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Spruce Meadows - A Nail Biting Performance

June 15, 2008

Calgary, AB --- The $100,000 CN Performance Grand Prix was a nail biter to the very end at Spruce Meadows for the last day of the “Continental” Tournament. Forty one riders entered the ring for their chance at the championship, only six made the trip back for the jump-off.

The afternoon’s jump-off will go down in history as one of the most exciting finishes ever at Spruce Meadows. Beezie Madden (USA) was the first rider to go clear with her stallion Judgement. Madden set the time to beat at 39.76 seconds, with three still to go. Eric Lamaze (CAN) was next into the ring and he sped around the course on Hickstead. The pair galloped around to the last jump and crossed the finish line with a time of 39.83, mere hundredths of a second out of first place. The disappointment was felt across the stadium as the Canadian failed to win the second leg of the $1 million CN Precision Series. The feeling didn’t last long as Jaime Azcarraga (MEX) and Presley Boy made their way around the course. The pair was fast and clear as they crossed the finish line, in an even dead heat with Beezie Madden. Azcarraga’s time was 39.76, so officials needed to go to the thousandth of a second to break the tie. “It was more nerve wracking waiting to listen to who was ahead of whom then to actually ride in the jump off,” said Madden of waiting for the official first place result. In the end it was defending Champion Madden who was the winner of the CN Performance Grand Prix with a time of 39.763. Madden and her 17 year-old stallion Judgement defended their title and took the second leg of the CN Precision Series. “He loves this venue, he felt terrific last week. I knew he had it in him. It felt like I never hit a lick but it was the same for everyone, fast to the end,” said Madden.

CN Performance Grand Prix top 10 –

1-         Beezie Madden         USA                Judgement
2-         Jaime Azcarraga       MEX               Presley Boy
3-         Eric Lamaze              CAN               Hickstead
4-         Jill Henselwood         CAN               Special Ed
5-         Kim Farlinger                        CAN               Cordoba
6-         Cara Raether             USA                Lord G
7-         Lauren Hough          USA                Quick Study
8-         Ian Millar                   CAN               Redefin
9-         Mario Deslauriers     CAN               Paradigm
10-       Jay Hayes                  CAN               Livarot

There was no better way to cap off the 2008 Spruce Meadows “Continental” Tournament than the CN Performance Grand Prix.  Competition continues next week with the “Skyliner” Tournament.

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