August 9, 2004 – Palgrave, Ontario – For the second consecutive Sunday, Ainsley Vince of Milton, ON, scored a grand prix victory at the Caledon Equestrian Park in Palgrave, ON, this time winning the $40,000 Summer Festival Grand Prix on Sunday, August 8.

One week after winning the $50,000 Alliance Homes Grand Prix on Sunday, August 1, at the Equestrian Festival in Palgrave, ON, riding the 3E Syndicate’s 12-year-old Dutch Warmblood stallion, Kafka, Vince returned to win the $40,000 Summer Festival Grand Prix with the only double clear round riding Uno.

From the original 18-horse starting field, only Erynn Ballard, 23, of Hornby, ON, and Vince, 28, managed to post clear rounds over the track set by David Ballard to advance to the jump-off. First to challenge, Ballard and Robin Van Roosendael, a 10-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding owned by Looking Back Farm, had one rail down in a time of 36.79 seconds.

With the advantage of going last, Vince’s strategy was to go for a steady clear, a goal she achieved in a time of 35.10 seconds, to claim the winner’s cheque of $12,000.

“I am just thrilled with him, he proved himself wise beyond his years,” noted Vince, who began riding Uno last November when the KMA Group purchased the eight-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding by Lord Z from S&L Farms of Connecticut. “You can really see his progression since the winter circuit in Florida. I am really excited about adding him to my string, he’s younger than Catch 22 and Kafka, and I am very happy to have him.”

With another double clear round, Vince and Uno also placed third in Friday’s $10,000 Caledon Open Welcome, won by Yann Candele of France riding Mill Creek Marco Taere.

In Sunday’s $40,000 Summer Festival Grand Prix, Candele and Dutch placed third with the fastest four fault round after a rail fell at the final fence on course while Greg Juszczyk and Epir were fourth after suffering the same fate. Other four fault rounds came from Mike Grinyer, 51, of Campbellville, ON, and his 13-year-old Holsteiner gelding, Alcatraz, who placed fifth; Hyde Moffat, 25, of Brantford, ON, and Hawkestone Farm’s eight-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding, Ting Tin, who were sixth; and Keean White of Cambridge, ON, who was seventh riding the eight-year-old Oldenburg gelding, Arriscraft Cassius, for owners Randy White and Elinor Ratcliffe.

Vince, a two-time Canadian Show Jumping Champion in 2001 and 2002, has been riding a hot streak all season. On July 3 in Bromont, QC, Vince and Catch 22 won the $75,000 CN Grand Prix and, one week later, Vince and Uno finished runner-ups in the $60,000 Grand Prix Jumping du Quebec World Cup Qualifier in Blainville, QC. Back-to-back wins in the Sunday Grand Prix events at Palgrave only further her confidence heading into the Collingwood Horse Show in Collingwood, ON, where she will compete August 11-15.

For complete results from the Summer Festival in Palgrave, ON, please visit the Equestrian Management Group’s website at www.equiman.com.

$40,000 Summer Festival Grand Prix – Palgrave, ON

Rider, Hometown, Horse, Faults, Time
1. Ainsley Vince, Milton, ON, Uno, 0:0, 35.10
2. Erynn Ballard, Hornby, ON, Robin Van Roosendael, 0:4, 36.79
3. Yann Candele, France, Dutch, 4, 77.16
4. Greg Juszczyk, ON, Epir, 4, 77.94
5. Mike Grinyer, Campbellville, ON, Alcatraz, 4, 78.57
6. Hyde Moffat, Brantford, ON, Ting Tin, 4, 80.37
7. Keean White, Cambridge, ON, Arriscraft Cassius, 4, 83.24
8. Roberto Teran, Colombia, Polyfax, 8, 73.78
9. Elliott Stone, Midland, ON, Freestyle, 8, 74.17
10. Yann Candele, France, Mill Creek Marco Taere, 8, 80.39