Amy Millar & Hero. ph: Ben Radvanyi Photography.
Amy Millar of Perth, ON, claimed her first Canadian Show Jumping Championship title on Saturday, November 4, 2017, at the 95th Royal Agricultural Winter Fair in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
“There are very few things that I get as excited about as The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair,” said Millar, 40. “It has been such a big part of my life for so long that I have wanted this for probably the whole time I have been alive! It is so important to me and to Canada; the stands are filled with Canadians who love the sport, and it has always been so prestigious to win.”
Sitting in third position following Friday’s opener, Millar returned for a two-round final aboard the ten-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding Heros (Canadian River x Clinton I). The dou jumped fault-free over the tracks set by Brazil’s Guilherme Jorge to move to the top of the leaderboard, securing Miller her first National Championship title.
“I just had to keep telling myself to ride well, jump clean, and stay focused. Every time winning entered my mind, I pushed it away and thought, ‘just concentrate on what you know; ride well and jump clean rounds’. And obviously it worked!”
Francois Lamontagne, 33, of St. Eustache, QC, jumped up from fifth in Friday’s standings to a 2nd place finish behind Millar with a total score of 3.73. Lamontagne rode the nine-year-old mare Chanel du Calvaire (Luccianno x Kashmir van Schuttershof”.
Based on their performances in the Canadian Show Jumping Championship, Millar and Lamontagne will move forward to the Royal Horse Show’s international division, beginning Tuesday, November 7. They join fellow Canadian athletes Tiffany Foster, Keean White, Vanessa Mannix, Erynn Ballard, Ali Ramsay, and Ian Millar, who were all pre-qualified based on their world ranking.
“I’ve done this class many times and, by far, this was the biggest and most difficult Canadian Championships that has ever been built,” said Millar of Jorge’s track. “I think that is a reflection of how strong our Canadian riders are. It’s the first time that our starting field has been this strong, and that’s pretty exciting for Canadian show jumping.”
Ramsay, 25, of Victoria, BC, piloted Hermelien VD Hooghoeve into 3rd with a final score of 4.24.
The $150,000 Longines FEI World Cup Jumping Toronto on Wednesday, November 8, highlights international show jumping competition at the Royal Horse Show, and is a qualifying event for the 2018 Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping Final in Paris, France, next April. Joining the Canada’s top contenders will be a star-studded lineup of international riders, including the current number one and two ranked riders in the world, Kent Farrington (USA) and McLain Ward (USA).
Royal Horse Show VIP subscriptions, group, and individual tickets are now on sale and are expected to sell-out on multiple nights during the Royal Horse Show. To purchase tickets, click here.
For more information on the Royal Horse Show, the marquee event of The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair, please visit www.royalfair.org/horseshow. F
Funding support for The Royal has been provided by the City of Toronto and the Government of Ontario.
The full results can be viewed here.