Toronto, presented by GroupBy, at the CSI4*-W Royal Horse Show in Toronto, ON. Photo by Ben Radvanyi Photography


tonight who had never been to a major horse show, and they were in awe of what was hap- pening. Being in a venue that’s sold out with 7,000 peo- ple in advance, they knew they were walking into some- thing that was going to be very exciting, and it exceeded their expectations.” During the farewell to


the 2018 Royal Horse Show on Saturday night, Keean White of Rockwood, ON, was presented with the Leading Canadian Rider Award. Addi- tionally, White’s mount Leilani, owned by Lisa Marie Gauthier and Angelstone Farm, claimed the All-Cana- dian Cup as the leading Cana- dian-owned horse. The All-Canadian Cup was estab- lished by the late Susan


Grange and presented by the Grange family representing Lothlorien Farm of Chel- tenham, ON.


More than 1,000 horses


from around the globe con- verged in Toronto to compete for $980,000 in prize money during the 10-day CSI4*-W Royal Horse Show, which re- turns to the Coca-Cola Coli- seum from November 1-10, 2019. For more information on the Royal Horse Show, the marquee event of The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair, please


visit


www.royalfair.org/horse- show.html. Funding support for The


Royal has been provided by the City of Toronto and the Government of Ontario.


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