August 4, 2004 – Palgrave, Ontario – Ainsley Vince of Milton, ON, earned her second major victory of the 2004 Canadian show jumping season with a win in the $50,000 Alliance Homes Grand Prix on Sunday, August 1, at the Equestrian Festival in Palgrave, ON.

Having won the $75,000 CN Grand Prix on July 3 in Bromont, QC, riding Catch 22, Vince enjoyed a second grand prix win in Palgrave, ON, with Kafka. The victory marked the first major grand prix win for the 3E Syndicate’s 12-year-old Dutch Warmblood stallion by Concorde.

“It was Kafka’s week,” noted Vince, a two-time Canadian Show Jumping Champion who also rode Kafka to victory in Friday’s $10,000 Cameron Brewing Open Welcome. “He was feeling feisty, but he was very attentive at the fences and jumped great. He has his own way of doing things and his own style, but when he is on, he’s on.”

From a large starting field of 28 entries, 11 managed a clear round over the test set by course designer Michel Vaillancourt of Schomberg, ON. The second last challenger on course, Vince put in a clear round in a time of 39.37 seconds to overtake the lead from Jill Henselwood of Oxford Mills, ON, who had posted a time of 40.15 seconds riding Callisto, an 11-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare owned by Juniper Farms Ltd.

“There was a really tight inside turn to the last line in the jump-off, but I figured I might as well take a shot,” noted Vince, who collected $14,000 for the win just two days shy of her 28th birthday. “I really wasn’t sure if he could make the inside turn. I also didn’t expect to be so fast, he spends a lot of time in the air over the jumps and is usually a little bit slower. He’s got a lot of ribbons in his career, but he’s never won before!”

Placing third was Henselwood’s student, Kelley Small of Kanata, ON. Riding Calibur, a 10-year-old grey Holsteiner gelding, Small was the first rider back for the jump-off where she again went clear in a time of 41.72 seconds. Just 20 years of age, Small will soon represent Ontario at the North American Young Riders’ Championship held August 10-15 in Wadsworth, IL.

Erynn Ballard of Hornby, ON, posted the only other double clear round to take fourth place with a time of 43.27 seconds riding Rio’s Rhapsody, a grey Hannoverian mare by Rio Grande. Earlier this year, Ballard, 23, and Rio’s Rhapsody, owned by Sterling Honda, tied for first place in the $10,000 Modified Grand Prix held June 21 in Palgrave, ON.

Vince also had the fastest jump-off time, 38.78 seconds, riding the 14-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding, Catch 22, but a rail down at the fifth fence put her into fifth place overall with her veteran partner.

Show jumping action continues at Palgrave, ON, with the Summer Festival held August 4-8 which features the $10,000 Coca Cola Modified Grand Prix on Saturday, August 7, and the $40,000 Summer Festival Grand Prix on Sunday, August 8. For more information and complete results, please visit www.equiman.com.