April 2000

Ottawa, Ontario

Canadian show jumping riders Ian Millar, Ainsley Vince and Mario Deslauriers are set to take on the best in the world this weekend at the Budweiser World Cup Final 2000, April 19-23, in Las Vegas, USA.

Approximately 45 riders from 13 World Cup Qualifying Leagues around the globe will participate in the annual World Cup Final, held indoors. Millar, Vince and Deslauriers are Canada's three invited representatives, qualified through their point standings in the Canadian World Cup Qualifying League.

Millar, 53, of Perth, ON, set a World Cup record when he and his famous partner, Big Ben, became the first horse-rider combination to win back-to-back World Cup titles in 1988 and 1989. This time around, Millar will be aboard Ivar, his gold medal partner from the 1999 Pan American Games.

Vince, 23, of Milton, ON, will be making her World Cup debut with the 10-year-old Dutch Warmblood, Catch 22. Vince helped the Canadians capture the Bank of Montreal Nations' Cup for the second straight year at last November's Royal Horse Show in Toronto, ON.

Deslauriers, 35, of Bromont, PQ, is also a World Cup record holder. In addition to being the first Canadian to win a World Cup Final in 1984, at 19 years of age, he was also the youngest rider to ever win, a record he still holds today. In his eleventh World Cup Final appearance, Deslauriers will be partnered with Tristan America's Le Madro, a 10-year-old Holsteiner gelding usually seen in the show ring with Deslauriers' cousin, Lili Fortin.

Competition begins tomorrow at the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas and concludes with the World Cup Final being decided on Sunday. For more information, please visit the website at www.worldcup2000lasvegas.com.

Media Release Contact: Jennifer Ward January 28, 2000 Media Relations Coordinator For Immediate Release Tel: (613) 248-3433 ext. 133 e-mail: jward@equestrian.ca

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