Canadian Jumpers Set to Take on CSIO 4* at WEF

Equine Canada is pleased to announce the Canadian Show Jumping Team riders who will represent the maple leaf in the International Division at the prestigious CSIO 4* Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF), taking place March 2-6, 2016 in Wellington, FL.

The eighth week of fierce international competition, the CSIO 4* WEF is part of a 12-week series that takes place annually in Florida. The 2016 series marks the 37th anniversary, and with over $9 million offered in prize money, and 52 FEI World Ranking classes on the schedule, attracts top riders from around the world.

Highlights of WEF 8 will include the $150,000 FEI Nations’ Cup on March 4, set to take place in the International Arena at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC), under the lights at 7 p.m. ET.

The four-member Canadian Show Jumping Team for the CSIO 4* $150,000 FEI Nations’ Cup will be selected from the following six riders:

Rider / Hometown
Yann Candele / Caledon, ON
Kara Chad / Calgary, AB
Tiffany Foster / North Vancouver, BC
Elizabeth Gingras / Edmonton, AB
Eric Lamaze / Schomberg, ON
Amy Millar / Perth, ON

Supporting the team on the ground during WEF 8 will be Equine Canada Manager of Jumping, Karen Hendry-Ouellette and Chef d’Équipe, Mark Laskin.

Nations’ cup classes are the only type of jumping competitions where riders compete in teams of four and face off against other countries. To determine overall team scores, the top three scores from each team are counted toward the final result of the two-round competition.

Equine Canada has announced the Canadian Children and Junior riders set to compete in week eight of the CSIO 4* Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) in Wellington, FL from March 2-6, 2016.

The Next Generation
Following senior Nations’ Cup rules, the C/J/YR Nations’ Cups will take place March 5, with the first round set for the afternoon, followed by a second round at 5 p.m. (ET) under the lights in the International Arena. The Nations’ Cup will give young athletes the opportunity to gain experience in a team atmosphere, going head-to-head with other countries for top honours. Teams of three or four athletes will compete over the two rounds, with the top three overall scores from each team counted toward the final result.

The following teams will compete for Canada:

Junior Team
Rider / Hometown / Horse / Owner
Jennifer Mattell / Milton, ON / Cherokee / Joe Mattell
Kathryn Dafoe / Nobleton, ON / Eos van de Donkhoeve / KD LAN Solutions LTD.
Zoe Meloff / Toronto, ON / HHS Charmer / Zoe Meloff
Christine Carlsen / North York, ON / Cardoso / Christine Carlsen

Children’s Team
Rider / Hometown / Horse / Owner
Madison Hilderman / Calgary, AB / Kenzo / Madison Hilderman
Sam Walker / Nobleton, ON / Andino Z / Sam Walker
Jada Wagner / De Winton, AB / Troy / North Ridge

Leading the team will be Chef d’Équipe and Jump Canada Young Rider Development Program Advisor, Beth Underhill and Equine Canada Manager of Jumping, Karen Hendry-Ouellette.

For more information on the CSIO 4* WEF, visit pbiec.coth.com. Further details on the FEI Nations’ Cup series can be found at www.fei.org.