March 5, 2005 – Wellington, Florida – Canada’s Ainsley Vince enjoyed a second place finish in the $25,000 Ariat Challenge Cup on Thursday, March 3, at the Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, FL.

The competition was held in the evening, under the lights, in order to allow horses and riders to prepare for next week’s Samsung Nations’ Cup, which will see 10 countries competing. Vince, who helped Canada earn victory in 2004, will once again be a part of the four-member squad that will defend the championship title on Friday, March 11.

In the $25,000 Ariat Challenge Cup, Vince joined 10 other riders in advancing to the jump-off from the original starting field of 60 competitors. Despite rainy conditions, Vince and her veteran partner, Catch 22, were again fault-free in the jump-off, clocking in at 40.19 seconds to overtake the lead. The final challenger however, Kent Farrington, was able to better Vince’s time, leaving the two-time Canadian Show Jumping Champion in second place.

“It was raining so hard I could barely see!” said Vince, 28, who hails from Milton, ON, just outside of Toronto. “I really didn’t plan to go so fast, I thought I would end up fourth or fifth, but Catch 22 felt super. He has days when he is ‘on’ and that is all there is to it, and it was one of those days.”

In addition to Catch 22, a 15-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding that Vince purchased over a decade ago, she also enjoyed success the same day with Uno, a 10-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding owned by the KMA Group. The pair, who have been partnered together for a little over one year, earned an eighth place ribbon after having four faults in the jump-off in the $7,500 1.45m competition that saw 71 entries vying for victory.

Vince and her two younger sisters, Courtney, 25, and Sydney, 22, are based in Wellington, FL, for the winter in order to compete on the Winter Equestrian Festival circuit. One of Canada’s most successful horse-rider combinations, Vince and Catch 22 have represented Canada at the 2000, 2003 and 2004 World Cup Finals and also won back-to-back Canadian Show Jumping Championship titles in 2001 and 2002.