Keean White Wins $25,000 Jacksonville Grand Prix

Canadian show jumping rider Keean White claimed victory in the $25,000 Grand Prix in Jacksonville, FL, on Sunday, January 12.

At just 19 years of age, White of Cambridge, ON, had two horses entered in the $25,000 ‘Just Jumping in Jacksonville’ Grand Prix. With both Libidou and Arriscraft Rocca, White successfully jumped the course designed by Patrick Rhodes of Texas to advance to the jump-off.

Of the 23 horses entered in the competition, six posted clear rounds to contest the jump-off. The second-last horse to compete, Libidou, a 10-year-old chestnut Dutch Warmblood mare, once again jumped the course with a faultless performance, clocking in with a time more than two seconds faster than the closest challenger.

“She’s not usually fast so didn’t think I had a chance, but I went for it and the harder I kicked, the better she jumped,” said White of his mare purchased two years ago from well-known Dutch competitor, Emile Hendrix. “She jumped so well she was tough to beat!”

With Arriscraft Rocca, his nine-year-old selle francais gelding, White had one obstacle down in the jump-off for a penalty of four faults, but his quick time put him in fourth position behind the three other double-clear efforts. Finishing both third and fifth was United States Equestrian Team veteran Norman Dello Joio, winner of the 1983 World Cup Final and individual bronze medallist at the 1992 Olympic Games.

“Both of my horses were super,” said White, who operates Angelstone Farms and Ridgeview Stables. “This was the first class they have done this year and they were fantastic. They were both fresh and jumped very, very well.”

Based in Ocala, Florida, White will spend the winter competing on the Florida circuit with a string of five horses before returning to Canada in the spring to contest the Canadian Show Jumping Team Selection Trials for the 2003 Pan American Games to be held in the Dominican Republic in August.

One of Canada’s top up-and-coming riders, White was a member of the silver medal team at the 2002 and 2001 North American Young Riders’ Championships, having also won a team bronze medal in 2000. In 2002, White had numerous top ten finishes in major grand prix events, including a third place finish in the $50,000 HITS Grand Prix in Ocala, Florida, and a fourth place in the $50,000 Collingwood Classic Grand Prix, both with Libidou. He capped off the season by winning the National Talent Squad Championship at the 2002 Royal Horse Show in Toronto, ON, with Arriscraft Rocca.