Sean Jobin began the 2026 Royal Horse Show at Toronto’s Coca-Cola Coliseum with the most momentum, assuming the lead after the first round of the $25,000 Henry Equestrian Canadian Show Jumping Championship.
The Royal Horse Show, which runs Nov. 6-15, is part of the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair, the largest combined indoor agricultural fair and international equestrian competition in the world. A nine-day showcase of equestrian sport, the show features a wide variety of disciplines, from international show jumping and dressage to national show hunters, indoor eventing, and an array of unique horse breeds, with the marquee event, the CSI5*-W Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Toronto, set for Saturday, November 14.
The Henry Equestrian Canadian Show Jumping Championship is the premier event of opening weekend, with the top two overall athletes earning invitations to the Royal’s international five-star division next week. It’s a position Jobin knows well, having recorded his first Canadian Championship victory in 2023. To secure a second, he’ll need to bring his form forward to Saturday’s final, a two-round competition.
“I didn’t win the first day in 2023, so this is fun to win on Day One,” Jobin said. “But it’s just the first step, and we’ve got a couple more rounds tomorrow. We’ll see how it goes, but I’m looking forward to it.”
Set by Olympic level course designer Bernardo Costa Cabral (POR), Friday’s first round was a faults-converted speed competition, where each rail on course added three seconds to the rider’s final time. Jobin and Grande Dame DK posted a winning mark of 54.55 seconds. They were followed by Nicole Walker and Panter JVH (55.54 seconds) and Amy Millar with her longtime partner, Christiano (55.65s). Kassidy Keith and Havana posted the winning time (53.64s), but a rail ultimately landed them in fifth place (56.64s).
“I didn’t watch all of the rounds, but I thought [Grande Dame DK] was particularly quick to the [last] double,” Jobin said. “It came up just right.”
Jobin was effusive of praise for his partner, a 10-year-old Selle Francais mare with whom he’s jumped internationally for the last year and a half.
“[Grande Dame DK] is so game for everything. She’s got a big step, but she can turn quickly, and you can try things with her that other horses wouldn’t normally do,” Jobin said. “She’s just such a phenomenal horse…It takes a lot off my back when you have a horse that’s working with you so well.”
Based out of King City, Ontario, Jobin feels right at home at the Royal. Next week, he’ll be joined at the venue by a group of clients, friends, and family to enjoy the Fair. Until then, it’s “all hands on deck.”
“I just love showing here at the Royal,” he said. “It’s so great to be with all the people who love horses and animals.”
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