It was an impressive silver medal finish for Team Canada in the first ever eventing Nations’ Cup to be held in North America. Running as part of the Land Rover CICO*** Great Meadows International, July 8-19 in The Plains, VA, teams from Canada, Great Britain and the United States, battled it out to determine equestrian supremacy.
Riding for the maple leaf were Colleen Loach, Selena O’Hanlon, Jessica Phoenix, and Waylon Roberts. Aboard Peter Barry’s Qorry Blue D’Argouges, a 12-year-old Selle Francais gelding sired by Mr. Blue, Loach scored 53.5 in the opening dressage phase. The Dunham, QC, native followed it up with a double clear performance in stadium jumping before finishing with just 3.6 time penalties on cross country. Her final score of 57.1 penalties placed her 14th overall and helped contribute to Canada’s second place team finish.
Phoenix of Cannington, ON, also put in a double clear performance in stadium jumping with Bentley’s Best (Hirtentanz x Eichendorff), a nine-year-old Trakehner gelding owned by Don Good. She added 14 time faults on cross country to her dressage score of 44.1 to end with a combined 58.1 penalties and an 18th individual finish.
Foxwood High, a 13-year-old Canadian Sport Horse gelding sired by Rio Bronco W and owned by John and Judy Rumble, was guided by O’Hanlon of Kingston, ON, to a 21st place finish. The pair earned a total of 62.4 penalties, including 51.6 in dressage, eight jumping faults in stadium, and 2.8 time faults on cross country.
Roberts of Port Perry, ON, and Kelecyn Cognac, a 13-year-old Thoroughbred gelding owned by Anthony Connolly rode to a 27th place finish with a score of 70.2 penalties after receiving a 54.2 in dressage, 12 jumping faults in stadium and four time faults on cross country.
As only the top three scores count toward the team total, Roberts mark was dropped, meaning Team Canada finished with a team total of 177.6 penalties. Team USA brought home the gold with 138.3 penalties, while Team Great Britain finished third with 254.3 penalties.
“As a nation we don’t get many chances to compete at a team competition such as the Nation’s Cup so this was a great opportunity for the team and North American based the riders,” said Eventing Team Coach Clayton Fredericks. “All our combinations delivered solid, confident performances, especially in the cross country phase and we are looking forward to our next big team competition in Rio next month.”
Phoenix, who also competed individually with another mount, A Little Romance (A Fine Romance x Donaufurst), finished 22nd overall. She and the 11-year-old Thoroughbred-Trakener cross mare owned by Anita Leschied earned 51.5 penalties in dressage, eight jumping faults in stadium and 3.6 time faults on cross country.
Providing onsite support for the team was Fredericks, Equestrian Canada Team Veterinarian, Jill Copenhagen, and Eventing Technical Advisor, Ozzie Sawicki.
The 2016 FEI Nations’ Cup Eventing series includes nine CICO3* team competitions held throughout the world. Each competing country fields a team, with the top three scores from each team counted toward the final result. The Land Rover Great Meadow International represents the first time in history that an FEI Nations’ Cup for eventing will be held outside of Europe.
For more information on the Land Rover Great Meadow International, visit www.greatmeadowinternational.com. Further details on the FEI Eventing Nations’ Cup series can be found at www.fei.org.
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