July 10, 2005 – Blainville, Quebec – Karen Cudmore of Victoria, BC, claimed victory in the $65,000 Grand Prix Jumping du Quebec World Cup Qualifier held Sunday at the CSI-W Blainville Jumping International in Blainville, Quebec.

A total of 27 challengers took to the grand prix field but only seven were able to master the track set by course designer Conrad Homfeld to advance to the jump-off. First to challenge, Cudmore never took back on the reins, galloping around the course and leaving strides out as her 12-year-old Holsteiner stallion gave every effort, leaving all the jumps in their place and stopping the clock at 35.50 seconds. None of the six riders who followed were able to catch her time, giving Cudmore her second win in the Blainville World Cup Qualifier, having also claimed victory in 2002.

“If you win at a place once, you know you can do it again!” said Cudmore, 46. “In the jump-off, I just let it rip and figured if anyone else could go faster, let them have at it!”

Coming closest was the final challenger on course, Keean White of Cambridge, ON. The 22-year-old athlete gave it his best effort with Arriscraft Rocca, his selle francais gelding. The crowd was cheering as he approached the last fence, but his time of 36.32 seconds left him just short of Cudmore’s time, putting him in second place.

“I am focusing on the World Cup Qualifiers this year,” noted White, who will earn 18 World Cup Qualifying points for his performance at Blainville. “My horse is 11 years old this year, and I feel he has enough mileage to go to the 2006 World Cup Final. I gave him four weeks off before we came to Blainville to ensure that I had a fresh horse, and he certainly felt really good.”

Montreal-born Eric Lamaze flew into Blainville late Saturday night after competing at Spruce Meadows in Calgary, AB. The three-time World Championship competitor had two chances to claim victory but ended up taking third and fourth places in the final standings. With Tempete v/h Lindehof, a nine-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding, Lamaze stopped the timers at 37.07 seconds while his second entry, the 10-year-old Belgian Warmblood mare, Lorrain Z, clocked in at 37.14 seconds. Both horses are owned by Ashland Stables Inc.

In fifth position was Chris Pratt of Belfountain, ON, riding Susan Grange’s eight-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare, Mustique, while Margie Gayford of Sharon, ON, placed sixth with Wingberry Farms’ Stuntman. The only rider to have a rai down in the jump-off, Elliott Stone of Midland, ON, placed seventh riding his mare, Freestyle.

Ten riders incurred four faults to miss going forward to the jump-off, including last year’s champion, Eric Flameng of Belgium riding Roxanne.

One of eight World Cup Qualifying events on the 2005 Canadian calendar, the $65,000 Grand Prix Jumping du Quebec World Cup Qualifier helps determine which two athletes will represent Canada at the 2006 World Cup Final next April in Malaysia.

Over $160,000 in prize money was offered over five days of competition at the 17th annual CSI-W Blainville Jumping International. For more information, please visit www.classiqueblainville.com or contact Blainville International at tel: (450) 434-8202, e-mail: classiqueblainville@videotron.ca.

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Rider Hometown Horse Faults Time
1. Karen Cudmore Victoria, BC Conejo 0:0 35.50
2. Keean White Cambridge, ON Arriscraft Rocca 0:0 36.32
3. Eric Lamaze Schomberg, ON Tempete v/h Lindehof 0:0 37.07
4. Eric Lamaze Schomberg, ON Lorrain Z 0:0 37.14
5. Chris Pratt Belfountain, ON Mustique 0:0 38.37
6. Margie Gayford Sharon, ON Stuntman 0:0 41.76
7. Elliott Stone Midland, ON Freestyle 0:4 39.04