Indoor eventing and a dressage derby are two of the unique events highlighting the schedule during the 10-day Royal Horse Show, held as part of of the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair, from November 1 through 10, 2019, at Exhibition Place in downtown Toronto, ON.
The $20,000 Horseware Indoor Eventing Challenge headlines events in the Coca-Cola Coliseum on the evenings of Friday, November 1, and Saturday, November 2. The thrilling concept of tackling cross-country obstacles and conventional show jumping fences, all against the clock, is a spectator favourite on opening weekend of the Royal Horse Show. Olympic team gold medalist Mark Phillips of Great Britain will once again design the intricate tracks for a roster of top eventing athletes.
Dana Cooke, Colleen Loach, Jessica Phoenix, and Karl Slezak, all members of Canada’s bronze medal team at the 2019 Pan American Games in Lima, Peru, have confirmed their attendance.
“It’s so fun to demonstrate this incredible sport in front of so many spectators, which is something that we don’t often get to do,” said Phoenix, who hails from Cannington, ON. “For this event you want a horse that’s super careful. If you have that, you’ve got a good chance of finishing in the top three.”
Traveling from Ireland to make his Horseware Indoor Evening Challenge debut is 2018 World Equestrian Games™ team silver medalist Sam Watson. Additional competitors include Canadian athletes Lindsay Beer, Diana Burnett, Lisa Marie Fergusson, Kendal Lehari, Brandon McMechan, and Holly Jacks-Smither.
From the fast-paced thrills of indoor eventing to the intricate artistry of dressage, the Royal Horse Show has it all. Returning for the second year is the Royal Dressage Derby, which will see four riders go head to head riding borrowed horses in a ‘knock-out’ format. But there’s a twist! This year, Canadian eventing and dressage athletes will face off against one another.
2019 Pan American Games dressage team gold medalists Lindsay Kellock and Naima Moreira Laliberte will each perform a Prix St. Georges test on the same horse. Representing the eventers, Phoenix and Cook will put their dressage skills to the test riding another horse at Third Level. The winner of each ‘knock-out round’ will move forward to a second round, where they will ride a new horse, in the hopes of being crowned the Royal Dressage Derby Champion. To level the playing field, riders compete on borrowed horses and have only minutes to get to know their mounts before performing their tests.
Highlighting a theme of Canadian pride that defines The Royal, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Musical Ride will perform during all ticketed Royal Horse Show 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.
The equestrian entertainment at this year’s Royal Horse Show continues with horsewoman Sylvia Zerbini delivering mesmerizing Grande Liberté performances with her string of breathtaking Arabian horses from November 5 through 9.
More than 1,000 horses from around the globe will compete for $980,000 in prize money during the 10-day CSI4*-W Royal Horse Show. VIP Platinum and Gold seating, as well as group and individual tickets, can be purchased HERE. All Royal Horse Show tickets include general admission to The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair.
For more information, visit royalfair.org/horse-show.
