November 8, 2005 – Toronto, Ontario – American McLain Ward opened the international division of the Royal Horse Show with a win in the $15,000 International Jumper Welcome on Tuesday, November 8. The Royal Horse Show is part of the 83rd Royal Agricultural Winter Fair running November 4-13, 2005, in Toronto, ON.

The biggest names in show jumping took to the course set by Leopoldo Palacios of Venezuela with eight of the 21 competitors turning in clear rounds. An additional two riders, Nick Skelton and Michael Whitaker, both British Team veterans, jumped clear but incurred time faults to stay out of the top eight.

Riding 16th in the order, Ward of Brewster, NY, entered the ring intent on winning. Aboard Goldika, the cat-like Holsteiner mare owned by Double H Farm, Ward set a blistering fast pace of 47.79 seconds to take over top spot. Following him in the order was Canadian favourite Ian Millar of Perth, ON, who came the closest to catching his time. Riding his Athens Olympic mount, Promise Me, a Dutch Warmblood gelding owned by the Bakers Dozen, Millar stopped the timers at 49.68 seconds which would prove to be good enough for second place.

Three more Canadians followed Millar in the standings. Eric Lamaze of Schomberg, ON, guided Lorrain Z, a 10-year-old Belgian Warmblood mare owned by Ashland Farm, to third place in a time of 50.57 seconds. Kelley Small of Ottawa, ON, placed fourth riding Calibur while her coach, newly crowned Canadian Show Jumping Champion Jill Henselwood of Oxford Mills, ON, rounded out the top five with Special Ed.

Wednesday afternoon at the Royal Horse Show features the Grand Prix test of the Canadian League World Cup Final for Dressage as part of a free performance. The evening’s featured event is the $60,000 CN World Cup Grand Prix , which will determine Canada’s two representatives for the 2006 World Cup Final next April in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Jill Henselwood and Chris Pratt are currently tied for top spot in the standings, so both will be looking for strong performances on Wednesday night. CBC Sports will broadcast the $60,000 CN World Cup Grand Prix on Saturday, November 12 at 4:30 to 6 p.m. (EDT).

Tickets for all Royal Horse Show performances, held as part of the 83rd Royal Agricultural Winter Fair, can be purchased through Ticketmaster at tel: 416 872-7777 or www.ticketmaster.ca. For more information on the Royal Horse Show, including complete schedules, please visit www.royalfair.org.

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Rider Hometown Horse Faults Time
1. McLain Ward United States Goldika 0 47.79
2. Ian Millar Perth, ON Promise Me 0 49.68
3. Eric Lamaze Schomberg, ON Lorrain Z 0 50.57
4. Kelley Small Ottawa, ON Calibur 0 53.85
5. Jill Henselwood Oxford Mills, ON Special Ed 0 54.01
6. Beezie Madden United States De Silvio 0 57.85
7. Geir Gulliksen Norway Cattani 17 0 59.41
8. Cayce Harrison United States Coeur 0 63.61