June 16, 2024 
Last summer at Spruce Meadows, Tiffany Foster predicted great things for Battlecry.
“I think that this is a horse who can win big things,” said the Canadian Olympian after their first 1.55m victory, the CSI5* Jayman BUILT Cup, in the International Ring last July.
Nearly a year to the day, Battlecry is proving those projections right.
On Saturday at the National tournament, Foster and the striking dark bay gelding claimed their first 5* Grand Prix title (and Foster’s career second) with the RBC Grand Prix at Spruce Meadows.
Thirty-five combinations came forward for Olaf Pederson Jr’s 1.60m track. With four advancing to the short course, it was a match race to the finish—just half a second separated the jump-off leaderboard.
Foster and Battlecry stopped the clock five tenths of a second fastest in 42.23. Erynn Ballard (CAN) and Nikka Vd Bisschop took second in 42.71. Jos Verlooy (BEL) and Origi, third in 42.77 and Matthew Sampson (GBR) and Daniel fourth in 42.83.
“I can’t even begin to describe the feeling that this horse gives you when he’s giving you his all,” enthused Foster. “He’s a really fast horse.
“His stride length is incredible, especially on a big field like this. You can use it to your advantage. I think that’s where he makes up a lot of ground.”
Partnered since 2021, Battlecry has been produced through the FEI levels almost exclusively by Foster. The Belgian Warmblood made his international debut in 2020 with Germany’s Karl Brocks. The pair contested just two CSIYH1* events before Foster took over his international education in 2021, developing the horse up to the 1.60m level.
Over 95 attempted rounds, they jump clear at a 51% clip across all heights with markedly consistent results at 1.40m (56% clear round average) to 1.50m (59%), according to Jumpr stats.
At 1.60m, Battlecry is still finding his feet. Having contested just nine rounds at the height, his clear round average is 22%. But when it goes right, it goes really right. The two times they jumped double clear in a 1.60m Grand Prix they won.
“He’s still pretty green. This is his first year really trying at that 1.60m level. When you have a great horse like this, there are some things that have come along that that we’ve had to work through. But I always believed that that he will be able to do it. He just needs a little bit of time,” continued Foster.
“And so that next step is learning how to go fast on a horse, too.”
The National concludes Sunday with the ATCO Cup 1.45m and ATB Cup 1.50m. The Spruce Meadows Summer Series continues with the Pan American June 27–30 and the North American July 3–7.
