Ottawa, Ontario-Jump Canada is pleased to announce that BMO Financial Group has been named the 2007 ‘Sponsor of the Year’.
Created in 2005, the Jump Canada ‘Sponsor of the Year’ award recognizes the significant impact that corporate sponsorship has on Canadian show jumping sport.
BMO Financial Group first became involved with equestrian sport with the sponsorship of Spruce Meadows during its inaugural year in 1976. As a founding sponsor of Spruce Meadows, BMO Financial Group has a long and proud history of supporting equestrian sport in Canada. For over 30 years, BMO Financial Group has sponsored the world’s richest team show jumping event, the BMO Financial Group Nations’ Cup held annually each September during the Spruce Meadows “Masters” Tournament.
In 1988, BMO signed Canadian Show Jumping Team veteran Ian Millar as its corporate equestrian advisor. The partnership has continued to flourish ever since with BMO Financial Group co-sponsoring the Big Ben Retirement Tour in 1994. BMO Financial Group’s commitment to Millar and Big Ben continued in 2005 when it supported the creation of a life-size bronze statue of Ian Millar and Big Ben, erected in Millar’s hometown of Perth, ON, to commemorate the incredible career of two show jumping legends.
For the past two years, BMO Financial Group has sponsored the Jump Canada Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony and Gala, and will continue as the title sponsorship in 2008.
BMO Financial Group also administers the BMO Mosaik MasterCard affinity program for equestrian sport. For every card issued, BMO Financial Group makes a financial contribution to Equine Canada.
“We are delighted to honour BMO Financial Group, whose contributions to the sport of show jumping are so impressive, and whose sponsorship of our own Hall of Fame is instrumental in making it the success it is,” said Elizabeth Bordeaux, Chair of Jump Canada.
For its incredible support of the show jumping industry, Jump Canada is proud to honour BMO Financial Group as the 2007 ‘Sponsor of the Year’. Chair of Jump Canada, Elizabeth Bordeaux presented the ‘Sponsor of the Year’ Award on behalf of Jump Canada to Mr. David Sprague, Vice President, Calgary District, BMO Bank of Montreal, during the Equine Canada National Awards Banquet in Calgary, AB, on February 9.
In its inaugural year, Kubota Canada Ltd. was named the 2005 Jump Canada Sponsor of the Year for its substantial contribution as title sponsor of the Kubota Cup Canadian Show Jumping Series. In 2006, Canadian National Railway was awarded the Jump Canada Sponsor of the Year due to its significant sponsorship of many important Canadian equestrian competitions and events.
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