The Canadian Show Jumping Team comprised of Yann Candele, Tiffany Foster, Jill Henselwood and Ian Millar, finished in third place in the Nations’ Cup competition held Friday, May 11, at CSIO 4* Linz, AUT, which is being held from May 10–13, 2012.

Out of 15 countries represented, Canada finished the two-round competition with a total of 16 faults to finish in third place overall.

As the lead-off rider for the second week in a row, Yann Candele, 41, of Caledon, ON, rode Carlotta Singular la Magnifica, a 10-year-old Hanoverian mare owned by Susan Grange, to a four fault first round score. In the second round, Candele and Carlotta Singular la Magnifica incurred 12 faults and were the drop score.

Tiffany Foster, 27, of Schomberg, ON, riding Victor, a 10-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding owned by Torrey Pines Stable and Artisan Farms LLC, had four faults in the first round and a clear round in the second. 

Jill Henselwood, 49, of Oxford Mills, ON, rode George, a 10-year-old Hanoverian gelding owned by Brian Gingras. The pair had four faults in the first round and posted Canada’s second clear in round two.

Nine-time Canadian Olympian Ian Millar, 65, of Perth, ON, and Star Power, Team Works’ 11-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding, had eight faults in the first round, which was used as the drop score, and returned for four faults in the second. 

“Third place out of 15 teams is very exciting,” said Terrance Millar, chef d’équipe of the Canadian Show Jumping Team, who is being aided on the European Tour by stable manager Lori Green.  “It is a good day to celebrate girl power. Jill and Tiffany were both four and zero today. It is uncharacteristic for Ian to have a drop score, but he came back strong. Yann had a good first round, but today it was all about the ladies.”

First place, with a two-round total of five faults, went to the Ukraine, while Brazil was second with 12 faults.

The European tour has been made possible through Sport Canada’s Own the Podium program, a national sport technical initiative designed to help Canada’s summer and winter athletes achieve podium success at the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

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 four Canadian riders will continue competing at CSIO 4* Linz, AUT, where they will contest the Sprehe Grand Prix of Linz on Sunday May 13.

Complete details and results for CSIO 4* Linz, AUT, may be found at http://www.linzerpferdefestival.at/.