Deanna Phelan from Geary, New Brunswick, will be the only resident Maritimer challenging some of the biggest names in Canadian show jumping in Halifax during the Kubota Cup Grand Prix at the Maritime Fall Fair on October 15, 2005.

Olympian John Pearce (2000 Olympics, Sydney, Australia) is the Eastern Division Championship points leader so far, riding ‘Archie Bunker’. Pearce will be riding three top Grand Prix horses in the class. Two-time Olympian Mario Deslaurier (1984 Los Angeles, CA and 1988 Seoul, Korea), fresh off the best competitive year of his life since the early 1990s, and currently holding the sixth spot in the points standings, is also bringing three top Grand Prix horses.

Phelan has been focused on placing well in the Jump Canada Talent Squad Series this year. She placed sixth overall, one point behind Laurie Bucci and Sven Frei who tied for fourth. Nicolas-Xavier Belanger of Quebec, riding Now Or Never, placed third in that series and is champing at the bit to move up the ranks in the overall standings for the Eastern Division Championship of the Kubota Cup.

The National Talent Squad Series is a national program used as a means of identifying and recognizing up-and-coming riders who are preparing to enter the grand prix ranks and demonstrate the ability to become future members of the Canadian Equestrian Team.

“Equestrian competitions are the only sports where you can compete against your (own) coach,” said Phelan. In her case it’s a double whammy. She has been coached by two-time Olympian (1992 Barcelona, Spain and 1996 Atlanta, USA) and the first woman to win the World Cup League (1993), Beth Underhill who will be competing against Phelan in the Grand Prix aboard the Dutch Warmblood mare Magdaline.

Both Jonathan and Amy Millar will be competing against Phelan as well, among many other accomplished riders and rising stars.

“The riding at the Kubota Cup will be great for Atlantic Canadians to see,” said Phelan. “For many of us it will be the first indoor show of the season and that, combined with the small size of the arena necessitating narrower jumps, will be challenging for all of us.” Phelan went on to say that there are no comparable Grand Prix competitions in the Maritimes so it will be a treat to compete on home turf.

Phelan is New Brunswick’s only Level III Equine Canada certified riding coach, a personal achievement completed in December 2004. She and her sister, Valerie, operate Geary Hill Stables in Geary, NB.