26/ NOVEMBER 2020 THE RIDER Kelley Robinson Wins $30,000 Assante Grand Prix at Ottawa’s Wesley Clover Parks


Ottawa, Ontario – Kelley Robinson of Russell, ON, won the $30,000 Assante Wealth Management Grand Prix on October 3, 2020, to close out seven weeks of show jumping competition held at Wesley Clover Parks in Ottawa, ON. A total of 29 competi-


tors tackled the richest grand prix event staged in eastern Ontario this season, thanks to the generous sup- port of sponsor Assante Wealth


Management.


Course designer William Dean-Stobie of Calgary, AB, set a track featuring fences measuring 1.40m in height on Wesley Clover Parks’


jumping field. Eight horse- and-rider


renowned grass combinations


jumped clear in the first round to set the stage for a thrilling jump-off where speed became the name of the game. Robinson had her


work cut out for her, facing off against two Canadian Olympians. Mac Cone of King City, ON, qualified two horses for the jump-off, Entrepreneur and Con Couleur, both owned by Mark Samuel’s Chadburn Holdings Inc., as did Amy Millar of Perth, ON, riding Ericson and Truman. Darrin Dlin of Calgary, AB; Grant Field of Russell, ON; and Paul Halpern of Sainte Anne


des Plaines, QC, rounded out the jump-off contenders. When Robinson en-


tered the ring for the jump- off, she was chasing the leading time of 35.44 sec- onds set by Millar and Eric- son, an 11-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding (Padi- nus x Iroko) owned by Mil- lar Brooke Farm Ltd. and Partners. Proving she was up to the challenge, Robin- son shaved time with an im- pressive


turn before


stopping the clock in 34.23 seconds and moving into the lead with Blue’s Yer Daddy, her 13-year-old Canadian- bred gelding (Mr. Blue x Lys de Darmen). Millar still had an-


other chance at victory as the final jump-off contender but her time of 34.68 sec- onds with Truman, an 11- year-old Selle Francais gelding (Mylord Carthago x Kolibri) owned by Overlund and her family’s Millar Brooke Farm Ltd., wasn’t fast enough to knock Robin- son from the top of the leaderboard. “I thought for sure


Amy was going to beat me, she’s lightning fast!” ex- claimed Robinson following her win. “I really thought she had me, so I was sur- prised. They had a great field of competitors out here today.”


Hailing from


for the $30,000 Assante Wealth Management Grand Prix. The ‘Ringside Rally’ offered spectators a great view of the expansive grand prix field from the comfort of their car, complete with a picnic lunch of their choice from either the Brookstreet Hotel or the King Eddy. “It’s


undoubtably


Management Grand Prix on October 3, 2020, to close out seven weeks of show jumping competition at Wesley Clover Parks in Ottawa, ON. Photo by Orange Horse Studio


nearby Russell, ON, where she operates Cimarron Show Stables, Robinson and her students have attended all seven weeks of the As- sante Summer Series of- fered by Wesley Clover Parks. Robinson also won week two’s featured event, the $10,000 1.30m Terlin Construction Grand Prix, riding Lise. Blue’s Yer Daddy and Lise are horses that Robinson bred herself, and both have the same dam (mother), Robinson’s for- mer top horse, Esprit de Lys. “Blue’s Yer Daddy


has jumped a lot of big


classes for me,” said Robin- son. “He has a big stride and doesn’t look like he’s going as fast as he is. I’ve known him all my life and we’ve formed a good partnership now. And Lise is small and fast, and just as competitive as her big brother!” In a year where few


competitions were held due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Robinson especially appre- ciated the opportunity to compete with her horses and her students. “We have a lot of re-


ally good riders in the Ot- tawa Valley and Wesley


Clover Parks is an important venue for us,” said Robin- son, 37. “It’s great to have these shows at a venue where we can compete in a big,


international-caliber


ring. I’m so thankful to Wesley Clover Parks for of- fering us so many weeks of competition and to the spon- sors for putting up the money in this very strange year. It’s always great to ride here, let alone win.” While COVID-19 re-


strictions were strictly ad- hered to, a limited number of spectators were treated to great sport and hospitality


Canadian Olympian Amy Millar of Perth, ON, placed second riding Truman in the $30,000 Assante Wealth Management Grand Prix at Wesley Clover Parks. Photo by Orange Horse Studio


Kelley Robinson and Blue’s Yer Daddy won the $30,000 Assante Wealth


been a difficult year for everyone, us included, but more importantly the entire equestrian community and beyond,” said Karen Sparks, Executive Director of Wes- ley Clover Parks. “It was deeply important to us to provide a circuit of shows for our core group of eques- trian competitors. The ripple effect of all the cancelled


shows on athletes, officials, and contractors is something that we didn’t take lightly. “It was a lot of work


to organize these events, es- pecially given the extra challenges that COVID-19 presented, but it has been very satisfying to see the positive impact that our work had,”


Sparks. “I can’t thank our sponsorship


continued partners


enough for their unwavering support, and especially RBC and Assante Wealth Man- agement for stepping up to make this circuit happen.” For more information


on the Ottawa Equestrian Tournaments, visit www.Ot- tawaEquestrianTourna- ments.com.


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