The Official News of the Jumping Committee

Transcription

1 The Official News of the Jumping Committee January 2018, Volume 14, Issue 1 IN THIS ISSUE LETTER FROM THE CHAIR competitor in a vulnerable situation, but could also affect the competition as well. Winter Equestrian Festival Photo Gallery One-on-One with New FEI Second Vice-President, Mark Samuel Clinics, Clinics, Clinics! Palm Beach Masters Establishes Sue Grange Owner Award Young Guns! Profiling Julia Madigan Athletes Selected for Canadian Youth Equestrian Mentorship Program Save the Date! FEI Nations Cup Qualifiers Announced Update on EC Rules FEI Children s Final Qualifier Success Stories In Memoriam: Gordon Tom Michiel ( ) Nominations Open for Equestrian Canada National Awards Under 25 Program Criteria Now Available! Longines World Rider Rankings Acknowledgments Michelle C. Dunn On January 9, your Jumping Committee met by conference call to discuss several different matters that required its attention. While discussing the Reciprocal Agreement between Equestrian Canada and U.S. Equestrian, an important fact emerged which we should all take note of. Many of our competitors compete all winter in the U.S., and some rarely compete here in Canada. Those competitors often think that they only need to be members of U.S. Equestrian since they aren t showing here in Canada. If they do show once or twice in their native country of Canada, they often compete on a temporary sport license. Unfortunately, these competitors are operating under erroneous information. All competitors need to be members of their National Federation (the federation of the country where they reside and/or compete for). One of the benefits of joining Equestrian Canada (and your Provincial/ Territorial Sport Organization (PTSO)) is that third-party liability insurance is part of the package, handled by the PTSO. Competitors who compete on temporary sport licenses do not join their PTSO, and therefore do not have any third-party liability insurance. This leaves not only the Both U.S. Equestrian and EC require that a competitor be a member of his or her National Federation. Under our reciprocal agreement, competitors need not join U.S. Equestrian if they are a member of their National Federation. If you belong to EC, you can show in the U.S. without needing to join U.S. Equestrian. (Note that eligibility for some U.S. Equestrian programs and awards may require U.S. Equestrian membership.) The bonus is that by being a member of EC and your PTSO (a requirement to join EC), you automatically receive generous third-party liability insurance coverage. Your Jumping Committee, along with EC, is working diligently to rework our Reciprocal Agreement so that we all can reap its benefits both now and in the future. Respectfully yours, Pamela Law Chair, Jumping Committee 1

2 WINTER EQUESTRIAN FESTIVAL PHOTO GALLERY Wellington, Florida All Photo Credits Starting Gate Communications Barbara Mitchell, Terrence Millar, and David Ballard. Mario Deslauriers and Westbrook placed tenth in the $132,000 CSI3* Grand Prix during WEF 3. Wesley Newlands, who made her Nations Cup debut for Canada in Canada s reigning Under 25 National Champion, Nicole Walker, pictured aboard Falco van Spieveld. Eric Lamaze aboard Chacco Kid gives a thumbs up following his back-to-back victories in the WEF Challenge Cup. Toronto s Jordan Macpherson and Kelly Soleau- Millar. Erynn Ballard and Don s Diamant finished runner-up in WEF 3 s $35, m class. Eric Lamaze and his new mount, Viva. Tiffany Foster and Brighton, double clear for fourth in the $35,000 WEF Challenge Cup Round III. Keean White and Z Diamanty Jonathon Millar and Daveau, third in the $35, m Hollow Creek Classic during WEF 3. 2

3 ONE-ON-ONE WITH NEW FEI SECOND VICE-PRESIDENT, MARK SAMUEL The newly-appointed Second Vice-President of the International Equestrian Federation (FEI), Canada s own Mark Samuel, speaks about his new volunteer role with the organization. Congratulations on being named Second Vice-President of the FEI. Did the appointment during the FEI General Assembly in November come as a surprise? Thank you. It was a complete surprise. FEI President Ingmar De Vos announced his selections for 1st and 2nd Vice President to the Bureau during a break in the General Assembly (GA) and I was ratified by the delegates to the GA an hour later! It was a (very exciting) whirlwind. I am deeply honoured that Ingmar chose me, and I look forward to serving the FEI and the greater international equestrian community. I intend to reward his trust with loyalty, hard work, and, hopefully, good counsel. What are some of the biggest challenges facing