The 2012 Young Horse Series Kicks off this Week at the Caledon National in Palgrave, Ontario.
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Angela Covert-Lawrence of St-Lazare, QC, captured victory in the $60,000 Grand Prix of Rockwood, presented by the Hudson’s Bay Company and Barry Cullen Chevrolet, on Saturday, October 1, at the inaugural Angelstone International Show Jumping Tournament held September 27 to October 2 at Angelstone Farms in Rockwood, ON.
From an impressive starting field of 36 horses, eight jumped clear over the first round track set by course designer Pierre Jolicoeur in the all-weather ring. Angela Covert-Lawrence was the only woman in the jump-off field which also included Yann Candele of Caledon, ON, with three horses, as well as nine-time Olympian Ian Millar of Perth, ON, Canadian Equestrian Team veteran Hugh Graham of Schomberg, ON, Elliott Stone of Midland, ON, and Colombia’s Roberto Teran, who will represent his country at the upcoming Pan American Games.
As the final challenger in the jump-off, Covert-Lawrence knew exactly what she had to do to win. With Candele leading the standings with a time of 39.07 seconds, the pressure was on. Covert-Lawrence and Utan, a 10-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding owned by The Eastwood Group, rose to the occasion. Cheered on by the crowd, the pair galloped around the shortened jump-off track, leaving all the rails in place before crossing the timers in 38.76 seconds to claim victory.
“Going in for the jump-off, I realized that Yann was holding down first and second, and Roberto was third. They were the only three that were clear,” explained Covert-Lawrence, 35. “The four faulters were all super fast, so I figured I had to take a shot. If I had one down and wasn’t fast, I would end up seventh or eighth.”
Covert-Lawrence continued, “Utan was jumping super, and I knew that I could take a chance. After my roll back to number six, the plank, I knew I was fast. There were only two jumps left, and when I landed off the second-last jump, everyone started yelling at me to go. Utan jumps really well off a gallop; he stays off the jumps. The way the class went, it totally made sense to take a shot. It was fun!”
For her victory, Covert-Lawrence earned $18,000 in prize money. She and Utan were also named to the Canadian Show Jumping Team that will represent Canada in the Nations’ Cup in Buenos Aires,Argentina, in November. They were members of the Canadian Team for the same event in 2010, posting the best performance of any competitor from any nation.
The Angelstone International Show Jumping Tournament was led by Show President Keean White and his organizing team, and although heavy rain was a factor at the inaugural event, it did not dampen the spirits of the competitors.
“They had really bad luck with the weather, but Keean and his team handled it better than anyone could have expected,” noted Covert-Lawrence. “We ended up with a sunny day for the Grand Prix on Saturday, and they worked hard all day to make sure the ring was in the best possible condition. The organizers were so helpful, and Keean was very accessible. The show was extremely exhibitor-friendly, and Keean went above and beyond to ensure that everyone had a positive experience. The overall atmosphere was great.”
Hunter riders also had an opportunity to step into the spotlight for the $10,000 Canadian Hunter Derby, Presented by Manning Equine, on Sunday, October 2. A total of 26 entries took to the Grand Hunter Field, presided over by judge Ken Smith, to tackle the challenging course set by Rob Carey. Darcy Hayes of Aurora, ON, emerged victorious riding Moonshadow, owned by KingRidge Stables of King City, ON. Jeff Brandmaier aboard Knightwood Stables’ Rostom finished second while Carly Campbell-Cooper of Elora, ON, placed third riding Diplomat for owner Nicole Walker.
More than 7,200 people attended the inaugural Angelstone International Show Jumping Tournamentwith spectators able to get close to the action in the intimate setting around the grand prix ring. On Friday night, competitors enjoyed a complimentary dinner and a live performance by the Test Icicles while more than 2,500 came out after the Grand Prix on Saturday for an Indian feast and concert by The Almost Hip.
Special thanks to Hudson’s Bay Company, Seegmiller, Barry Cullen Chevrolet and Premier Equipment/John Deere for their title sponsorships in 2011.
In 2012, Angelstone will host four show jumping tournaments at Angelstone Farms, including three consecutive weeks from August 22 through September 9 as well as September 26 to 30. Two of the four tournaments will be sanctioned by the International Equestrian Federation (FEI), providing a valuable opportunity for riders to earn points in the Rolex World Rankings. More than $500,000 in prize money will be offered in 2012, including $300,000 in the Open jumper division and $50,000 in the Hunter Derby Series.
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$60,000 Grand Prix of Rockwood Presented by Hudson Bay Company and Barry Cullen Chevrolet Rider Hometown Horse Faults Time 1. Angela Covert-Lawrence St. Lazare, QC Utan 0:0 38.76 2. Yann Candele Caledon, ON Carlotta Singular 0:0 39.07 3. Yann Candele Caledon, ON Ariana 0:0 39.17 4. Robert Teran Colombia Niac Du Park 0:0 41.11 5. Elliott Stone Midland, ON Caprilli HSF 0:4 38.65 6. Yann Candele Caledon, ON Azzaro Van’T Hagenhof 0:4 39.74 7. Hugh Graham King City, ON Executive Privilege 3E 0:4 40.18 8. Ian Millar Perth, ON Dryden 0:31 64.09 9. Yann Candele Caledon, ON Game Ready 1 10. Beth Underhill Schomberg, ON Viggo 1 11. Elizabeth Bates Toronto, ON Marvelous 6 1 12. Francois Lamontagne St. Eustache, QC Unik Circa 4 |
original article from: www.startinggate.ca
AUGUST 25, 2011 – ROCKWOOD, ON — The inaugural Angelstone International Show Jumping Tournament, featuring the $50,000 Grand Prix of Rockwood, will be held September 27 through October 2 at Angelstone Farms in Rockwood, ON.
