Triple C and Wray make the Erin Welcome a week of firsts to kick off the 2016 season!

June 11, 2016 – ERIN, ON – Thursday evening featured the $35,000 Taittinger Open Welcome in the Brand New Angelstone Stadium, which officially opened for competition Wednesday. Riding her new mount, Fiero Van Orti, Carly Campbell-Cooper took the top spot on the podium to claim her first FEI victory!

Ten horses from the starting field managed to navigate the first round track clear, setting up an exciting jump off. Carly had an early draw and laid down the first clear round in a time of 44.52 to set the early pace. Eight riders followed, and the rails began to fall. Erynn Ballard had the final fence down on both her mounts with times good enough to take the victory, as did Nina Fagerstorm, Keean White and Beth Underhill, but in the end no one was able to leave the fences up and beat the time of 44.52. Quincy Hayes took second place aboard Calgary with a slower clear and Keean White finished 3rd with Carrera Van Het Westleven Z in a blistering 40.21 with four faults.

Moving forward to Friday evening, MacKenzie Wray and her horse Contact became the first ever junior rider to earn victory in the Canadian Hunter Derby series. Erynn Ballard, trainer of MacKenzie finished one point behind to claim the second prize.

The Grand Prix, which will be the feature event of the tournament week will take place today at 7:00PM in the new Angelstone stadium.