Langley’s Tiffany Foster has received the prestigious Mann Trophy.
Awarded to the top Canadian rider qualifying into the international division, the trophy was presented at the Royal Horse Show in Toronto on Nov. 8, part of the Royal Agricultural winter fair.
It triggered a torrent of online congratulations, including Langley resident Ted Blankenship, who posted “wow, congratulations to our hometown girl, Tiffany Foster. Such an inspiration to so many young riders, including my daughter,” as well as Nick Spencer who wrote “thank you for being Canadian!” and B.K. Anderson who called the award ”well-deserved after the dynamite year that you’ve had.”
As the highest-ranked Canadian in the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) Longines show jumping rankings, Foster has not only entered the top 20 with her current ranking of 17th, she is the highest-ranked female show jumper in the world.
READ ALSO: Langley rider helps clinch silver at Pan Am Games
At the Pan Am Games, Foster led Team Canada to a silver medal on Nov. 1.
Foster, riding Figor, posted two clean rounds, Canada’s only double clear combination of the day.
“He was amazing,” Foster said of her mount.
“The more he jumps, the more relaxed he gets, and I’m just so proud of him and so grateful to have a horse like this, to make these things fun, because they’re very stressful, but he makes it fun.”
She was followed by teammate Mario Deslauriers, who knocked a rail during during both rounds of the 13-obstacle course.
But then, Canadian riders Beth Underhill and Nikka Vd Bisschop, and Amy Millar, riding Truman, went clean, which moved the team up from third place, and qualified them for the Paris 2024 Olympics.
READ ALSO: Tiffany Foster plans to make Langley her summer base
Foster, a two-time Olympian who competed at London 2012 and Rio 2016, forged her Langley links as a young rider when she moved to Thunderbird Show Stables to train with Brent and Laura Balisky.
Among her many accomplishments, Foster was a member of the Canadian team at the 2014 World Equestrian Games in Normandy, France, and in her Pan American Games debut, helped Canada claim the team gold medal at the 2015 edition held in Toronto.