August 2, 2007

Fort Langley, BC – While members of Canada’s international show jumping team were proudly ascending the medal podium at the recent Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil – and earning their much coveted Olympic qualification for Beijing 2008 in the process – preparations are well underway at Thunderbird Show Park in Fort Langley, BC, the Pacific Northwest’s premier equestrian facility, for the final outdoor tournaments of the 2007 summer season.

Beginning on Wednesday, August 15 with the Fort Langley Summer Classic, a stellar line-up of riders from throughout North America will be hoping to claim a lion’s share of the serious prize money on offer, opening with the $10,000 High Point Equestrian Estates Open Welcome. Friday evening (August 17) will kick off with the $25,000 Show Park Grand Prix at 5:00 p.m., with the coveted $50,000 Sea to Sky Grand Prix on Sunday, August 19 at 2:00 p.m.

The Summer Classic offers Jumper, Hunter and Dressage classes as part of the Canadian Performance Futurity* (Pacific Zone), which provides a much-needed opportunity to showcase the talents of four- and five-year-old Canadian-bred horses. And, who knows? Spectators might just witness the blossoming career of a future Olympic medalist or international champion whose first steps to stardom were taken on Thunderbird’s world-class stage.

The $150,000 Fort Langley Summer Festival, running from August 22–26 provides a fitting conclusion to the outdoor summer season and gathers together top international riders from throughout North America. Entries this year will include Kyle King (2006 winner of the Sea to Sky Grand Prix), Calgary’s Jonathan Asselin (Canadian team member at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games), U.S. international Rich Fellers (winner of 2006 Tommy Bahama Grand Prix), Irish show jumping maestro Eddie Macken, and Audra Fleck-Snijders (Emerald Equestrian Farm’s professional trainer based out of Redmond, WA).

In addition, Thunderbird is pleased to once again welcome Mexican brothers Alejandro (winner of 2006 Six Bar) and Angel Karolyi – genetically engineered to follow competitive careers by their mom, international show jumper Gladymar Verswyvel, and overseen by stepfather Jorge Verswyvel, Colombian ex-pat, Mexican Olympic team member and former La Silla stable jockey. It’s hardly surprising that these two young riders are well on their way to achieving show jumping stardom in the years to come.

Last but not least, Canadian international Eric Lamaze, who recently celebrated team silver and individual bronze medals at the 2007 Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, has thrown his cap in the ring and included Thunderbird on his ever-hectic competition schedule. Naturally he has become one of the hottest favourites to occupy the winner’s circle, and is destined to provide a high degree of spectator excitement with his enthusiastically gritty riding style.

The major classes at the Summer Festival will feature the $10,000 Darnell & Company Open Welcome, the $25,000 Tommy Bahama Grand Prix, as well as the crowd-pleasing $10,000 Blaylock Surgical Centre Six-Bar Challenge, which always provides an exciting Saturday evening climax.

As a fitting finale to this 2007 outdoor season, and marking the first occasion that Thunderbird Show Park has been awarded an FEI-sanctioned CSI-2* class – an honour only bestowed by equestrian sport’s governing body – the Summer Festival concludes with the hotly contested $75,000 Keg Steakhouse & Bar Grand Prix on Sunday, August 26.

Especially noteworthy is the fact that four of Thunderbird’s challenging Grand Prix classes – August 17, 19, 24 and 26 – will form part of the prestigious Jump Canada Series that provides a national jumper circuit promoting high standards of competition across the country, leading to the World Cup final leg at the Royal Horse Show in Toronto, ON, in November.

Awarded as a horse/rider combination, the Jump Canada Series standings are currently being led by Karen Cudmore in first and second place with Southern Pride and Ocelot, respectively, ahead of West Vancouver’s Gary Brewster (37) and Hurricane, based at Twin Oaks Farm in Richmond, BC. Owned by Brewster’s wife, Suzanne, Hurricane is a 13-year-old Irish-cross gelding. Gary will, of course, be in the starting line-up for both the Summer Classic and Summer Festival.

With their sumptuous all-grass Grand Prix ring as the focal point, and committed to developing a world-class equestrian facility, Thunderbird’s new spectator grandstands, and state-of-the-art digital scoreboards – streaming live video from the Grand Prix ring throughout the Show Park – and timing equipment have this year enhanced the enjoyment of this sporting spectacle which is witnessing exponential growth in terms of popularity and participation. Thunderbird also takes care of armchair cognizant enthusiasts through live webcasts of their major events at www.thunderbirdshowpark.com.

Thunderbird also looks forward to welcoming you to their indoor International Horse Show, October 3–7, 2007.

For further information about Thunderbird Show Park, and its events and facilities: www.thunderbirdshowpark.com

* The Canadian Performance Futurity is funded in part by the Canadian Breeders’ Initiative Fund (CBIF) which supports Canadian breeders of horses for the FEI disciplines.