Angela Lawrence of St. Lazare, QC, scored a hometown victory by winning the $25,000 Grand Prix of St. Lazare on May 30 at the 2009 Pépinière and St. Lazare Horse Shows. Photo Credit - Cealy Tetley, www.tetleyphoto.com

May 30, 2009 – St. Lazare, Quebec – Hometown favourite Angela Lawrence of St. Lazare, QC, won the $25,000 Grand Prix of St. Lazare on Saturday, May 30, at the 35th Annual Pépinière and St. Lazare Horse Shows in St. Lazare, QC.

Lawrence battled Olympic Team Silver Medalist Ian Millar for the victory with the hometown favourite emerging victorious. Of the 26 horses entered in the competition, five were clear over the first round track set by course designer David Ballard to advance to the jump-off. There, only Millar and Lawrence were able to repeat their faultless performances. Millar, 62, of Perth, ON, guided the recently acquired Stedet’s Leroy, a 10-year-old Danish Warmblood gelding, to a clear round in a time of 41.37 seconds for owner DK-USA Sporthorses LLC. Next onto the grass grand prix field, Lawrence shaved more than three full seconds off of Millar’s time, stopping the clock in 38.32 seconds riding Utan.

“I think the key to winning was seeing Ian go before me and knowing that I just had to step on it a little more,” explained Lawrence. “Then, all I had to worry about was Yann, and I got lucky when he had a rail.”

The final jump-off challenger, Yann Candele of Caledon, ON, is well-known for his ability to ride at speed and was able to complete the jump-off in a faster time of 36.99 seconds. However, a rail down at the first element of the double combination left Candele in third place riding Legende de B’Neville for owner Ron Nolan. The other two jump-off challengers, Paul Halpern of St. Lazare, QC, riding Rolls Royce for new owner Jaybird Farm, and Chris Surbey of Calgary, AB, riding his own Thorland, placed fourth and fifth respectively.

For Lawrence, the victory came one day after celebrating her 33rd birthday. Lawrence won this event once before, in 2004 riding Tomboy Major, on her birthday.

“It is good luck to have this grand prix on my birthday,” smiled Lawrence, who earned $8,000 in prize money for the win. As a Rider Ambassador for JustWorld International, Lawrence donates a percentage of all her earnings to the humanitarian organization which helps underprivileged children in developing nations.

Lawrence has been riding Utan, an eight-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding owned by the Eastwood Group, for exactly one year.

“He is cocky, and he thinks there is nothing he can’t do,” said Lawrence of her horse’s personality. On May 24, Lawrence and Utan finished second to David Arcand of Mount Royal, QC, riding Ungaro in the $10,000 Henry Equestrian Insurance Brokers Grand Prix.

Immediately following the $25,000 Grand Prix of St. Lazare, the ‘Jump for Hope’ Breast Cancer Survivors Ride and Fourth Annual Black Tie and Blue Jeans Gala was held to benefit the Cedar’s Breast Cancer Clinic. In an emotional display, breast cancer survivors came onto the grand prix field and jumped small obstacles, applauded by the crowd for their courage and bravery. A fundraising dinner, complete with silent and live auctions as well as dancing, was the perfect end to a special day.

For more information on the Pépinière and St. Lazare Horse Shows, please visit www.pepinierehorseshow.com.

Rider Hometown Horse Faults Time
1. Angela Lawrence St. Lazare, QC Utan 0:0 38.32
2. Ian Millar Perth, ON Stedet’s Leroy 0:0 41.37
3. Yann Candele Caledon, ON Legende de B’Neville 0:4 36.99
4. Paul Halpern St. Lazare, QC Rolls Royce 0:8 36.34
5. Chris Surbey Calgary, AB Thorland 0:21 53.47