The 2011 Jump Canada Young Horse Series is set to open at the Bow Valley Classic II held from May 19-22 in Calgary, AB.

The Bow Valley Classic marks the first event in the Western region, while the Eastern region opens at Concours hippique de St. Lazare, QC, held May 25-29.  The Summer Classic in Palgrave, ON, held June 15-19 is the first event of the Central region.

Following the conclusion of competition in each of the three regions, the top four scores for each horse will be added together to determine the Regional Champion in each age category.  In addition, the top Canadian-bred horse in each age category in each region, as well as at the National Finals, will be recognized with a special cooler and ribbon.

The Jump Canada Young Horse Series, features age categories for Four, Five, Six and Seven and Eight-Year-Olds, and is divided into three regions – Eastern, Central, and Western.  The final competition in each of the three regions will count for double points to qualify for the National Finals, to be held this year at the Canadian Show Jumping Tournament from September 21-25 in Palgrave, ON.

Recognizing that many horse owners from the Western division will not be able to attend the National Finals in Ontario, a total of $20,000 in prize money will be offered during the final Western division event, the Rocky Mountain Classic III to be held at Anderson Ranch in Calgary, AB, from September 1-4.

The schedule for the 2011 Jump Canada Young Horse Series is as follows:

Eastern Qualifiers
Concours hippique de St. Lazare, QC, May 25-29
Concours hippique du Parc Printemps, QC – June 1-5
Beaulieu’s Summer Classic II, QC, June 29 to July 3
Jumping Internationale de Blainville- Week 1, QC, July 6-10
International Bromont Week 2, QC, July 27-31
Final Regional Qualifier – Le Concours Hippique de Parc Été, Blainville, QC, August 10-14
(This competition will count for double points)

Central Qualifiers
Summer Classic, ON, June 15-19
CornerStone Horse Show, ON, June 22-26
Summerfest Show, ON, July 14-17
National Open, Ottawa, ON, August 10-14
Canadian Country Classic – Week 1, ON, August 24-28
Final Regional Qualifier – Canadian Country Classic – Week 3, September 7-11
(This competition will count for double points)

Western Qualifiers
Bow Valley Classic II, AB, May 19-22
Thunderbird Show Park Canadian Premiere, BC, May 25-29
Heart of the Continent Horse Show, MB, August 4-7
Thunderbird Show Park Summer Classic, BC, August 17-21
Rocky Mountain Classic II, AB, August 25-28
Final Regional Qualifier – Rocky Mountain Classic III, Calgary, AB, September 1-4
(This competition will count for double points)

National Final
Canadian Show Jumping Tournament, Palgrave, ON, September 21-25
(5, 6, and 7/ 8 year old classes only)

The purpose of the Jump Canada Young Horse Series is to encourage the development of young show jumping talent and to give Canadian breeders additional incentives to breed superior show jumping prospects.  Competing on a level playing field, the horses are divided according to age and jump at a level suited to their development.  This careful development allows the horses to gain valuable experience and advance to the higher levels of show jumping competition with confidence.  The Jump Canada Young Horse Series also gives prospective buyers for the hunter and jumper markets an opportunity to view a large group of prospects in a competition setting.

The Jump Canada Young Horse Series is now administered directly through Jump Canada and the Equine Canada offices. To register on-line, please visit: http://www.equiman.com/JumpCanadaYoungHorseSeries Or click here for series criteria and registration form.