Do you make lists? I make tons (thank goodness for 'Notes' on my iPhone)! One such list is of horse shows I want to attend around the world. This week, I get to check off one! I leave for Canada to spend a week at Spruce Meadows. Having never been to Canada before, I'm even more excited!
Spruce Meadows is located in Calgary and was established in 1976, though many incredible improvements have been made since then. In 1971, the Southern Family purchased the land and after a few years of construction, the first Opening Ceremonies were held on April 13, 1975. Today, it plays host to 500,000 visitors and 1,000 horses annually! Incredibly, Spruce (as it is affectionately known) is open 365 days a year.
Riders come from all over the world to compete in Spruce's six outdoor tournaments every year, beginning with the Summer Series which commenced last Tuesday and will continue for the next four weeks, culminating with the Masters in September. This week the tournament is the Continental and it will include a Nations Cup class. It will be my second Nations Cup class this year after the one held in March at the Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, FL. These two are the only Nations Cup classes in North America!
Find out what's happening in West Roxburyfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
A trip to Calgary is not complete without a visit to Banff National Park (about 2 hours away from Calgary). I'm looking forward to immersing myself in the beautiful landscape! While one could spend weeks touring the 2,564 square mile park, I will attempt to just see the highlights in a day!
Movies, music and books are downloaded! Now all that's left to do is pack a week's worth of clothes into one carry on suitcase, which, if you know any females (especially in the equestrian community), is quite a tremendous undertaking. Stay tuned for an update when I return next week complete with many (many!) photos!