Yann Candele Leads the Way to Victory at Ottawa Summer Tournament
Canadian Olympian Yann Candele of Orangeville, ON, produced the only clear round to win the $5,000 Modified Grand Prix, presented by Cristina’s Equine Bodywork, on Saturday, July 13, during the Ottawa Summer Tournament II at Wesley Clover Parks in Ottawa, ON.
A total of 20 riders attempted the track set by U.S. course designer Nick Granat on Wesley Clover Parks’ grass grand prix field. Eight of those incurred time faults for exceeding the 76-second time allowed but Candele made easy work of the track, guiding Veritas over the jumps and through the timers in a comfortable 74.38 seconds. Surprisingly, no one else was able to post a perfect score over the course, leaving Candele as the winner without a jump-off.
Candele’s closet competition was Alexandra Mitchell of Westbrook, ON, who left all the rails in place but exceeded the time allowed to pick up two time faults riding her Irish Sport Horse gelding, Casallco Aurora. Paul Halpern of Saint Anne des Plaines, QC, produced the only four-fault round to take third place with Jerlot W, a 10-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding owned by Marianne Grothé.
“It’s very rare,” said Candele of winning without a jump-off. “In my career, it’s maybe happened one other time. You can have only two or three in the jump-off, but to have none is very rare.”
It’s also rare to win at this level of show jumping when partnered with a new horse, but that was also a position that Candele found himself in. The Ottawa Summer Tournaments II marked only his third show riding Veritas, a 10-year-old bay gelding sired by Verdi TN and owned by Sarah Cross of Aurora, ON.
“We seem to click,” explained Candele. “I’m just trying to bring him up to the grand prix level. He has a lot of energy and I’m trying to figure him out. So far, he’s delivering. I thought it was the right choice to do this class because it’s a horse that’s developing and it did pay off. Today went our way and worked very well. Everyone is pretty happy today.”
A member of Canada’s fourth-placed team at the 2016 Rio Olympics, Candele has been coming to compete at Wesley Clover Parks for the past 25 years.
“We love to show in Ottawa,” remarked Candele, echoing the sentiments of many of his fellow athletes. “This is beautiful. It’s the only grass field in the east of Canada. The infrastructure is great. The service is excellent.”
In addition to competing in the $5,000 Modified Grand Prix himself, Candele was also coaching several of the other riders including his own daughter, Mathilde. With both of her parents being successful show jumping athletes, Mathilde will soon be heading to the North American Youth Championships, held in Traverse City, MI, to represent Canada.
In a special presentation held prior to the start of the $5,000 Modified Grand Prix, Zolento was named the recipient of the Lynda Holt National Memorial Award, presented to the High Point Hunter horse that accumulated the most points in the Baby and Pre-Green Hunter divisions over the two-week Ottawa Summer Tournaments. Zolento, who is known as “Mr. Baby” around the barn, is owned by Looking Back Farm of Tottenham, ON, and was ridden by Courtney Bacso of Kitchener, ON.
The trophy will be presented annually in memory of Lynda Marion Holt who passed away unexpectedly last December. Holt was a well-respected horseperson, Equestrian Canada steward, former Equestrian Canada judge, rider, breeder, trainer, and show organizer. As the proprietor of Highland Farm, Holt was well known in the industry for her sense of humour, no nonsense approach, and her ability to select top hunter horses that went on to have successful careers both in Canada and the United States.
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Ottawa Equestrian Tournaments — Wesley Clover Parks
