Six riders qualified for the final round of the Canadian Show Jumping Championship November 3, 2018 at the Royal Horse Show – the highlight of Toronto’s 96th Royal Agricultural Winter Fair 2018 – three men and three women. And the top three spots went to the women.

Saturday’s event (after The Indoor Eventing Event – check it out) was round two (and three) of a competition that started the night before and saw Nicole Walker riding Falco van Spieveld in the lead. Falco van Spieveld is a 13-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding.

Walker, from Aurora, Ontario maintained that lead and claimed the top prize Saturday night in a characteristically white-knuckled jumping round that sees wins determined by one knocked rail or a fraction of a second.

Amy Millar, last year’s winner, was a favourite to win (ok, my favourite), after a clear round in the second round. However, it was not to be. Astride Heros, a Belgian Warmblood gelding, Millar ultimately took second place after a rail down in round three.

Veteran show jumping competitor from Schomberg, Ontario, Beth Underhill (check out our meeting) riding Count Me secured third place.

Legend and 12-time Canadian Show Jumping Champion Ian Millar took fourth place riding Calvin Klein for Brookstreet Stables; Olympic medalist Mac Cone riding Zaia di san Giovanni finished fifth and Hyde Moffatt riding Granturo was the sixth-place rider after round three.

The Canadian Show Jumping Championship is also a qualifier for the International Show Jumping competition November 10 – the final night of The Royal. Top two winners Walker and Amy Millar move to the international show along with other five other Canadian riders: Erynn Ballard, Ian Millar, Jonathon Millar, Ali Ramsay and Beth Underhill.

UPDATE: USA’s McLain Ward won the $205,000 Longines FEI Jumping World Cup during the final night of the Royal Winter Fair 2018 in Toronto, November 10, 2018.