Starting with a clean slate following Thursday’s qualifying round, Canada finished in second, with brilliant, clear rides from both Tiffany Foster and Eric Lamaze during the final round, on October 11, at the 2014 Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Final. The prestigious Final is being held at CSIO5* Barcelona, in Barcelona, ESP, October 9-12, 2014.
Canada handily qualified to compete in the final round following a three-way tie for third place in the first round of competition on October 9, 2014. With another technical, large course set by Santiago Varela Ullastres of Spain, Yann Candele of Caledon, Ont., rode in as the first to go for Canada. He incurred four faults at the big oxer at the double combination riding Showgirl (Gold de Becourt x Elf III), a 14-year-old Selle Français mare owned by the Watermark Group.
Foster of Vancouver, B.C., and Tripple X III (Namelus R x Contango), a 12-year-old Anglo European stallion owned by Artisan Farms LLC, easily posted Canada’s first clear of the day.
With a rail down, for four faults, at the triple combination was Canada’s youngest team member, Ben Asselin, 20, of Calgary, Alta., riding Makavoy (Hors la Loi II x Ahorn) an 11-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding owned by Attaché Stables.
Ensuring Canada’s second place with a masterful, clear ride, was Eric Lamaze of Schomberg, Ont., and Zigali P S (Kigali x STB-H Palfrenier), a 10-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding owned by Artisan Farms LLC.
“I’m obviously really happy with our team today,” said Foster. “I think that ever since the World Equestrian Games, we have been trying to prove what we can do. With Spruce Meadows and here tonight, we have certainly redeemed ourselves. My horse jumped an amazing round, and I am really thrilled with him.”
“It is so nice to have another horse at this level. It is really great that Artisan Farms buys horses like this, so we can just go in and compete at this level because the quality of horses is so high,” added Foster. “Ben, yet again, was a star. Tonight was the top of the class of show jumping, and he pulled through again. Eric does what he always does when we need him, and Yann was solid in the first round on Thursday to get us here and just had an unlucky rail tonight. We really worked well together as a team. What a fantastic night.”
With only three scores to count, Canada finished in second with only four faults. The Netherlands won with a perfect score of zero and third place was awarded to Sweden with a total of eight.
“Tonight was a great accomplishment,” said Lamaze. “With Ben doing such a good job as a young rider, Tiffany and her new mount Tripple X and my horse being young, we really responded to the challenge. We have very good horses and riders.”
“It’s nice to come to a competition where the grand prix is not the only thing that is important. This is really a magical event. It is great to see all the top teams come together,” continued Lamaze.
“This was an unbelievable result for our team tonight, especially in this company,” remarked chef d’équipe, Mark Laskin. “This is as difficult and prestigious as a major championship, and I’m so proud of my riders. It says a lot when we can leave Ian Millar at home, and be second in a competition of this level. We were only one rail away from a jump-off for first with the dominant Dutch World Championship team.”
To learn more about CSIO5* Barcelona, please visit www.csiobarcelona.com.
A Nations Cup is the only competition in show jumping where riders, competing in teams of four, compete against other countries for top honours. The top three scores from each team are counted towards the final result of the two-round competition.
For additional information about the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Series, click here.
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