Press release from Jump Media

Jonathon Millar of Perth, ON, and Daveau won the $134,000 CSI3* Grand Prix, presented by Brookstreet Hotel, on Sunday, July 21, on the final day of the CSI3* Ottawa International II at Wesley Clover Parks in Ottawa, ON.

Twenty-seven entries representing five different countries contested the first-round track set by German course designer Olaf Petersen, Jr. Of those 27, six horse-rider combinations jumped clear on Wesley Clover Parks’ expansive grass grand prix field to advance to the jump-off. As the last to return for the tie-breaker, Millar knew exactly what he had to do to win and delivered the only double clear performance of the day riding Daveau to clinch the victory.

“This is our only home show so it’s nice to win at home!” said Millar, 44, who trains alongside his father, 10-time Canadian Ian Millar; sister Amy Millar; and wife Kelly Soleau-Millar, at the family’s Millar Brooke Farm in nearby Perth, ON. “We were very fortunate with going last in the order and how it played out.”

When Jonathon entered the ring as the final jump-off contender, Ireland’s Jordan Coyle and Picador sat at the top of the leaderboard with four faults in a time of 41.49 seconds with Canadian Olympian Beth Underhill of Schomberg, ON, right behind him riding Count Me In with four faults and a time of 42.13 seconds. As rails continued to fall for the other jump-off contenders, all Jonathon had to do was deliver a clear round.

“Beth has a fast horse; she’s won almost every other class here during the two weeks so I had my eye on her,” said Jonathon of Underhill’s winning streak during the two-week Ottawa International show jumping tournaments. “Then all I had to do was jump clean, which is easier said than done, but Daveau jumps a high percentage of clean rounds. He’s been on form lately, so it really went my way.”

With a steady clear round successfully executed in a time of 52.60 seconds, Jonathon clinched the win, relegating Coyle and Picador, owned by Niclas Haking, to second place and Underhill and Count Me In, owned by Sandy Lupton and Robert Caswell, to third.

“In the last 15 classes, I think Daveau’s been clear 13 out of 15 times,” Jonathon said of the 11-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding (Zento x Glennridge), owned by Millar Brooke Farm, that he has been developing for the last four years. “I really trust him. All you have to do is get him there reasonably well, and he’s normally not going to knock jumps down. I figured I’d just try to stay in a nice rhythm everywhere and jump clear and stay within the time allowed. It played into our hands exceptionally here today.

“Daveau’s really come along and he’s gotten so consistent,” continued Jonathon, whose double clear performance riding Daveau led Canada to victory in the €250,000 Longines Nations’ Cup at CSIO5* Coapexpan, Mexico, in 2018. “He does his job well, and he’s efficient doing it. He’s a professional; you get on him, and he knows. He goes in the ring and tries his absolute best. He’s always been a fun horse to ride.”

Finishing in fourth place with one rail in a time of 48.73 seconds was Wesley Clover Parks’ Executive Director, Karen Sparks of Kanata, ON, riding Calvin Klein for Brookstreet Stables. Hyde Moffatt of Brantford, ON, rode Grafton to a fifth place finish for owner Ariel Grange with eight faults in a time of 41.61 seconds. Electing not to return for the jump-off, 23-year-old Julia Madigan of Vancouver, BC, placed sixth with Farfelu du Printemps.

Following the conclusion of the $134,000 Grand Prix, presented by Brookstreet Hotel, Jonathan McCrea of the United States won the $15,000 National Grand Prix, presented CIBC Wood Gundy, to close out this year’s Ottawa International II show jumping tournament. Jumping double clear riding Fantasy BB for owner Candy Tribble, McCrea’s time of 33.94 seconds gave him the victory over Jennifer Smith of Aurora, ON, who incurred four faults in the jump-off in a time of 34.24 seconds riding the Canadian Sport Horse, Laissez Faire 3E. The only other jump-off contender, Ireland’s Mark Kinsella, placed third with four faults in a time of 37.40 seconds riding Stern Dei Folletti.