Ian Millar maintains his lead in Pan Am Games Selection Trials

Following the second Pan American Games Selection Trial for the Canadian Show Jumping Team last Sunday, Ian Millar of Perth has maintained his lead in the standings.

Selection Trials were held last Friday and Sunday at the Caledon Equestrian Park in Palgrave.

Friday saw Millar place first riding Redefin and second riding In Style. With two more faultless performances in Sunday's $50,000 Caledon National Grand Prix, which acted as the second Selection Trial, Millar maintained his place at the top of the Selection Trial leader board.

Millar was the seventh of 27 challengers in the first event and posted a clear round in a time of 83.855 seconds to move into the lead riding Redefin. He would prove to be his own closest competition later in the class, guiding In Style to a clear round in a time of 85.756 seconds to finish the Friday Selection Trial in first and second place. Susan Grange of Cheltenham owns both Redefin and In Style.

"We're off to a good start, I would say," smiled Millar, 60, who has won eight medals, including two Individual Gold medals, in seven Pan American Games appearances. "The Pan American Games are extremely important because they set the stage for going to the Olympics."

There were 23 horserider combinations contested the first Selection Trials with 21 returning Sunday.

Erynn Ballard of Hillsburgh also posted a clear round Sunday to move into third place in the Selection Trial standings. Ballard, 26, was riding Robin van Roosendael, a 13- year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding owned by Looking Back Farm.

Jill Henselwood of Oxford Mills posted clear first-round efforts with Special Ed and Black Ice to take fourth and fifth positions in the Selection Trial standings. Moving into the seven-horse jump-off, Henselwood guided Special Ed to victory in the $50,000 Caledon National Grand Prix, blistering around the course in a time of 35.347 seconds. Henselwood proved to be unbeatable, also claiming second place with Black Ice after stopping the timers at 36.079 seconds.

"We had a very good course builder that built a beautiful track," said Henselwood, referring to Guiherme Jorge of Brazil, who will also be the show jumping course designer at the 2007 Pan American Games. "Ian Millar gave us a riding lesson (Friday), and he inspired us to ride well today."

Henselwood, who was a member of the 1995 and 1999 Pan American Games team, is looking forward to the next three Selection Trials, which will be held on June 6, 7, and 10 during the Spruce Meadows 'National' tournament in Calgary.

"Special Ed has been super in Calgary, and Black Ice has been super in Calgary," noted Henselwood of her past competitive performances at the Spruce Meadows venue. "They've both grown up in our Canadian rings. I am pleased to have two horses to present for our team. Black Ice has had some great results, including being the 2005 Canadian Show Jumping Champion, so he's no longer the dark horse. And I've saved Special Ed for these trials. I would like him to have a big year."

Incurring just one time fault in Sunday's Selection Trial riding Melinda, Canadian Olympian Mac Cone of King City moved in sixth position in the standings. Victoria native Karen Cudmore, who now makes her home in Omaha, Nebraska, had been sitting behind Millar following the first Selection Trial, but had one fence down on Sunday riding Southern Pride to fall to seventh position.

Kim Farlinger, 22, of Annan, Ontario, posted a clear round riding Cordoba, a nine-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding owned by Peter Farlinger, to move into eighth position. Alberta native Darren Dlin is currently in ninth place in the standings with the Canadian-bred Catwalk while 26-year-old Frankie Chesler-Ortiz of Orangeville is in 10th position with Ranville.

"I don't think that are any surprises," commented Terrance Millar, chair of the Selection Committee. "It's a very good group here at the top. Guiherme is as good a course designer as there is anywhere in the world, and you just have to let the experts do their work."

At the conclusion of the Selection Trials, the top three riders in the standings will earn a berth to the Pan American Games while the Selection Committee will name an additional two team members.