October 5, 2006 – Palgrave, Ontario – The Ontario Champions in each age category were crowned during the final event in the 2006 Canadian Young Horse Development Series, the CSI-W Tournament of Champions held September 20-24 in Palgrave, ON.

The Tournament of Champions was the last of nine events that comprised the Ontario circuit, and the Ontario Champions were determined by counting the best five scores for each horse. In the Seven and Eight-Year-Old division, a tie emerged when the calculations were finalized - both Rhiannon and Distant Star 3E had accumulated 49 points to be crowned Co-Ontario Champions.

Owned by Triple Seal Ltd., Rhiannon was imported from the Netherlands. A seven-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare by Larino out of a Wolfgang mare, Rhiannon enjoyed a successful winter showing in Ocala, FL, before challenging the Young Horse Jumper Development Series. At the second event in the series, held at the Caledon Equestrian Park in Palgrave, ON, Rhiannon took second place. Consistent results throughout the rest of the season ensured Rhiannon the Co-Ontario Championship title.

"Rhiannon was purchased through Paul Hendrix a year ago," explained Underhill. "What I liked about her immediately was her kind heart and willingness to please. She always tries her very best and I am excited about how quickly our partnership has gelled. She has had a terrific year and I am really looking forward to her eight-year-old season."

The Canadian-bred Distant Star 3E has been developed through the Series, and continues to excel at every age level. By winning the final event of the season, the seven-year-old Canadian Sport Horse by Class Action out of Betwixt by Night Twist catapulted to the top of the standings. Owned and bred through embryo transplant by KingRidge Stables of King City, ON, Distant Star 3E is ridden by KingRidge's resident rider, Roberto Teran.


Baron was crowned the Ontario Six-Year-Old Champion. Bred in Europe, Baron is a selle francais gelding by Ulior des Isles and out of a Narcos II dam. Imported in January by owner Mark Hayes, Baron and his rider, Hyde Moffatt, won the first three Young Horse events that they contested this year, placing them at the top of the leader board without even competing in the final event of the season.

The Ontario Six-Year-Old Reserve Champion was another horse owned and bred through embryo transplant by KingRidge Stables. Executive Privilege 3E is a Canadian Sport Horse gelding by the KingRidge stallion, Class Action, out of Galaxy 3E by Aerobic Z. Strong results all season under Roberto Teran were highlighted by a win at the Collingwood Horse Show in August.


The Canadian-bred Unbelievable took home the Ontario Five-Year-Old Championship title. In the most competitive division of this year's Young Horse Series, Unbelievable won three events including at the Caledon Equestrian Park in Palgrave, ON, in May, and the Cornerstone Horse Show in Barrie, ON, at the end of June under Chris Pratt, and the Collingwood Horse Show in August ridden by Hyde Moffatt. Unbelievable is the result of owner Susan Grange's own breeding program based at her Lothlorien Farm in Cheltenham, ON. The Canadian Sport Horse gelding is by the well-known sire, Voltaire, out a dam sired by the thoroughbred, Sit This One Out.

"Unbelievable is a very brave and sensible horse to ride," said Pratt. "There is nothing complex about him. He finds his job very easy and tries his best every day."

Interestingly, seven of the top ten horses in the Five-Year-Old division were Canadian-bred. However, it was the imported entry of Freida, owned by the KMA Group and ridden by two-time Canadian Show Jumping Champion Ainsley Vince of Milton, ON, that was named the Ontario Five-Year-Old Reserve Champion. The pair made their mark by placing second in the Five-Year-Old Division at the Capital Classic Show Jumping Tournament in Ottawa, ON, in July, followed by third place finish at the Collingwood Horse Show. Finishing as the runner-up in the final event of the season at the Tournament of Champions secured the title for Freida, by For Future by For Pleasure and out of a Graf Anhalt dam.


Allegro claimed the Ontario Four-Year-Old Championship for owner Mill Creek Stables of Cambridge, ON. Consistent results all season long, combined with a win at the Fox Run Horse Show in Troy, ON, at the end of August under resident rider Rafael Annunciacao of Brazil, secured the title for Allegro, a German-bred Hannoverian gelding by All in One and out of a Ritual dam.

