Canadians Close Out NA International Eventing Season with Wins at Florida CCI Three Day Event

Lisa Marie Fergusson & Uni Griffon - photo © Anthony Trollope Photo

Canadians Lisa Marie Fergusson, Mike Winter and Rebecca Howard closed out the international eventing season in North America with top place finishes highlighted by fault-free cross country performances at the CCI 2* and CCI 1* Ocala Three Day Event and Horse Trials, held November 14–16, 2008, at the Florida Horse Park in Ocala, FL.

Fergusson of Langley, BC, won the CCI 2*competition, finishing on her dressage score of 44.7, with Uni Griffon, her 10-year-old Canadian bred Welsh Sport Horse gelding. After dressage, Fergusson was standing in fourth place in the field of 17 starters. The pair recorded a clean performance over Mark Phillips cross country course and in the show jumping test to move up to top place standings.

“There was a lot of hard work and a little luck that went into this win,” remarked Fergusson.  Uni was fantastic, and we had a lot of fun! Florida was a wonderful event and everything ran very smoothly. As for 2009, I am just going to take it one day at a time. ”

Canadian Olympic Eventing Team member Mike Winter of Montreal, QC, and currently based in Newnan, GA, riding Jim Walker’s eight-year-old Thoroughbred gelding, Unsteelable, finished in fifth place. Tied for ninth position after dressage, Winter recorded a clean round in cross country and added just one rail, for four faults, in the show jumping test to move up the leader board and finishing with a score of 62.2.

Rebecca Howard of Salmon Arm, BC, and Riddle Master, Caroline Bazley’s seven-year-old Canadian Sport Horse gelding finished in 11th place. Tied for 13th place after dressage on a score of 63.9, the pair recorded the third Canadian clear cross country performance moving them up to ninth place but with two rails and seven time penalties in show jumping the pair finished on a score of 78.9.

In the CCI 1* division, Canadian Olympian Kyle Carter, originally of Calgary, AB, rode Billie Sue Jensen’s eight-year-old Hanoverian mare, Final Watch, to a fourth place on a score of 52.5 out of 33 starters. Sitting in ninth place following dressage, Cater and Final Watch score a perfect clear cross country and show jumping rounds to finish on their dressage score.

Riding four horses in the CCI 1* division was 1996 Canadian Olympian, Kelli McMullen-Temple. With the six-year-old German Warmblood gelding, Axel Rose, owned by the rider and Carl Bouckaert, the pair sat in 11th spot after dressage on a score of 53.2. Temple and Axel Rose moved up to sixth following a fault free cross country performance, and to fourth after receiving just one time fault in show jumping.

With her second horse, Veelion, the six-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding, McMullen-Temple was tied for seventh place on a score of 51.4. Despite a fault-free cross country performance, which moved them up to fourth place, one costly show jumping rail dropped the pair to finish in eighth spot with a score of 59.4.

Riding Wallenda, her own and Christine Stiller’s six-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding, McMullen- Temple also finished in 10th with a score of 57.5. Sitting in fourth after dressage with a score of 47.9 added only 7.6 cross country time penalties and two show jumping time faults their overall score.

Pearl Macgregor of Hunter River, PEI, riding Elizabeth Spangler’s 11-year-old Canadian Thoroughbred gelding, Shadowplay, finished in 11th place with a score of 59.4 which was highlighted by a clear cross country performance.  On her fourth ride of the competition, McMullen- Temple and Valentine, her six-year-old Dutch Warmblood, finished in 24th place with a score of 88.5.

Jessica Schultz, of the United States, won the CCI 1 * division with Lock N’ Load on a score of 46.1.