Edited press release from Spruce Meadows

Canada’s Erynn Ballard pulled off another extraordinary first-second 5* finish in Friday night’s 1.50m RBC Capital Markets Cup, her second one-two placement atop the leaderboard in a matter of two weeks at Spruce Meadows. 

Ballard, currently the second highest ranked female showjumping athlete on the world ranking, placed first in the jump-off round with Gakhir (Spartacus TN x Labor's VDL Indorado) – coming in at 36.88s. Her final ride with Libido Van’t Hofken (Nabab de Reve x Heartbreaker), in 37.47s, saw her nab second spot as well, beating a starting field of 35 other riders, six of whom were up against Ballard in the jump-off.

The placements were a flip-flop on Ballard’s one-two placement in last week’s ‘Continental’, presented by Rolex, where she took top spot with Libido, and came second with Gakhir, in The Mustangs 1.55m competition.

It was only last month that Ballard claimed her first-ever CSI5* Grand Prix victory, at Langley, B.C.’s Thunderbird Show Park.

“I think that I’m so lucky,” a beaming Ballard said. “There is nothing that makes you more confident than winning, and I have certainly been on a roll."

“Every time I go in now, I think that I have the chance to win, and it makes me that little bit faster and a little bit more competitive."

“And also, when you’re already winning, and you go last in the jump-off, you can give it all."

“So maybe along the way I'm teaching myself something about being faster. Maybe I'm teaching my horses a little bit more about being faster. It’s just all coming together."

“When you're on a roll, ride the wave. There's nothing better. Confidence is a great thing.”

Completing the top three in this class were Egypt's Nayel Nassar and ESI Ali (Stakkato Gold x Tygo).

Egypt’s Nayel Nassar took first place in the ATCO Cup 1.45m, his second win of the day, after he also won the Martime Travel Cup 1.40m.

Nassar and Linguini de La Pomme (Marius Claudius x Tinka's Boy) beat 10 other jump-off riders emerging from a competition of 28 starting athletes. Ballard and Fave D’Authuit (Cornet Obolensky x Kannan) finished just .27s behind Nassar’s 36.00s. John Perez Bohm, of Colombia, rounded out the top three with with Aztlan (Otangelo x Andiamo) on the 12 obstacle, 15 effort, course designed by renowned FEI course designer Olaf Petersen Jr, in the second International Ring contest of the day.

Belgian rider Jos Verlooy took first in the AltaGas Cup 1.45m after a string of seconds in the Summer Series so far. Verlooy, with Parise van den Dael (I Am Moerhoeve's Star x For Passio d'Ive Z), nailed the International Ring jump-off, beating a field of five other qualifying riders from a starting group of 27, coming in with a fast clear round at 40.46s.

It was Verlooy’s first victory after near misses in The Friends of the Meadows 1.45m on Wednesday, day one of the ‘National,’ presented by Rolex, and in the 1.45m-1.50m Canadian Utilities Cup last week, on the final day of the ‘Continental’, presented by Rolex, having come second in both competitions.

Verlooy was followed by Canadians Nicole Walker with Atout Des Trambles (Nectar Des Forets*HN x Apache d'Adriers) in second, and Kyle Timm on Atomica Des Sequoias Z (Arezzo VDL x Saccor) in third.