Canadian Nations’ Cup Team Announced for Spruce Meadows ‘Masters’

John Anderson of Calgary, AB, Yann Candele of Caledon, ON, Eric Lamaze of Schomberg, ON, and Jonathon Millar of Perth, ON, will form the Canadian Show Jumping Team for the $350,000 BMO Nations’ Cup held Saturday, September 11, at the CSIO5* Spruce Meadows ‘Masters’ Tournament in Calgary, AB.

Former Olympian Anderson will be paired with Terrific, a 10-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding owned by Foxdale Farm Inc. Terrific and Anderson won the $30,000 HITS Grand Prix on Thursday, February 4, and $25,000 HITS Grand Prix on Sunday, February 14 in Thermal, CA.

Candele, who has been a member of Canada’s back-to-back winning Nations’ Cup teams in Wellington, FL, will be aboard Pitareusa, a 13-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare owned by Susan Grange. Candele and Pitareusa recently won the $120,000 Grand Prix during the CSI3* International Bromont II.

Olympic Champion Lamaze, a member of Canada’s victorious team at the last Nations’ Cup held in North America in Wellington, FL, will ride Hickstead, a 14-year-old Dutch Warmblood stallion owned by Ashland Stables Inc. and Torrey Pines Stable. The pair comes into the BMO Nations’ Cup having won both the $200,000 ATCO Queen Elizabeth II Cup at the Spruce Meadows “North American” Tournament and, one week later, the €350,000 Rolex Grand Prix of Aachen in Germany.

Riding Contino 14, a 13-year-old Holsteiner gelding owned by Millar Brooke Farm, Millar was a member of Jump Canada’s 2009 European Show Jumping Tour which saw the Canadian Show Jumping Team finish second in the Meydan FEI Nations’ Cup Promotional League Final at CSIO4* Barcelona, ESP.

“I think we have a good team anchored by Eric Lamaze and Hickstead, and John, Jonathon and Yann are all experienced riders who are capable of winning at the highest levels,” said Terrance ‘Torchy’ Millar, co-chef d’équipe of the Canadian Show Jumping Team. “We look forward to a great competition.”

A Nations’ Cup is the only competition in show jumping where riders, competing in teams of four for their country, vie for top honours against other nations. Canada will challenge teams from Belgium, Great Britain, Ireland, Mexico, the Netherlands, Switzerland and the United States for victory over the two-round competition where the top three scores from each team are counted towards the final result.

Once again, the BMO Nations’ Cup will be broadcast on CBC television, beginning at 8 p.m. EST on Saturday, September 11.