the FEI today? The mandate of the FEI is very broad and yet we try to remain proactive, connected, accountable, and community-oriented. Maintaining a fair and equitable competition environment and safe-guarding the welfare of our equine partners is paramount. The needs of the developed equestrian nations are far different than those of developing nations and yet we must find common purpose and be guided by mutual respect so as to bring the sport forward in a united way. There have been fantastic moments of triumph, excellence, and the unique human/equine bond captured by the world-wide media. These lift up our sport and our hearts. Sadly, there have also been the occasional moments of abuse and tragedy that must never be tolerated or endorsed. On a personal level, what are you hoping to bring to the organization? Given my 35 years in business and over 45 years in the sport I hope to bring my experience, pragmatism, optimism, and consensus building skills forward in service to the organization. My business background as a company President, CEO, and Chairman has provided me with the financial acumen, operational knowledge, strategic planning leadership, and governance experience to assist our President as requested. At home in Canada, you have devoted countless volunteer hours to the sport. Tell us a little about the path you have followed, that has now led to your current role at the FEI. I don t think I can remember a time when I did not offer my time in service to this great sport of ours. My parents instilled the values and rewards of giving back in us at a very early age. In the beginning I volunteered at horse shows. After that I served on the Ontario Equestrian Federation (OEF) Board which led me to become involved nationally on the Canadian Equestrian Federation (CEF) Board (now Equestrian Canada) and its committees. During that time, I came to recognize the need for a designated Hunter Jumper organization in Ontario. This led to the formation of the Ontario Hunter Jumper Association (OHJA) and I became its first President. We did a lot of important foundational work, and worked a lot of late nights, but we launched something meaningful and sustainable and we improved the conditions in Ontario considerably. At the time, there was a CEF Hunter Jumper committee, but it didn t have much traction or direction. A few of us decided that it was time to replicate our OHJA model at the national level and so Jump Canada was formed. I became our first Chairman and, frankly, have never really been able to fully step away! Jump Canada has represented the Hunter Jumper community well and has taken its mandate of grass roots to podium seriously. We have always operated in a harmonious and fiscally responsible manner and we have always tried to make informed, visionary decisions. Our Jump Canada Hall of Fame has reconnected our current generation to its proud legacy and has served to inspire and to challenge the next group of champions. Coincidentally, we have witnessed the return of our Team to international relevance and excellence and have captured our share of Olympic, World Equestrian Games, and Pan American Games medals in the process. 3

4 Throughout this period, I continued my contributions to EC through Sport Council, the Finance Committee, Athletes Committee, and, most recently, on the Nominations Committee. I truly love this sport, this country, and my peers throughout the industry and have never felt my volunteer hours to be a burden in any way. I have also continued down this path internationally with my involvement on the North American Riders Group (NARG) Board and on the Pan American Equestrian Confederation (PAEC) Board. Have you always had a love of horse sport? I come by my love of horses honestly. My parents both rode as children and rekindled their love affair with the sport after their marriage. An investment in a promising jumper eventually led to that horse, Canadian Club, helping the Canadian Show Jumping Team win its first and only gold medal at the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City. Soon my parents had established Sam-Son Farm in Milton, Ontario, and my sisters and I were seemingly in the saddle all day, every day. I was thrilled to watch the best hunters and jumpers in action and would happily sit on the steps at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair among the throngs of people who packed in to cheer for Canada in the Nations Cup. My Dad later expanded his passion for horses into Thoroughbred racing and Sam Son eventually became one of the leading racing and breeding operations in Canada with the good fortune to have bred