A capacity crowd filled the stands in the main arena of the Keystone Centre for the first Kubota Cup Grand Prix in the 2006 Series. Eleven competitors, including last year’s winner Michael Grinyer and Alcatraz, Olympian Jonathan Asselin and Lolita, and veteran Karen Cudmore and Granus, tackled the course before British Columbia’s Gary Brewster and Royal Viali posted the first clear round. One by one they bowed to the tight 66 second time allowed and the twisting route through the maximum height verticals, wide oxers and tricky jump placements created by Palacios.

In only her second Grand Prix, 21-year-old Emily George from Calgary, Alberta, and her Irish Warmblood horse, Smart Thinking, rode the course brilliantly, carefully answering each question posed by the course. They went clear and became the second pair to qualify for the jump-off.

Gary Brewster and his third ride of the evening, Hurricane, also posted a clear round as did Karen Cudmore on her third ride, Ocelot, sending a total of four, out of a field of twenty-four horses, to the jump off.

Brewster and Royal Viali were the first to come back amassing 12 faults in a time of 39.105, well under the time allowed of 42 seconds. Good enough for third place.

George and Smart Thinking returned and negotiated the jump-off course carefully, but clear, in 40.502 seconds.

Brewster and Hurricane had a good run until an inside turn to the fourth jump, a wide oxer, resulted in a fall and elimination from the jump-off, dropping them to fourth place overall.

Making a run for the win, Cudmore and Ocelot had the fastest time of 38.896 seconds but took out two jumps, ending up with eight faults, leaving them in second place.

Representing the Title Sponsor, John Gilliland, National Marketing Manager for Kubota Canada Ltd., presented the gold medal to George and Smart Thinking and said, “Thank you for a thrilling spectacle. You are a rising star in show jumping and we’re looking forward to seeing you at the next Kubota Cup Grand Prix in Edmonton.”

An ecstatic George said, “My horse was fantastic! I’ve had Smarty for about a year and a half and the more I challenge him, the better he gets. This win was totally unexpected. I knew it was a tough course. I was looking to be conservative. I knew my horse could do it so I was looking to give him the best ride I could.” The strategy paid off. George pocketed $8,750 for the win, and, as the winner of the Grand Prix, she is taking home a complete SoftStall™ therapeutic bedding system for her horse, Smarty, worth $675, and she starts the Kubota Cup Canadian Show Jumping Series with 180 points toward the Western Division Championship.

The Kubota Cup Canadian Show Jumping Series kicked off its 2006 season during the 99th annual Royal Manitoba Winter Fair, produced by the Provincial Exhibition of Manitoba, at Brandon. www.brandonfairs.com

TOP 10 RESULTS: $35,000 Kubota Cup Grand Prix

1. Smart Thinking / Emily George / $8,750
2. Ocelot / Karen Cudmore / $6,300
3. Royal Viali / Gary Brewster / $5,250
4. Hurricane / Gary Brewster / $3,850
5. Lucas / Tamie Phillips / $2,800
6. Starlet / Tamie Phillips / $2,450
7. Alcatraz / Michael Grinyer / $2,100
8. Rosita Fly / Jonathan Asselin / $1,400
9. Lolita / Jonathan Asselin / $1,050
10. Royal Beach / Allen Kruger / $1,050