Canadian Olympian Tiffany Foster guided new mount Northern Light to a win in the $37,000 CaptiveOne Advisors 1.50m Classic to close out week three of the 2020 Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) on Sunday, January 26
From a starting field of 66, 10 horses advanced to course designer Kelvin Bywater’s (GBR) jump-off track. Returning second, Foster put the foot speed of Northern Light, a nine-year-old Swedish Warmblood mare (Plot Blue x Contender) to good use and stopped the clock clear in 42.47 seconds over runner-up Catherine Tyree (USA) and BEC Lorenzo, owned by Mary Tyree.
Tiffany Foster and Northern Light. Photo ® Sportfot
Foster got the ride on Northern Light from owners Andy and Carlene Ziegler of Artisan Farms at the end of September. The mare is the former mount of Olivier Philippaerts (BEL) and was a match with Foster from the very beginning.
“When I rode her for the first time, I had a very good feeling,” said Foster. “You get the feeling that she’s a really intelligent horse. She knows where the jumps are and she is the same every time you get on her.”
Sunday’s 1.50m was only the second class of that height for Northern Light during her tenure in the competition ring. “It was also our first jump-off together,” said Foster. “I’m pretty surprised. She’s really quick across the ground and in the air, and has a huge stride. I knew if I got a good shot at the last line we would be fast. She’s the type of horse you don’t have to tell to turn, you just think it and she goes.”
Foster is introducing a string of developing horses into the grand prix ranks this season, saying, “We bought this group as six, seven, and eight-year-olds so we are the point now where they are being able to compete and win. It’s really exciting to see them develop and really step up. It’s been a long process and any owner that’s been as patient as Andy and Carlene deserves this kind of success. I’m hoping that with the group I have, they are going to get it.”
Tiffany Foster and Northern Light in their winning presentation with Vice President of Development Tim Luby of CaptiveOne Advisors and ringmaster Steve Rector. Photo ® Sportfot
Tyree posted a time of 42.56 seconds to finish fractions of a second off the lead, while Great Britain’s Emily Moffitt jumped into the top three with Carlson 86 on a clear jump-off performance in 43.41 seconds for owner Poden Farms. Canadian Olympic champion Eric Lamaze took fourth riding Coco Bongo in 44.17 seconds for owner Artisan Farms, LLC, and Jonathan McCrea (USA) capped the top five on Aristoteles V, owned by Windsor Show Stables, in 44.28 seconds.
Final Results: $37,000 CaptiveOne Advisors 1.55m Classic CSI3*
1 NORTHERN LIGHT: 2011 SWB mare by Plot Blue x Contender
TIFFANY FOSTER (USA), Artisan Farms LLC and Tiffany Foster: 0/0/42.47
2 BEC LORENZO: 2010 Irish Sport Horse gelding by Livello x Guidam
CATHERINE TYREE (USA), Mary Tyree: 0/0/42.56
3 CARLSON 86: 2008 German Sport Horse gelding by Colorit x Auftritt
EMILY MOFFITT (GBR) Poden Farms: 0/0/43.41
4 COCO BONGO: 2005 Rheinlander gelding by Caretino x Calido
ERIC LAMAZE (CAN), Artisan Farms, LLC: 0/0/44.17
5 ARISTOTELES V: 2005 KWPN stallion by Padinus x Lux
JONATHAN MCCREA (USA), Windsor Show Stables: 0/0/44.28
6 CASSINJA S: 2006 Dutch Sporthorse mare by Carinjo x Cassini I
CHARLES JACOBS (USA), CMJ Sporthorse, LLC: 0/0/45.61
7 NEBEL VAN HET POSTHUIJS: 2009 KWPN mare by Numero Uno x Argentinus
EDUARDO MENEZES (BRA), Eduardo Menezes: 0/4/39.30
8 URIS DE LA ROQUE: 2008 Selle Français gelding by Capital x Quick Star
MARIO DELAURIERS (CAN), Aram Ampagoumian LLC & Mario Deslauriers: 0/4/42.72
9 TOY BOY: 2008 BCP gelding by Unknown x Unknown
JORGE MATTE CAPDEVILA (CHI), Jorge Matte Capdevila: 0/8/41.29
10 STRANGER 30: 2006 Hanoverian gelding by Stakkato x Cheenook
ANDREW RAMSAY (USA), The Stranger Group: 0/8/41.55
11 CLOUD 39: 2011 Holsteiner gelding by Clarimo x Quintero
MARIO DESLAURIERS (CAN), Wishing Well Farm LLC: 1/75.16
12 HOPE STREET: 2009 Holsteiner mare by Casall x Quick Nick I
LUCAS PORTER (USA), SPR Fund One: 1/75.53