Calgary, AB: After record breaking rainfall the past two weeks, Spruce Meadows was host to the first of its four internationally ranked summer tournaments. The National, which took place June 8-12, saw Michael Whitaker of Great Britain aboard Laconda narrowly edge Canada's Jill Henselwood and Special Ed for the Gold in the Spruce Meadows Canadian Championship TM. Bronze position was awarded to Rodrigo Pessoa of Brazil and Richmont Park.

Annually at the Spruce Meadows National Tournament, CN presents The Spruce Meadows Canadian Championships TM. With four 1.60 meter qualifying events, horse and rider combinations must show ability and consistency in order to win. The first qualifying class, held on opening night, was the $25,000 ATB Financial Cup where riders earned double points for their respective placings. On the second night, it was the $30,000 Duke Energy Cup that was to count. This time riders earned triple points for their placings, allowing the level of difficulty that progresses during the week play a major role in the outcome of the winner of the championship.

By the weekend, it is down to the two most demanding classes for the final contributing points. Saturday's $200,000 CN Reliability Grand Prix offered quadruple points and Sunday's grueling $170,000 Shell Cup Derby offered the most points, with winners scoring five times the points earned for their placing.

With a fifth and twelfth place going into the final competition, Henselwood was aware that she needed a top placing in the heavily weighted Shell Cup Derby. More than 22 mm. of rain fell before the start of the class adding to an already punishing test. Henselwood managed to tie the leaders with four faults, but unfortunately also incurred one time fault keeping her from the timed jump-off. Finishing a credible fourth, and earning five times her fourth place points, Henselwood moved into silver position in the Spruce Meadows Canadian Championships and finished top Canadian horse/rider combination at the prestigious National Tournament earning her a $7,500 bonus for her efforts.

The week's success wasn't finished yet, as Henselwood's student, rising equestrian star Kim Farlinger, jumped alongside her coach and the other international competitors with consistency earning her the Gold Medal in the Molson Three Star Award. Earning the prestigious award for the second year in a row, Farlinger rode her powerful gelding del Destino. The Molson Three Star awards are given during the four Spruce Meadows tournaments to riders over nineteen, competing at the international levels and yet to ride on a senior international team, Olympics, World Equestrian Games or World Cup Finals.

Henselwood and her stable will remain in Calgary until mid July enjoying premier competitions at Spruce Meadows, the number one show jumping venue in the world.