May 20, 2004 – Cambridge, Ontario – Mill Creek Stables of Cambridge, ON, has announced the sale of Mill Creek Sweet Dream to Italy.

Mill Creek Sweet Dream recently carried Canadian-based rider, Yann Candele of France, to a 16th place finish overall at the 2004 World Cup Final held April 22-25 in Milan, Italy. In total, 41 of the world’s best horse-rider combinations contested the annual indoor event. In the second of three legs of competition, Candele and Mill Creek Sweet Dream finished in second place after a tense jump-off saw their time beaten by three one-hundredths of a second.

The world-class results and international potential of Mill Creek Sweet Dream, who is only nine years old, caught the attention of Antonio Vitali, a well-known rider, trainer and horse dealer, who purchased the mare on behalf of a client. A Belgian Warmblood mare by Ohio Van De Padenborre, a son of the influential French sire Quidam de Revel, Mill Creek Sweet Dream was purchased by Mill Creek Stables as a five-year-old and was partnered with Candele since arriving in Canada. In 2003, the pair made their grand prix debut together.

“It is very rewarding to have attracted the interest of a European buyer,” notes Phil Henning, owner of Mill Creek Stables. “Most people are under the impression that you have to go to Europe to buy a top-quality horse with grand prix potential, but we have proven that the mindset is beginning to change. There are horses with world-class potential being bred and developed right here in Canada. In the case of Mill Creek Sweet Dream, we saw her potential when we purchased her out of Europe and, at only nine years of age, she proved herself with a fantastic performance at the World Cup against the best in the world.

“I also want to recognize the pivotal role that Yann has played in developing this mare to the top level of the sport, as well as the tremendous job that Eric and Yann do with all of the Mill Creek horses that are in their care,” continued Henning.

A native of Normandy, France, Candele has been based in Schomberg, ON, since 1999 when he became a trainer at current Canadian Show Jumping Champion Eric Lamaze’s Torrey Pines Stable. Candele enjoyed a successful season on the 2003 Canadian World Cup League circuit, winning three of the four World Cup Qualifying events he contested including the $60,000 National Bank World Cup Qualifier at CSI-W Bromont, QC, in June riding Mill Creek Sweet Dream.

In addition to Mill Creek Marco Taere, with whom he won two other Canadian League World Cup Qualifiers in 2003, Candele is now showing a new grand prix mount for Mill Creek Stables. Nurejev is a nine-year-old Oldenburg gelding by Night & Day whose grandsire on the dam’s sire is the influential Argentinus. Candele will also be selecting several other young mounts to develop from the large pool of talented prospects at Mill Creek Stables.

While a number of sales horses owned by Mill Creek Stables are currently competing at the grand prix level, Mill Creek Stables also has 19 horses registered in the 2004 Canadian Young Horse Jumper Development Series for four, five and six-year-olds.

Henning was recently recognized for his valuable contribution to Canadian show jumping with the 2003 Jump Canada Owner of the Year Award. In 2003, Mill Creek Rosalinde competed at the Pan American Games in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, under Eric Lamaze and also represented Canada in the $250,000 BMO Financial Group Nations’ Cup at the CSIO Spruce Meadows Masters Tournament in Calgary, AB. Mill Creek Raphael, whom Henning has generously donated to Equine Canada, was named to the 2000 Olympic Team and represented Canada at the 2002 World Equestrian Games in Jerez, Spain, before winning his second Canadian Show Jumping Championship title with Lamaze in 2003.

Located in Cambridge, ON, Mill Creek Stables is one of Canada’s largest sport horse breeding and sales barns, offering prospects in a variety of disciplines to suit all budgets. For more information, please visit www.millcreekstables.com, call tel: 519 740-1121 or e-mail: phenning@millcreekstables.com.