and raced numerous Queen s Plate and Breeders Cup Champions. I started out as a pony kid on a lovable clunker named Rusty. Over the years, I earned my way on to more and more talented horses and I was fortunate to have won a number of Junior and Amateur hunter and jumper titles. Best Seller, Look Twice, Ballerina, Unic de Perchis, and the great hunter, Killer Tom, were all amazing partners and teachers. My first opportunity to ride on the Canadian Equestrian Team came in 1999 at the Washington International Horse Show. I will always treasure the memory as it was the first and last time that my entire family was able to watch me ride; my father, Ernie Samuel, who had helped kindle and feed this passion in me, passed away shortly afterward. In total, I rode on the Team for four years and had the opportunity to be selected for the 2002 World Equestrian Games in Jerez, Spain, and to ride for Canada at the 2003 Pan American Games in Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic. I will always be eternally grateful to my equine partner, Darios V, and to my trainer, Mac Cone, for helping me to pursue excellence. You also serve as Chairman of FEI Group IV, which includes North America and the Caribbean. What are some of the issues currently facing this region, and what are some of the projects currently in development? My involvement in the Canadian equestrian scene led to being elected to represent Canada at the FEI as its delegate. So began a wonderful relationship with the member nations of Group IV, a colourful mix of personalities representing the developed nations of Canada and the United States as well as eight developing nations in the Caribbean. We were able to find our common ground, to support each other, and to have a lot of fun along the way. Soon I was elected as Group IV Chair which led to my being seated on the governing FEI Bureau, and I am eternally grateful for the trust and support that my Group has placed in me. In some ways, Group IV is a microcosm of the greater FEI as we must address the diversity of engagement and opportunity, the struggles of developing infrastructure, and the roadblocks caused by travel restrictions. In many ways we try to punch above our weight. Speaking of the Caribbean, you spearheaded the Caribbean Equine Relief Fund following Hurricanes Irma and Maria in September. What prompted you to take on such a huge task? A few days after the first Hurricane, Irma, I was contacted by Eve Van den Bol, President of the Cayman Islands Equestrian Federation, and she shared with me the dire straits that many horses in the Caribbean were facing. I immediately committed to partnering with her to try to make a difference and soon the Caribbean Equine Relief Fund was born. Hurricane Maria then arrived and made matters even worse, but our coalition of volunteers and Federations were able to move swiftly to put significant and meaningful aid in place for both the horses and the horse people in the affected areas. Container loads of feed, hay, fencing, veterinary supplies, and even water buckets and portable fencing were soon on their way to numerous islands. I am very thankful to all the donors, big and small, who stepped up to support our efforts with their contributions, and I am both proud and humbled to have been in the right place and to have the right skills to make this happen. (There is much work still to be done, so donations are most welcome!) Going back to the sport itself, will the new Olympic format featuring three-man teams for eventing, dressage, and show jumping be good for equestrian, in your opinion? I am a traditionalist at heart and I will miss the four-man teams. The format allowed the best teams to be the best teams without a fluke event causing an exciting yet unfortunate result. The drop score always provided the opportunity for drama and the anchor rider held a honoured plateau. Having said that, for the Olympics, there are a number of attractive attributes to the three-man teams. It allows for a compressed schedule which is friendlier for both spectators and media. It allows for more nations to compete within the overall quota of horses which is good for universality and global media attention. It also injects additional meaning and drama into each and every ride. In our sport we must remain relevant, attractive, and innovative. We will need to earn our way onto the Olympic menu every four years. I feel the greatest impact of the new format will be in Eventing followed by Jumping and, to a lesser extent, in Dressage. No doubt significant analysis will be done after Tokyo to determine whether further adjustments are indicated. 4

