Source:  News Release/Julie Cull

The Ziegler Family and Artisan Farms Named “Owner of the Year”

Ottawa, ON — Jump Canada has named the Ziegler family of Artisan Farms the “Owner of the Year” for 2011.

Carlene & Andy Ziegler of Artisan Farms based in Wellington, FL, have been named the Jump Canada Owner of the Year for 2011.”
(Left to right Left to right—John Taylor, Chair Jump Canada; Karen Hendry-Ouellette, Manager Jumping; Andy Ziegler; Caitlin Ziegler; and Carlene Ziegler.)
Photo Credit—Cealy Tetley, www.tetleyphoto.com

Carlene and Andy Ziegler’s interest in show jumping began when their daughter, Caitlin, started riding ponies at the age of four at a small barn outside of Milwaukee, Wisconsin.  As Caitlin’s riding progressed, so did the involvement of her parents, who purchased a property in Wellington, FL, and named it Artisan Farms.

Artisan Farms has since become a familiar name in top show jumping circles.  In 2011, horses owned by Artisan Farms represented the Canadian Show Jumping Team in five Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) Nations’ Cup competitions as well as at the Pan American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico.

Eric Lamaze of Schomberg, ON, rode Coriana van Klapscheut, a nine-year-old chestnut Belgian Warmblood mare, at the 2011 Pan American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico, where the pair finished 11th individually.

Riding Sidoline Van de Centaur, a nine-year-old Belgian Sport Horse mare, Lamaze was a member of Canada’s second-placed team in the $75,000 FEI Nations’ Cup at the CSIO4* Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, FL.  Lamaze also rode Atlete Van’t Heike, an 11-year-old Belgian Warmblood mare, as part of the Canada’s teams at CSIO5* Gijon, ESP, and CSIO5* Barcelona, ESP.

Tiffany Foster of Schomberg, ON, made her Canadian Equestrian Team debut aboard Southwind VDL, a 12-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding, at the CSIO5* Spruce Meadows ‘Masters’ $350,000 BMO Nations' Cup in September.  Producing impressive results, the Canadian Team earned a second place finish among the field of 10 nations.  In November, Foster will ride Victor, a nine-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding, in the CSIO4*-W Nations’ Cup in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Horses owned by Artisan Farms horses have also kept Lamaze at the top of the Rolex World Rider Rankings this season by earning many international wins.  Lamaze and Atlete Van’t Heike won the €100,000 Grand Prix of Barcelona in September with the only double clear performance.  In the month of May, Lamaze and Coriana van Klapscheut captured four Grand Prix victories including two wins at CSI5* Valencia, ESP, one at CSIO5* La Baule, FRA, and one at CSIO5* Rome, ITA.

Foster also scored the first grand prix victory of her career with a win riding Victor in the $80,000 TD Cup at the Spruce Meadows “North American” Tournament in Calgary in July.

Carlene and Andy Ziegler of Artisan Farms were honoured as the 2011 Jump Canada “Owner of the Year” in a special ceremony during the Jump Canada Hall of Fame Gala held Sunday, November 6, in Toronto, ON.  The Ziegler’s were also recognized during a special ceremony held prior to the start of the FEI World Cup Grand Prix at Toronto’s Royal Agricultural Winter Fair Horse Show on November 9. 

About Jump Canada

Jump Canada is the committee of Equine Canada responsible for all hunter, equitation and jumper activities in Canada from the grass roots to the international level.  Jump Canada is governed by a board, the majority of whose members are elected by the stakeholders in the sport.  For more information regarding Jump Canada programs and activities, visit www.equinecanada.ca/jumpcanada.

About Equine Canada

Equine Canada is Canada’s national governing body for equestrianism.  A member-driven, charitable institution, it is the executive branch of the Canadian Equestrian Team, and the national authority for equestrian competition; the national voice for recreational riders; and the national association for equine welfare, breeding, and industry.  Equine Canada is recognised by the Government of Canada, the International Equestrian Federation (FEI), and the Canadian Olympic Committee as the national organisation representing equestrian sport and equine interests. For more information about Equine Canada, please visit www.equinecanada.ca.