Last Updated on January 28, 2024 by adminahb
Canadian Olympian Tiffany Foster climbed atop a ‘Saturday Night Lights’ podium at the Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) for the first time on January 28 during Week 3. Piloting Battlecry, Foster won the $215,000 NetJets CSI4* Grand Prix in front of a packed house at Wellington International.
Over courses set by fellow Vancouver, BC native Peter Grant, Foster bested a who’s who of show jumping from an original starting field of 46 and an eight-horse jump-off brimming with horse and rider talent.
Battlecry, a 10-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding (Vigo d’Arsouilles STX x Latano) that Foster owns together with longtime sponsor Artisan Farms and Kent Farrington, put his massive stride to good use in Grant’s sweeping short course. They stopped the timers at 39.63 seconds as last to go.
“I’m really happy to finally check this one off,” said Foster, who took over the ride on Battlecry while still competing in young horse classes as a seven-year-old. “It feels great because I have competed a lot here. My horse has a little bit of a right drift – just like every horse, he goes one way or the other – so, I thought the jump-off was actually going to suit him.
“I knew I would be able to get the seven pretty easily up to the wall, and if you were able to take a run across the middle to that oxer and do the six into the double, it required extreme athleticism on the horse’s part,” continued Foster, 39. “I have a lot of faith in my horse and I knew that that right drift would help me get there in that number. I also know that this horse seems to really love to run to the last jump. By the time I cleared that plank was clear, I knew I could take a rip at that last one and he was going to fly it.”
Best Boy 2 and Zayna Rizvi Race to Lugano Diamonds SJHOF 1.45m Amateur Jumper Classic Win
The $15,000 Lugano Diamonds SJHOF 1.45m Amateur Jumper Classic debuted a full day of competition in the International Arena as 30 pairings contested Peter Grant’s track. Even with 13 combinations advancing to the short course, the lead only changed hands several times late into the order before finally settling on Zayna Rizvi of Wellington, FL and Best Boy 2.
With only five left to follow, Rizvi and North Run’s 16-year-old Hanoverian gelding by Contagio put on the gas as they blazed accurately around the jump-off track and stopped the timers in 38.60 seconds.
“My horse is very quick, but he doesn’t have the biggest stride, so I really tried to line up jump one to land on the inside track so I could then gallop up the nine, which worked out well,” Rizvi detailed. “He is one that is actually pretty lazy at home but once he gets to the show he really wakes up and comes alive.”
Symbolic and Hailey Guidry Secure 3’6” Large Junior Hunter 15 and Under Championship
The morning in the E. R. Mische Grand Hunter Ring at Wellington International began with athletes in the Large Junior Hunter 3’6” 15 and Under, sponsored by T&R Property Management, competing over the division’s final two jumping classes to confirm a champion.
Hailey Guidry of Poplarville, MS produced another day of solid performances with Bella Kay’s 16-year-old Hanoverian gelding, Symbolic by Carenzo, and maintained a top-three finish across all jumping classes to take home the tricolor ribbon.
“I’ve had Symbolic as a partner since the Devon Horse Show last year,” explained Guidry. “He was supposed to just be a lease for that show, but we ended up absolutely falling in love with him and his personality. He and I go very well together.”
After making their way across the east coast for indoors season, Symbolic is just making his way back into the show arena after a well-deserved holiday season off.
Taking reserve in the division was J. J. Torano of Wellington, FL and Carry On.
Wellington International
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