5 What does it mean to our country to have Canadian representation on the FEI Board of Directors? I am proud to be the first Canadian to hold the positions of Group IV Chair and now, FEI 2nd Vice President. I share these accomplishments with all those who have served with me at the OEF, EC, OHJA, and Jump Canada levels, and who have taught me important lessons along the way. I hope that I can inspire the next generation of officials and volunteers to make a difference in their chosen communities and to know that their efforts can and will be noticed and respected. My first loyalty now is to Ingmar and to the FEI. Having said that, I hope that I bring to the Bureau my Canadian values of hard work, integrity, leadership by example, and consensus building as well as my lifetime of experience and connections within the North American community. You have a long history of volunteerism within our sport. What advice would you have for others looking to find ways to give back to the sport? Volunteers have always been, and continue to be, the backbone of our industry. At every level that I have served I have always prioritized the recognition and celebration of my fellow volunteers. There are hundreds of ways to contribute to our sport. Find something that you are interested in and give it a try. The return on that investment in terms of experience, friendships, and self-esteem will be huge! CLINICS, CLINICS, CLINICS! What: FEI Jumping Stewards Refresher Seminar Where: Spruce Meadows, Calgary, AB When: September 2 and 3, 2018 Price: $ CDN Course director: Kate Horgan (Ireland) Assistant: Jan Stephens (Canada) Starting Gate Communications PALM BEACH MASTERS ESTABLISHES SUE GRANGE OWNER AWARD The CP Palm Beach Masters, presented by Sovaro, will introduce a new award honouring Sue Grange at its 2018 event, held from February 1 to 4 at Deeridge Farms in Wellington, FL. The inaugural Sue Grange Award will be given to the owner of the winning horse in the $35,000 Sovaro Palm Beach Masters Qualifier on Friday, February 2, in recognition of the well-known Canadian horsewoman who passed away in October Among her numerous contributions to the sport, Grange was a strong supporter of the Canadian Equestrian Team and several Canadian riders including Yann Candele, Ian Millar, Chris Pratt and Beth Underhill. Grange and her Lothlorien Farms were twice recognized as Jump Canada s Owner of the Year, and her farm has bred several notable show jumping and standardbred race horses. In addition to the Sue Grange Award, the CP Palm Beach Masters will also newly introduce the Hunter Harrison Award, given in honour of the driving force and sponsor behind the richest grand prix in North America, the CP International Grand Prix at the annual CSIO5* Spruce Meadows Masters tournament in Calgary, AB. The Palm Beach Masters is deeply honored to pay tribute to Hunter Harrison and Sue Grange, two of our sport s most revered and beloved figures, said Lou Jacobs, co-founder of the Palm Beach Masters Series together with his siblings Charlie Jacobs and Katie Robinson. Hunter and Sue were both known as great owners, so it is fitting that we honour them with these awards that will go to the owners of the winning horses of our two featured classes. 5

6 Jump Media Julia Madigan rode Farfelu du Printemps to victory at both the Royal Horse Show and the North American Junior and Young Rider Championships in YOUNG GUNS! PROFILING JULIA MADIGAN By Emily Riden In 2014, Julia Madigan s father reached out to Jill Henselwood, inquiring whether the Canadian Olympian might be willing to take on an additional student in the form of his then 17-year-old daughter. Henselwood was uncertain. At the time, she was busily preparing for both Spruce Meadows and a Nations Cup competition in Europe immediately following her time in Calgary, AB, and, with an already full student roster, felt she may not have the time to take on another young rider. Madigan, however, was determined to prove herself worthy of any time that Henselwood did have available. The Vancouver, BC, native and her father arranged to ship Madigan s horses to Spruce Meadows themselves, bringing their own feed and bedding and setting up their own stalls, if Henselwood would train Madigan for one week at the Spruce Meadows North American tournament. My dad used to play hockey as a kid and if you re trying to make a hockey team, you d have a trial, said Madigan. He thought that s how it should be! Madigan had her trial week with Henselwood, riding alongside the Olympic team silver medalist s other students at the time, including Jaclyn Duff and Elizabeth Gingras. At the onset of the week, Madigan told Henselwood that she would like to compete in the 1.30m, but if doing the open division was easier to coordinate both Duff and Gingras would be in the open division as well she would jump against that competition rather than contesting her usual junior/amateur classes. That ended up being exactly what Madigan did, and with great success, placing in all three classes in which she competed. I trailered into Spruce Meadows and was jumping the 1.30m open division against people like Richard Spooner and other five-star riders that were there, explained Madigan. It was a pretty unreal trial week. 6

