Great Britain’s Amanda Derbyshire took her place at the top of the podium after winning the $38,500 CSI2* Whalesbone Group Grand Prix on Saturday, August 26, at the Major League Show Jumping Ottawa tournament taking place at Wesley Clover Parks in Ottawa, ON.
A total of 51 challengers vied for victory in the final two-star competition of the tournament with seven successfully jumping clear over the track set by Canadian course designer Michel Vaillancourt to advance to the jump-off. It was a waiting game for Derbyshire after posting a clear round in the jump-off riding Wonder If, but there was no need to wonder when her time of 38.02 seconds held up for the win. Ireland’s Conor Swail aboard Count Me In was fast in 38.73 seconds but not fast enough, while Erynn Ballard of Tottenham, ON, ensured that the maple leaf was represented on the podium with a clear round in 38.73 seconds riding Ginger Ask, a nine-year-old Holsteiner mare that she began riding earlier this month in international competition for owner Marigold Sporthorses LLC.
“I knew there wouldn’t be that many clear,” said Derbyshire, 35, who has represented her native Great Britain at the 2018 World Equestrian Games as well as the 2019 European Championships where she was a member of the bronze medal team. “I have a great relationship with that horse and as long as I’m pretty accurate, she always tries to jump clear.
“The other advantage is that she’s very fast,” continued Derbyshire of Wonder If, the 11-year-old Anglo European mare owned by Gochman Sport Horse LLC. “She doesn’t have the biggest stride so I was a little nervous about Conor and Erynn and Mimi, that their strides would outdo mine, but I got lucky today. I’m glad to beat Conor because I’ve been second and third to him in the last 10 classes so I’m happy to finally beat him today!”
Of her first visit to Ottawa and Wesley Clover Parks, Derbyshire noted, “The facility is beautiful, and one restaurant is better than the other; we are eating our way right through town! There are very few grass fields nowadays to get to jump on, and this one is beautiful. The horses have jumped great all week and we’re grateful to be here.”