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Olympic-Bound Show Jumpers Meet in Europe to Prepare

April 30, 2008

Lumen, Belgium --- Four of the most likely members of Canada's Olympic show jumping team have arrived in Europe and will begin competition Thursday. Jill Henselwood, of Oxford Mills, Ontario, was already in Europe, having competed in the indoor World Cup Final in Sweden last week, on her back-up mount, Black Ice. She is aiming Special Ed at the Olympic Games.

Henselwood has now been joined in Europe by Ian Millar, of Perth, Ontario; Eric Lamaze, of Schomberg, Ontario; and Mac Cone, of King City, Ontario. The four will compete as individuals, both on their Olympic-favoured mounts as well as other mounts, Thursday through Sunday in Lummen. They will compete as a team on Friday.

They will also compete in team and individual competitions in Madrid, May 15 to 18. "There are only two team competitions in North America", long-time team captain, Ian Millar, said, "The Europeans compete as a team much more often than we do. So, in preparing for something like the Olympics, it is so very important for us to have the opportunity to ride as a team."

Millar is aiming the 13-year-old gelding, In Style, at the Olympic Games, while Lamaze has been hailed a favourite partnered with the 12-year-old stallion, Hickstead. Cone would like to take Ole to the Games.

Millar is looking to make his ninth Olympic appearance, which would equal a world record. Henselwood, last year's individual gold medalist at the Pan American Games, will be aiming to repeat that feat. She rode Special Ed at those Games. No woman has ever stood on the individual gold medal podium at the Olympic Games in show jumping. There will be stiff competition to change that this year. Henselwood will be up against top-ranked women riders from Germany, Ireland and the U.S. in that quest.

Following the European competitions, these and other Olympic candidates will compete in Calgary in June. Canada's Olympic show jumping team will be named by June 30.

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