The Equestrian Canada Jumping Awards are determined by the EC Jumping Committee and celebrate contributors to the sport of Jumping
Karen Sparks, Chair of the Equestrian Canada Jumping Committee, made the presentations to this year’s winners.
Photo: © Michelle Dunn
Toronto, ON, Nov 5, 2024 – This year’s Equestrian Canada Jumping Committee National Awards were handed out during the gala evening of the Jump Canada Hall of Fame, Sunday November 3, in Toronto, Ontario.
The EC National Awards celebrate the impressive achievements of individuals, equines and organizations who have contributed to the growth and success of the equestrian community each year. This year’s recipients have gone above and beyond in their respective fields.
Karen Sparks, Chair of the Equestrian Canada Jumping Committee presents the Owner of the Year award to Tiffany Foster, accepting on behalf of Artisan Farms LLC
Photo: © Michelle Dunn
Owner of the Year: Artisan Farms LLC
Carlene and Andy Ziegler’s Artisan Farms LLC. have been named the 2024 “Owner of the Year” by Equestrian Canada’s (EC) Jumping Committee, the national body overseeing Canadian hunter/jumper sport from the grassroots to the Olympic level. This is their seventh time receiving this award.
The Owner of the Year award recognizes the exceptional dedication, commitment, and generosity the Ziegler’s to the Canadian Show Jumping Team.
For over a decade, dozens of horses owned by Artisan Farms LLC. have competed for Canada at the top levels of international competition. In the 2024 season, they are being celebrated for the achievements of their horses ridden by Canada’s Tiffany Foster, the current number 21-ranked rider on the Longines Rankings, and second-highest lady rider in the world.
Foster, who competed at the Paris Olympics in 2024 with their horse Figor, also campaigns a handful of other horses owned by Artisan Farms LLC. across all levels.
“No one has supported Canadian riders in the capacity as the Ziegler’s since 2008,” says Foster. “Figor is the one who always makes the headlines because he went to the Olympics as well as jumping a double clear in the BMO Nations Cup at Spruce Meadows this year. Their support is very broad with their eye on the future at all times.
“It’s also important to recognize their support goes well beyond just buying the horses. They provided the training camp at their farm in Belgium for a month leading into the Olympics. They used their truck to transport the horses to and from Paris. They are willing to send horses to Europe to get the experience, they are willing to send them back and forth to make sure we can stay at the top of the game. Their support is just so unwavering. I’m so happy they are being recognized again.”
Carlene Ziegler said “It is a great honor to be named the EC Jumping Committee Owner of the Year for the seventh time. It is our pleasure to support Tiffany Foster and witness her successes for Artisan Farms LLC. and Team Canada. We have high hopes for Figor, Battlecry, Hamilton, Northern Lights and Kadans and look forward to Los Angeles 2028!”
Foster accepted the 2024 Jump Canada Owner of the Year award on behalf of Artisan Farms LLC at the Royal Horse Show in Toronto, ON.
First introduced in 1995, the EC Jumping Committee “Owner of the Year” Award was created to recognize the exceptional level of dedication, commitment, and generosity that owners demonstrate when supporting the Canadian Show Jumping Team athletes. Given their incredible support of Canadian show jumping this year and for so many others, Carlene and Andy Ziegler and their Artisan Farms LLC. are the very deserving recipients of the Jumping Committee “Owner of the Year” Award for 2024.
Karen Sparks, Chair of the Equestrian Canada Jumping Committee presents the Volunteer of the Year award to Debbie Weir
Photo: © Michelle Dunn
Volunteer of the Year: Debbie Weir
A member of the Ad Hoc Hunter/Jumper Rules committee since its inception, Debbie Weir has been a national member of Equestrian Canada since 1978.
A long-time pony-clubber with the Eglinton Pony Club, Debbie has competed in all three Olympic disciplines and is still actively involved with the Pony Club as a senior-A examiner.
“My parents weren’t particularly horsey,” says Weir. “My father’s family was into polo ponies, and I bugged them until we got a horse and then I just kept going! Now I just like to give back, it was such a good experience when I was growing up.”
When asked to talk about what she finds interesting about sitting on the rules committee in particular, Weir explained:
“It’s always interesting because any rule or law that comes into force does so for a reason. Rules are always suggested either for safety, or because someone has found the way around a current rule and is abusing it.
