Canadian Team Fifth in BMO Nations’ Cup at the Masters

The Canadian Show Jumping Team finished fifth in the BMO Nations’ Cup on Saturday, Sept. 7, at the CSIO5* Spruce Meadows ‘Masters’ tournament in Calgary, AB. In its 49th year, the event drew a huge and enthusiastic crowd to the iconic International Ring to watch seven nations contest the cup on a scorching end-of-summer day.

As with many Nations Cup competitions, the winner was not decided until the very last competitor. When the competition concluded with just the third double clear of the day, it was defending champions Ireland in second place behind winning team Germany and the 2024 Olympic Champions Great Britain in third.

Longtime Spruce Meadows designer Leopoldo Palacios’ course proved challenging with the Paris 2024 Champs-Élysées double combination in the shade (4ab) and the open water jump (8) playing pivotal roles in the first round and the Dutch bicycle (9) and the final fence the Canada planks (12) catching many combinations.

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Two Canadian team members jumping fences at Spruce Meadows.

(Left) Vanessa Mannix and Kingston; (right) Amy Millar and Truman. (Cealy Tetley photos)

With an uncharacteristic withdrawal from Canada’s Erynn Ballard and her reliable mount Gakhir in the first round, the Canadians were left to contest the Cup with no drop score. Spain as a team of three had a difficult first round, also with no drop score, and failed to advance to the second round with a total of 54 faults.

“We had a great group of all-female riders competing on the team today,” said Chef d’Equipe Ian Millar, who won the BMO Nations’ Cup for Canada in 2006 and 2014. “Things obviously didn’t go according to plan, but that’s sport,” he continued. “They each contributed to the team – Tiffany’s double clear, Amy’s strong first round, and a solid performance for Vanessa’s first Nations’ Cup here at Spruce. As for Erynn, it just wasn’t their day and we’re glad that no one was hurt and they put the health of the horse first.”

With 11 faults in the first round, the Canadian team advanced to the second round in sixth place just behind France on 10 faults and Switzerland on eight. Canada moved up one place in front of France in the second round but couldn’t catch Switzerland or reach the podium.

A woman in a red jacket jumping a bay horse over a fence at Spruce Meadows.

Erynn Ballard and Gakhir. (Cealy Tetley photo)

Canada’s lead-off rider was Erynn Ballard of Tottenham, ON, aboard Gakhir (Sparatacus x Labor’s VDL Indorado) a 13-year-old Dutch warmblood gelding she owns in partnership with Esperanza Imports LLC and Ilan Ferder.

Ballard, who made her Nations’ Cup debut when she helped Canada win this event for the first time in 2006 had a rail in the double combination at 4b, then the bicycle jump immediately following the open water and encountered difficulty in the triple combination causing them to retire from the round. The pair would not return for the second.

Next in the order was hometown athlete Vanessa Mannix of Calgary, AB posting a strong first round aboard her own Kingston (Ustinov x Insider) an 11-year-old grey AES gelding. Mannix, who grew up competing at Spruce Meadows was thrilled to unlock a major life goal to represent Canada under the clock tower. Her first round saw her keep all the rails up around the course but take 4 penalties with a step in the water and adding three for time. They had the unlucky last Canada planks come down at the end of the second round and picked up one time fault to deliver a five-fault performance to finish out their debut.

Third rider Tiffany Foster of Langley, BC, and Figor, the 14-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding (VDL Groep Zagreb x C-Indoctro) she owns in partnership with Artisan Farms LLC had a great go of it in the coveted event. The three-time Olympian with her Paris 2024 partner definitely meant business and delivered one of only three double clear rounds of the day. She shared her gratitude for her “incredible partner” afterwards for helping deliver their double clear for Canada.

Riding in the anchor position, Amy Millar, of Perth, ON, delivered a solid first round having an unlucky back rail at the German jump at 5. Riding her go-to Nations Cup partner Truman, a 15-year-old Selle Français gelding (Mylord Carthago x Kolibri) owned by Millar Brooke Farm Ltd. and Overlund, they were pleased to finish the first round adding just four faults to Mannix’s 7 faults. The pair that won the BMO Nations’ Cup in 2021, came back in the second round and fought hard but with rails down at a few elements, they ended on a score of 12 faults bringing the team total to 28.

“I am always proud of our Canadian team – they all want to do their best, every one of them, especially here,” said Ian Millar. “We are continuing to work on our Nations Cup depth as a team and have plans to do more of that next year. With the FEI making the exception to allow us to host 3 nations cups in Canada in 2025 we are going to gain more mileage in team situations like our European counterparts.”

The Canadian Show Jumping Team plans to compete at Thunderbird, in Langley BC, in May 2025, at Caledon Equestrian Park, in Palgrave ON in July 2025, and be back again at Spruce Meadows, in Calgary in September 2025.

For full results from the CSIO5* Spruce Meadows ‘Masters’ tournament, visit here.