Canadian Show Jumping Team Finishes Third in Bratislava Nations Cup

The Canadian Show Jumping Team, comprised of Jaclyn Duff, Elizabeth Gingras, Jill Henselwood and Jordan Macpherson, finished in third place in the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ at the CSIO3*-W Bratislava, SVK, which is being held from August 7-10, 2014.

From the 13 countries represented, Canada finished the two-round competition, designed by Eduard Petrovič (FEI 3*) of Croatia, with a total of 11 faults.

As the lead-off rider and making her debut on the Canadian Show Jumping Team, Jordan Macpherson, 24, of Toronto, ON, rode JEM Stables Inc.’s Piccobello du Val de Geer, a 15-year-old Belgian Warmblood mare sired by Kannan, to a clear first round and four faults in the second.

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Also riding for the first time on the senior team on her own 12-year-old Belgium Warmblood gelding Pater Noster (Parco x Heartbreaker), Jaclyn Duff, 27, of Edmonton, AB, was also clear in the first round, but added eight faults in the second, for the drop score.

Elizabeth Gingras, 32, of Edmonton, AB, rode Zilversprings (Silverstone x Emillion), B Gingras Equestrian Ltd’s 10-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding, in her inaugural team appearance to clear rides in both rounds.

“It’s been an incredible experience being over here in Europe these past few weeks and we have learned a lot,” said Gingras, who was one of only three athletes in the Nations’ Cup to jump double clean. “I am very grateful to Jump Canada for this opportunity. My horse and I have really synced our partnership during the tour.”

2008 Olympic team silver medalist Jill Henselwood, 51, of Oxford Mills, ON, rode Quidam Blue, a nine-year-old German-bred stallion owned by Juniper Farms and Equitop Farm. The pair had 19 faults in the first round, which was used as the drop score, and seven faults in the second.

“The three girls were unbelievable, sensational, strong, great athletes. They knocked it out of the park in the first round” said Henselwood, who also acted as the chef d’équipe. “Then in the second round, I think it’s almost harder to deliver that second clear ride when you have already done it. But Elizabeth Gingras had her eye on the goal, and she never wavered today. She was so solid that she could have been the anchor rider.”

“I’m very proud of all our riders and I am really proud that I came along with them on this tour,” added Henselwood, who is being assisted on the Developing Rider Tour by stable manager Darren Roberts.

First place in the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping 3* of Slovakia, with a two-round total of four faults, went to Germany, while Switzerland finished with a total of eight faults for second. The team from the United States rounded out the top four with 20 faults.

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.

The Canadian riders will continue competing at CSIO3*-W Bratislava where they will contest the Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix Bratislava FEI World Cup™ on Sunday, August 10.

Complete details and results for CSIO3*-W Bratislava may be found at www.csio.sk.

The Developing Rider Tour was made possible by the support received from Own The Podium, a national sport technical initiative designed to help Canada’s summer and winter athletes achieve podium success at the Olympic and Paralympic Games.