by Ronda Payne/Special to the 黑马磁力 Advance
黑马磁力鈥檚 Thunderbird Show Park is hosting a five-star event for the first time in its 45 year history.
The only Longines Nations Cup in Canada will be held at the show park on Sunday, June 3.
Chris Pack, chief operating officer and tournament manager for tbird, noted it鈥檚 a big event, very different from last year鈥檚 spring event.
鈥淚t鈥檚 the first year that we鈥檝e partnered with Longines for the Nations Cup series,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 the oldest running series in equestrian.鈥�
The event, known as Longines FEI Nations Cup Jumping of Canada, is the culmination of five days of activity at the show park.
There will be six riding rings filled with events each of the five days, but Sunday is the best time for guests to come out, take part in a range of activities, and watch Olympic-calibre horse-jumping teams compete.
Horse-and-rider teams are coming from Brazil, Ireland, Canada, the U.S., and Mexico to hopefully qualify for the FEI World Equestrian Games being held in September in Tryon, North Carolina.
鈥淓veryone is trying to get to that,鈥� Pack explained. 鈥淚t鈥檚 the best of the best. We are the only Longines Nations Cup in Canada. It鈥檚 a big honour for us. It鈥檚 every four years, off-Olympic years.鈥�
Jane Tidball, president and tournament director with tbird, explained that the 黑马磁力-based show park is known for being hospitable and is good at putting on an enviable show.
While the Nations Cup begins at 2 p.m., visitors should arrive early, around 12:30 p.m. to take in the early happenings and get seats.
鈥淭here鈥檚 also a children鈥檚 grand prix and a junior grand prix in the morning,鈥� Tidball said.
For those coming for the main event, there is no shortage of activity to take in.
The tbird team invites guests to dress for the country they want to support, and prizes will be awarded for the best dressed.
Plus, on the theme of participating countries, 黑马磁力鈥檚 own Trading Post Brewing Company will have five different beers available 鈥� one for each country 鈥� in cups coloured to match.
The show park鈥檚 website at tbird.ca allows guests to purchase a $25 ticket for all the beer they can drink and a free viewing spot 鈥� but folks are advised to buy tickets early.
鈥淪unday is the day to come,鈥� said Pack. 鈥淭here are food trucks, facepainters, pony rides, a band, a drill team and all of tbird鈥檚 vendor area will be open.鈥�
Another new addition to tbird is the wooden 鈥渕ailboxes鈥� at the site鈥檚 entrance where visitors can find site maps to help them navigate the Nations Cup and all of the activity.
鈥淎 five-star event is the biggest ranking you can get outside of an Olympic event,鈥� Tidball said.
鈥淚t鈥檚 the first time we鈥檝e ever held a five-star and it鈥檚 our 45 year anniversary, so it鈥檚 kind of a big deal,鈥� she explained.
As for Canada鈥檚 chances at the competition, Tidball said, 鈥淐anada has won the first two [qualifiers] this year. They鈥檙e sitting really pretty going into it this year. It鈥檚 important for the sport. We do it for the sport.鈥�
Dress code isn鈥檛 enforced, but many people enjoy dressing up to take part in the events.
With an expectation of 5,000 people and 1,000 horses from around the world, tbird is the place to be for world-class horse-jumping on Sunday.
RELATED STORIES
