Saturday's 1.60m ATCO Queen Elizabeth II Cup at Spruce Meadows was fully subscribed with fifty top international horse-and-rider combinations ready to take on the track designed by FEI course designer Santiago Varela (ESP). The ATCO Queen Elizabeth II Cup is a two round Grand Prix, and following round one the top twelve riders came back to compete in the second round. 

The first clear round of the competition came early from Andrew Wells (USA) who was third into the ring. Overall eight horse-and-rider combinations jumped clear with Lorenza O'Farrill (MEX), Paricio Pasquel (MEX), Molly Ashe (USA) and Rowan Willis (AUS) rounding out the top twelve going through to round two.

Former champions Eric Lamaze (CAN)  and Kent Farrington (USA) were among those in the top twelve riders from round one advancing to the second round. The rails stayed intact for Enrique Gonzalez (MEX) and Chacna, but a round two time of 68.67s would cost him one time fault. Lamaze stepped into the ring with Fine Lady ready for the challenge and posted the first and only double clear of the day to take the win. Third place went to Karen Polle (JPN) aboard With Wings after recording four faults in round two.

"I'm a big Spruce Meadows fan. It makes better horses and better riders," Eric Lamaze said after his fifth win in the ATCO Queen Elizabeth II Cup.

Earlier this week, riders competed to qualify for the 1.50m Imperial Winning Round with only the top 30 riders based on their placings from the Kubota Cup and the AON Cup eligible to jump.

Canada's Tiffany Foster and the quick gelding Brighton won the class both in 2016 and 2017 and were looking for a hat trick win in Saturday's event.

The top ten from round one came back to compete in the Winning Round including fan favourites Kent Farrington, Eric Lamaze and sneaking in in tenth, last years winner Tiffany Foster. A rail in round one had Foster coming back into the first in the Winning Round, but she laid down a clear ride with a time of 55.90s. The remainder of the field was working hard to catch Foster's fast time, and she held onto that lead until the final horse. Farrington was the only thing standing between Foster and her victory. He and the nine year old stallion Jasper left nothing on the line posting a clear with a time of 53.90s to take the win.

"I have a great horse (Jasper). It's his first time at Spruce Meadows and we've already had a couple wins," commented Kent Farrington.