The Orangeville Show Jumping Tournament, operated by Hayes Co., has been cancelled for 2016.
The Hayes family has been organizing show jumping tournaments in Ontario for more than 30 years in locations ranging from Sutton to Collingwood to Ottawa. This year would have been the fifth edition of the CSI2* Orangeville Show Jumping Tournament, previously held at the Orangeville Agricultural Society (OAS) Event Centre in Orangeville, ON.
The Hayes family, a well-known fixture in the show jumping community, includes Canadian Olympian Jay Hayes and his wife, Shawn, and their daughters Lauren, Ainsley and Regan, all of whom have played vital roles in the tournament’s organization and success.
In a letter to their supporters, Jay and Shawn Hayes said:
“When we started this event 32 years ago, it was a way to give back to the community and to fill a need that was missing in show jumping events; listening always first to the riders and the horses – our motto then and still now; “For Horsemen, by Horsemen.”
“Over the past 10 years the sport of show jumping has changed drastically in North America and especially in Canada; continuing to do so with each passing year. Management relies on multiple weeks with varying number of rings during each of those weeks and some events simply turning in to ‘shows.’ One thing that has set Hayes Co. apart is we have always strived to be a unique event which filled a need in our sport. With the landscape of the sport drastically changing we have decided it is best to take some time off to figure out what that need is and what Hayes Co. has to offer.
“This is not a decision that has been taken lightly. We are passionate about the direction show jumping is taking on all levels, and because of that, this is not necessarily the end. In the immediate future, we are putting our focus back to the efforts of achieving success with our horses. We will strive to continue to create unique opportunities within the equestrian world; whether through a reborn event, syndicates, clinics or other equine avenues.”
The CSI2* Orangeville Show Jumping Tournament has been host to a wide selection of hunter and jumper classes, attracting competitors from across the province and country. Last year’s $56,000 CSI2* Grand Prix was won by Calgary, Alberta’s Darrin Dlin on Ridley. In 2014, Perth, Ontario’s Amy Millar topped the $50,000 CSI2* Zucarlos Grand Prix.
More from Horse Sport:
