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Bond brings power and speed in high stakes class

Californian increases point lead in North American West World Cup League

August 29, 2010

Langley, BC --- The best of the North American West World Cup league hit the grass yesterday for a share of $75,000 and qualifying points in the Keg Steakhouse & Bar World Cup at Thunderbird Show Park in Langley. In the end, it was the rider in the red jacket, point’s leader - Ashlee Bond, who earned the win with her powerful Holsteiner Gelding, Cadett 7.

After two weeks on the grounds and a successful outing in both May’s World Cup and a first place finish in the $30,000 qualifier just two nights earlier, Bond felt good going into her round.

“I think it will be a great course for Cadett because he’s been jumping really big and everything’s on a forward stride,” explained Bond prior to the start of the class.

On the flip side, California’s Mandy Porter wasn’t sure how her young stallion would fare.

“We’re still learning our path so it will all depend on whether he stays focused.”

Set at solid 1.60M World Cup standards, Peter Holmes course demanded accuracy and control.

For Christopher Lowe, Vancouver rider and regular competitor at Thunderbird, the course offered an opportunity to get his horse into the lead.

“Jackpot likes the taller fences, they get his attention, but he’s a big horse and I’ll really have to manage him through some of the more careful combinations,” noted Lowe.

The first round rode well, with nine riders moving on into the jump off. Both Lowe and Porter had faults, keeping them out of the final round, but the top ranking Canadian in the order, Tani Zeidler of Alberta, went clear on both Loving Dancer and Ranville. Gary Brewster and Rich Fellers aboard McGuinness each posted clear rides, promising an exciting jump off.

Zeidler led the jump off, but tipped two rails to finish with an eight fault round on Loving Dancer. Crooks followed on the first of her two rounds and set the pace with the first clear and a time of 39.80.

Bond was third into the ring, riding ahead of Rich Fellers.

“I knew who was behind me and there was a lot of people in the jump off so I had to lay it down,” she remarked.

Cadett 7 was flawless through each fence and a forward ride by Bond brought them home with a time of 34.23 and ultimately the win.

Brewster and Royal Viali gave the first fence, a 1.60m vertical that proved impressive to the majority of the field, a good rub before tapping a rail in the Keg combination to finish with four faults and a time of 38.22.

Langley’s Brian Morton had eight faults on Spitfire and the crowd groaned as Fellers and McGuinness nicked fence two, finishing with four faults and a time of 34.66. Crooks also finished with four faults on SF Tin Tin, while Zeidler and Ranville went clear in 39.43.

Although unable to beat the pace set by Bond, Samantha Buirs was stellar in the jump off. Leaving all the fences up and coming home with a very fast time of 37.22, she was greeted with loud cheers, most notably from coach, Judy Wise. Buirs secured second, ahead of an impressive roster of international competitors and closed off a phenomenal two-week tournament that resulted in first, second and third place finishes in the big money classes.

Bond leaves BC next week for the Masters Tournament at Spruce Meadows in Calgary, where she’ll join Richard Spooner, Fellers and Beezie Madden on the Nations Cup team. Having represented the US in seven Nations Cup events, this is Bond’s second consecutive year doing so at the Masters.

In a quick call to Spooner following the victory gallop, Bond’s big smile said it all.

“You should have seen him jump, he was effortless,” she relayed. “He’s ready for the Masters.”

For Thunderbird, the World Cup closed out the international show jumping season, which runs annually from May to August.

“It’s incredibly rewarding to be able to host international riders at the FEI World Cup level,” stated Jane Tidball, President of Thunderbird Show Park. “This tournament has been the most competitive of our thirty-seven years in show jumping.”

$75,000 CSI2*-W Keg Steakhouse & Bar World Cup

Place Horse Name Rider Name Owner Time Faults

1. Cadett 7 Ashlee Bond Little Valley Farms 34.23 clear

2. Total Touch Samantha Buirs Samantha Buirs 37.22 clear

3. Ranville Tani Zeidler Zeidler Farm Canada Ltd. 39.43 clear

4. SF Uryadi Jennifer Crooks Olivia Cox-Fill 39.80 clear

5. McGuinness Rich Fellers Harry & Mollie Chapman 34.66 4

6. Royal Viali Gary Brewster Suzanne Brewster 38.22 4

7. SF Tin Tin Jennifer Crooks Olivia Cox-Fill 40.10 4

8. Spitfire Brian Morton Linda Opdycke 39.38 8

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