Canada finished third in the $75,000 FEI Nations’ Cup, Presented by G&C Farm, held Friday night, March 2, during the CSIO4* FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, FL.
The Canadian Team comprised of Yann Candele of Caledon, ON, Tiffany Foster of Schomberg, ON, Eric Lamaze of Schomberg, ON, and Ian Millar of Perth, ON, had a total score of nine faults to place third among 10 nations. Germany won with a final score of four faults, while Ireland finished in second with a two round total of eight faults.
At the end of the first round, Canada and Germany were tied for the lead with zero faults, followed closely by Ireland with fourth faults. In the first round, Canada’s lead-off rider, Millar was fault free with his 2011 Pan American Games ride Team Work’s Star Power, as was Foster riding Victor, owned by Torrey Pines Stable and Artisan Farms. Candele and his new mount Lansdowne, owned by Susan and Ariel Grange, incurred nine faults, which would prove to be the drop score. Lamaze piloted Derly Chin de Muze, owned by Ashland Farms and Torrey Pines Stable, to Canada’s third clear ride of the first round.
In the second round, Millar opened with no jumping faults but incurred one time penalty, followed by Foster, who had two rails down for eight faults. With 12 faults, Candele and Lansdowne were the drop score for the second round, while Lamaze once again posted a clear ride for Canada.
Anchor rider Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum with Checkmate 4 did not have to ride as Germany secured their victory with only three riders in the second round for a total score of four faults.
The team from Ireland posted four faults both the first and second rounds to move ahead of Canada for second place. The United States and Great Britain had a two-round total of 22 faults to tie for fourth overall, while France rounded out the top six with a score of 44. Seventh place went to Mexico, and Columbia finished in eighth place.
“It was a nice result for Canada,” said Canadian Show Jumping Team chef d’équipe, Terrance Millar, of Canada’s third place finish. “We beat two good teams — USA and Great Britain. Eric and Ian were excellent, Tiffany had a wonderful clear round and rode with great poise. Yann and Lansdowne had a few glitches, but it is a new partnership with great promise.”
In addition to the great performance in the Nations’ Cup with Derly Chin de Muze, Lamaze also won the $32,000 WEF Challenge Cup Round VIII riding Coriana van Klapscheut for owners Artisan Farms and his Torrey Pines Stable on March 1. He returned to the ring on March 3 to win the $25,000 ESP Jumper Stake riding Wang Chung M2S, who is co-owned by Lamaze’s Torrey Pines Stable and Tom Reed’s Morningside Stud.
Angela Covert-Lawrence of St Lazare, QC, rode Eastwood Equine’s Unica van de Roshoeve to a 10th place finish in the $10,000 G&C Farm Speed Stake, while Lamaze and Derly Chin De Muze finished with a seventh place in the $150,000 Wellington Equestrian Realty Grand Prix to wrap-up competition at the CSIO4* FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival on Sunday March 4.
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