Eric Lamaze of Schomberg, ON, and Jonathan Asselin of Calgary, AB, are currently the top Canadian riders in the North American East Coast and West Coast World Cup Leagues.
Riding Derly Chin De Muze, Ashland Stables and Torrey Pines Stable’s nine-year-old Belgian Warmblood mare, Lamaze earned 17 World Cup points for his second place finish in the $200,000 CN Reliability Grand Prix World Cup Qualifier, held at CSI5*W Spruce Meadows National in Calgary, AB on June 9. The following week, the pair finished eighth, for 11 points, in the $200,000 CN Performance Grand Prix World Cup Qualifier, once again held at Spruce Meadows during the CSI4*-W Spruce Meadows Continental. Lamaze is currently the leading Canadian in the East Coast standings with a total of 28 points.
In the West Coast League, Asselin is the leading Canadian with 29 points. Riding Showgirl, Attache Stables’ 12-year-old Selle Francais mare, Asselin placed seventh, for 12 points, in the $50,000 Mibroc World Cup at the CSI2*-W British Columbia Open, at Thunderbird Horse Park in Langley, BC. The duo also earned 17 points for their second place finish at the $100,000 Bromont World Cup Qualifier held July 22 at CSI2*-W Bromont, held in Bromont, QC.
With a total of 24 points to come second in the East Coast League, Jill Henselwood of Oxford Mills, ON, scooped up 20 points for her win riding George, B Gingras Equestrian Limited’s 10-year-old Hanoverian gelding, at the prestigious $100,000 Hickstead World Cup Grand Prix held at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair Horse Show in Toronto, ON, on November 7. Henselwood also received three points during the $200,000 CN Performance Grand Prix World Cup Qualifier.
Rounding out the top three in the East Coast standings, with 21 points, is Tiffany Foster of Schomberg, ON. Foster kicked off her World Cup season with 12 points for her seventh place finish in the $200,000 CN Performance Grand Prix World Cup Qualifier riding Victor, a 10-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding owned by Torrey Pines Stable and Artisan Farms LLC. At the CSI4*-W Spruce Meadows Canada One $100,000 ESSO Challenge World Cup Qualifier on July 1, Foster and Southwind VDL, a 13-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding owned by Foster and Artisan Farms LLC, earned seven points for 10th place.
As the second place Canadian in the West Coast League, Jenn Serek of Calgary, AB, received 20 points for her win in the $50,000 MIBROC World Cup Qualifier at the CSI2*-W British Columbia Open riding the Shin Shin Group’s 11-year-old Belgian Warmblood mare, Eleonora. Serek also earned five points for her 12th place finish riding Brown Thomas, a nine-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding owned by Kim Nixon, in the $100,000 Canaccord Genuity World Cup, held August 26 at the CSI2*-W Thunderbird Show Park Summer Festival in Langley, BC.
In third spot is Langley’s Brian Morton. Riding his own 15-year-old Selle Francais gelding, Spitfire, Morton claimed 13 points for his fifth place finish in the $100,000 Canaccord Genuity World Cup Qualifier and nine points for eight in the $50,000 MIBROC World Cup, for a total of 22 points in the West Standings.
Throughout the World Cup season, riders earn points based on their final placing in World Cup qualifying competitions. Following the last competitions of the season to be held in Wellington, FL, and Thermal, CA, in March 2013, final points are tallied and the top two Canadians in the standings qualify to compete at the prestigious FEI World Cup Final, to be held in Göteborg, SWE, April 24-28, 2012.
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