Canadian veteran Cindy Ishoy put herself back in the limelight when she clinched the right to represent her country at the 2006 FEI World Cup Final in front of a packed house at Toronto's Royal Horse Fair.

Ishoy, who placed second at the 1988 Final - Canada's highest ever place
- and fourth the previous year on her star partner Dynasty, who she later tragically lost to colic, seems at last to have found another special horse in Proton, an 11-year-old Baden Wurttemburg gelding she and her husband Neil found in Germany.

Recovering his equilibrium quickly after a camera flashed right in his face just as he was about to enter the arena for the freestyle, Proton pulled off a difficult programme to give his rider the verdict on 71.70 per cent, narrowly beating the 71.175 per cent score of 'bridesmaids' Evi Strasser and Quantum Tyme.

With a Grand Prix win giving them pole position for last night's freestyle, Ishoy said afterwards: "That was close! I was really pleased with his passage and piaffe, and his extended trot. Our Freestyle is technically very difficult and a year ago I wouldn't have had faith that he could do it." But riding to music chosen by her 21-year-old daughter, Ishoy and Proton certainly did it, cheered on by 6,500 fans.

Strasser and her 10-year-old chestnut Oldenburg gelding Quantum Tyme, who represented Canada earlier this year at the 2005 FEI World Cup Final in Las Vegas, was happy with her horse's performance, but frustrated at placing being the runner-up. "It's my life, to be close but not be there, " she said. " It's a hard game. Cindy is a fantastic competitor, and it is good for me to compete against her. I couldn't be happier with my horse's performance, he was super, but I still hate to lose."

While Ishoy can relax a little and begin to plan, the race continues in the Western European League this month. In an action-packed final weekend of November, both the Maastricht and Stockholm qualifiers will be taking place, and with title-holder Anky van Grunsven expected at Maastricht and Jan Brink heading for Stockholm, the heat will be on in both venues.

Prior to that in Werribee, Victoria, the Pacific League Final, which has highlighted some exciting new talent emerging for Australia, takes place on November 18/19.

Canadian League FEI World Cup Final
Grand Prix Freestyle

1, Proton (Cindy Ishoy) 71.70
2, Quantum Tyme (Evi Strasser) 71.175
3, Gran Gesto (Jacqueline Brooks) 68.875
4, Ariston (Nancy MacLachlan) 63.10
5, Nektor (Whitney Harris) 56.525

Media Contacts:
CDI-W Toronto
Jennifer Ward
Starting Gate Communications
Tel: 1 613 569-2423
E-mail: jward@startinggate.ca
www.royalfair.org