March 11, 2010 – Langley, BC – Thunderbird Show Park will host two FEI World Cup show jumping classes this season - the $55,000 CS12*-W BC Open World Cup Grand Prix on June 5th and the $55,000 CS12*-W Thunderbird Legacy World Cup Grand Prix on August 28th. Both classes provide the opportunity for competitors to take home a share of the purse while also earning points in the FEI North American League (full calendar below).

International course designer, Peter Holmes, will be on-hand for the first World Cup class in June. Holmes makes his home in on Vancouver Island, allowing him to make several stops at Thunderbird Show Park over the course of the season. Before setting Sunday’s points class, Holmes will challenge riders in the other high stakes class of the tournament, the $30,000 CS12* Thunderbird Show Park Spring Classic.

The August tournament will welcome course designer, Olaf Petersen Jr. After successfully riding in International Grand Prix events, Petersen made the move to design in 1990. Granted the International Course Designer qualification by the FEI in 2002, he was an assistant designer at the Olympic Games in Athens in 2004, as well as the 2000 CHIO in Aachen, Germany and the 2006 Asian Games in Doha, Qatar. He has also designed at such top shows as Devon, Del Mar, and Valkenswaard. Prior to setting the World Cup Grand Prix at Thunderbird on August 28th, he’ll design the $30,000 CS12* Thunderbird Summer Classic on August 26th.

The Rolex FEI World Cup™ Jumping series serves as a showcase for the best in individual FEI Jumping and international competition. The North American League was recently split into two main zones, west and east. Riders are no longer limited to their specific region, but can gain valuable world cup points in both zones. For Thunderbird Show Park, now in its 37th season, hosting a second FEI class will continue to draw some of the best riders in the world.

"Thunderbird Show Park is an outstanding facility. It is an excellent place to bring developing horses and riders because it has all of the components of world class competition with a fun, family-oriented atmosphere that you simply cannot find anywhere else,” explains Canadian Olympic Gold Medalist, Eric Lamaze. “I have always had great success when I have included Thunderbird in my competition schedule and would encourage anyone to do the same.”

Lamaze credits George and Dianne Tidball for their incredible vision and the huge benefit they’ve brought to the Canadian show jumping industry by building a facility of this caliber. International
competitors mirror these thoughts.

“Thunderbird Show Park is becoming a world-class venue,” notes Rich Fellers, USA World Cup Rider and winner of the 2009 Rolex FEI World Cup Grand Prix at Thunderbird Show Park. “The addition of a second World Cup Qualifier validates the quality of the entire operation.”

Thunderbird Show Park draws thousands of national and international competitors annually to their seven weeklong tournaments. Home to one of the best grand prix fields in North America, Thunderbird delivers premier events in an inviting and inclusive setting. Ireland’s Jennifer Crooks, Canadian Olympian Jonathan Asselin (winner of the 2008 Rolex FEI World Cup Grand Prix at Thunderbird) and many more national and international competitors make it a regular stop during the season.

The 2010 Thunderbird Show Park season begins May 26th with the Canadian Premier Tournament. The first of the FEI World Cup classes follows as part of the British Columbia Open from June 2nd to 6th . The Spruce Meadows National, Continental, Skyliner, Canada One and North American tournaments fall during the five weeks from June 9th to July 11th, giving competitors a few weeks rest before returning to Thunderbird in August for the WCHR Summer Classic from the 18th to the 22nd and the Summer Festival featuring second FEI World Cup from the 25th to the 29th. They can then return to Spruce for the Masters tournament from September 8th to 12th as a close to the season. The full Park schedule is available at www.thunderbirdshowpark.com.

LANGLEY, Thunderbird Show Park BC CAN 02.06.2010 06.06.2010 CSI2-W
Calgary, Spruce Meadows AB CAN 17.06.2010 20.06.2010 CSI4*‐W
Calgary, Spruce Meadows AB CAN 30.06.2010 04.07.2010 CSI4*‐W
LANGLEY, Thunderbird Show Park BC CAN 25.08.2010 29.08.2010 CSI2-W
Del Mar CA USA 01.09.2010 05.09.2010 CSI2*‐W
San Juan Capistrano CA USA 15.09.2010 19.09.2010 CSI2*‐W
Burbank CA USA 22.09.2010 26.09.2010 CSI2*‐W
Del Mar CA USA 20.10.2010 24.10.2010 CSI2*‐W
Monterrey, La Silla MEX 27.10.2010 31.10.2010 CSI4*‐W
Las Vegas NV USA 03.11.2010 07.11.2010 CSI2*‐W
Rancho Murieta CA USA 10.11.2010 14.11.2010 CSI3*‐W
Burbank CA USA 17.11.2010 21.11.2010 CSI2*‐W
Balvanera MEX 25.11.2010 28.11.2010 CSI3*‐W
Thermal CA USA 01.02.2011 06.02.2011 CSI2*‐W
Thermal CA USA 08.02.2011 13.02.2011 CSI2*‐W
Thermal CA USA 22.02.2011 27.02.2011 CSI2*‐W
Thermal CA USA 01.03.2011 06.03.2011 CSI2*‐W