Hardin Towell and Emilie de Diamant AS Top $35,000 Encana Cup
Calgary, AB, Canada – June 5, 2015 – USA’s McLain Ward and HH Azur emerged victorious in an exciting battle to the finish for Friday night’s $35,000 RBC Capital Markets Cup at Spruce Meadows ‘National’ Tournament CSI 5*, presented by Rolex. Also competing on Friday, Hardin Towell (USA) and Emilie de Diamant AS topped the $35,000 Encana Cup 1.45m.
The ‘National’ Tournament is the first in five weeks of competition during this year’s Summer Series at Spruce Meadows. Riders will vie for nearly $1.2 million in prize money throughout the week, with competition concluding on Sunday, June 7. The highlight event will be the $400,000 RBC Grand Prix, presented by Rolex, on Saturday, June 6. Other features include the $60,000 TransCanada Parcours de Chasse on Saturday and the $210,000 CNOOC Nexen Cup 1.50m Derby on Sunday.
McLain Ward and HH Azur
Italy’s Uliano Vezzani (ITA) set the course for the $35,000 RBC Capital Markets Cup, a 1.50m competition held in a winning round format. Twenty-eight entries started over the first round course, and the top ten then returned for a second round. In round two, only two riders were able to clear the course without fault.
Two-time Olympic gold medalist McLain Ward earned victory with the fastest double clear in 40.12 seconds riding a talented young mount in Double H Farm and Francois Mathy’s HH Azur. Tiffany Foster (CAN) followed with Torrey Pines and Artisan Farms LLC’s Victor in 40.378. Conor Swail (IRL) completed the fastest round in 39.36 seconds, but incurred four faults along the way, to place third aboard Susan and Ariel Grange’s Grafton.
Ward has high hopes for HH Azur, a nine-year-old Belgian Sport Horse mare (Thunder van de Zuuthoeve x Sir Lui) that he began riding this winter. The partnership came together thanks to a co-ownership between Francois Mathy and Double H Farm’s Hunter Harrison, and as soon as they began competing together the potential became quickly apparent.
“So many things had to happen for me to end up with this horse, it is incredible,” Ward detailed. “I tried her as a five-year-old and did not buy her. Several other top riders for one reason or another had a chance at her, and it did not happen and it came back around. It really makes you wonder that things are meant to be. We ended up buying her in December. Mr. Harrison bought half of her from Francois. Francois is a horse dealer, so by nature he normally would not stay owner of a horse like this, but he is so excited about the horse and we have such a close relationship. I think he really wanted to enjoy the sport, so that is something incredibly special for me. We came to Florida, and with quarantine we started a little bit late and took it slow. She came on very strong at the end and since then has not lost pace.”
“I think she is an absolutely incredible horse,” Ward declared. “It is really exciting for me. The two owners of this horse are people who are in every way role models for me and parent-like figures in my life. They are people who have really done a lot for the sport, and to come across a talent like this and be able to develop her and try to go to some of the greatest places in the sport is really exciting. The horse is like a machine. It does not matter what you do, she solves the problem and comes out ahead.”
On Friday night for example, HH Azur slipped in a tight turn during the second round, but kept it together and carried on to win the competition. A little luck was also on her side as several very fast competitors were still to follow, but ended up with faults.
“She is a phenomenal talent and she has jumped beautifully here all week,” Ward said of their start to the summer. “We had a great double clear last night in the 1.55m and she jumped well again tonight. I tried to be fast in the jump-off, but not do anything crazy. I do not want to do anything extreme at this point in her career, but I wanted to do enough to put a little pressure on. We were lucky that the likes of Conor and Eric (Lamaze) had a fence down.”
McLain Ward raises his trophy with Kent Ferguson, Co-Head, Canadian Energy, RBC Capital Markets
In just several months, Ward has been impressed with HH Azur’s development and sees big things for her future.
“When we got her you could see all the parts there, but she is a big blood horse and she is sensitive,” he noted. “In some ways it actually reminds me of Sapphire. She has to learn to control her stride and that, already in four months, has been unbelievable progress. The horse is very intelligent and really does not seem to be phased by too much. Even tonight, she slipped coming back to that third jump and still kept her composure and powered up over the red oxer like nothing had happened. That is really her nature.”
With a good win to start the series, Ward looks forward to using the fantastic competition and world-class venue at Spruce Meadows to continue Azur’s progress this summer.
“The variety here at Spruce Meadows is frankly incredible; there is nowhere like it in the world,” Ward acknowledged. “Kent Farrington and I were talking about how blessed we are to have this in our continent and how great it is for us. Not only for the sport at the highest end, but to develop a horse and to have a horse see ten venues in one. Normally when you are producing a horse, particularly when you come to a level of show like this, there are ups and downs. What is different about Azur is that there do not seem to be many downs, which is unique. I hope that I do not mess it up and get in her way because I think this horse has a chance to be one of the great ones.”
