After almost two decades in the top spot at Thunderbird Show Park, Jane Tidball announced this year that she鈥檚 stepping down from her role as CEO.
But that doesn鈥檛 mean the longtime leader of the equestrian centre, one of the largest in western Canada, is leaving the family business behind.
Tidball will remain as chair of the board of Thunderbird (tbird), as well as helping oversee special projects and looking after some of the show park鈥檚 major sponsors.
She鈥檚 still coming in to the offices regularly and touching base with Chris Pack, the longtime tbird executive who has now taken up the reins.
鈥淚 love the business,鈥� Tidball said, adding 鈥渋t鈥檚 time to take a bit of a rest.鈥�
She鈥檚 served as president for 18 years, having previously worked with her parents, George and Dianne Tidball, the founders of the operation.
鈥淚鈥檝e been here for the last 20 years to honour their legend,鈥� Jane said.
She鈥檚 been guided through the various expansions of the park over her tenure by three core goals: look after the horses, look after the people, and making tbird a nice place to visit.
鈥淚t鈥檚 not just about money. It鈥檚 about treating people well,鈥� Jane said.
Tbird has always been a real family enterprise, with everyone contributing. There are about 11 family members involved in the business in various ways, contributing their expertise from the equestrian side, or as carpenters and contractors, or even in food and catering.
鈥淭he whole family kicks in,鈥� said Jane.
Her successor at tbird, Pack, worked under both George and Dianne, and later Jane.
鈥淪he was a combination of her mom and her dad,鈥� Pack said, pointing out she had her mother鈥檚 fiscally responsible side, and her father鈥檚 vision.
鈥淛ane really allowed tbird to grow to the next level,鈥� he said.
The growth and constant change of the show park is something that Jane still marvels at.
The original Thunderbird was just off 200 Street in Walnut Grove, near what is now a movie theatre and shopping mall complex.
When they ran out of room there, the family picked up stakes and found 85 acres occupied by a few grazing cows out at 72 Avenue and 248 Street.
It seemed like they would never run out of room there, but tbird recently bought another 15 acres across the road.
鈥淚 wish we had 200 acres!鈥� Jane said.
Despite her long association with the show park and horses, Jane wasn鈥檛 a competitive rider for most of her life, her daughter Laura-Jane, herself a high-level equestrian, noted.
However, she did go down to California once for a high-level equestrian competition, at her family鈥檚 urging. But for the most part, she鈥檚 been engaged in other sports.
After a childhood in the saddle, Jane became a downhill skier and Canadian champion.
Now that she鈥檚 semi-retired, she鈥檚 looking to spend a little more time getting back to other hobbies like skiing again.
From May 22 to 26, for a third year, tbird hosts MLSJ Canadian Premier, the first leg of the Major League Show Jumping (MLSJ) circuit, a five-star event with $1 million in prizes up for grabs, with both individual grand prix and team events. Saturday May 25, the $200,000 CSI5* MLSJ Team Competition runs 5-7 p.m. and the $340,000 CSI5* Grand Prix 1.60m runs on Sunday May 26, 2-4 p.m.
Tickets can be purchased online at .