7 Madigan showed gumption and determination that week and now, nearly four years later, those same character traits have led her to not only to her trainer, but also to incredible success in the show ring. In July 2017, Madigan made her first trip to the Adequan/FEI North American Junior and Young Rider Championships (NAJYRC) in Saugerties, NY, where she claimed both Young Rider individual gold and the team silver medal aboard Farfelu du Printemps. JUNE 2007 WORLD CUP LAS VEGAS THE ROBERTS FAMILY PRINCE PHILIP GAMES THE GREATEST LITTLE HORSE MAG It was such a team effort, said Madigan of the NAJYRC experience which she shared with teammates Veronica Bot, Jennifer Mattell, and Alexanne Thibault. All of the girls that were there put in such a big effort, and it was so nice meeting them. I felt like it was more pressure than usual because I really wanted to do well for the team on team day, and I wanted to prepare my horse well. It was a highlight of my year for sure. Just a few months later, Madigan enjoyed another career highlight, this time in her Royal Horse Show debut at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair in Toronto, ON. There, she and Farfelu du Printemps, a 13-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding (Action Breaker x Darco) owned by her father, won the $10,000 Junior/Amateur Jumper Royal Stake, the Junior/Amateur speed class, and, ultimately, the overall Junior/Amateur Jumper division championship. Madigan s impressive accomplishments throughout 2017 made the show season her most notable to date. However, it was a year of show ring success that has been over a decade in the making. PHOTO COURTESY DUNCAN KENT EXCLUSIVE TIDBITS BONUS WORLD CUP LAS VEGAS Pursuing a Passion Formed in Pony Club Madigan showed an interest in riding from an early age, so, for her seventh birthday, her parents took her riding, and her love of the sport blossomed. By the time Madigan was ten, she had started leasing her first pony, Diamond, and had begun learning about all aspects of horse care. The deal was $20 a ride if I didn t muck the barn, and $10 a ride if I mucked and fed, so I mucked and fed every time that I rode! recalled Madigan, who started participating in Canadian Pony Club around that time, competing in the Prince Philip Games with Diamond, testing her knowledge through Quiz Bowl, and soaking up as much knowledge as she could about horses. Julia Madigan appeared on the cover of the June 2007 issue of Gaitpost Magazine, competing in the Prince Philip Games aboard her favorite school horse, Sugar. Jump Media Madigan continued to progress through the Pony Club ranks, competing her next horse in eventing up until age 14, at which time she got her first taste of the show jumping ring. Then, as she prepared to enter high school, Madigan purchased a Trakehner gelding named Ordensritter and began training with Judy Wise in Langley, BC. Ordensritter was the most solid 1.20m horse, said Madigan of the gelding that carried her throughout many of her junior years. He was amazing. He was the best horse ever to learn on. Madigan rode successfully with Wise through high school and, upon graduating, was accepted to Queen s University in Kingston, ON. However, Madigan knew in her heart that she was not ready to give up so much of the time spent pursuing her riding passion just yet. Instead, she elected to take a gap year, and that s when her father contacted Henselwood. Finding Success with Farfelu Following her successful first week with Henselwood at Spruce Meadows, Madigan officially began training out of Henselwood s Juniper Farms in Oxford Mills, ON, that fall. The following year, Henselwood helped Madigan find the mount that would later carry her to her NAJYRC gold medal and The Royal championship: Farfelu du Printemps. Canadian Olympic team silver medalist Jill Henselwood coaching Julia Madigan at the 2017 Royal Horse Show. They were actually trying him for Jaclyn Duff, but they thought that it would be a better horse for me to be my junior/amateur horse and my first grand prix horse, said Madigan of the horse that partnered with her coach to win the 2015 Canadian Show Jumping Championship title the year he was purchased. He is amazing. He s so generous. I can screw up a little bit on course, and he s just like Oh yeah, we re going. He s always going through the finish line. 7

