Distant Star Does it Again in Young Horse Development Series

Erynn Ballard and W. Charlot Farm’s Vasco da Gamma won the Four-Year-Old Division of the Canadian Young Horse Jumper Development Series for the second time in a row on June 24 in Barrie, ON. Photo © Christine Walch

For the second time this season, Distant Star stood in the winner’s circle after claiming the Six-Year-Old Division of the 2005 Canadian Young Horse Jumper Development Series in Barrie, ON, on June 24.

Distant Star was the winner of the season opener in Ancaster, ON, three weeks earlier, and again repeated her winning ways in Barrie. Piloted by Roberto Teran of Colombia, Distant Star was one of nine horses to advance to the jump-off over the course set by Canada’s own Peter Holmes. With another clear round in the jump-off in a time of 32.21 seconds, Distant Star claimed her second victory in the third outing of the 2005 season. The 2004 National Five-Year-Old Reserve Champion, Distant Star is a grey Canadian Sport Horse mare bred and owned by KingRidge Stables of King, ON. Bred through embryo transplant, Distant Star is by the KingRidge Stables stallion, Class Action, and out of Betwixt, a former grand prix show jumper ridden to international success by Hugh Graham.

Finishing second in the 23-horse starting field was Rio’s Vicomtesse shown by Hyde Moffat. Owned by Dr. Rebecca Steen, Rio’s Vicomtesse is a Canadian Sport Horse mare by the Hannoverian stallion, Rio Grande, and bred in Canada by Augustin Walch of W. Charlot Farms. Last week’s champions at Palgrave, Erynn Ballard and Possibilities, Jamie Richardson’s Dutch Warmblood gelding by Monaco out of a Burggraaf dam, finished third this time out.

Margie Gayford of Sharon, ON, rode Winston, an imported Belgian Warmblood gelding by Wellington owned by Shawn Littler of Wingberry Farms, to fourth place while Hawkstone Farm’s Denver, a recently-imported German Trakehner gelding by Donauwalzer, placed fifth under Hyde Moffat.


In the Five-Year-Old Division, another consistent performer, Pour Patrice W, came out on top. The Four-Year-Old Ontario Champion, Pour Patrice W was bred in Canada by W. Charlot Farms and is a Hannoverian gelding by Pour Gagne and out of a Rio Grande dam. Owned by Charles Ormston and ridden by Erynn Ballard, Pour Patrice W placed second in the second event of the season at Palgrave, but improved on his performance to emerge the winner in Barrie.

Ballard also placed second riding her own Trocadero, a Dutch Warmblood gelding by Nassau and out of a Quidam de Revel dam. The KingRidge Stables entry of Encore, a Canadian Sport Horse gelding by Class Action out of Alley Cat, placed third under Roberto Teran.

Split Decision, a recently-imported Dutch Warmblood gelding by Calido and out of a Continue dam, placed fourth under Chris Pratt for owner Susan Grange and Lothlorien Stables. Fifth place went to Marimbera, an imported Holsteiner gelding by Candillo, who is owned by The Livery International and shown by Simon McCarthy.

For the second week in a row, the top two placings in the Four-Year-Old Division remained the same. Erynn Ballard and Vasco da Gamma claimed the red ribbon in the Four-Year-Old Division while Pour la Vie W settled for second. Imported from Germany, Vasco da Gamma is a Hannoverian stallion by Voltaire and out of a Raphael dam. Pour la Vie W, also a Hannoverian stallion but Canadian-bred, is by Pour Gagne and out of a Rio Grande dam. Both horses are owned by W. Charlot Farms of Stratford, ON.

Yet another W. Charlot Farms-bred horse, Viva’s Lightning, a Hannoverian gelding by Viva Voltaire, took third place under Jean Francois Santerre. Two horses bred and owned by Canterbrooke Farms and ridden by Kevin Maxie took fourth and fifth positions. Simply Ahorn, a Canadian Warmblood gelding by Ahorn, edged his stablemate, Bobby’s Boy, a Canadian Warmblood gelding by Ariadus.


The purpose of the Canadian Young Horse Jumper Development Series is to encourage the development of young show jumping talent and to give Canadian breeders additional incentives to breed superior show jumping prospects. Competing on a level playing field, the horses are divided according to age and jump at a level suited to their development as four, five and six-year-olds. This careful development allows the horses to gain valuable experience and advance to the higher levels of show jumping competition with confidence. The Canadian Young Horse Jumper Development Series also gives prospective buyers for the hunter and jumper markets an opportunity to view a large group of prospects in a competition setting.

The 2005 Canadian Young Horse Jumper Development Series has been extended to include ten events. The next competition will take place on July 9 at Halton Place in Georgetown, ON.

The Ontario Hunter Jumper Association, together with its proud supporters - 4 Star Trailers, TD Waterhouse, Scotia McLeod, Peter Miller, Canadian Warmblood Horse Breeders Association, W. Charlot Farms, Gary Cooper Chev Olds, Henry Equestrian Insurance Brokers Ltd., Dutch Masters Construction Services Ltd., Dr. Al Manning, Brubacher’s Harness Shop, KingRidge Stables, Mr. Charles Ormston, the Hannoverian Breeders Club of Eastern Canada, Mr. Michael Boyd, Mrs. Elaine Gray, and other friends present the 2005 Canadian Young Horse Jumper Development Series.



Horse Owner Rider
1. Distant Star* KingRidge Stables Roberto Teran
2. Rio’s Vicomtesse* Dr. Rebecca Steen Hyde Moffat
3. Possibilities Jamie Richardson Erynn Ballard
4. Winston Wingberry Farms Margie Gayford
5. Denver Hawkestone Farms Hyde Moffat


Horse Owner Rider
1. Pour Patrice W* Charles Ormston Erynn Ballard
2. Trocadero Looking Back Farms Erynn Ballard
3. Encore* KingRidge Stables Roberto Teran
4. Split Decision Lothlorien Stables Chris Pratt
5. Marimbera The Livery International Simon McCarthy


Horse Owner Rider
1. Vasco da Gamma W. Charlot Farms Erynn Ballard
2. Pour la Vie W* W. Charlot Farms Erynn Ballard
3. Viva’s Lightning* W. Charlot Farms Jean Francois Santerre
4. Simply Ahorn* Canterbrooke Farms Kevin Maxie
5. Bobby’s Boy* Canterbrooke Farms Kevin Maxie


NOTE – The star * beside a horse’s name denotes that it is Canadian-bred.