Canadian Showjumpers Hold Their Own with the Best in the World
Aug. 6, 2024, Paris, FRA – The Individual show jumping event offered three incredible rounds of sport with lots of twists and turns, keeping everyone guessing who would be on top of the podium. At the end of two challenging days, with just three clear rounds in the final, the colour of the medal was the only decision made in the jump-off. After plenty of effort, the maple leaf wasn’t in the running.
Beginning with Monday’s qualifier, Canada’s three horse-rider combinations held their own when 74 of the best in the world vied for one of 30 spots in Tuesday’s final. Mario Deslauriers was the closest, narrowly missing the cut-off by one spot to finish in 31st place with 4 faults in a time of 74.93.
Mario Deslauriers & Emerson
Photo Credit: Cealy Tetley
It was a nail-biting qualifier with another challenging course laid out by co-designers Grégory Bodo (FRA) and Santiago Varela (ESP), that offered more Parisien art, culture, and history in the 14 beautifully designed jumps.
With a time allowed of 79 seconds, the goal was to be clear over the 17 jumping efforts at heights up to 1.65m. 20 of the top 30 were clear, one had a single time fault and the remaining nine were 4 faults with very fast times.
Riding second in the order, Deslauriers and his 11-year-old Belgian warmblood gelding Emerson whom he co-owns with Wishing Well Farm LLC, faced the course as pathfinders. They unfortunately clipped the second rail of the Art Deco combination at 5b but were fast and hoped it would be enough to advance.
“Hopefully if there are a lot of clears, I’m the fastest four,” said Deslauriers. “My horse jumped extremely well, just a little unlucky rail there; the rest of my course was good, and I had a good, fast time.”
Erynn Ballard and the 11-year-old Belgian Warmblood mare Nikka vd Bisschop owned by the Rein Family LLC came into the ring midway through the order and with just a single rail down at the Braille jump at 7, finished in 37th with 4 faults in a time of 76.60.
Erynn Ballard & Nikka vd Bisschop
Photo Credit: Cealy Tetley
Rounding out the Canadian roster, was current 18th world-ranked rider Tiffany Foster and the 14-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding Figor owned by Artisan Farms LLC. The pair looked very strong through the front half of the course then took a rail in the final element of the Champs-Elysées triple combination at 10c followed by an unlucky second one at the Opéra Garnier jump at 12. Canada’s Pan Am silver medalists, top pair from World Championships and many Nations Cups finished the qualifier on 8 faults in a time of 76.78 for 50th place overall.
Tiffany Foster & Figor
Photo Credit: Cara Grimshaw
After the narrow miss of the qualifier, Deslauriers and his team including groom Stephanie Walchuk, trainer Dale Hailstones, Equine Therapist Ilja Lucik and Team Veterinarian Dr. Eduardo Felix prepared for the finals early Tuesday as if they were in – just in case it happened. And it did.
In an exciting turn of events, Deslauriers received word indicating Great Britain’s Harry Charles would be withdrawing from the final and that he would therefore be riding at the top of the order at 10 am.
“Thanks to the British Team for calling me this morning right away to get ready – super sportsmanlike,” said Deslauriers. “I was here anyway and rode my horse at 7:00 am. In this sport, things like this happen all the time, so I was totally prepared. I was ready to go and mentally ready to do this.”
Mario Deslauriers & Emerson
Photo Credit: Cealy Tetley
Once again as pathfinder – this time for the rest of the field, Deslauriers had an unfortunate rail at the Charles Perrault Little Red Riding Hood jump at 4 followed by the second element of the extremely wide Metropolitain triple combination at 10b. With 8 faults in a time of 82.64, the Canadian’s chance to ride again was done at Paris 2024.
“This was for sure the biggest course we jumped at these games, Olympic tracks are difficult – a lot of bending lines and its all about execution,” Deslauriers shared. When asked how it went for him as first out, he admitted it is the most challenging spot in the order. “You have to believe in your plan, but I was a little off rhythm and made a riding error. But my horse was so good.”
Wondering what is next for Team Canada and for the future, he shared the sentiments from the group. “I think we were disappointed after the team qualifier as we felt we were well prepared. I think if we could jump in a few European Nations’ Cups it would really benefit a lot of people.”
Mario Deslauriers & Emerson
Photo Credit: Luis Ruas
Chef d’Equipe Ian Millar also shared his thoughts about the Games overall. “We had four wonderful riders, four wonderful horses, it didn’t particularly go our way. I feel that it could have gone our way a little more.”
He then shared what the results mean for the team moving forward. “What we take away from these Games, is that we have work to do in this next quad. It’s a long game over the four years leading up to LA 2028.”
He further explained what the work entails. “Tours in Europe are going to be critical for this build, the horses have to be identified now, and that is step one. Then we have to put the right experience in place,” said the chef.
“It’s not that Canada is doing any worse than we ever did,” Millar explained with his decades of perspective on the matter. “But, I think it’s fair to say that the rest of the world is getting a little better. And we have, mostly for financial reasons, had difficulty keeping pace. We are going to need more support to do more.”
For more information and full results of the final equestrian event, check out the Paris 2024 app.
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