Taking a unique approach to the sport of show jumping, the Angelstone International is offering no entry fee for the $50,000 Grand Prix of Rockwood on Saturday, October 1. Competitors will qualify for the Grand Prix by competing in the $10,000 Grand Prix Qualifier, Presented by The Hudson Bay Company, on Friday, September, 30. The results of the qualifier will determine the order of go for the Grand Prix. Combining top sport and entertainment, the $50,000 Grand Prix of Rockwood begins at 5 p.m. and will be followed by a sponsor dinner and live entertainment in the heated VIP tent.
Other featured events include the $10,000 Young Horse Championship, Presented by Seegmiller Construction, and the $1,500 Pony Derby. The $10,000 Canadian Hunter Derby Eastern Final will also feature no entry fee. All three events take place on Sunday, October 2.
Junior and Amateur competitors will also have a chance to compete for $7,500 in prize money offered across the 1.10m, 1.20m and 1.30m divisions. These divisions will be run under the World Cup format as a three-phase competition.
Internationally renowned course designer Pierre Jolicoeur will set the tracks in the grass grand prix field while Rob Carey will handle course design duties in the grass hunter field, presided over by judge Ken Smith.
Entries will be limited to approximately 20 horses per class to allow participants to enjoy a set schedule for their class. Competitors will qualify based on their OHJA ranking, so long as entries are submitted by the deadline. Entries close Saturday, August 27. There will be no penalty for substitutions if made the week before the tournament begins. The full prize list is available online at www.angelstone.co.
Angelstone Farms is located in Rockwood, ON, just outside of the City of Guelph. The Delta Guelph Hotel is conveniently located just 15 minutes away. Constant improvements to the tournament grounds make Angelstone Farms a state of the art show jumping facility, featuring world-class footing in the newly built Grand Prix and Grand Hunter fields.
For more information about the Angelstone International Show Jumping Tournaments, please visit www.angelstone.co. All questions regarding the Angelstone International Show Jumping Tournament should be directed to mary@angelstone.co
For the 2012 season, we have installed an Otto Sport ring (same footing as used at the 2010 WEG in Kentucky). This ring will be our main competition ring throughout the tour, and will be used by both Jumpers AND Hunters during our Tournament season. We wanted to make sure that all the competitors benefit from this great facility upgrade. We will be the first venue in Canada to take such a substantial step towards offering the best possible footing for the horses competing at the Tournament.
Pay ONLY if you play! I have never understood why exhibitors have to pay entry fees for a class they choose to scratch from. We are all horsemen/horsewomen and should be able to make decisions in the best interest of our horses. Why do we pay the horse show to not compete if it rains when THEIR footing cannot take the rain? As a show organizer it is our responsibility to invest in and improve our footing so it can take the effects of bad weather. At Angelstone you DO NOT PAY for day of scratches. How do we do this? Our footing is the best, so we can!
We all know how prize money can lighten the load on checkout day. In 2012, we will offer over $550,000 in Prize Money, giving both our professional and amateur competitors a great shot at some terrific earnings. Classes offered range from FEI competitions, Hunter Derbies, Special classics for ponies and children’s / adult hunters, $135,000 1.40m division, special Jr/Am classes and the 2012 Young Horse Final. We really wanted to organize an event that offers something special for everyone!
Let’s face it, horse shows can get a little repetitive – break the cycle and join us for the best social scene on the circuit! Angelstone wants your experience to go beyond the in-gate, and we have prepared our schedule to offer the feature classes on Thursday and Saturday Evenings. Following the feature classes, we convert the Angelstone Pavilion into a swanky lounge with the hottest music on Thursdays and bring in some of area’s top live bands on Saturdays. These parties give exhibitors a chance to kick back, socialize and have a great time. The best part about it is that you’ll never need to buy a ticket, the events are for YOU – and a way for us to thank you for spending time at our show.
As a competitor over the years, I have had the opportunity to compete in some of the best rings in the world. What has always disappointed me is the quality of the product offered in the second, third and fourth rings of most shows. We have four premier competition rings. Each ring offers something unique, from the bank in our Derby Field to the forested backdrop surrounding our grass Grand Prix Ring, to the luscious footing in our Ottosport Ring – you will find a variety of venues on the property designed specifically with the rider in mind.
In my mind the MOST important part of running an event is the attention to detail show managers put into their events. We want your entire experience to be memorable! We have friendly, ambitious staff working hard for the exhibitor, you will notice from the moment you enter the venue that we take great pride in the appearance of our grounds. We import all our jumps from Florida because I believe they are the best in North America. You will also notice the 24,000 flowers we have acquired to decorate the competition rings – everywhere you look, you will notice something new.
The Guelph area has some incredible things to offer our visiting competitors. The host hotel (The Delta) offers some incredible amenities including an award winning steakhouse and an incredible fitness center. Guelph is a great city for independently owned restaurants. Manhattan’s music club and Bollywood Bistro are a few of my personal favorites. You also have great access to shopping and nightlife. I find a great city makes for a great event, and Guelph will not disappoint!
