Top Canadian show jumpers are preparing to ride for the maple leaf at the prestigious Lugano Diamonds CSIO 4* Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF), taking place Feb. 26 to March 3, 2019 in Wellington, FL.

The four-member Canadian Show Jumping Team for the CSIO 4* $150,000 FEI Nations Cup on March 2 will be comprised of the following athletes:

CSIO Team Members
Athlete / Hometown
Mario Deslauriers / New York, NY
Amy Millar / Perth, ON
Beth Underhill / Schomberg, ON
Nicole Walker / Aurora, ON

The WEF Nations Cup represents the senior team debut for Walker, who won the title of Canadian Show Jumping Champion in November 2018 at the Royal Horse Show in Toronto, ON.

In addition, Erynn Ballard of Tottenham, ON, and Susan Horn of Bolton, ON, will compete at the CSIO 5* level as individuals

The Nations Cup will take place in the International Arena at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC), under the lights at 7 p.m. ET. Nations Cup classes are the only type of jumping competitions where riders compete in teams of four and face off against other countries. To determine overall team scores, the top three scores from each team are counted toward the final result of the two-round competition.

Supporting the Canadian Show Jumping Team on the ground during at CSIO 4* WEF will be Equestrian Canada Manager of Jumping, Karen Hendry-Ouellette and Chef d’Équipe, Mark Laskin.

The eighth week of top-class international competition, the CSIO 4* WEF is part of a 12-week series that takes place annually in Florida. The 2019 series marks the 40th anniversary, and with more than $9 million offered in prize money, and four weeks of CSI 5* competition on the schedule, attracts top riders from around the world.

For more information on the CSIO 4* WEF, visit pbiec.coth.com.