Canadian Show Jumping Championships and Indoor Eventing Highlight Schedule
Canadian show jumping and indoor eventing will highlight the opening weekend of the Royal Horse Show, held as part of the annual Royal Agricultural Winter Fair, from November 1 through 10, 2019, in downtown Toronto, ON.
Opening night of the Royal Horse Show kicks off with the $25,000 Henry Equestrian Canadian Show Jumping Championship, Round 1, on Friday, November 1. Following Friday night’s speed round, horse-rider combinations will return in reverse order of standing to tackle the $100,000 Henry Equestrian Canadian Show Jumping Championship, Round 2, on the evening of Saturday, November 2. Canadian course designer Michel Vaillancourt, 1976 Olympic individual silver medalist, will set the tracks for the open and international show jumping divisions throughout the Royal Horse Show.
Nicole Walker of Aurora, ON, claimed her first Canadian Championship title at the Royal Horse Show in 2018 just days before her 25th birthday. Walker, who piloted Falco van Spieveld to the title, has grown up showing at The Royal and cherishes the win as one of her most memorable.
“It feels amazing to compete at the Royal Horse Show,” said Walker. “The atmosphere is incredible, and it has so much tradition. I would recommend every rider to come visit it at some point, even if they’re not riding. It’s just such a cool experience.”
In addition to deciding this year’s Canadian Champion, the Canadian Show Jumping Championship also determines which riders move forward to the Royal Horse Show’s international division, held during the second week of the Royal Horse Show and highlighted by the $210,000 Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Toronto. The top-placing Canadians, not already qualified based on their world ranking, will move forward to compete against some of the best riders from the U.S., Europe, and beyond.
The $20,000 Horseware Indoor Evening Challenge will add to the excitement of opening weekend on both Friday and Saturday evenings with the fast-paced thrills of cross-country in a spectator-friendly environment. Great Britain’s Mark Phillips will once again design the intricate tracks for a list of the top eventing athletes, including several Olympians, to tackle.
Continuing the theme of Canadian pride, the Royal Horse Show welcomes the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Musical Ride with performances from November 1 to 3. The epitome of Canadian tradition, the RCMP Musical Ride dates back to 1876, and was created to showcase riding ability and entertain the local community. The full troop of 32 riders on horseback performs intricate figures and drills choreographed to music, displaying the riders’ precision and coordination.
To purchase tickets and for more information, visit royalfair.org/horse-show.
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