from: Waikato Time (dated 14 June 2010)

Waikato's Katie McVean collected $28,000 for her fourth place finish in an elite showjumping event in Canada yesterday.

The Mystery Creek rider was making her first start in a five-star event on top mount Dunstan Delphi at the grand prix at Spruce Meadows in Canada yesterday.

She and fellow US-based Kiwi Guy Thomas were two of only five combinations from the 37 starters to make it through to the jump-off at one of the world's most prestigious shows.

McVean and her mount knocked a rail down at the penultimate fence in the jump-off, finishing with four faults in 54.43 seconds while Thomas and Corino, recorded eight faults in 52.91 seconds and picked up $21,000 for fifth.

Olympic champion Eric Lamaze (Canada) aboard Hickstead took the title ahead of Mexico's Federico Fernandez, with John Pearce (Canada) on Chianto third.

McVean's father and former Olympian Jeff McVean, who was present at the event, had plenty of praise for the Kiwi duo who are vying for spots in the New Zealand team for the World Equestrian Championships in Kentucky this year.

"It was a huge course," he said.

"It was very tricky. The rails were very very light – if you breathed on some they would have fallen.

"Both horses were just fantastic."

"I can't believe Delphi," Katie said.

"She's an amazing horse.

"When we came here we weren't going to go straight into the 1.6m class but she was going so well and we had every bit of faith that she could do it.

"She's just getting better and better – it's incredibly exciting.

"Everyone is amazed by her because no-one really knows her and yet she's out here jumping the big class, and doing it well," said the 23-year-old.

New Zealand's showjumping high performance leader Richard Sunderland was just as ecstatic.

"This is absolutely fantastic for New Zealand," he said.

"It backs up what I have said all along that we have these athletes out there who are most definitely able to do the job."

To have both McVean and Thomas hot on the heels of Lamaze was heart-stopping stuff.

Last weekend Thomas made history as the first rider ever to win the Triple Crown of Showjumping in California.

Jeff McVean has long believed in Delphi, who he bred out of his top mare Flower Power.

The family has been hounded by top offshore combinations keen to buy the mare, but she is now firmly in New Zealand ownership.

However, her results at Spruce Meadows didn't go unnoticed, and once again, McVean is fending off calls from prospective buyers.

"There is just so much interest," he said.