TORONTO, Canada--Canadian Olympian Erynn Ballard and Colombian Mark Bluman won the first two international jumping classes at the Royal Winter Fair on Wednesday, Nov. 12.
Joyce Dow, holding the Carl J. Dow Memorial Award, together with Tara Dow-Rein (second from right) and Cassidy Rein (far right) present to members of the McKee family ahead of the McKee Family International Challenge (Photo by Jump Media)
Bluman on Phelina de Septon won the $35,250 McKee Family Speed class during the evening session, while Ballard on Let's Fly won the $31,500 Strength and Speed in the afternoon.
Alex Matz, going fourth in the speed class, set a very fast time to beat of 58.94, a time that looked uncatchable, until Bluman went late in the class and incredibly cut three full seconds of Matz' time to finish in 55.40 for the win.
Kaitlin Campbell on Cosm Hesed placed third in 59.40.
"She's great," said Bluman of Phelina de Septon. "I started riding her at the end of May, and we've only finished out of the money once. She's brave and fast. She can win speed classes and also win big jump-off classes."
"I said to Alex that I didn't think I was going that fast." said Bluman. "This is the first year that I've had the privilege of riding in Toronto."
The arena in Toronto is packed day and night, and in the evening the boxes are filled with men in white tie and tails and ladies dressed in beautiful evening gowns.
The Royal Winter Fair includes breed classes, hackney and harness and four-in-hand coaching competitions along with a variety of other classes.
BALLARD opened international show jumping competition by riding Let’s Fly to win the $45,000 International Strength & Speed Welcome, finishing in 26.85
In the “power and speed” over a course set by Olaf Petersen, Jr. of Germany, riders jumped eight fences and, if they left all of them up, immediately advanced to the speed portion of the course.
“What a horse to be able to go in and win in his first pass at The Royal,” said Ballard of Let's Fly.
Ireland’s Conor Swail on Casturano was less than a second off the winning pace, finishing in 27.49 seconds to place second, and. Daniel Bluman of Israel on Rebelline de Kwakenbeek was third in 27.95 seconds.
For Ballard, 45, Toronto’s Royal Horse Show is her home show, and she first competed at The Royal on a small pony in 1988.
“It took me nine years to get my first Royal win, but I’ve had some pretty cool Royal moments,” said Ballard, after a five-year absence from The Royal. “This was a nice homecoming; it fit in nicely in our schedule this year and the World Cup Final is on our radar, so it was a nice one to come home for.”
The $280,000 Longines FEI Jumping World Cup qualifier is Saturday evening, offering points towards qualifying for the Final in For tWorth, Texas.
“I have the right horses right now,” said Ballard of her World Cup bid. “They are an exceptional group to have at the high level, but the biggest draw this year is that the final is North American based. Anytime that there is a championship where you think that you can be competitive, it should be on your radar.”
The Carl J. Dow Memorial Award was presented during opening night of international show jumping competition.
Four generations of the Dow family have competed at the show as well as serving on the Royal Ring Committee and working in production for 15 years.
This year’s recipient of the Carl J. Dow Memorial Award was the McKee family.
