Canadian Show Jumping Team Announced for Spanish Tour

Eric Lamaze, Chris Pratt, Jenna Thompson and Keean White will represent the Canadian Show Jumping Team at CSI05* Gijon, ESP, from August 31–September 5, and the Promotional League Nations’ Cup Final at CSIO5* Barcelona, ESP, from Sept 14-19.

The Spanish tour is made possible through the Own the Podium program, a national sport technical initiative designed to help Canada’s summer and winter athletes achieve podium success at the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The reigning Olympic champion, Eric Lamaze, 42, of Schomberg, ON, will ride two horses on the Spanish tour, choosing between Take Off, a 10-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare owned by Artisan Farms LLC; Atlete Van T Heike, a 10-year-old Belgian Warmblood mare owned by Stephex Stables; Ronaldo, a 12-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding owned by Ashland Stables; and Coriana Van Klapscheut, an eight-year-old Belgian Warmblood mare owned by Artisan Farms LLC.

Chris Pratt, 41, of Belfountain, ON, will compete with Union, a nine-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding owned by The Union Group LLC, and G5, a 14-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding owned by Indigo Farms and Susan Geliebter.

Jenna Thompson, 22, of Calgary, AB, made her Canadian Show Jumping Team debut last year at the Promotional League Nations’ Cup Final at CSIO4* Barcelona, helping Canada to a second place finish. Thompson will again be riding Zeke, her 13-year-old Oldenburg gelding.

Keean White, 26, of Rockwood, ON, is the fourth member of the Canadian Team. He has nominated four horses, and will ride two, choosing between Celena Z, a nine-year-old Zangersheide mare owned by the Ashland Group and Angelstone Farms; Bethsabee, a nine-year-old Belgian Warmblood mare owned by Elm Rock LLC and Angelstone Farms; Chanel, an eight-year-old Belgian Warmblood mare owned by the Ashland Group and Angelstone Farms; and Whisper of Mazour, an 11-year-old Belgian Warmblood mare owned by Angelstone Farms. White was also a member of Canadian Show Jumping Team that competed in Spain last year.

“I’m excited to take a team to Europe this September for two stops,” said Mark Laskin of Langley, BC, who will act as the Canadian Show Jumping Team chef d’équipe in Gijon and Barcelona, aided by stable manager Darrin Roberts. “Our team is an interesting mix of up-and-coming riders and experienced veterans. For the developing riders, it is a fantastic opportunity to represent their country at a CSIO Nations’ Cup, and for the ones vying for a spot on our WEG team, it is an excellent chance to practice for the World Championships in Kentucky.”

A Nations’ Cup is the only competition in show jumping where riders, in teams of four, compete as a country. The top three scores from each team are counted towards the final result of the two-round competition.

There are only two Nations’ Cup events held annually in North America – the $75,000 FEI Nations’ Cup at the Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, FL, and the $350,000 BMO Nations’ Cup at the Spruce Meadows ‘Masters’ Tournament in September. Canada’s victory in the $75,000 FEI Nations’ Cup in Wellington, FL, on March 5, 2010, qualified Canada for the Promotional League Final in CSIO5* Barcelona.

Complete details about the two competitions may be found at for CSIO5* Gijon at www.gijon.es/Contenido.aspx?id=13009&leng=en and http://www.csiobarcelona.com/ for CSIO5* Barcelona.