Alexandra Mitchell and Kelley Robinson Win Young Horse Series Finals at Ottawa National Tournament

Alexandra Mitchell of Kingston, ON, and Kelley Robinson of Russell, ON, topped the $10,000 Maplebrook Farm Young Horse Series Finales on Sunday, September 15, to close out the Ottawa National show jumping tournament at Wesley Clover Parks in Ottawa, ON.

Maplebrook Farm partnered with Wesley Clover Parks for the 2024 season to provide increased opportunities for young horse development with all class and nomination fees waived for horses enrolled in the series.

Mitchell took full advantage of the opportunity to develop her new partner, Casallco Aurora, and contested all the seven-year-old classes offered throughout the season at Wesley Clover Parks.  A third-place finish in the final event in the series, the $5,000 Seven-Year-Old Young Horse Finale, on Sunday gave Mitchell enough points to claim the overall title.

“I found him in Ireland about nine months ago,” said Mitchell of her Irish Sport Horse gelding (Casallco x Lim).  “I watched him do the six-year-old finals in Ireland.  He showed a lot of scope and maturity for how green he was, and I figured he’d be a good grand prix horse in the future.  Starting with something a little younger is an easier way for me to afford a grand prix horse.”

Mitchell, who keeps her horses at home and works with Christine Wiggins and Christine de Jordy on the road, appreciated the opportunity to develop her mount at Wesley Clover Parks this season.

“We started out in the 1.10m in Florida this winter and have been slowly moving him up,” explained Mitchell, 27, who describes Casallco Aurora as a quiet and cuddly gelding.  “The Maplebrook Farm Young Horse Series has helped with the courses getting harder as the season goes on, matching where their maturity is at.  It’s so nice that they waived the nomination fees to make it a little bit easier to bring the young horses along.  The grass ring at Wesley Clover Parks is so nice, and my horse jumps so well on it.”

Robinson, meanwhile, is a frequent competitor at Wesley Clover Parks and attends each event with several clients and horses from her Cimmaron Show Stables; she brought 14 horses to the Ottawa National tournament.  An injury incurred earlier in the week prevented Robinson from competing in Sunday’s $5,000 Six-Year-Old Young Horse Finale but, fortunately, she had earned enough points throughout the season to still claim the Maplebrook Farm Six-Year-Old Young Horse Series title.  Her mount was Un Heros d’Urano Gouden Bit Z, a bay Dutch Warmblood stallion (Urano de Cartigny x Chacco-Blue), that she owns in partnership with Karen Forbes.

“We bought him as a two-and-a-half-year-old at a KWPN auction,” said Robinson, who broke the horse that is better known around the stable as “Hero” herself after importing him to North America.  “It was during COVID, and we were doing a little on-line shopping.  He was really small when we bought him, but I liked his technique; he looked light off the ground when he was free jumping.  His father was tiny, too, but jumped up to the five-star 1.60m level with Penelope Leprevost of France.  He can be a bit of a spicy boy but, in the end, that’s going to be helpful.  He’s my favourite horse.

“Unfortunately, I got hurt at the beginning of the week, so I didn’t get to show him,” continued Robinson.  “He’s so consistent and he’s very fast; he would have had a good chance of winning.  I am so, so thankful for the Maplebrook Farm Young Horse Series.  I always have young horses – this year, I had two six-year-olds competing in the series – and it’s pricey to show them.  I’m extremely thankful.”

The Ottawa National also featured the CET Medal and JC Medal Regional Finals, which serve as qualifying events for Toronto’s Royal Horse Show in November.  Following two phases of competition, 15-year-old Mathilde Candele of Orangeville, ON, came out on top in the CET Medal Regional Final.  Candele won the opening phase of competition over 16 other entries and placed second in phase two to take the overall title riding Van Tao RCG, an 11-year-old bay gelding (Van Helsing x Cranach) owned by Christopher Lowe.

In the JC Medal Regional Final, it was Addison McQuaker of Schomberg, ON, who emerged victorious.  Having placed second and third respectively in the two-phase CET Medal Regional Final, McQuaker took the win in the JC Medal to secure her starting place in the National Finals at the Royal Horse Show.  It was a true family affair as McQuaker, who is the daughter of professional trainers Christi and Mac McQuaker, was riding Clash Heldenlaan Z, a 16-year-old Zangersheide gelding (Clinton x Lord Z) owned by her older sister, Kieley.

The Ottawa National tournament, held September 11-15, marked the final show jumping event of the season for Wesley Clover Parks.  For more information on the Ottawa Equestrian Tournaments, visit www.OttawaEquestrianTournaments.com.  All competitor information is available at www.ottawaequestriantournaments.com/calendar and full results can be found at https://www.showmanagementsystem.com/horse_shows/horse_show/get/22b11103-b6ce-4cf0-b5ab-74e53a554630.

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