Press release from Thunderbird Show Park

Tiffany Foster (CAN) recorded her second international win of the week Friday at Thunderbird Show Park, besting a four-horse jump-off aboard 5 Roosters’ Electrique in the CSI3* Steel-Craft Doors 1.50m.

Foster is seeing success at both ends of the spectrum when it comes to her string. After winning the CSI3* tbird Speed Thursday with 17-year-old Brighton, her second victory came with 9-year-old Electrique. Foster has been riding Brighton for a decade; she got the ride on Electrique during the winter season in Wellington.

“I think that as a rider, you you feel so much confidence on the horses you know. So I’ve had Brighton for 10 years—can’t know a horse any better than that,” Foster said. “I also have Hamilton, Northern Light and Figor, whom I’ve had all since they were seven or eight…You feel better on those [horses] that you don’t know as well when you have such a strong top string that I have right now.”

Foster and Electrique won the first international class of their partnership at Spruce Meadows last month. They quickly added to that tally at tbird.  The pair crossed the timers of Anderson Lima’s (MEX) course in 39.95 seconds. Jaclyn Duff (CAN) and Eblesse finished second (42.46) seconds, while Kara Chad (CAN) and Igor GPH were third (4/40.24).

The class may have been won at the final jump. Foster and Electrique came with plenty of gallop to the last oxer. It appeared as if the distance might be a bit far away, but Electrique cleared the spread with ease.

“We’re definitely giving the last jump to Electrique,” Foster said.

“Fortuitous” is how Foster describes her pairing with the 9-year-old liver chestnut mare, who originally was the mount of Kent Farrington (USA). Farrington, who is also a part of the ownership group of Foster’s five-star mount Hamilton, regularly helps Foster scout horses.

“Kent bought her as a 7-year old, and he rode her into the beginning of her 9-year-old year. She won a bunch of classes with him as well. She’s a super fast, super competitive horse,” Foster said. “He was having sort of an injury actually with his groin…and he just kept sort of re-injuring it every time he tried to ride her.

“It kind of all just came together really at the right time, because Kent obviously helps me find horses, and he was like, ‘I don’t know where to find a better one than this. I have it in my barn,'” she added.

While Foster and Electrique proved to be a good match, fine-tuning their partnership has been a process. Despite being a mare with a bigger-build, Electrique has proven to be quite “sensitive.” Foster experimented with adjustments to her bit and bridle, as well as to her warm-up routine. This summer, things have come together. According to Jumpr App, Electrique is finishing in the top 10 at a 50% clip at 1.50m.

“It took me a little bit of time to kind of figure out all the buttons,” Foster said. “This is the name of this game, right? You’ve got to be patient, [and] you’ve got to just see what works. She doesn’t look like it, but she’s a very, very sensitive horse. And so all these little things affected her, it turns out, and now I feel like, ‘Okay, I’ve got the formula. I’ve got the formula pretty good.’”