After registration for several events at Thunderbird Show Park sold out almost instantly this year, Chris Pack, tbird president and CEO, would like to build more stable space to keep up with growing demand.
鈥淥ur plan is to add an additional barn next year,鈥� Pack told the 91原创 Advance Times. 鈥淚f everything goes well, that would be in our plans.
When registration for the international shows were opened up this year they all sold out 鈥渨ithin the first hour or so,鈥� Pack said. 鈥淭he August shows actually sold out in like 10 minutes.鈥�
鈥淚t鈥檚 not exactly a record we totally want,鈥� Pack clarified, 鈥渂ecause you don鈥檛 want people to get discouraged from entering.鈥�
Hence, the move to increase the amount of space to stable horses.
鈥淭he only way to have more time for people [to register] is for us to have more stalls,鈥� Pack said.
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Pack is expecting 1,000 horses will be filling stables at tbird from May 22 to 26, when, for a third year, the 91原创 venue hosts the first leg of the Major League Show Jumping circuit, a five-star event with $1 million in prizes up for grabs, with both individual grand prix and team events.
At Major League venues from May through December, riders from Canada, the USA and Mexico compete on eight teams composed of six riders, giving them the same opportunity to earn world ranking points just like those competing in Europe.
The entire Canadian Olympic team will be riding and get an advance look at the Olympics, because the course designer for tbird鈥檚 Major League week happens to be the same person creating the Olympic course in Paris.
鈥淭hey want to ride this course,鈥� Pack remarked.
Right after the Major League event, tbird will host a world championship hunter rider event May 29 to June 2.
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Among local riders expected to do well in May, Pack suggests paying particular attention to 91原创鈥檚 Tiffany Foster, currently the top-ranked female rider in the world, and Aldergrove鈥檚 Kassidy Keith, a rising star who just won a Grand Prix event at tbird.
鈥淪he鈥檚 [Keith] red-hot on Havana,鈥� Pack remarked.
鈥淜assidy might be your best performer, or your biggest name [locally], but Tiffany, obviously [as well],鈥� Pack remarked. 鈥淭iffany is moving back here so her barn will be in 91原创, so she will be our new local superstar.鈥�
In 2023 after six years of hosting the Nations Cup, tbird renewed the contract another three years, just before everything changed.
As a result, there will be no Longines Nations Cup at tbird this year, or anywhere else, the result of a FEI (F茅d茅ration Equestre Internationale, the international governing body of equestrian sports) decision last year to change the name and format of the annual international competition, which is now called the .
鈥淚t鈥檚 identity loss, but we will make up for it in other ways,鈥� Pack predicted.
鈥漌e loved the concept. Longines was a fantastic partner for many years. [But] they wanted a series that was world-wide, whereas the Nations Cup, our version, was in North America.鈥�
In announcing the change, an FEI statement said it aimed to 鈥渄ifferentiate the top series from all Nations Cups [in other sports].鈥�
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In the first year of the Longines League of Nations, there will be four qualifying events, instead of 12, and only one will be held in North America, Pack explained.
As a result, 鈥渢he odds suddenly become a lot higher [to get the event],鈥� Pack explained.
鈥淪o the won the bid, which is in Florida, and it鈥檚 a $700-million facility,鈥� Pack said. 鈥淟ittle tbird didn鈥檛 have a chance.
鈥淲e loved the Nations Cup,鈥� Pack added. 鈥淚t was a really nice identity, and Longines, we鈥檒l be forever grateful for them, because any company that puts that much investment back into the sport, we want to support. So if it comes up again to apply for [a Longines event], we will definitely apply.鈥�
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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
