By Rebecca Walton (Phelps Media Group)
JULY 15, 2010 – Blainville, QC – Once again the weather was spectacular as the Classique Internationale De Blainville (Jumping Blainville) continued at the Blainville Equestrian Park. The second day of competition in the Grand Prix Ring featured the 1.35m Open Jumper class and the Junior Amateur 1.30m Speed Class. Earning the top award in the 1.35m Open Jumper was Keean White and Concas. The pair raced the clock and tripped the timers to top the class. The Junior Amateur 1.30m Speed class was dominated by Lilis with Liam Dumon-Walker in the irons. The pair stopped the clock at 66.047 seconds to garner the win.
Today’s 1.35m Open Jumper class featured a course designed by Linda Allen. The first round included a triple bar double combination and an oxer-vertical-vertical triple combination. For the jump-off riders began with a bending line and then made a sharp right turn to a second bending line. Then they had to make a sharp right turn to the triple bar combination before galloping across the ring to a single vertical. The riders finished with a right turn to a single oxer going towards the gate.
Margie Gayford was the first rider to successfully tackle the first round course and advance to the jump-off with Winston, owned by Wingberry Farm. The pair was able to leave all the fences standing as they found their way over the track in a time of 44.216 seconds. Their clear effort set the pace and would eventually hold up for the second place prize. Kelley Robinson also had a successful short course with Cimarron Farms’ Caberlay, but their time of 44.299 seconds would fall just short of Gayford’s pace and earn them the third place ribbon.
Keean White and Concas, owned by Elm Rock, LLC, went late in the class and the opportunity to watch the other horses and riders compete proved fruitful. The new pair entered the ring with confidence and were able to leave all the rails in their cups, qualifying for the jump-off. They picked up a quick pace for the short course and soared over each fence easily. The duo galloped through the timers in 43.269 seconds with a double clear effort to take over the lead and win the day’s top prize.
“This is the first class that I have shown Concas in because we only got him three weeks ago,” noted White. “My plan for the jump-off was just to be efficient and stay on the gallop. He’s such a fast horse on his own and he’s quick in the air; today was a great day.”
Concas was purchased as new horse for Leah DeMartini, who will take over the reins in a few weeks. “I’m just feeling him out at this horse show and I may show him in Saturday’s Speed Derby or Sunday’s World Cup Qualifier,” said White. “He is a simple horse and all you need to do is find a good gallop and sit still.”
White traveled all the way from Spruce Meadows to compete at this year’s Jumping Blainville competition. “Blainville is a great show and we have been coming here for years,” he explained. “I always try to get here because the organizers are great and they work hard to put together a great event.”
Excerpt from: http://www.horsejournals.com/news/KeeanWhiteOpenJumperClassiqueInternationalDeBlainville9457560444
