Kiwis Up With The Best At Spruce Meadows

Kiwis Up With The Best At Spruce Meadows

New Zealand showjumpers have shown they can foot it with the best this morning (Sunday NZ time) finishing fourth and fifth in a $CAN200,000 CSI5* grand prix at Spruce Meadows in Canada.

Katie McVean (Mystery Creek) and California-based Kiwi Guy Thomas were two of only five combinations from the 37 starters to make it through to the jump-off at one of the world's most prestigious shows.

The feat made all the more amazing because it was McVean's Dunstan Delphi's first ever five star start. Over a 1.6m technical and challenging course, the combination were unlucky to take the second to last fence in the jump-off of the star class on the fifth and final day of the National Tournament.

Taking the honours was Olympic champion Eric Lamaze (Canada) aboard Hickstead who had the luxury of being last to go in the jump-off. They left everything up and stopped the clock at 53.782 seconds. Second was Federico Fernandex (Mexico) on Zorro who was clear in 55.491 with John Pearce (Canada) on Chianto third in 52.272 seconds with four faults.

McVean had four faults in 54.433 seconds with Thomas and Corino, who were first out in the jump-off, bagging eight faults in 52.907. Both Pearce and Lamaze have been in scorching form at the show.

The prize purse for the grand prix was $CAN200,000, with Lamaze bagging $66,000 for the win, McVean $CAN20,000 and Thomas $CAN15,000.

Proud father and former Olympian Jeff McVean, who was ringside to watch the action, had nothing but praise for both his daughter and Thomas, who are vying for spots in the New Zealand team at the World Equestrian Championships in Kentucky this year.

“It was a huge course,” he said. “It was very tricky. The rails were very very light – if you breathed on some they would have fallen! Both horses were just fantastic.”

The treble had small pieces of wood in the cups of the jump, which the poles were balanced on top of.

McVean said it was a big step to come out of New Zealand into such a high-ranking show.

His daughter was just over the moon.

“I can't believe Delphi,” she said. “She's an amazing horse. When we came here we weren't going to go straight into the 1.6m class but she was going so well and we had every bit of faith that she could do it.”

Twenty-three year old McVean says she thinks Delphi loves being in the lime light.

“She's just getting better and better – it's incredibly exciting. Everyone is amazed by her because no-one really knows her and yet she's out here jumping the big class, and doing it well.”

New Zealand's showjumping high performance leader Richard Sunderland was just as ecstatic.

“This is absolutely fantastic for New Zealand,” he says. “It backs up what I have said all along that we have these athletes out there who are most definitely able to do the job.”

To have both McVean and Thomas hot on the heels of Lamaze was heart-stopping stuff and would give both riders huge confidence boosts. Only last weekend Thomas made history as the first rider ever to win the Triple Crown of Showjumping in California.

“It's just a matter of experience and mileage now,” says Sunderland. “Both are riding just so well at the moment. These results will give everyone a new-found confidence.”

McVean has long believed in Delphi, who he bred out of his top mare Flower Power. The family has been hounded by top offshore combinations keen to have the chance to buy the mare, but she is now firmly in New Zealand ownership.
However, her results at Spruce Meadows haven't gone unnoticed, and once again, McVean is fending off calls from prospective buyers.

“There is just so much interest,” he says of his million dollar baby. “So much talk too....she's just unbelievable.”

Interestingly, Thomas' other horse, Peterbilt – the one who he had tipped to take to the World Equestrian Games in Kentucky in September – is by the same horse as Delphi, Leo Caylon.

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