October 16, 2007 – Langley, British Columbia – The Western Canadian Finals of the 2007 Canadian Young Horse Jumper Development Series were held during the Thunderbird Summer Festival in Langley, BC.

Hometown favourite and Canadian Olympian Laura Balisky claimed the championship title in the Seven and Eight-Year-Old Division riding Simba. Owned by Thunderbird Show Stables, Simba is a seven-year-old imported chestnut Belgian Warmblood gelding.

Taking home the reserve championship title for owner Blenheim Stables was Condor, ridden by Georgann Gregory. Born in Germany, Condor is a seven-year-old dark bay Westphalian gelding by Cordino.

In the Six-Year-Old Division of the Western Canadian Finals, it was Irish legend Eddie Macken who rode Macuco to the championship title. Now based on Canada's west coast, Macken is both the owner and rider of Macuco, a black Argentinean-bred gelding. Last year, the first time the Western Canadian Finals were staged, Macken and Macuco claimed the Reserve Five-Year-Old Championship title.

VDL Uniek was named the Reserve Six-Year-Old Champion for owner Tom Dusevic. Ridden by Christie Dusevic of Burnaby, BC, VDL Uniek is an imported dark bay Dutch Warmblood gelding carrying impressive Dutch bloodlines. His sire is the well-known breeding stallion, Indorado, while his dam, Daydyne, is by Nimmerdor.

The Five-Year-Old Division of the Western Canadian Finals attracted the greatest number of entries, but it was Plain Sailing who claimed the Championship title for owner Caledonia Sables of Alberta. Ridden by Allen Kruger, Plain Sailing is a bay Irish Sport Horse mare. Bred in Ireland, her sire is Cruise On by the international show jumping stallion, Cruising, while her dam, Sally Garden, is by Monsieur.

The Reserve Championship went to Lizzybon, owned by Thunderbird Show Park of Langley, BC, and ridden by Laura Jane Balisky. The bay mare was bred in Canada and is by Ikoon.

Third place went to well-respected Canadian horsewoman and Canadian Olympian in the sport of eventing, Elizabeth Ashton of Victoria, BC. Ashton was riding her own Vibrance, an imported chestnut Dutch Warmblood by Burggraaf out of a Calvados mare.

Yet another horse sired by Burggraaf finished in fourth position. Imported in December of 2006, Pepita is a German-bred mare by Burggraaf out of a Granulit dam. Owned by Elizabeth Wilson of Victoria, BC, Pepita was ridden in the Western Canadian Finals by Jennifer Toole.

Rounding out the top five was the Canadian-bred entry of On The Rocks, owned and ridden by Shannon VanBiert of Abbottsford, BC. A registered Canadian Warmblood gelding, On The Rocks is by Oberon BC by Idocus, and out of Margarita BC by Variant.

The Four-Year-Old Championship title went to Watch Out H.H. Owned by Mark Dakus and shown by short listed Canadian Team member Tamie Phillips of Strathmore, AB, Watch Out H.H. is a chestnut Dutch Warmblood stallion with impressive breeding. His sire is Balou du Rouet Z by Rodrigo Pessoa's Olympic Championship mount, Baloubet du Rouet, while his dam is Retina H.H. by Indoctro. Watch Out H.H. was imported to Canada in the spring of 2006.

The purpose of the Canadian Young Horse Jumper Development Series is to encourage the development of young show jumping talent and to give Canadian breeders additional incentives to breed superior show jumping prospects. Competing on a level playing field, the horses are divided according to age and jump at a level suited to their development. This careful development allows the horses to gain valuable experience and advance to the higher levels of show jumping competition with confidence. The Canadian Young Horse Jumper Development Series also gives prospective buyers for the hunter and jumper markets an opportunity to view a large group of prospects in a competition setting.

The 2007 Canadian Young Horse Jumper Development Series included events across the country with the Western Canadian Finals held August 22-27 at Thunderbird Show Park in Langley, BC, and the Eastern Canadian Finals held September 19-23 at the Tournament of Champions in Palgrave, ON.

Proud supporters of the Canadian Young Horse Jumper Development Series include Jump Canada, the Ontario Hunter Jumper Association, Mr. Michael Boyd, Brubacher’s Harness Shop, Canadian Warmblood Horse Breeders Association, Gary Cooper, Dutch Masters Construction Services Ltd., 4 Star Trailers, the Hannoverian Breeders Club of Eastern Canada, Henry Equestrian Insurance Brokers Ltd., Horse Sport magazine, KingRidge Stables, Dr. Alan Manning, Mill Creek Stables, Peter Miller, Mr. Charles Ormston, Scotia McLeod, Seegmiller Group, TD Waterhouse and W. Charlot Farms.

For more information, please visit the Canadian Young Horse Jumper Development Series website at www.jumperdevelopment.com.


Horse Owner Rider
Champion Simba Thunderbird Show Stables Laura Balisky
Reserve Condor Blenheim Stables Georgann Gregory
3. Quipa LS Lead Partners Lindsay Hitchner
4. Gypsy Queen Kristen Postill Kristen Postill
5. Talula Thunderbird Show Stables Laura Balisky

Horse Owner Rider
Champion Macuco Eddie Macken Eddie Macken
Reserve VDL Uniek Tom Dusevic Christie Dusevic
3. Maxxium Yvonne Longauer Brian Morton
4. Afonya Paige Thiessen Rodney Tulloch

Horse Owner Rider
Champion Plain Sailing Caledonia Stables Allen Kruger
Reserve Lizzybon* Thunderbird Show Park Ltd. Laura Jane Tidball
3. Vibrance Elizabeth Ashton Elizabeth Ashton
4. Pepita Elizabeth Wilson Jennifer Toole
5. On The Rocks* Shannon VanBiert Shannon VanBiert
6. Modena Ashley Jones Travis Root
7. Cairo Alison Latham Andrea Strain
8. Panache Laura Penikett Laura Penikett

Horse Owner Rider
Champion Watch Out H.H. Mark Dakus Tamie Phillips