The Canadian-bred Fifth Estate 3E, ridden by Hugh Graham for owner and breeder KingRidge Stables, won the Seven and Eight-Year-Old National Finals in 2009. Photo by Onsite Digital Photography

April 16, 2010 – Ottawa, ON – The Jump Canada Young Horse Series has announced the competition schedule for the 2010 show season.

The Jump Canada Young Horse Series, featuring age categories for Four, Five, Six and Seven and Eight-Year-Olds, will be divided into three regions this year – Eastern, Central, and Western. The final competition in each of the three regions will count for double points to qualify for the National Finals, to be held this year at the Canadian Show Jumping Tournament, September 22-26, in Palgrave, ON.

Following the conclusion of competition in each of the three regions, the top four scores for each horse will be added together to determine the Regional Champion in each age category. In addition, the top Canadian-bred horse in each age category in each region, as well as at the National Finals, will be recognized with a special cooler and ribbon.

Recognizing that many horse owners from the Western division will not be able to attend the National Finals in Ontario, a total of $20,000 in prize money will be offered during the final Western division event, the Rocky Mountain Classic III to be held at Anderson Ranch in Calgary, AB, from September 1-5.

The schedule for the 2010 Jump Canada Young Horse Series is as follows:

Eastern Qualifiers
Concours hippique de Pépinière, QC, May 22 (5, 6, and 7/ 8 year old classes only)
Beaulieu's Summer Classic I, QC, June 26-27
Jumping Internationale de Blainville - Week 1, QC, July 7-11 (5, 6, and 7/8 year old classes only)
International Bromont Week 2, QC, July 31 (5, 6, and 7/8 year old classes only)
Final Regional Qualifier - Le Concours Hippique de Parc Ete, Blainville, QC, August 12-15
(This competition will count for double points)

Central Qualifiers
Caledon National, ON, May 19-23
Halton Place Horse International Week 2, ON, June 2-6
CornerStone Horse Show, ON, June 23-27
Summerfest Show, ON, July 14-18
Final Regional Qualifier - National Open, Ottawa, ON, August 11-15
(This competition will count for double points)

Western Qualifiers
Bow Valley Classic II, AB, May 19-23
Thunderbird Show Park Canadian Premiere, BC, May 26-30
Heart of the Continent Horse Show, MB, August 4-8
Thunderbird Show Park Summer Classic, BC, August 18-22
Rocky Mountain Classic II, AB, August 25-29
Final Regional Qualifier - Rocky Mountain Classic III, Calgary, AB, September 1-5
(This competition will count for double points)

National Final
Canadian Show Jumping Tournament, Palgrave, ON, September 22-26
(5, 6, and 7/ 8 year old classes only)

“With the continued support of Jump Canada, we are pleased to present the 13th year of the Jump Canada Young Horse Series,” said Phil Henning, Chair of the Jump Canada Young Horse Series. “We have changed the format of the Series this year to expand further into western Canada, as well as creating a new division to encompass the Quebec competitions. We look forward to building on the success of the past to create a Series that serves the needs of young horse development today.

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

The purpose of the Jump Canada Young Horse 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 Jump Canada Young Horse Series also gives prospective buyers for the hunter and jumper markets an opportunity to view a large group of prospects in a competition setting.

The Jump Canada Young Horse Series is now administered directly through Jump Canada and the Equine Canada offices. For more information, including rules and registrations forms, for the Jump Canada Young Horse Series, please visit: http://www.equinecanada.ca/jumpcanada/index.php?option=com_content&task=category&id=88&Itemid=3