April 21, 2009 – Ottawa, Ontario – The Canadian Jumper Development Series has announced exciting new changes for 2009 including new venues for the Western Canadian Championships and National Finals.

The Rocky Mountain Classic II in Calgary, AB, will play host to the $20,000 Western Canadian Championships over two days, August 28 and 30. Held for the past three years at Thunderbird Showpark in Langley, BC, the change of venue will encourage more participation from the province of Alberta.

“There are a lot of local breeders here in the province as well as numerous exhibitors who have nice young horses,” said John Anderson, organizer of the Rocky Mountain Classic. “I remember winning the 2006 Western Finals with Terrific when it was at Thunderbird. Since then, I have been asking for the chance to host the Western Finals.”

A former Olympian and currently a short listed member of the Canadian Show Jumping Team, Anderson won the Mercedes-Benz Leading Canadian Rider Award at the 2008 Spruce Meadows “Masters” Tournament with Terrific.

“I believe that those in the sport who are trying to give back by building venues and hosting tournaments for competitors should share in the opportunity to host special events such as this one,” noted Anderson. “Many people in the area are very excited to see the Western Finals offered in Calgary for the first time.”

The National Finals will also change venues this year. Also featuring the Ontario Championships and the Eastern Canadian Championships, the National Finals will take place during the Canadian Country Classic at Halton Place in Halton Hills, ON, from September 9-13.

“With the continued support of Jump Canada and the Ontario Hunter/Jumper Association, we are pleased to present the 12th year of the Canadian Jumper Development Series,” said Phil Henning, Chair of the Canadian Jumper Development Series. “This year, we are able to double the prize money for the Western Championship from $ 10,000 to $20,000 thanks to the generous support of the sponsors. Last year, we offered a record $75,000 in prize money for the National Finals and, with the continued support of our sponsors, hope to do the same again this year.

“Every year we see more and more horses that have been developed through the Canadian Jumper Development Series competing and winning in Grand Prix events in North America and around the world,” Henning added. “All of us involved with the Canadian Jumper Development Series organizing team, past and present, are very proud of this accomplishment.”

The first Ontario event in the 2009 Canadian Jumper Development Series will take place at the Caledon National running May 20-24 in Palgrave, ON, followed by the Summer Classic, also in Palgrave, from June 17-21. CornerStone at Bronte Creek (formerly Hendervale) in Milton, ON, will host the next event from July 1-5 followed by the Summer’s Here tournament at Halton Place from July 22-26. The National Capital Tournament running August 19-23 in Ottawa, ON, will host the final event in Ontario before the National Finals.

The purpose of the Canadian Young Horse Jumper Development Series is to encourage the development of young show jumping talent and to give Canadian breeders additional incentives to breed superior show jumping prospects. Competing on a level playing field, the horses are divided according to age and jump at a level suited to their development. This careful development allows the horses to gain valuable experience and advance to the higher levels of show jumping competition with confidence. The Canadian Young Horse Jumper Development Series also gives prospective buyers for the hunter and jumper markets an opportunity to view a large group of prospects in a competition setting.

For more information, please visit the Canadian Young Horse Jumper Development Series website at www.jumperdevelopment.com.