Bolton’s Susan Horn takes 2nd in Ottawa’s Open Welcome

July 21, 2022 · 0 Comments

By Mark Pavilons

A Bolton rider challenged a strong performer at the recent Open Welcome in Ottawa.

For the second week in a row, François Lamontagne of Saint-Eustache, QC, won the Open Welcome at the two-week Ottawa Summer Tournaments at Wesley Clover Parks in Ottawa.

Having scored victory in the $20,000 Giant Tiger Open Welcome on Thursday, July 7, Lamontagne repeated his winning ways by topping the $20,000 Soltek Equestrian Open Welcome on Thursday, July 14.

His mount for both wins was Chanel du Calvaire, his 14-year-old Belgian Sport Horse mare (Luccianno x Kashmir van Schuttershof).

Susan Horn, 38, of Bolton, came the closest to catching Lamontagne, laying down another clear round in a time of 39.64 seconds riding Chacca Keeps II, a 12-year-old Hanoverian mare (Chacco-Blue x For Keeps) owned by Kingsfield Farm.

A total of 10 horses qualified for the jump-off over the inviting track set by course designer Marina Azevedo of Brazil on Wesley Clover Parks’ expansive grass field. With Chanel du Calvaire being his only entry, the task became even more challenging when he was the first rider back for the jump-off.

Toronto’s Stephanie Gallucci gave it her best shot riding Calle 67, a 13-year-old Westphalian mare (Carell x Capitalist) owned by Artemis Equestrian Farm LLC. Her jump-off time of 41.41 seconds still gave Lamontagne lots of breathing room and, in the end, the Quebec-based rider simply could not be caught.

“The track was fair, a little light and small but just fine for the Welcome,” said Lamontagne.

“Marina is a very nice course designer, and very smart. The Grand Prix will be bigger and harder, but the course was nice for the job today. Thank you to Francis Leblanc from Soltek for sponsoring the Open Welcome.”