With two wins in the first three days of the ‘National’ tournament, Ward will jump next with HH Carlos Z in Saturday’s $400,000 RBC Grand Prix, presented by Rolex. He also plans to compete in Sunday’s $210,000 CNOOC Nexen Cup 1.50m Derby.
Towell Tops Encana Cup
The ‘National’ Tournament at Spruce Meadows continued on Friday with the $35,000 Encana Cup 1.45m and a win for Hardin Towell (USA) aboard Jennifer Gates’ Emilie de Diamant AS. With 72 starters, Uliano Vezzani’s (ITA) track saw just seven entries advance to the jump-off. Five of those were able to jump without fault in a race against the clock.
Mexico’s Antonio Chedraui set the pace in the jump-off at 35.33 seconds aboard his own Corcega La Silla to eventually place fifth. USA’s veteran team of Richard Spooner and Show Jumping Syndication International’s Cristallo upped the ante in 33.63 seconds, eventually finishing in reserve. Nicola Philippaerts (BEL) jumped into fourth with the next round in 34.31 seconds aboard Ludo Philippaerts’ H&M Quenzo de la Roque. Towell followed with Emilie de Diamant AS and blazed through the timers in the winning time of 32.91 seconds. Last to go, Conor Swail jumped into third aboard Ilan Ferder’s Viva Colombia in 34.29 seconds.
Hardin Towell and Emilie de Diamant AS
While owner Jennifer Gates is away at school attending Stanford University, Towell has the ride on all of her horses this week, including Emilie de Diamant AS. Gates rode the 11-year-old Belgian Warmblood mare (Diamant de Semilly x Flipper D Elle) throughout the winter and will arrive to compete in Calgary next week. Until then, Towell enjoyed his first ever win in the International Ring aboard the talented mare.
“She has been great all week. She was clean and sixth the first day,” Towell detailed. “I had a time fault yesterday, but she was amazing. I just didn’t ride her great and then today she really came through and she was fantastic.”
“Jennifer competed her on and off in Florida and I did a little bit with her and she has just gotten better and better,” Towell continued. “She is going to be a really good horse for Jennifer in the future.”
Commenting on his first big win at Spruce Meadows, Towell noted, “This year I have had a very good year. I won in Palm Beach and at the Global Champions Tour in Miami and went to World Cup Finals, but I have never really had horses for Spruce Meadows before. Even a 1.45m is pretty intimidating here where even a $200,000 grand prix some places is not the same. It is nice to finally get a win here and hopefully we can keep going forward.”
“This is a great place,” Towell added. “It is just so nice to compete here. I am so lucky to get to come here and ride these horses and compete at a place like this. I think everybody wants to win here. Everybody tries to give it a go every time out there, so it is a lot of fun.”
Hardin Towell accepts the winning check from Ryder McRitchie, Vice President Investor Relations, Communications & Community Involvement, Encana
Competition continues on Saturday featuring the $400,000 RBC Grand Prix, presented by Rolex, as well as the $60,000 TransCanada Parcours de Chasse.
For a complete tournament schedule and full results, please visit www.sprucemeadows.com.
