Alberta On My Mind .... Mind the Wind

Last week Evie and I spent our time “toiling” in beautiful Edmonton, Alberta, home of the Northlands Horse Show. Edmonton Northlands Horse Show has become one of the premier events in Western Canada under the stewardship of the Edmonton Hunter – Jumper Association and the direction of Show Manager Caroline Jones. The event is unique in the fact that it is held on the infield of Northlands Race Track, who along with Hastings Park in Vancouver is the location for all of western Canada’s Grade 1 and lower stake races. Therefore, the horse show competitors must adhere to the race tracks training schedule. Each morning the race horses are “ridden out” between the hours of 8-10AM and while they are training on the track the show horses are not aloud to be on the infield. And not only can the horses not access the infield but the officials and competitors are not permitted on the infield until 9:30AM. A puzzling change in policy.

I have worked the tournament in previous years and we were always aloud to access the infield from 6:30AM through a subterranean tunnel located in the bowels of the grandstand that runs underneath the track. However in recent years the race horse trainers and their riders claim that the activity in the infield “spooks” their horses, so we are no longer permitted human access to the infield until 9:30AM and the horses can not enter until 10AM. I find this very interesting , because at the Kentucky Derby or the Belmont Stakes the infield is packed with screaming, stumbling spectators there to watch the race but to also have a good time – I guess the Edmonton race horses are a special breed that can not take such excitement and activity. I love watching the “opening of the gate.”

Every morning at 10AM a spectacular event occurs at the Edmonton Horse Show – the “opening of the gate.” The first time I witnessed this event I was mesmerized. At the north east corner of the track on the second turn there are two large metal doors approximately 10’ high by 8’ wide, and as if on cue at 10AM they swing open and the mad rush begins. Waiting on the other side for the past 10 minutes have been the horses and various other modes of transportation who rush through the gates making their way to their various rings and work stations – it is something to watch – horses accompanied by their riders or their handlers, golf carts darting in and out of traffic, motor bikes sputtering and coughing black smoke dodge horse and human alike, bikes of all makes and models silently join the fray and mingled among it all is the odd baby stroller, mothers laden with diaper and food bags and those with other namesakes in tow yelling to stay close and get out of the way of the horses – the day has begun!

The Edmonton Northlands Horse Show has become one of the premier events in western Canada because of their adherence to professionalism and excellence – in the show ring as well as with sponsors. The first day began at exactly 10:30AM in all three (3) competition rings and not long after the first media event occurred. I was interviewed by Breakfast Television. If anyone has ever watched the remote segments on Breakfast Television they will notice that the interviews are slightly serious but on the whole they are meant to entertain – be funny. This interview was no exception. While explaining the differences between the hunters and the jumpers I used the example, the hunter discipline was like figure skating and the jumpers were like hockey – well then it all began to unravel – the camera swung around and we spent the next 3 or 4 minutes; a long time on TV, discussing the various attributes of the riders in the ring, were they more like Sandu or Mark Messier – then the interviewer cut away to preview the next segment on the show which was lobsters, so when we cut back we got into a discussion as to whether lobsters could jump – the consensus was they could not – because if they could they would be able to jump around or over the lobster traps – need I say more.

Day one ended with very entertaining and competitive Open Welcome Jumpers. We had 19 starters over the 1.35m / 4’5” course, with 3 riders going clear, returning for the jump off. Lynn Macyk of Leduc, Alberta won the class. What made the class so entertaining was that of the 19 starters I had three (3) clears, nine (9) four (4) faulters and five (5) eight (8) faulters. Therefore, a class that encouraged the riders to stay in the open division and jump the Atco Cup the next night.

Thursday night saw the open riders take on a very challenging course of 1.45m (4’9”) jumps in their quest for the $30,000 Atco Cup. In attendance for the night class were Ron Southern and Nancy Southern of Atco and Spruce Meadows, along with 300 of their invited guests from the Atco Group of companies. The competition saw 25 riders challenge the first round with 5 riders returning for the jump off. Jaclyn Duff of Edmonton placed first , second and eighth, to take home a lion’s share of the “cash.” However, what had plagued us all day had been the wind. We experienced gusts of wind reaching 60 Km an hour, needless to say we had a hard time keeping the jumps up. The jumps were staked and sand bagged yet on numerous occasions these were not enough to keep them upright. On two occasions we had to hold the competition up until the wind died down.


Another funny occurrence was the family of geese that were determined to make the annex jumper ring their permanent domain. Adjacent to the ring sits a pond of approximately thirty feet in diameter. Residing in the pond were two families of Canada geese who at various times of the day would wander – family in tow – into the annex jumper ring and had no intention of leaving until “they wanted too.” When they first arrived the jump crew tried to “shoo” then away only to be hissed and barked at by the geese. So, the show waited for them to make their daily pilgrimage, then continue on with the competition.

Needless to say we were both very tired and slept the entire flight home, arriving at 6AM in Toronto. Just enough time to catch a bit of sleep, do some laundry and re-pack for the next competition – Blainville - we leave Tuesday.
Until next time – ride well and have fun.


Chris Brandt

Views: 62

Comment

You need to be a member of Barnmice Equestrian Social Community to add comments!

Join Barnmice Equestrian Social Community

Comment by Susan on June 5, 2009 at 7:21am
Thanks for great blog series. It's lots of fun to follow your travels! Look forward to reading about Blainville!

The Rider Marketplace

International Horse News

Click Here for Barnmice Horse News

© 2024   Created by Barnmice Admin.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service