This fall, Wesley Clover Parks will become just the second venue in Canada (Bromont is the other) and one of a select few venues in North America to offer international FEI-level competition in all three equestrian disciplines with the debut of CCI1* and CCI2* eventing divisions.
“We’re very excited. We’ve been dabbling in eventing for a few years now and this is the year we’re getting serious,” says Karen Sparks, Wesley Clover Parks executive director. The FEI CCI1* and CCI2* competition will be held September 26-28 in conjunction with the 2025 Eastern Ontario Eventing Championships.
For more than a decade, Wesley Clover Parks has offered international show jumping and dressage competitions, and nationally-recognized eventing competitions at its Ottawa facility, including as host site for the Eastern Canada Eventing Championships.
The property is large enough to accommodate international-level cross-country tracks, but to be able to offer FEI-level competition, Sparks says improvements were needed. Like other FEI disciplines, the application was made two years in advance.
“We’ve spent the last two years investing heavily in our cross-country course. It’s taken a while to get the property and footing to where it needs to be, and a huge commitment in terms of the quality of jumps expected. We’ve been slowly working on it and we felt this is the year we could go to the next level.”
The venue now has two water complexes, including one designed by Olympic course builder Jay Hambly, along with ditches and banks.
The new water complex at Wesley Clover Parks under construction last fall. (WCP photo)
Sparks and team have called on advisors such as Sue Ockendon, organizer of the Bromont CCI and FEI technical advisor, Geoff Morgan of Will O’ Wind Farm (site of FEI events until Morgan and wife’s Ann retirement), and the Laframboise family, among others.
“We made sure to get top individuals involved,” says events manager Tracy Howard. “Peter Gray [Olympian and former Canadian team coach] will be on the ground jury and Janette Leask [who has run the office at FEI events] will be running our show office. Our in-house team is good at the show jumping side of things, and can learn the whole eventing side of things. This move has been totally embraced by the eventing community.”
Sparks says Ockendon been a big supporter and “we’ve been in lock-step with her from day one. She’s only a phone call away if we need something.” Howard, Sparks and their team will attend the Bromont CCI in Quebec in June to observe and learn what’s involved in running an FEI eventing competition.
“Bromont is the only site in Canada with two-, three- and four-star courses and the only site in Canada to help riders go forth to the Olympics,” says Ockendon. “Starting Wesley Clover with one- and two-star courses will help bring more people into the sport. I’m one hundred per cent behind it.”
Ockendon says Canada needs more courses to support the grassroots, especially as Canada is losing eventing venues.
“Wesley Clover Parks is well-placed for eventing, in a geographical sense,” says Sparks. “We have almost 500 acres, with about 274 available. We have all-weather footing in the dressage and show jumping rings, and we have FEI stabling because of our show jumping.”
A long-term goal is to bring the North American Youth Championships (NAYC) back to a venue that can host all three disciplines (dressage, show jumping, and eventing), with Wesley Clovers Parks as that venue. All three disciplines were hosted at the NAYC at the Kentucky Horse Park in 2015, but have since been split across different venues and time periods.
The property already has established show jumping and dressage rings and it is hoped the upgrade will enable it to host the NAYC. (Randy Harquail photo)
The park was established in the 1960s, developed by the National Capital Commission (NCC), and leased by a local municipality. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, it was a premier equestrian destination with show jumping, dressage, and eventing competitions, including the Capital Classic Show Jumping Tournament. Over time, the facility declined due to changing city structures and a lack of reinvestment. By the early 2000s it was losing money, its infrastructure was aging, and the city lacked the resources to maintain it.
The Wesley Clover Foundation, spearheaded by Karen Sparks, stepped in with the vision that while honouring its equestrian legacy, the park had to serve the entire community, not just those involved with horses. With new management, it has become a multi-sport outdoor hub with equestrian competitions and a riding school, as well as cross-country and mountain bike trails, soccer fields and charity runs, children’s outdoor education program, concerts and community events.
For more information about the new Eventing at the Parks international horse trials, visit here.