8 Ben Radvanyi Photography Equestrian Canada Manager of Jumping, Karen Hendry-Ouellette, presented Julia Madigan with the Canadian Junior/Amateur Championship Plate, donated by JC in memory of Andre Bollinger, at the 2017 Royal Horse Show He s taken me a pretty long time to figure out though, about two years from the time that I got him, Madigan continued. I was always making little adjustments, and this summer it just started really clicking. Now I couldn t ask for a better first grand prix and junior-amateur horse. You can t find his personality and his generosity with many horses. Madigan is currently in her third year at Queen s University where she is pursuing a degree in Mechanical Engineering, and while that limits her time in the saddle during the semester, she enjoys balancing both and looks forward to accomplishing more major goals with Farfelu du Printemps, starting this summer. I d really, really love to jump a clean round in the International Ring at Spruce Meadows, said Madigan of her biggest goal for I grew up in BC, and Calgary is the horse show that we look forward to all year long; it s such a big deal! All of the riders there are just so phenomenal, and I look up to everyone that s in that ring so much. It s kind of unreal to be riding in it myself. I rode Farfelu for the last week at Spruce Meadows in 2017, and the last day I had four faults in the International Ring. This year, I want to be clear! Based on her performances in 2017, the future looks to hold many clear rounds for Madigan and Farfelu du Printemps. ATHLETES SELECTED FOR CANADIAN YOUTH EQUESTRIAN MENTORSHIP PROGRAM Now entering its third year, the Canadian Youth Equestrian Mentorship Program has been expanded for 2018 to include hunter/jumper riders as well as young dressage riders. Organized by Canadian Dressage Team member Jill Irving, the Canadian Youth Equestrian Mentorship Program is designed to inspire Canadian equestrians between the ages of 16 and 21 by offering them educational opportunities in Wellington, FL, widely considered to be the winter equestrian epicenter for both international dressage and hunter/jumper competition. Six dressage riders and six hunter/ jumper riders were selected via lottery to travel to Wellington, FL, during the first week of March The six hunter/jumper riders selected are Juliana Booker of Esteys Bridge, NS, Tatum Griffiths of Truro, NS, Kelsey Hennig of Weyburn, SK, Natasha Holscher of Langley, BC, Maya Kliewer of Saskatoon, SK, and Sammy Saarloos of Bedford, NS. While in Florida, participants will experience discipline-specific mentorship from top competitors and show grooms, observe daily routines, competition preparation and training, and engage in educational discussions and networking activities. Participants will be guests at Irving s private home, with all ground transportation also generously donated by Irving. For more information, visit SAVE THE DATE! The Equestrian Canada Annual Convention will be held in Ottawa, ON, from April 5 to 8 at Brookstreet Hotel. A wide range of educational, networking, and social events for the Canadian equestrian community will be offered. For more information, contact Brent Harrison at bharrison@equestrian.ca or x

9 Qualifying events have been announced for the CSIO5* Longines FEI Nations Cup Final in Barcelona, Spain, from October 4 to 7, The following events will act as qualifiers for the North American, Central American and Caribbean League, for which two countries will qualify: CSIO5* Ocala, FL February 13 to 18, 2018 CSIO5* Coapexpan, Mexico April 19 to 22, 2018 CSIO5* Langley, BC May 29 to June 3, 2018 FEI NATIONS CUP QUALIFIERS ANNOUNCED Pierre Costabadie for arnd.nl Eric Lamaze and Coco Bongo jumped double clear for Canada at the 2017 Longines FEI Nations Cup Final in Barcelona, Spain. UPDATE ON EC RULES Equestrian Canada (EC) has published select 2018 EC Rules online at Following the close of the EC Rule Change Proposals (RCPs) review and comment period in November 2017, the EC Discipline Committees met to review the collected feedback and submit final amendments to the EC Board of Directors for approval. The EC Board of Directors has approved the final 2018 EC Rules, which are now available online in a clean digital version, as well as a version with changes from 2017 visible. Click here