“Most of the rules stand the test of time and they are there for good reasons. It’s interesting because I am old enough to know why most of the rules came into being. So when someone suggests a new rule we can talk about the intent behind it, and whether the rule has been tried before. The sport is always changing, the technology is always changing. But the intent of the rule always stays the same.
“One of the best things about being on a committee is meeting new people who represent the sport across the country. We have the most diverse and the biggest hunter jumper community here in Ontario, and it’s always interesting to listen to people on either side of the country as to why a rule may or may not work in their part of the country.
“I really enjoy the opportunity because you’re always meeting new people with like interests across the sport and different viewpoints across the country. Our sport is always evolving and it’s so gratifying to be able to give back and to always keep learning.”
Karen Sparks, Chair of the Equestrian Canada Jumping Committee presents the Official of the Year award to Jill Barton
Photo: © Michelle Dunn
Official of the Year: Jill Barton
Originally from England, Jill Barton has been based in Odessa near Kingston for the past twenty years after moving from the Newmarket area.
Barton is being celebrated for her commitment to the sport across the levels and disciplines, with an incredible range of credentials to her name. She’s an FEI level 2 hunter/jumper steward, a Senior National steward across all disciplines, a Medium Dressage/Para Dressage judge and a Senior National Arabian judge.
Barton did not come from a family of equestrians, explaining “None of my family had horses. Where my grandmother lived (in England), we had a cart ride on the beach, and I used to chase the donkeys up the road or ride the odd cart horse on the sand. That was my first exposure!”
With no formal training, Barton started taking lessons when her family came to Canada, riding along what is now the 401! Eventually she got into breeds and breeding, and has ridden and driven all kinds including Saddlebreds, Morgans and Arabians. It was the late Sandra Sillcox who invited her to start officiating.
“You help people, it’s just what you do,” says Barton about why she enjoys officiating.
“You’re there to help and for the safety of the horse above all else. For the welfare of the horse and to ensure a level playing field.”
She says there is much to learn from other disciplines if one keeps an open mind.
“You have to take the blinders off and look around. If you have tunnel vision, you’ll never appreciate the same work goes into having horses no matter what you do with them. Open your mind and appreciate the horse. Get out and look what’s out there.”
Barton makes a point to comment on the lack of young people coming into officiating and judging in general. Barton says she goes out of her way to work with young officials.
“I’ve been doing this a long time. I work hard to mentor people and bring young people into the field. There are some really good young people coming along and they need encouraging. I have learned so much watching so many amazing people. I am so excited for the future of our sport.”
Karen Sparks, Chair of the Equestrian Canada Jumping Committee presents the Sponsor of the Year award to Ashley and Kevin Maxie of Struck Apparel
Photo: © Michelle Dunn
Sponsor of the Year: Struck Apparel
Ashley and Kevin Maxie founded Struck Apparel with the idea that riders needed clothing that stood up to the rigors of equestrian sport, and wanted to build on designs, fabrics, and technologies already utilized in other sports apparel. As riders themselves in both show jumping and eventing, they felt the time was right to move riding apparel forward towards a more sport-oriented market with performance at the forefront.
“What’s most important to us is that we ultimately want to see the sport continue to grow,” says Kevin Maxie. “Without sponsorship that’s really hard to do. We’re competitors ourselves, and when we can afford to give back, that’s what we want to do. At the end of the day, if we don’t have people continuing to sponsor and give back to our sport, we won’t have one.”
In 2024, their sponsorship activities ranged from grassroots silent auctions and product donations, up to supporting Olympic level athletes including sponsoring individual riders and their teams, as well as major events. Struck Apparel is the official clothing sponsor of Major League Show Jumping for the next three years.
“We try to sponsor across every level of the sport, from local unrated, to international shows in Canada,” said Maxie. “We’ve been a long-time sponsor of the Ottawa Equestrian Tournaments, and we aim to be coast-to-coast.
“At the end of the day, we would like to see the umbrella broaden for both competitors and people appreciating the sport as something fun to participate in. Even as a spectator. Raising the profile of show jumping in Canada is near and dear to our hearts. As an equestrian apparel company we have a vested interest, but for a non-equine sponsor to enter this sport and get a ROI is exceedingly difficult when you look at the branding restrictions in equestrian sports. If the sport continues to resist change, the sport will disappear.”
Nominations for all EC National Awards are open to EC Sport Licence Holders and/or Provincial/Territorial Sport Organization (PTSO) members. The call for nominations begins at the end of the calendar year and the selection committee reviews and selects award recipients by March 31 of the following year. Visit www.equestrian.ca for more.