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Heavy Rainfall - the Added Obstacle for Canadians at the CCI** Radnor International Three-Day Event

November 9, 2005

Ottawa, Ontario --- At the Radnor Hunt International CCI** Three Day Event held in Malvern, PA from October 5 - 9, 2005, severe weather on the eastern seaboard became an added obstacle in this traditionally challenging competition. Due to the rain, the standard format of the competition was modified for the CCI** division and the show jumping was moved ahead of the cross country while the cross country portion of Preliminary Horse Trials divisions was cancelled all together – leaving this part of the competition a Combined Test.

In the CCI** division, several participants did not continue past Friday’s dressage test. Saturday’s show jumping was held in the dressage ring where the footing held up well. By the time Sunday’s cross county came around, the footing was good enough for the show to go on.

This was good news for 21 year-old Canadian Brittany Brooks who currently resides in Brighton, MI and debuting in her first international two-star level three day event. With a solid cross country performance aboard Trademark , an 11 year-year-old 17hh Belgian Warmblood / Thoroughbred cross co-owned by Brooks and her mother, as well as incurring only 8.4 jumping penalties, she completed the event in fifteenth place overall. Prior to cross country, Brooks was sitting in 40th position out of the starting field of 54 competitors with a two day score of 80.10 penalties.

“My horse is not afraid of anything. This is the first horse that I have ridden which makes me feel that he his abilities are limitless.” Brooks went on to explain how Trademark is “always funny at shows. He lies down for a sleep for hours at a time, even while we put studs on,” said Brooks.

The division was won by American Sinead Halpin riding Tommy II. Many competitors including several Canadians chose to withdraw from the competition before cross country due to the conditions.

Canadian, Kendal Lehari of Uxbridge, ON won the Preliminary Horse Trials Division B, which was revised as a Combined Test. For 18 year-old Lehari, this is a great feat as she has only been riding her show partner, Understudy, since April. Sitting in third place in a field of 26 competitors with only 26 penalty points aboard Understudy, an 8 year-old Thoroughbred gelding owned by the young rider’s mother, Lehari went on to have what she described as one of her better show jumping rounds to date.

“Understudy is very well-balanced and always a pleasure to ride. We have been working quite a bit on our dressage, but I have to admit that dressage is something that comes quite naturally to him,” commented the full-time Biology student who studies at The University of Guelph.

Also competing in this division was fellow Canadian, Martha Griggs of Kettleby, ON, who finished a commendable fifth place aboard Sir Judd, a 16.3 hh Canadian bred Dutch Warmblood/Thoroughbred cross by Eastern Ruler (Ramiro Z)owned by Wendy Judd. All of the final top five finished on their dressage scores.

About Eventing

The Olympic sport of Eventing encompasses three separate tests: dressage, cross-country, and jumping held consecutively. Each test ridden by the rider/horse combination is scored individually but added together for the final results. The rider/horse combination with the fewest number of penalty points over the three days wins the competition.

About Canadian Eventing

Canadian Eventing is a committee of Equine Canada responsible for the sport of Eventing in Canada from the grassroots to the international level. The Canadian Eventing Committee is comprised of 12 members, including two rider representatives elected by the Elite Riders Association. Directed by the Strategic Plan for Eventing, all Eventing activities are administered by this committee via six sub-committees with the support of an Eventing Manager based at the Equine Canada office in Ottawa. For more information about Canadian Eventing, visit www.canadianeventingteam.com

CCI** Three Day Event division Results
1st  Sinead Helpin (USA), Tommy II – 49.7 
2nd  Maley Coombs (USA), Land Hope – 61.0
3rd  Kurt Martin (USA), Woodwork – 62.5
15th  Brittany Brooks (CAN ),  Trademark – 88.5

Preliminary (Combined Test) division Results
1st  Kendal Lehari (CAN), Understudy - 26 (Finished on Dressage Score)
5th  Martha Griggs (USA), Sir Judd – 38.5 (Finished on Dressage Score)

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