Canada will have a chance to make history on Sunday in the final of the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping Final series, after two flawless performances from Tiffany Foster of Schomberg, ON riding Artisan Farms LLC’s Verdi III, an 11-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding (Hors La Loi II X Cantessa), and Eric Lamaze of Schomberg, ON riding Artisan Farms LLC’s Powerplay, a nine-year-old Holsteiner gelding (Casall X Perlmutt). Canada secured 7th place in the preliminary round and qualification for Sunday’s final.
Mac Cone of King City, ON riding Chadburn Holdings Inc.’s Amor Van De Rostal, a 13-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding (Peter Pan X Orsina) and Jonathan Asselin of Calgary, AB riding Attaché Stables’ Showgirl, a 13-year-old Selle Francaise mare (Gold De Becourt X Vedette Normande) had 9 faults each, two knockdowns and a time fault, giving the Canadian team a final score of 9 faults.
Draw Comes as an Advantage
The course designed by Spain’s Santiago Varela Ullastres tested the riders’ technical ability with several related distances that required decisive riding. The triple combination of a vertical at 11a, oxer at 11b and vertical at 11c proved to be the site of many problems. Asselin and Cone both had faults at the B element of the triple combination. Cone’s Amor van de Rostal also lowered the Sagrada Familia vertical, a 1.60m obstacle modeled after the famous Barcelonan landmark.
Time allowed at 81 seconds proved to be a question on its own, with many riders including Asselin and Cone picking up time faults. In the end, it was the time and the luck of the draw that determined the outcome of the event. The Canadian team riders were drawn last in the order, determined on Thursday evening prior to the start of competition. Chef d’Equipe Mark Laskin commented that 18th, and last to go, was a “great place” to be drawn. The draw certainly came as an advantage. Eight teams out of the 18 would go through to Sunday’s final from today’s preliminary round. As the anchor rider and last rider to go in the class, Lamaze had the opportunity to alter the placing significantly.
Battle for Qualification
It was a veritable battle for the bottom two qualification places, as two other teams finished on 9 faults. The Ukraine and United States rounded off the top 8 placings with 9 faults each when Lamaze entered the ring as the last rider. This meant that if Lamaze had a clear round, Canada would finish on 9 faults. In the event of a tie, the combined time of the riders, not counting the drop score, would determine rankings. Lamaze said, “It was not only to go clear, it was go within a certain time to be back in the second round, so the instructions were clear.”
Lamaze did not disappoint, giving Canada the clear round that was needed to qualify for the final with a time that would put the team ahead of Ukraine for 7th place. The 9-year-old gelding Powerplay is a reliable mount for Lamaze, “My horse is a bit young but he’s a very good jumper and I can trust him to do the right thing.” he said of the Casall sired gelding.
The Canadian team will compete in the Final on Sunday, where 1,500,000 Euros is at stake. Foster and Lamaze will also share in the 200,000 Euro prize fund for riders who go clear in Friday or Sunday’s competition. The riders are hopeful, and today’s result proves that Canadian riders can certainly hold their own in top level competition. Laskin commented, “Canadian riders — you can’t count us out.” All teams will start on a clean slate on Sunday in the competition over one round, with a jump off if necessary.
The team is supported by Chef d’Equipe Mark Laskin, Team Manager, Karen Hendry-Ouellette, Team Veterinarian, Dr. Sylvie Surprenant and Stable Manager, Darren Roberts.
To learn more about the CSIO5* Barcelona visit: http://www.csiobarcelona.com/eng/presentacion.asp
For complete results visit: http://www.csiobarcelona.com/eng/resultados.asp
More from Horse Sport:
