March 28, 2009 – Palgrave, Ontario – Equestrian Management Group (EMG) will stage the inaugural Canadian Show Jumping Tournament from September 23-27, 2009, at the Caledon Equestrian Park in Palgrave, ON. The new event will replace the cancelled Tournament of Champions on the Canadian show jumping calendar.

Given the popularity of the Tournament of Champions, EMG has responded to requests from the show jumping community by creating the Canadian Show Jumping Tournament. The tournament will be sanctioned as a CSI2*-W World Cup qualifying event by the International Equestrian Federation (FEI) to be held on the same dates, September 23-27.

“It is our intent to develop an event that the competitors, sponsors and spectators can all enjoy and be proud to participate in,” said Craig Collins, Managing Partner of EMG. “We will offer the same amenities that our competitors have come to expect, conducting the event in the same spirit and fashion with a charity component. We will run as an FEI-sanctioned show which is to the benefit of everyone involved.”

Historically, EMG ran the Autumn Classic show jumping tournament one week prior to Tournament of Champions. EMG will now expand to a two-week format featuring numerous year-end championships.

Mac McQuaker will act as event coordinator, a position he held with the Tournament of Champions since its inception. The relationship between the equestrian industry and charity is an important tradition that will be continued at the Canadian Show Jumping Tournament under the direction of Deb Firestone and Linda Pabst, Co-Chairs of Charity Events. The Children’s Wish Foundation will remain the main beneficiary while the Rotary Club and Caledon Pony Club will also benefit.

“On behalf of The Children’s Wish Foundation of Canada, we’re pleased that an industry event will take place in Caledon this year and that the proceeds will ensure a child receives their wish for a horse,” said Chris Kotsopoulos, National Executive Director of The Children’s Wish Foundation of Canada.

Since 1986, EMG has operated the Caledon Equestrian Park in partnership with the Town of Caledon and the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority. Set against the backdrop of the Niagara Escarpment, numerous Olympic, World Championship and Pan American Games selection trials for Canada’s show jumping and dressage teams have been held at the Caledon Equestrian Park. The Caledon Equestrian Park has been selected as the equestrian venue by the 2015 Pan American Games/Para Pan American Games Bid Corporation.

For more information on equestrian events produced by EMG, please visit www.equiman.com.