<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0cm"><font face="Arial, sans-serif"><strong>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.</strong></font>
</p><br>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0cm"><font face="Arial, sans-serif">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.</font>
</p><br>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0cm"><font face="Arial, sans-serif">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.</font>
</p><br>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0cm"><font face="Arial, sans-serif">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.</font>
</p><br>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0cm"><font face="Arial, sans-serif">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.</font>
</p><br>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0cm"><font face="Arial, sans-serif">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.</font>
</p><br>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0cm"><font face="Arial, sans-serif">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.</font>
</p><br>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0cm">“<font face="Arial, sans-serif">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.”</font>
</p><br>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0cm"><font face="Arial, sans-serif">The treble had
small pieces of wood in the cups of the jump, which the poles were balanced on
top of.</font>
</p><br>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0cm"><font face="Arial, sans-serif">McVean said it was
a big step to come out of New Zealand into such a high-ranking show.</font>
</p><br>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0cm"><font face="Arial, sans-serif">His daughter was
just over the moon.</font>
</p><br>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0cm">“<font face="Arial, sans-serif">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.”</font>
</p><br>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0cm"><font face="Arial, sans-serif">Twenty-three year
old McVean says she thinks Delphi loves being in the lime light.</font>
</p><br>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0cm">“<font face="Arial, sans-serif">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.”</font>
</p><br>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0cm"><font face="Arial, sans-serif">New Zealand's
showjumping high performance leader Richard Sunderland was just as
ecstatic.</font>
</p><br>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0cm">“<font face="Arial, sans-serif">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.”</font>
</p><br>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0cm"><font face="Arial, sans-serif">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.</font>
</p><br>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0cm">“<font face="Arial, sans-serif">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.”</font>
</p><br>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0cm"><font face="Arial, sans-serif">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.</font>
</p><br>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0cm"><font face="Arial, sans-serif">However, her
results at Spruce Meadows haven't gone unnoticed, and once again, McVean is
fending off calls from prospective buyers.</font>
</p><br>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0cm">“<font face="Arial, sans-serif">There is just so
much interest,” he says of his million dollar baby. “So much talk too....she's
just unbelievable.”</font>
</p><br>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0cm"><font face="Arial, sans-serif">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.</font>
</p><br>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0cm">- Diana Dobson<br>SJNZ Media Liason</p>
