Ian Millar Wins Record Ninth Canadian Show Jumping Championship Title

Ian Millar & In Style - photo ©Foxprints.ca

Ian Millar of Perth, ON, set yet another record by winning a record ninth Canadian Show Jumping Championship title at the Royal Horse Show in Toronto, ON.

After winning the opening round on Friday night, Millar pulled out all the stops to again top the second and final phase of competition in the Canadian Show Jumping Championship on Saturday afternoon. Riding In Style, Millar incurred only two penalties over the three rounds of competition that comprise the Canadian Show Jumping Championships.

“It is a wonderful competition because when you pit all of us against each other, it creates a unique pressure,” noted Millar, 57, who already holds almost every record in the sport of Canadian show jumping. “Not only is the Canadian Championship title on the line, but the standings also determine who qualifies for the international division next week at the Royal. Everyone had to fight for it, and it gives the riders good experience to work and train under that kind of pressure.”

Earlier this year, Millar set another record by becoming the first athlete in Canadian sports history to compete in eight Olympic Games. While Promise Me was his mount in Athens, Millar choose to ride In Style, a nine-year-old Holsteiner gelding owned by Susan Grange, in the Canadian Show Jumping Championships.

“He has been on a fast learning curve,” noted Millar who began showing the horse earlier this year in Florida. “He is a lovely combination of very careful and very brave, and he is very determined but in the best possible way.”

While Millar has enjoyed an illusive career, young Kim Farlinger got hers off to a strong start by finishing runner-up in her Canadian Show Jumping Championship debut. The 20-year-old athlete from Annan, ON, put the pressure on Millar by finished the three rounds of competition with a total of 8.10 penalties.

“I knew I had to take it one round at a time and that is what we did,” said Farlinger, who was aboard Del Destino, a nine-year-old gelding. “We’ve been climbing up the ranks together since I got him last year, and we trust each other completely. It feels like anything is possible.”

Canadian Olympian Mac Cone of King, ON, finished third with his 10-year-old mare, Melinda, while another Olympian, John Pearce of Stouffville, ON, was fourth riding Champagne. Jonathon Millar, son of the newly crowned Canadian Champion, rounded out the top five with Masterman.

A field of 21 of the country’s top show jumping competitors took to the Ricoh Coliseum in an attempt to win the Canadian Championship title. Last year’s title holder, Eric Lamaze of Schomberg, ON, finished in eighth place riding Laurain Z.

Sunday afternoon’s featured events at the Royal Horse Show include the National Championships for Five-Year-Old horses and the $20,000 Canadian Show Jumping Challenge. Tickets for all Royal Horse Show performances can be purchased through Ticketmaster at tel: 416 872-7777 or by visiting www.ticketmaster.ca. For more information on the Royal Horse Show, including complete schedules and results, please visit www.royalfair.org or call tel: 416 263-3400.

Canadian Show Jumping Championship – Final Standings

Rider Hometown Horse Final Score
1. Ian Millar Perth, ON In Style 2.00
2. Kim Farlinger Annan, ON Del Destino 8.10
3. Mac Cone King, ON Melinda 9.62
4. John Pearce Stouffville, ON Champagne 10.63
5. Jonathon Millar Perth, ON Masterman 15.84
6. Jill Henselwood Oxford Mills, ON Special Ed 17.11
7. John Kersley Newington, ON Moritze 17.82
8. Eric Lamaze Schomberg, ON Laurain Z 17.89
9. Laurie Bucci Mont St. Hilaire, QC Catesko 18.81
10. Kelley Small Ottawa, ON Calibur 19.23