Final Results: $35,000 RBC Capital Markets Cup 1.50m
1. $8,750 HH AZUR Belgian Warmblood / M / 9 Thunder Van de Zwohoeve x Unknown
MCLAIN WARD (USA) BREWSTER, NY Double H Farm & Francois Mathy: 0/0/40.12
2. $7,000 VICTOR Dutch Warmblood / G / 13 Elmshorn x Grandeur
TIFFANY FOSTER (CAN) SCHOMBERG, ON Torrey Pines & Artisan Farms: 0/0/40.38
3. $5,250 GRAFTON Selle Francais / S / 9 Calvaro x Vondeen CONOR SWAIL (IRL)
DARRAGH CROSS DOWN Susan & Ariel Grange: 0/4/39.36
4. $3,500 SF ARIANTHA Dutch Warmblood / M / 10 Corland x Unantha
ANDRES RODRIGUEZ (VEN) WELLINGTON, FL Olivia Cox-Fill: 0/4/39.54
5. $2,450 ROSANA DU PARK Schwaben / M / 10 Kannan x Ukase
ERIC LAMAZE (CAN) SCHOMBERG, ON Artisan Farms, LLC: 0/4/40.41
6. $1,925 GITANO Zangersheide / G / 14 Caretano Z x Concorde
FEDERICO FERNANDEZ (MEX) MEXICO CITY Federico Fernandez: 0/4/41.00
7. $1,400 WISE GUY Warmblood / / 12 Numero Uno x Goodwill
ANTONIO CHEDRAUI JR (MEX) MEXICO CITY Antonio Chedraui: 0/4/43.78
8. $1,050 HEROS DE PAPIGNIES Z Zangersheide / S / 11 Heartbreaker x Ahorn Z
KIRSTEN COE (USA) ROYAL PALM BEACH, FL Alejandro Zendejas: 0/4/44.17
9. $1,050 ALBERTO II Holstein / G / 12 Acorado x Cassini I
KARA CHAD (CAN) CALGARY, AB Stone Ridge: 0/9/45.92
10. $875 CARNAVAL Oldenburg / G / 11 Chacco Blue x Balou
PATRICIO PASQUEL (MEX) MEXICO CITY Patricio Pasquel: 0/14/52.95
11. $875 CAT BALOU Warmblood / G / 8 Unknown x Unknown
MOLLY ASHE (USA) WELLINGTON, FL Louisburg Farm: 0/73.96
12. $875 VANILLA Danish Warmblood / M / 13 Nabab de Reve x Clinton
BEEZIE MADDEN (USA) CAZENOVIA, NY Abigail Wexner: 0/74.42
Final Results: $35,000 Encana Cup 1.45m
1. $8,750 EMILIE DE DIAMANT AS / M / 10 Unknown x Unknown
JACK HARDIN TOWELL JR. (USA) CAMDEN, SC Jennifer Gates: 0/0/32.91
2. $7,000 CRISTALLO Holstein / G / 17 Caretino x Cicero
RICHARD SPOONER (USA) AGUA DULCE, CA Show Jumping Syndication Intl: 0/0/33.63
3. $5,250 VIVA COLOMBIA Oldenburg / M / 10 Couleur Rubin x Landor S
CONOR SWAIL (IRL) DARRAGH CROSS DOWN Ilan Ferder: 0/0/34.29
4. $3,500 H&M QUENZO DE LA ROQUE Selle Francais / G / 11 Kannan x Jasmin
NICOLA PHILIPPAERTS (BEL) GRUITRODE Ludo Philippaerts: 0/0/34.31
5. $2,450 CORCEGA LA SILLA Holstein / M / 11 Casall la Silla x Candillo
ANTONIO CHEDRAUI (MEX) MEXICO DF Antonio Chedraui: 0/0/35.33
6. $1,925 PUERTAS SO WHAT Dutch Warmblood / G / 11 Quattro x Iroko
JUAN PABLO GASPAR ALBANEZ (MEX) ZAPOPAN, JALISCO Felipe Gaspar: 0/4/34.51
7. $1,400 BREITLING LS Warmblood / S / 9 Quintero x Accord II
BEEZIE MADDEN (USA) CAZENOVIA, NY Abigail Wexner: 0/13/48.72
8. $1,050 HH CISKE VAN OVERIS Belgian Warmblood / M / 13 Celano x Darco
MAGGIE MCALARY (USA) AMHERST, NH Double H Farm: 1/71.48
9 $1,050 CHATINUE Oldenburg / S / 10 Chaco Blue x Continue
SALVADOR ONATE (MEX) LEON Mario Onate: 1/73.72
10. $875 ACARDI Zangersheide / S / 12 Artos Z x Carthago
FEDERICO FERNANDEZ (MEX) MEXICO CITY Federico Fernandez: 2/75.38
11. $875 H&M HARLEY VD BISSCHOP Belgian Warmblood / G / 8 Dulf Van Den Bisschop x Coronado
NICOLA PHILIPPAERTS (BEL) GRUITRODE Ludo Philippaerts: 2/75.67
12. $875 CARAAT Belgian Warmblood / S / 13 Toulon x Lys De Darmen
ANTONIO CHEDRAUI JR (MEX) MEXICO CITY Antonio Chedraui: 2/77.13
Based in Calgary, Canada, Spruce Meadows is the creation of the Southern family who built a Show Jumping complex at the foothills of the Alberta Rocky Mountains. It was in 1976 that the first Spruce Tournaments were held, with annual spectator attendances reaching over 50,000 by the end of the decade. Today, Spruce Meadows boasts one of the greatest outdoor equestrian venues in the world and offers an incredible experience for riders and fans alike. Spruce Meadows focuses on the organization and hosting of show jumping tournaments of unmatched quality for junior, amateur and professional athletes in a manner that reflects basic family values in a clean, green and welcoming environment that celebrates the horse and encourages the breeding and training of quality sport horses and the teaching and development of athletes. For more information on Spruce Meadows, please visit www.sprucemeadows.com.
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