Wennous, ridden by Erynn Ballard for owner Looking Good Group, won the Seven and Eight-Year-Old Division of the Jump Canada Young Horse Series at the Autumn Classic held September15 to 18 in Palgrave, ON. Photo By ShootPhoto.ca
Roberto Teran piloted Los Pehuenes Tornado to victory in the Six-Year-Old Division for owner Bob Suriwka during the Autumn Classic in Palgrave, ON. Photo By ShootPhoto.ca

September 24, 2011 – Palgrave, ON – Erynn Ballard of Tottenham, ON, dominated the sixth and final event in the central region of the Jump Canada Young Horse Series, held September 15 to 18 at the Autumn Classic in Palgrave, ON.
 
Ballard topped the Seven and Eight-Year-Old Division aboard Wennous, an eight-year-old bay Dutch Warmblood mare owned by the Looking Good Group.
 
“She’s new this year,” said Ballard.  “We imported her from Holland in January and have started her slowly.  Our expectations weren’t huge for her this year, and she has really gone above and beyond them.  She is a really promising mare and has everything you want in a horse.  She’s modern, is a beautiful type, has a good brain, and seems really keen to do her job.”
 
The pair put in two clear rounds and had the fastest time in the jump-off, stopping the clock in 36.89 seconds.
 
“I was thrilled with her performance in the young horse classes,” Ballard said.  “This show was a little different for us because we shipped in for the day.  Normally we stable and the horses have a few days to get used to the venue before the competition, but she’s been to Palgrave before and seemed really happy to be in the big ring there.  She did everything right to win.”
 
By Orame and out of a Peter Pan mare, Wennous was bred in the Netherlands by GM Van der Meisbergen.  Ballard purchased her to be a future grand prix mount, but plans to take her time and get to know her new horse.
 
“I tried her and had a good relationship with her,” explained Ballard.  “She jumped unbelievably when we tried her.  We’ve taken this year to get to know her and train her.  When you get a new horse you have to make it your own, develop a relationship with them and take it from there.”
 
The Canadian-bred entry Troy finished second under Johan Letimonier for owner Heidi Harris of Orangeville, ON.  They also put in two faultless performances, with their time of 38.34 seconds being fast enough for second place.  Bred by Letimonier’s in-laws, Jay and Shawn Hayes, the eight-year-old bay Canadian Warmblood gelding is by Indoctro and out of a Flipper mare.
 
Robert Donaldson and Ruby Tuesday, another Canadian-bred horse, left all the rails in place and stopped the jump-off clock in 42.09 seconds to finish third.  The seven-year-old bay Oldenburg mare is owned and bred by Mill Creek Stables Inc. in Cambridge, ON.  She is by Royal Bravour and out of a Cambridge mare.
 
Roberto Teran of Colombia was victorious in the Six-Year-Old Division aboard Los Pehuenes Tornado, putting in one of only two double clear performances.  Their jump-off time of 37.67 seconds was the fastest of the day.  The bay Belgian Warmblood gelding is owned by Bob Suriwka of King City, ON, and was bred in Argentina.  He is by Twister B and out of a James mare.
 
Beth Underhill of Schomberg, ON, placed second with her horse Bastogne after a clear jump-off performance in a time of 43.66 seconds.  The bay Zangersheide gelding was bred in the Netherlands and is by Babouche van het Gehucht Z and out of a Challano Z mare.
 
Morrison, ridden by Hyde Moffatt of Brantford, ON, secured third spot with the fastest of the four-fault rounds in the jump-off.  They crossed the timers in 39.63 seconds but had a rail down at the first fence on course.  Owned by Burmonds and Wetmore, the bay Irish Sport Horse gelding is by Desert Knight and out of a Cavalier Royale mare.  He was bred in Ireland by Michael Brennan.
 
Ballard emerged victorious again in the Five-Year-Old Division.  She took the win with Wilma, putting in two clear rounds in a time of 45.28 seconds.  Bred in the United States, Wilma is by Landstreicher and out of a Contender mare.
 
“This was her very first win,” explained Ballard of the bay Holsteiner mare owned by Ilan Ferder of Thousand Oaks, CA.  “She started off the season a little green because she hadn’t done anything as a four-year-old.  Her steering isn’t quite as far along as the other five-year-olds, but she was quite good in the young horse class.  Our hope is that she’ll catch up with the others as a six-year-old, and this win really showed us that her mind is in the right place and that she’s ready.”
 
Ballard added that it’s hard to tell what level Wilma will reach in the future “because she is so green still.  Her instincts are to be very careful, which is positive.  Once she’s a little older, it will be easier to predict her future.  When you have a five-year-old, it’s a bit more of waiting game than with an eight-year-old.”
 
Hugh Graham of Loretto, ON, captured second aboard King’s Ransom 3E with a clear round and time of 45.35 seconds.  The Canadian Sport Horse gelding is owned and bred by KingRidge Stables in King City, ON.  He is by Polyfax and out of a Chin Chin mare.
 
Beam P, ridden by Natasha Smith-Avery for owner Susan Perreault-Park, finished third with the only other clear jump-off performance, stopping the clock in 47.02 seconds.  The bay Dutch Warmblood gelding was bred by Prima Equestrian in Mount Albert, ON.  By Indoctro, Beam P is out of an Emilion mare.
 
Stephanie Dubois-Emond of Gurnee, IL, took first and second in the Four-Year-Old Division.  She won with a clear round aboard EWSZ’s Justine, a bay Rheinland Pfalz-Saar mare owned and bred by European Warmblood Stallion Zentrum Inc. of Arva, ON.  EWSZ’s Justine is by Daimler D’Adrier and out of a Salut mare.
 
She also finished second aboard another one of European Warmblood Stallion Zentrum Inc.’s homebred horses, EWSZ’s Cabamba.  The bay Rheinland Pfalz-Saar is by Corrido de Chatillon and out of a Le Comte II mare.
 
Capturing third was Carly Campbell-Cooper of Elora, ON, riding Chikita.  The bay Dutch Warmblood mare, owned by Double C Stables in Harriston, ON, had a rail down at the first fence on course to finish with four faults.  The pair has enjoyed great success in the Young Horse Series this season, having won three out of the six central qualifiers.  Chikita is by Veron and out of a Nimmerdor mare.
 
The purpose of the Jump Canada Young Horse 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 Jump Canada Young Horse 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 2011 Jump Canada Young Horse Series is truly national in scope with competitions being held from coast to coast. The National Young Horse Finals will take place at the Canadian Show Jumping Tournament from September 21 to 25 in Palgrave, ON.

For more information on the Jump Canada Young Horse Series, please visit http://equinecanada.ca/jumpcanada/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=88&Itemid= 3&lang=en