“I’m rooting for Amy Millar,” I announce before the second night of a two-part jumping competition starts. “It’s her year. I can tell.”

Once again, I’m making the annual pilgrimage with a dozen Ride with the Wind Stables students to the 95th Royal Agricultural Winter Fair in Toronto. We’re in our seats, gearing up for the Canadian Show Jumping Championships, the highlight of our day-long Royal adventure.

But then again, I’m always rooting for Amy Millar particularly since meeting her a year ago at a Whispering Hearts event. She was charming, vibrant and an enthusiastic cheerleader for girls with equestrian dreams.

Turns out. I was right!

On Saturday, November 4, 2018 Amy Millar won the $100,000 Canadian Show Jumping Championship at the Royal in Toronto, Ontario, for the first time in a two-decade career.

Millar’s name is synonymous with Canadian equestrian show jumping. Ian Millar, Amy’s father, has won this Canadian Show Jumping Championship 12 times and in fact was a leader coming into the event tonight.

However, a second-night round marred by several three poles down dropped him to 10th place and out of the final six round.

Similarly, Amy’s brother Jonathon Millar also competed this evening but failed to make the final six riders who faced off for the title.

Thanks to two clean rides, Amy Millar, took the title astride Heros, a 10-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding, which she rode in the 2016 Rio Olympic Games.

Francois Lamontagne riding Chanel du Calvaire finished a close second and Ali Ramsay, riding Hermelien VD Hooghoeve, took third place.

Both Amy Millar and Francois Lamontagne earned a place in the Royal Horse Show’s International Show Jumping Competition beginning on November 7, 2017. They join fellow Canadian riders who previously qualified Tiffany Foster, Keean White, Vanessa Mannix, Erynn Ballard, Ali Ramsay and, of course, Ian Millar.

Canada’s top contenders of that event will move to the $150,000 Longines FEI Word Cup Jumping event at the Royal on Wednesday evening, along with USA’s Kent Farrington and McLain Ward.

The Royal Agriculture Winter Fair and Royal Horse Show will continue until November 12, 2017 at Exhibition Place, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Up Next on horsetrotting.net: Horseware Indoor Eventing Challenge highlights. (Spoiler alert: Jessica Phoenix won!)

Other Royal highlights: International Accumulator Show Jumping Challenge and The Royal Invitational Dressage Cup

Love Horses? Love Decorating for the Holidays?

Check out this horse jumping ornament on Amazon.ca (affiliate link)