The last time Aldergrove鈥檚 Kassidy Keith showed at Thunderbird Show Park, she brought the 2022 show season to a close with a win in the CSIU25-A MarBill Hill U25 Grand Prix.

READ ALSO: Aldergrove鈥檚 Kassidy Keith and Fenelon WF win MarBill Hill U25 1.40m at Thunderbird Show Park

As the 2023 April Season Opener kicked off tbird鈥檚 50th Anniversary show season, Keith wasted no time returning to the front of a featured victory lap. She and longtime partner Havana topped the $10,000 Maui Jim Grand Prix 1.40m on Sunday, April 23, besting a five-horse jump-off.

鈥淪he was jumping very well today, so she was spending more time in the air than normal,鈥� Keith explained. 鈥淪he was jumping so well, [but she was also] really quick across the ground and turned well.鈥�

from on .

The lead repeatedly changed hands through the first three riders, all of whom jumped clear and would ultimately make up the podium. But it was Keith who would hold on to the lead, utilizing her mare鈥檚 footspeed to put the competition away.

鈥淪he was so quick back to the double of verticals,鈥� Keith said. 鈥淭hat was probably a little bit where she had it. She was just a little bit faster.鈥�

Keith enters the season at tbird with a new set of 鈥渇irsts鈥� under her belt. The 25-year-old young professional spent a month in Europe over the winter, riding for well known horse dealer Desiree Johnson. She jumped her first World Cup qualifier in the fall with Havana, whom she鈥檚 developed since the mare was four years old, and over the winter, they were fifth in a four-star ranking class at Desert International Horse Park in Thermal, CA.

鈥淚n the fall, she and I jumped the World Cup together [in Sacramento], and after that, I felt like she could do almost anything,鈥� Keith said. 鈥淪he has a heart of gold and always tries her hardest.鈥�

The pair has grown up together. They secured their first FEI (F茅d茅ration Equestre Internationale) ranking class win at tbird in 2021 and were MarBill Hill U25 series champions at the venue the same year. They continue to train out of Aldergrove-based Keepsake Farms, where Keith rides, trains and coaches alongside her mother, Cheryl Keith.

鈥淚鈥檝e been riding [at Thunderbird] since I was little. I started on ponies here,鈥� Keith reflected. 鈥淲hen I started, [we were based] on [Vancouver] Island, and it was a big deal to come here. Now, it鈥檚 in my backyard, and it鈥檚 amazing to have.

READ ALSO: 91原创鈥檚 Martinoff makes it happen in Emily Sandhack Open Classic at tbird

鈥淲e can school here between shows, and the level of the sport has come so far, even in the last five years here,鈥� she continued. 鈥淭he way they have extended the season in September and added an FEI week in October鈥攊t鈥檚 been great to bring the horses up here. The staff is lovely, the Tidball family is lovely, and it鈥檚 always special showing here, because it鈥檚 like home.鈥