The Four-Year-Old Division also featured Canadian-bred talent as seven of the top horses in the final rankings were bred in Canada, including Ontario Four-Year-Old Reserve Champion, VDL Viper H. Owned and ridden by Michelle Vandal of Milton, ON, VDL Viper H won the Young Horse class held during the CSI-W Canadian Country Classic at Halton Place at the beginning of September. Bred by Hogendoorn Farms, VDL Viper H is a registered Dutch Warmblood by Corland out of an Ahorn dam that is enjoying his first year of showing.


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. 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 2006 Canadian Young Horse Jumper Development Series included nine events in Ontario, as well as additional events in Quebec, Alberta and British Columbia.

Proud supporters of the Canadian Young Horse Jumper Development Series include Jump Canada, the Ontario Hunter Jumper Association, 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. Alan Manning, Mill Creek Stables, Brubacher’s Harness Shop, KingRidge Stables, Sea Air International, Mr. Charles Ormston, the Hannoverian Breeders Club of Eastern Canada, Mr. Michael Boyd, and Mrs. Elaine Gray.

For more information, please visit the Canadian Young Horse Jumper Development Series website at www.jumperdevelopment.com.

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Horse Owner Rider
Champion Rhiannon Triple Seal Ltd. Beth Underhill
Champion Distant Star 3E* KingRidge Stables Roberto Teran
3. World Cup v/h Lindehof Hawkestone Farms Hyde Moffatt
4. Denver Hawkestone Farms Hyde Moffatt
5. Double Diamond KingRidge Stables Hugh Graham
6. Sun Ashland Stables Yann Candele
7. Kelly du Lautier Kathleen Selke Hyde Moffatt
8. Winston Wingberry Farm Margie Gayford
9. Carrola Z Liz Currie Erynn Ballard
10. Wembley Chadburn Holdings Mark Samuel


Horse Owner Rider
Champion Baron Mark Hayes Hyde Moffatt
Reserve Executive Privilege 3E* KingRidge Stables Roberto Teran
3. Split Decision Susan Grange Chris Pratt
4. Divine Diva* M. Vandal and J. Van Wieren Michelle Vandal
5. Encore 3E* KingRidge Stables Roberto Teran
6. Millesime du Valy Mill Creek Stables Sebastien Kapel
6. Aslan Sher-Al Farms Frankie Chesler Ortiz
8. Concorde's Tiantha Sentinel Farm Beth Underhill
8. Sandhya Mill Creek Stables Raphael Annunciacao
10. Sancho* Mill Creek Stables Sebastien Kapel


Horse Owner Rider
Champion Unbelievable* Susan Grange Chris Pratt
Reserve Frieda KMA Group Ainsley Vince
3. VDL Ugene* Debbie McFadden Debbie McFadden
4. Viva's Lightning W* Augustin Walch Erynn Ballard
5. For Rosas Pleasure* Sher-Al Farm Juan Ortiz
6. Peter Rabbit* Jim and Jennifer Gray Jennifer Gray
7. Bloomington* Elizabeth Gayford Elizabeth Gayford
8. Vasco de Gama Augustin Walch Robert Blanchett
8. Feature Attraction 3E* KingRidge Stables Hugh Graham
10. Valvoline Mill Creek Stables Raphael Annunciacao


Horse Owner Rider
Champion Allegro Mill Creek Stables Raphael Annunciacao
Reserve VDL Viper H* Michelle Vandal Michelle Vandal
3. Or de Vy Mark Hayes Hyde Moffatt
4. Rio's Lancia W* Augustin Walch Robert Blanchett
4. Courvoisier Lianne Selke Hyde Moffatt
6. Fabiana W* Augustin Walch Erynn Ballard
7. Riolanco W* Augustin Walch Robert Blanchett
8. Valentino K* Look Ahead Stables Louise Masek
8. Revel's Bolero* Turtle Creek Farms Danny Forbes
10. Withoutadoubt* Susan Grange Hyde Moffatt


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