Bromont, Quebec – Canadian Chris Pratt (ON) won the Kubota Cup Grand Prix in Bromont, Quebec Saturday July 29, on his young eight year old mare Bequia, in a blazing 38.86 seconds. Accepting the American challenge from veterans Leslie Burr Howard and Youp, Bequia fired over the finish line 95/100th of second faster with lots left in the tank.

With an international entry mix of thirty one horses, thirteen made it clear to the jump off in the Kubota Cup Grand Prix. Only seventeen of the entered horse/rider teams were eligible for Kubota Cup Canadian Show Jumping Series points leaving the leader-board wide open for young developing Canadian athletes to hold a lead in the Eastern Division.

Lauren Hunkin (Perth, ON) entered the Grand Prix ring and received her salute with applause from the Kubota Canada representatives as they favoured Hunkin to hold her own in this great competition. Riding fifteenth in the order of go following 2005 Canadian Champion Jill Henselwood, Captain Canada Ian Millar , Olympian Leslie Burr Howard, Olympian Normand Dello Joio there were already five clear trips but nine great riders had rails down and faults accumulated. Hunkin’s goal was to ride focused on the job at hand. Making good decisions in piloting Orleans in the first round, the second element of the complicated triple combination created a four fault round and placed her down in the overall placings. Earning ninth and 138 points in the Kubota Cup qualifier keeps her in second place in the Eastern Standings.

Last rider to go was rookie Sophie Nihon (Montreal) and her partner Catch Me Later. Riding last did nothing to allay Nihon’s nervous energy as the pair entered the arena to take on Guilherme Norgueria Jorge’s technical and long course. Reflecting on her performance afterwards Nihon stated “Every time a rail came down I was thinking – do I quit or do I keep going? And then I thought - I am here, I am here to learn, to get experience and the only way to improve is to get around, so up and over my friend, let’s finish.” By completing the course she logged 112 Cup points for her effort which puts her name on the leader board for the Series which has two qualifying events still to go in the Eastern Division.

John Pearce and Archie Bunker, defending 2005 Eastern Division Champions, rode into the magical group of thirteen finalists in the jump off. With an eighth place finish in the Grand Prix Pearce and Archie Bunker catapults into the lead for the Eastern Kubota Cup Series with Hunkin trailing a tight 8 points behind.

Third leg of the Kubota Cup Canadian Show Jumping Series Eastern Division will take place August 20th at the Kubota Collingwood Classic, hosted at Fisher Field in Collingwood, Ontario. Hosting the fourth qualifier and the Kubota Cup Eastern Canadian Championships, the Maritime Fall Fair in Halifax, Nova Scotia will bring the Eastern Division to a close October 14th.

Sponsored by Kubota Canada Ltd, leading distributor of compact diesel tractors and construction equipment in Canada, the Kubota Cup Canadian Show Jumping Series welcomes CanJet Airlines as Official Travel Partner and Associate Sponsors CWD Saddles, SoftStall™, Ogilvy Horse™, Show One™ who provide additional prizes and awards valued at over $50,000 in addition to the $425,000 in guaranteed prize money and Kubota RTV Utility Vehicles.