For the second straight week, Canadian Olympian Tiffany Foster put on a show at Thunderbird Show Park, dominating the $40,000 VOLVO CANADA Cup 1.45m at the Fort Festival with Artisan Farms鈥� Brighton.
Foster and 鈥淏righty鈥� were more than two seconds faster over local course designer Joey Rycroft鈥檚 shortened track, crossing the finish timers in 41.99 seconds to take first on Sunday, Aug. 23.
It was a standard that simply could not be matched; despite jumping first in the order, none of the following eight jump-off competitors could catch the pair. In fact, Foster could not even catch herself, ultimately securing third honours aboard her third jump-off ride, the up-and-coming Northern Light.
Separating Foster鈥檚 entries on the podium was Kyle King from the U.S. who, after winning Friday鈥檚 $5,000 Kubota Welcome 1.45m aboard Dustin 254, finished second with Enzo.
鈥淲henever Brighty goes first, it鈥檚 usually dangerous for other people, because I don鈥檛 have any kind of plan other than to just go really fast!鈥� Foster exclaimed.
READ ALSO: July entries placed 鈥榦n pause鈥� at Thunderbird Show Park in 91原创
The formula has served Foster and Brighton well on numerous occasions, and the pair were easily the most accomplished in the competition鈥檚 25-strong field 鈥� something to be said, considering the lineup also featured a myriad of Nations Cup and five-star veterans. But Brighton鈥檚 resume speaks for itself: among his many accolades, the 14-year-old KWPN gelding won two five-star competitions in the span of a month earlier this year in Wellington, FL (USA).
鈥淚 was talking to his owner, Andy Zeigler (of Artisan Farms), on the phone, and I said, 鈥榊ou know, the thing with Brighty is, if you go in and you don鈥檛 feel like you [messed up] and you didn鈥檛 pull somewhere and you just went as fast as you can go, it鈥檚 really hard to catch that horse,鈥欌�� Foster said. 鈥淗e鈥檚 so fast across the ground, and he鈥檚 so fast in the air, that it鈥檚 really, really hard to beat him unless I make a mistake.鈥�
Foster, who grew up competing at tbird, has had a joyous homecoming to 91原创 since relocating to the venue following the postponement of the global competition calendar in March due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
She also topped both the $5,000 Maui Jim Welcome and the $40,000 ATCO Cup at last week鈥檚 Fort Classic.
READ MORE: VIDEO: 91原创鈥檚 Tiffany Foster racks up wins as competitive riding resumes at Thunderbird Show Park
She鈥檚 used the time in her home town to not only keep her top mounts in form, but to also develop younger prospects. In addition to fellow Artisan Farms entry Northern Light, another young entry, The Hamilton Group鈥檚 Hamilton, also advanced to the jump-off, finishing seventh.
鈥淭his is fantastic experience for all these horses,鈥� Foster said. 鈥淭hese grand prixs really feel important. It鈥檚 exciting. There are good sponsors, and they have the sponsors here watching. [The class] is on CBC and across Canada, so that鈥檚 exciting for us. This year, every little thing counts.
鈥淚t really feels like a [major] grand prix, so I think it鈥檚 great experience for these younger horses to feel a little bit of that pressure or the nerves of the rider鈥攚hatever it is鈥攁nd just a little bit of atmosphere. I鈥檓 developing those horses to continue along in the sport and hopefully do some big things.鈥�
Competition at tbird has resumed under restrictions that include temperature checks any time anyone enters the grounds, spacing in the stables and between competitors, and wash stations throughout.
There are no spectators allowed in the stands, but fans can follow via streaming video at .
VOLVO CANADA Cup 1.45m
Place / Horse / Rider / Nationality / Owner / Faults / Time
1. Brighton / Tiffany Foster / CAN / Artisan Farms, LLC / 0/0 41.99
2. Enzo / Kyle King / USA / Seabright Investment Consultants Ltd / 0/0 43.60
3. Northern Light / Tiffany Foster / CAN / Artisan Farms, LLC / 0/0 44.37
4. Veyron / Ben Asselin / CAN / Attache Stables / 0/0 44.94
5. The Freshman / Ben Asselin / CAN / Spruce Meadows Ltd / 0/0 46.76
6. Cunningham 4 / Christopher Lowe / CAN / Christopher Lowe / 0/0 47.06
7. Hamilton / Tiffany Foster / The Hamilton Group / 0/0 47.23
8. Baton Rouge / Samantha Buirs-Darvill / CAN / Samantha Buirs-Darvill / 0/0 47.88
9. Castros / Meredith Ellis / CAN / Meredith Ellis / 0/4 51.07
10. Millioninmind / Emily Ward / GBR / Emily Ward / 1 90.91
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