The Spruce Meadows “Skyliner”

Prix des Nations

June 24, 2007

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Calgary, AB --- Friday - The Spruce Meadows “Skyliner” continued today with a Nations Cup format. Fifty-one teams of four riders competed throughout the different divisions. While this was ridden in a team format riders were also accumulating individual points to qualify for Sunday’s Final Four.

The first competition today was the 1.00m Canadian Utilities Pony Jumper Prix des Nations. The victorious team was the Rocket Girls. This crew of four managed combined team faults of only four.

The victorious team in the 1.10m Paramount Resources Prix des Nations was the Sky High Show Jumpers, this team incurred only 8 combined faults through the two rounds.

The 1.20m Paramount Resources Prix des Nations saw the Flying Aces claim victory in the 16 team competition. The Flying Aces ended with 16 faults after two rounds.

In the 1.30m division the winning team was I Dream of Jeanie. Team I Dream of Jeanie was able to claim victory even after accumulating 28 faults.

In today’s premier event the 1.40m Paramount Resources Prix des Nations team Tequila Sunrise was able to rise above 11 other nations in victory. Team Captain Jorge Verswyvel (MEX) commented after his teams win, “We are very excited. We are getting to know Spruce Meadows better and better every year. We are just so proud. One day this could be the Masters!” Team members Eduardo Vazquez A. Navarro Jr. (MEX), Angel Karolyi (VEN), Alejandro Karolyi (VEN) and Katherine Bardis (USA), echoed their coaches sentiments as they lead the victory ride for the second time in two years.

Each rider will carry today’s score into tomorrow’s final grand prix competition. The top four riders from each division will then ride in the Final Four on Sunday. In the Final Four riders rotate horses, each rider on a different horse through four rounds of competition.

Saturday - Today featured the final qualifying events for tomorrow's Final Four competitions at the Spruce Meadows "Skyliner" Tournament. The rain fell near the end of the 1.40m Mullen Group Income Fund Junior/Amateur Grand Prix. The weather, however failed to dampen the competition as rides only got better in the showers.

Andrew Welles was the first rider to go clear in the afternoon's competition and for a while it looked like he would hold on to the lead without a jump-off. With only five riders to go Alfredo Miguel Trevino (MEX) entered the ring on his gelding Copernico, the pair dominated the course with a clear round. Katherine Bardis (USA) followed that performance with a clear of her own on her mare Lady Like.

The rain was coming down heavily during the jump-off but it seemed to have little effect on these young riders as they all rode exceptionally well. First in was Andrew Welles who finished with four faults. Next in was Alfredo Miguel Trevino. He rode clear and fast (45.90). Last to go was Katherine Bardis. To win she would have to ride clear with an even faster time. The young American did just that showing the boys how it's done with a time of 44.18.

Sunday -Final Four - The sun shone at Spruce Meadows today as the "Skyliner" Tournament ended on a high note. Today was Final Four Sunday with competition in each of the five divisions from Pony's to 1.40m. The competition was both fantastic and unique as each rider rotated horses throughout four rounds of competition.

The first Final Four today was the 1.10m Canadian Utilities Junior/Amateur Final Four. Proving better than her competitors today was Femke van den Bosch of Red Deer, AB. The young Albertan rode four rounds and finished with only four faults.

In the 1.30m Kirchman Family Junior/Amateur Final Four American Bradley Cox rose to victory. Cox was the only rider to clear all four rounds of competition showing she has what it takes to win.

The 1.20m Royal & SunAlliance Junior/Amateur Final Four finished with a jump-off between Cliff Bohart (USA) and Taylor Coe (USA). Coe had 8 faults in the jump-off and in the end Bohart was victorious after his fifth consecutive clear round.

Leslie Ellis of North Vancouver B.C took gold today in the 1.10m Canadian Utilities Junior/Amateur Final Four.

It came down to time in the 1.20m Kirchman Family Junior/Amateur Final Four. Both Natalie Rae Medlock (USA) and Jessica Sullivan were clear after their jump-off but Medlock finished with the fastest time and took top spot in the competition.

In the 1.30m Red Deer Advocate Junior/Amateur Final Four, Allison Van Sickle (USA) was the winner after beating Canadian Christina Marlin in a jump-off.

Calgarian Ben Asselin won the Canadian Utilities Pony Final Four today by a landslide. Asselin was the only rider to complete 4 rounds of competition without elimination.

The biggest event of the day was the 1.40m Riddell Family Junior/Amateur Final Four finale. Finishing off the "Skyliner" Tournament with a victory was Alfredo Miguel Trevino (MEX). His margin of victory was a single fault over American Katherine Bardis. Bardis incurred a costly time fault in her final round to surrender the title to Trevino.

For a complete list of results visit the Spruce Meadows website at www.sprucemeadows.com

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