2/ OCTOBER 2024 THE RIDER Spruce


Meadows Continued from Page 1


withdrawal


With an uncharacteristic from Canada’s


Erynn Ballard and her reliable mount Gakhir in the first round, the Canadians were left to con- test 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 ad- vance 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’E- quipe Ian Millar, who won the BMO Nations’ Cup for Canada in 2006 and 2014. “Things ob- viously didn’t go according to plan, but that’s sport,” he con- tinued. “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 ad- vanced 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. Canada’s lead-off rider


was Erynn Ballard of Totten- ham, ON, aboard Gakhir (Sparatacus x Labor’s VDL In- dorado) a 13-year-old Dutch warmblood gelding she owns in


Vanessa Mannix and Kingston. Photo Credit: Cealy Tetley


partnership with Esperanza Im- ports 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 combina- tion causing them to retire from the round. The pair would not return for the second. Next in the order was


Amy Millar and Truman. Photo Credit: Cealy Tetley


hometown athlete Vanessa Mannix of Calgary, AB posting a strong first round aboard her own Kingston (Ustinov x In- sider) 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 de- liver 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 part- nership 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 busi- ness and delivered one of only three double clear rounds of the day. She shared her gratitude for her “incredible partner” af- terwards for helping deliver


their double clear for Canada. Riding in the anchor posi-


tion, 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 Na- tions’ 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 com- pete 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 https://www.sprucemeadows.c om/masters.


Tiffany Foster and Figor. Photo Credit: Cealy Tetley


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