Longines FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping: Canadians clinch pole position in first qualifier

Source:  News Release/Louise Parkes

Canadians clinch pole position in first qualifier

 

17-CSIOB-CAN-Candele-1376_PR.jpg
The opening partnership of Yann Candele and Theodore Mancaias helped Team Canada post the only zero score in today’s first qualifier which puts them in pole position going into Saturday night’s title-decider at the Longines FEI Nations Cup™ Final in Barcelona (ESP).
(FEI/Liz Gregg)

Top eight nations all back to zero for Saturday night’s title decider; seven teams through to tomorrow’s Longines Challenge Cup   

By Louise Parkes

Team Canada posted the only zero score in today’s first qualifier to claim pole position going into Saturday night’s title-decider at the Longines FEI Nations Cup™ Final in Barcelona (ESP). On a day of high drama, The Netherlands, USA, France and Germany were next in line when they all finished with four faults, while Belgium, Sweden and Switzerland claimed the last three qualifying places with eight faults apiece. 

Team Ireland also finished with eight, but their slower combined times saw the country that claimed team gold at the Longines FEI European Championships in Gothenburg (SWE) four weeks ago line up ninth, and just outside the qualification zone.

As the last side of 15 into the arena today, the Canadians had the best of the draw and Yann Candele (46) got them off to a flying start with a clear round riding Theodore Manciais. Another from Tiffany Foster (33) with Tripple X was followed by eight faults for Chris Pratt (48) and Concorde. But with the best three scores to count, it was 2008 Olympic champion Eric Lamaze (49) who wrapped it up with a fault-free effort from Coco Bongo. 

Canadian Chef d’Equipe, Mark Laskin, admitted however that he wasn’t entirely confident about how things might play out. And he was more than pleasantly surprised with Candele’s opening effort. 

"We had a couple of question marks, a couple of unknowns, some of our horses and riders were not available to come. And Yann Candele, that was only the third time he’s ever ridden that horse, that was the first course he jumped with it, and this is the Nations Cup Final in Barcelona! With Yann I always said I wouldn’t be surprised if he had a couple of rails down, so to come through like that as first rider, it really gave us a spark!"

Mark Laskin (Team Canada)

Candele has his own way of going about things, as his team manager explained.

"He’s been traditionally our lead-off rider because he doesn’t count strides, he just adjusts, he improvises. Even after he went into the ring he did some numbers (of strides) that we weren’t planning, and Eric Lamaze said to me - “why do we even walk the course with him? He might as well just go in and wing it!"

Mark Laskin (Team Canada)

It seemed that the French would also share a zero score but last-line rider Roger Yves Bost was disqualified for using hind boots on his horse that weren’t in accordance FEI regulations. But the 2016 Olympic team gold medallist and 2013 European champion will still be part of the French side on Saturday night as that is a separate competition. 

Tomorrow evening Brazil, Great Britain, Ireland, Italy, New Zealand, Spain and the United Arab Emirates will line out for the honours in the Longines Challenge Cup which is always guaranteed to be a thriller. But for the Canadians, and the seven other qualified nations, it’s all about lifting that very special Longines FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping trophy the following night. 

Mark Laskin is hopeful for Canada in the Final, but he’s not prepared to anticipate too much. He said this evening...

"Anything can happen once you get to the dance! We don’t get ahead of ourselves, there are clichés for a reason because it’s a good way to think - one step at a time, one round at a time, we’ll see what happens…."

Mark Laskin (Team Canada)

 

Result and top eight teams that qualify for Saturday's Final:
1. Canada                           -         0 faults
2. Netherlands                    -          4 faults 
2. USA                                -          4 faults 
2. France                            -          4 faults 
2. Germany                        -          4 faults 
6. Belgium                          -          8 faults 
6. Sweden                          -          8 faults
6. Switzerland                    -          8 faults 

FULL RESULTS

Facts & Figures:

15 nations were battling for eight qualifying places in today’s first qualifier at the Longines FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping Final in Barcelona (ESP).

18 horse-and-rider combinations jumped clear today and are eligible for a share of the €150,000 bonus on offer to those who can produce another clear in either tomorrow’s Longines Challenge Cup or Saturday night’s Longines FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping Final.

Course designer was Spain’s Santiago Varela and today’s track consisted of 13 fences including a triple combination and open water.

The final fence, a vertical with water-tray, proved influential with several riders clear all the way only to lower that for four faults.

Just six riders collected time penalties by exceeding the 85 seconds time-allowed.
 

 

Mark Laskin - Team Canada 

Talking about his team's chances of winning the Longines FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping title :

"I’m very happy we qualified, in fact definitely ecstatic! We’ll be there on Saturday night, we are fighters!"

Lauren Hough - Team USA

Talking about the course during today's competition:

"This is a fantastic course builder (Santiago Varela). That triple at the end is quite fearsome, but I think it is very jumpable."

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