to access the versions with changes visible. An important update for the hunter/jumper discipline is as follows: Section G Regarding Article G105 Stallions and G601 Pony Jumpers; the EC Jumping Committee was unanimous in its decision to disallow stallions in the EC Pony Jumper division. The Committee considered alignment with US Equestrian Pony Jumper Rules and safety in reaching its decision. The original intention to allow Junior A competitors to ride stallions was to align with the FEI and US Equestrian in the high jumper divisions and international competitions. FEI CHILDREN S FINAL QUALIFIER Canada will host one qualifier for the FEI Children s Final, open to riders between the ages of 12 and 14. The qualifying event will be staged by Rocky Mountain Show Jumping in Calgary, AB, from June 20 to 24. 9

10 SUCCESS STORIES Starting Gate Communications ERIC LAMAZE Eric Lamaze earned back-to-back wins to open the 2018 season at the Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) in Wellington, FL. On Thursday, January 18, Lamaze topped a 109-horse starting field in the $35,000 CSI2* Equinimity WEF Challenge Cup Round II. A total of nine entries jumped clear over the first-round course set by Mexico s Oscar Soberon to qualify for the tie-breaking jump-off. Lamaze and Chacco Kid stopped the timers in seconds for the win, while Emanuele Camilli of Italy, Cian O Connor and Paul O Shea, both of Ireland, all crossed the timers in seconds for a remarkable three-way tie for second. The following week, Lamaze and Chacco Kid were back in the winner s circle after claiming victory in the $35,000 CSI3* Equinimity WEF Challenge Cup Round III on Thursday, January 25. This time, 26 clear rounds were posted over the track set by Canadian course designer Peter Grant, but none could touch Lamaze s blistering fast jump-off time of seconds. The victory marked Lamaze s 25th career win in the WEF Challenge Cup, tying him for the all-time lead with McLain Ward of the United States. Chacco Kid, a 12-year-old Oldenburg gelding (Chacco Blue x Come On), is owned by The Chacco Kid Group, comprised of Rick and Sara Mershad, Carol and Ludi Sollak, and Carlene and Andy Ziegler. Erin Gilmore Photography SAM WALKER Sam Walker of Caledon, ON, concluded his 2017 show season by winning the Jump Canada Medal Final at the Royal Horse Show in Toronto, and quickly returned to his winning ways in the new year. The 15-year-old rider kicked off 2018 by taking the top two spots in the $5,000 Rising Star Classic held January 10 as part of The Ridge at Wellington s Turf Tour in Wellington, FL. Walker stopped the jump-off timers in seconds to take the win aboard Acardi du Houssoit Z, a 14-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding, and also finished second with a time of seconds riding La Conia 7, a nine-year-old bay mare owned by the Ride family. Sportfot MELISSANDRE LINCOURT Melissandre Lincourt of Montreal, QC, rode City Lights, owned by Darprin Enterprises LLC, to the Young Hunter division championship during week two of the Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, FL. Lincourt and the seven-year-old chestnut Dutch Warmblood gelding by Valentino clinched the division title after finishing first, first, third, and fourth in the Young Hunter over fences classes held January 18 and 19 at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center. 10

11 Michelle C. Dunn Gordon Tom Michiel (right), pictured with his partner, Ray Antonuk (left) and EC Director of Sport, Jon Garner (center), at the Jump Canada Hall of Fame Gala and Induction Ceremony in IN MEMORIAM: GORDON TOM MICHIEL ( ) Canadian FEI official and beloved member of the Canadian show jumping community, Gordon Tom Michiel, died on January 22, 2018, at the age of 87. A lifelong equestrian, Michiel was widely celebrated for his contributions as a show jumping official. A constant presence on the ground jury at Spruce Meadows in Calgary, AB for over four decades, Michiel was well-known for his fair and reasoned officiating as well as his effervescent personality. Michiel was deeply committed to promoting the sport and nurtured its development among youth at the FEI North American Junior and Young Rider Championships (NAJYRC). On the international circuit, Michiel held his FEI 3* Jumper Judge s card. Michiel worked tirelessly to share knowledge and expertise with his fellow officials. As Chair of the Jump Canada (JC) Officials Committee, he helped facilitate educational opportunities for officials across Canada. He won the inaugural Equestrian Canada Official of the Year Award in 2004 for his efforts and was inducted into the Jump Canada