Angela Covert-Lawrence Pulls One-Two Punch in Pepiniere Grand Prix

June 2, 2004 – St. Lazare, Quebec – Homecrowd favourite Angela Covert-Lawrence claimed the top two spots in the $10,000 Metro International and Thermo King Grand Prix held Sunday, May 30, to conclude two weeks of competition at the St. Lazare Spring Horse Show held at Pepiniere Stables in St. Lazare, QC.

A field of 22 attempted the test set by course designer Hector Loyola of Puerto Rico but only three managed to come home clean. The first rider on course, John Kersley of Martintown, ON, proved a faultless round was possible, showing the way with Moritze, his nine-year-old Holsteiner gelding.

Covert followed into the ring with the first of three mounts, Heve de Mazure, Louise Sabbah’s nine-year-old selle francais mare that she claimed victory with one day earlier in the $5,000 Molson Speed Derby. The pair accumulated eight jumping and one time fault but, as the saying goes, practice makes perfect. With her next two rides, Hamsa Grannius and Tomboy Major, Covert joined Kersley in a three-horse jump-off.

First back in the jump-off, Kersley knocked down two rails in a time of 48.94 seconds to take the pressure off of Covert. With her first jump-off ride, Covert guided Hamsa Grannius to a clear round but exceeded the generous 55-second time allowed to incur one time fault. With her final ride, Tomboy Major, Covert picked up the pace, this time stopping the clock at 51.85 seconds to claim victory.

“I warmed up early so I could watch John, but when he had eight faults, we changed our plan and didn’t do the inside turn,” explained Covert who operates Eastwood Equine Inc. in partnership with her husband, Mike Lawrence, one of Canada’s top equine dentists. “With the stallion, Hamsa Grannius, I knew he could jump clean because he is very careful, but he has never jumped at this height before. For Tomboy Major, he has been so good here over the technical courses, and it was a bit easier for him.”

Covert has been partnered with Marc Sabbah’s Tomboy Major, an eight-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding by Major de la Cour, since last fall while Hamsa Grannius is a new ride. Despite being 13 years of age, the chestnut Oldenburg by Grannus enjoyed a long breeding career in the Netherlands where he sired over 100 foals before being sold to Mexico as a dressage prospect. Frank J. Motter Construction purchased Hamsa Grannius in January.

Placing fourth in the $10,000 Grand Prix was Doug Henry of Aurora, ON, who also put in a clear show jumping performance riding Burgunder but in a slow time of 94.15 to exceed the 88-second time allowed and pick up two time faults.

With the fastest four-fault round, Nicolas Bayzelon, 24, of St. Bruno, QC, placed fifth riding Give Me A Turn Babe, a 17-year-old thoroughbred gelding that Bayzelon purchased as a three-year-old. With a time of 78.68 seconds, Bayzelon was the fastest of all the competitors, but his downfall came at 12b, the second element of the triple combination that was set on the final line of the course.

The win was especially sweet for Covert as she and Lawrence purchased the legendary Pepiniere Stables, one of Canada’s premiere equestrian training and show facilities, last December following the passing of long-time owner and renowned horsewoman, Gladys Adam.

Covert, who celebrated her 28th birthday with a win in the $5,000 Molson Speed Derby on May 29, is a native of Dartmouth, NS. The Canadian Equestrian Federation’s 1994 Junior Equestrian of the Year, Covert worked as a trainer at the world-renowned Spruce Meadows show jumping facility in Calgary, AB, for two years before moving back to eastern Canada where she formed Eastwood Equine Inc. in partnership with Lawrence in 2000.

Aided by her stellar season in the 2003 Jump Canada National Talent Squad Series and a strong showing during the Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, FL, Covert was selected as a Rider Representative for JustWorld International, a not-for-profit, humanitarian organization whose mission is to prepare and empower students to become visionary leaders and work for social justice. She joins Candice King and Ray Texel of the United States, Eric Navet of France, Kevin Babington of Ireland and several other top riders in representing the organization will donate a portion of the prize money won in the $10,000 Metro International and Thermo King Grand Prix to JustWorld International.

Rider, Hometown, Horse, Faults, Time
1. Angela Covert, St. Lazare, QC, Tomboy Major, 0:0, 51.85
2. Angela Covert, St. Lazare, QC, Hamsa Grannius, 0:1, 56.12
3. John Kersley, Martintown, ON, Moritze, 0:8, 48.94
4. Doug Henry, Aurora, ON, Burgunder, 2, 94.15
5. Nicolas Bayzelon, St. Bruno, QC, Give Me A Turn Babe, 4, 78.48
6. Summer Bruington, Texas, Mercedes, 4, 79.21
7. Alexander Rohling, Cumberland, ON, Atlantis, 4, 81.29
8. Vanessa Paschini, Boisbriand, QC, Darco’s Voyage, 4, 86.48
9. Amanda Hunter-Hay, Nepean, ON, Nero, 4, 86.61
10. Felix-Antoine Moulin, Cap-Rouge, QC, Rapsody, 6, 92.36