BROMONT, QUEBEC A U.S. entry took the first win today in the eastern conference of the Kubota Cup national show jumping series. Schuyler Riley, of New Hope, Pennsylvania claimed the lion's share of the prize money, but isn't eligible for what Canadian entries were chasing.

Today's $60,000 Kubota Cup at the Bromont International show jumping tournament was the first chance for eastern Canadian riders to qualify for the Kubota Cup National Final. The Final is held at Toronto's Royal Agricultural Winter Fair and is the only show jumping competition in the country that guarantees participation from both eastern and western Canada.

Under wet conditions, 30 rider/horse combinations contested today's Kubota Cup at the site of the 1976 Olympic equestrian competitions. The rigorous test was designed by Montreal native Pierre Jolicoeur, who now resides in the U.S. Jolicoeur coached Canada's Michel Vaillancourt to an Olympic individual silver medal at this same site 31 years ago.

Twenty-three of thirty entries had attempted the course before anyone jumped faultlessly. Olympic and Pan American Games veteran Beth Underhill, of Schomberg, Ontario rode Magdaline to the first clear round. Following her lead, three more found the trick to the troublesome course. Brother-sister duo Jonathon and Amy Millar, of Perth, Ontario have dominated the last six weeks of competition in Quebec and, predictably, were both faultless. They were aboard Fancy Hill and Costa Rica Z, respectively. Last to ride, Riley was on her up-and-coming young mount Lapacco, and turned the tie-breaker into a foursome.

In the jump-off, one rail fell for Underhill and two for Jonathon Millar, who had a blazing time. Amy Millar was more cautious than her brother, in 43.79 seconds and left all the jumps standing. In a climactic finish, Riley also left the jumps up and shaved 2.1 seconds off Amy Millar's time, to finish in 41.68

"It was an incredibly competitive course", 35-year-old Riley said, adding that the middle element of the triple combination "took out almost everybody". Riley has had a lot of success in Canada and praised the concept of the national series.

Since only Canadian citizens and landed immigrants are eligible for the Kubota Cup National Final, Amy Millar automatically takes the eastern conference lead, followed by Beth Underhill and Jonathon Millar. Underhill was voted winner of the Cavalor MVP Award, a sportsmanship award decided by her peers. Lapacco's groom, Stephanie, won the Groom's Award.

Western conference qualifying will conclude in two weeks in Richmond, B.C., with West Vancouver's Gary Brewster currently in the lead.

The eastern conference meets again in Collingwood, Ontario in three weeks.