Hall of Fame in the category of Official in In addition to the accolades received for his professional achievements, Michiel was well-known for his infectious laughter. His sense of humour was renowned, and his presence guaranteed that the smallest get-together would turn into a fun and memorable event. The loss of Tommy Michiel is a heavy blow to the jumping community, said Karen Hendry-Ouellette, EC Jumping Manager. Tommy was highly respected for his invaluable contributions to the sport, and his integrity and dedication will be long remembered and greatly missed. We extend our sincere condolences to Ray and his family. Michiel is survived by his partner, Raymond Antonuk; sisters Anne and Ethel; sisters-in-law Sandra Young and Catherine Louie; brotherin-law Doug; and a great number of family and friends. A memorial service was held in Calgary on January 29. Condolences may be sent through 11

12 NOMINATIONS OPEN FOR EQUESTRIAN CANADA NATIONAL AWARDS Nominations have officially opened for the Equestrian Canada (EC) National Awards. The deadline for nominations is Wednesday, February 7, 2018, at 4p.m. ET. It s time to celebrate the impressive achievements of individuals, equines and organizations who have contributed to the growth and success of the equestrian community over the past year. EC Sport Licence Holders, Registered Participants, and Affiliates are encouraged to submit nominations through the EC Awards Portal at The following awards are open for nominations: Lifetime Achievement Award Gold Medal Award Equestrian of the Year The Dr. George Jacobsen Trophy Junior Equestrian of the Year The Gillian Wilson Trophy Horse of the Year The Hickstead Trophy Canadian-bred Horse of the Year Canadian Breeder of the Year Volunteer of the Year Owner of the Year Equestrian Canada Media Award The Susan Jane Anstey Trophy Boehringer Ingelheim Equine Canada Health & Welfare Award Full award criteria, information and nomination forms can be found at Nominations for EC National Awards will be reviewed, and recipients chosen by the EC Awards Committee with support and input from appropriate EC stakeholders and experts. The 2018 EC Awards Committee members are Carla Robin (Chair), Jennifer Anstey, Michael Boyd, Erin Lundteigen, and Karen Sparks. The EC National Award recipients will be honoured at the EC Awards Reception on Saturday, April 7, at the 2018 EC Annual Convention in Ottawa, ON. Questions or comments regarding the 2018 EC Awards can be directed to Carla Robin, EC Awards Committee Chair, at AwardsCommittee@equestrian.ca. UNDER 25 PROGRAM CRITERIA NOW AVAILABLE! Athletes interested in participating in the 2018 Under 25 program must declare by June 30 on the U25 Declaration Portal. Athletes are eligible from the beginning of the year they reach the age of 16 to the end of the year they turn 25. Athletes participating in the program will be responsible for submitting their results within one week of competition completion through the U25 Results Portal. Results are retroactive to January 1, 2018, and, once received, will be allocated the corresponding points. Standings will be posted online and updated throughout the season. See the following links for more details: U25 Program Information and Criteria: U25 Declaration Portal: U25 Results Portal: For questions or concerns, please contact Stefanie Krysiak at skrysiak@equestrian.ca or Talent ID Advisor, Beth Underhill at beth@bethunderhill.com. 12

13 LONGINES WORLD RIDER RANKINGS TOP 20 CANADIAN RIDERS as of December 31, Eric Lamaze Nicole Walker Tiffany Foster François Lamontagne Keean White Isabelle Lapierre Ian Millar Jonathon Millar Yann Candele Kara Chad Mario Deslauriers Jenn Serek Erynn Ballard Amy Millar Vanessa Mannix Ben Asselin Chris Surbey Rebecca McGoldrick Ali Ramsay Beth Underhill 383 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS EDITORIAL BOARD CONTRIBUTORS EC STAFF CONTRIBUTORS PHOTOGRAPHERS LAY-OUT AND DESIGN PUBLISHER TRANSLATION CONTACT US Elizabeth Bordeaux, Karen Hendry-Ouellette (ex-officio), Pamela Law, John Taylor, Jennifer Ward (Editor), and Nancy Wetmore Pamela Law, Emily Riden, and Jennifer Ward Karen Hendry-Ouellette Pierre Costabadie for arnd.nl, Michelle C. Dunn, Erin Gilmore Photography, Jump Media, Ben Radvanyi Photography, Sportfot, Starting Gate Communications. Starting Gate Communications Inc. Equestrian Canada Pas de deux Communications The Jumping Committee is the committee of Equestrian Canada responsible for all hunter, hunter equitation and jumper activities in Canada from the grassroots to the international level. For more information regarding Jumping programs and activities, visit: 13