Ian Millar Wins Again at 2007 Royal Horse Show

Toronto, Ontario – Ian Millar of Perth, ON, was victorious in Friday's $50,000 Weston Canadian Open to score his fourth win of The Royal Horse Show, running November 2-11 as part of The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair in Toronto, ON.

A total of 23 international show jumping competitors attempted to be the fastest over the track set by course designer Michel Vaillancourt, but none were as quick as Millar who, at 60, is proving that age is not a factor in the Olympic sport of show jumping. Millar had already won the $100,000 Canadian Show Jumping Championship presented by Greenhawk, the $70,000 Kubota Cup Grand Prix, and the $100,000 CN World Cup Grand Prix at this year's Royal Horse Show before successfully defending his title in the $50,000 Weston Canadian Open.

In a format where the fastest round wins, Millar was jumping out of 13th position in the starting order. Superstitions were not a factor as the eight-time Olympian guided Redefin, a nine-year-old gelding owned by Susan Grange of Cheltenham, ON, to a clear round in a time of 62.92 seconds to move into the lead. None who followed were able to improve on Millar's time with the closest challenge coming from his 2007 Pan Am Silver Medal teammate, Eric Lamaze of Schomberg, ON. Riding Narcotique de Muze, Lamaze was clear but his time of 63.34 seconds was off the pace set by Millar.

Great Britain's Nick Skelton gave it his best shot with Le Prestige St. Lois but fell short with a time of 63.57 seconds while Dutchman Harrie Smolders gave Riovanna a great ride but stopped the clock at 63.64 seconds to take fourth. American challenger Laura Kraut was the final rider of the night to post a clear round, but her time of 64.22 seconds riding Cedric left her in fifth place.

On Saturday at The Royal Horse Show, Mario Deslauriers will attempt to defend his title in the $75,000 Ricoh Big Ben International Challenge while the wildly popular Carriage Racing Derby, presented by Milestones Grill and Bar, will have the audience cheering with approval as horses thunder through the Ricoh Coliseum. In total, $745,000 in prize money is offered during the 10-day Royal Horse Show making it one of the richest equestrian events in the world. For more information on The Royal Horse Show and The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair, please visit www.royalfair.org.

$50,000 Weston Canadian Open - Final Standings

Rider Hometown Horse Faults Time
1. Ian Millar Perth, ON Redefin 0 62.92
2. Eric Lamaze Schomberg, ON Narcotique de Muze 0 63.34
3. Nick Skelton Great Britain Le Prestige St. Lois 0 63.57
4. Harrie Smolders Netherlands Riovanna 0 63.64
5. Laura Kraut United States Cedric 0 64.22
6. William Whitaker Great Britain Arielle 0 64.85
7. Stein Endresen Norway Le Beau 29 0 66.56

Photo Credit: Ian Millar by Michelle C. Dunn