Craig Collins and Equestrian Management Group are committed to producing a top caliber event at the Canadian Show Jumping Tournament from September 22-26 at the Caledon Equestrian Park in Palgrave, ON. Photo by Cealy Tetley, www.tetleyphoto.com

August 31, 2010 – Palgrave, Ontario – Every business owner strives to provide a great product or service, and for horse show organizer Craig Collins of Equestrian Management Group, producing the Canadian Show Jumping Tournament (CSJT) is no different.

The Canadian Show Jumping Tournament will once again play host to some of the best show jumping competition in the nation this year from September 22-26, 2010, at the Caledon Equestrian Park in Palgrave, ON. With a combination of industry experience, a solid team, and a supportive local community, Collins has brought the Caledon Equestrian Park to the forefront of international equestrian sport, and the CSJT is its flagship competition.

With decades of industry experience, Collins knows what it takes to run a first-class facility and keep exhibitors happy. Collins was a top-level rider himself, and has also played the roles of trainer, judge, and course designer. He draws even greater knowledge of the horse industry as a member of the Board of Directors for Equine Canada, the national federation for equestrian sport. This wealth of experience has, over the years, helped him to develop a series of top equestrian tournaments.

When Collins retired from riding in 1986, he was already involved in show management, albeit on a much smaller scale. In 1989, he formed the Equestrian Management Group (EMG) with partners John Weir and Bob Carey. As the managing partner, he helped secure the purchase of the Caledon Equestrian Park venue and expand its capacity for EMG.

“The facility had existed for several years,” recalls Collins of the Caledon Equestrian Park’s early days. “They ran two horse shows a year here, on a bit of a rough grass field with rope rings. It had a great location, but most importantly, it had wonderful footing and drainage. There are beautiful vistas everywhere, and it really works well as a horse show facility. Once we created the partnership, we were able to invest in the facility.”

When EMG proved that the facility was viable for regular horse shows, they entered into a long-term relationship with the Town of Caledon and the Toronto Regional Conservation Authority, who own a portion of the property.

Collins says, “We started growing from there, and now we run 16 horse shows a year between May and September.”

What started out as facility with potential has grown into a full-scale equestrian venue with stabling for 1,000 horses, five competition arenas, multiple schooling and lunging rings, wash stalls and many more amenities appreciated by the hard working riders and grooms. In addition, a grandstand pavilion featuring a permanent restaurant and bathroom facilities, as well as spectator seating areas, was added.

And they are not done yet.

“It’s a continuing process; we’re always upgrading the infrastructure,” Collins says.

A strong team is also something that Collins believes is necessary to produce a good event, noting, “We’re very fortunate that we have a wonderful team here working for us. I have a lot of long-term employees.”

Another important factor for Collins and the CSJT is strong support from the local community. He says, “I think it’s important to have the local support. Our spectator base is from the local community. We’re able to bring a lot of people here to watch show jumping and we try to give them a good show. There are a lot of people in the Toronto area, but many come from smaller towns around Caledon. Having the Town of Caledon involved and in support of the horse show means a lot to us. It’s always inspiring to have good crowds. It adds that little bit of extra motivation for the riders. I think the horses love the cheering and applauding, too.”

Collins estimates that 90% of his exhibitors are from the local area and live within 45 minutes of the Caledon Equestrian Park.

“That's one of the biggest draws of the park, that it’s nice to sleep in your own bed,” he says, referring to the fact that the majority of the international caliber riders travel to various locations throughout North America and beyond during the competition season.

Local support from the competitors has permitted EMG to continue upgrading and investing in the facility each year.

“We’ve never been in a position where we could spend millions,” notes Collins. “We’ve had to build incrementally every year, and we would have been unable to do that without the support of the community. The most rewarding thing is that we run a lot of events here and our numbers keep increasing and people keep coming back. Riders have choices around the world now where they can compete. It’s very gratifying when you have the kind of support that we’ve had from the sport and the community.”

The support and teamwork that has helped build the Caledon Equestrian Park into a world-class facility was recognized last fall when the venue was selected to host the equestrian sports for the 2015 Pan American Games/Para Pan American Games.

Collins believes this opportunity will keep the Caledon Equestrian Park hosting top equestrian competitions for years to come. In preparation for the 2015 Pan American Games, a new stadium with seating for 7,500 spectators will be constructed at the Caledon Equestrian Park.

“It’s a major retrofit for the Pan American Games, but it’s a wonderful opportunity to take this facility, a very active facility, from one of the best national facilities in Canada to an international level,” he says. “Most importantly, it will create the legacy venue for years to come.”

He adds, “We were pretty excited when we found out that we won the bid! It’s a big job and a complicated process. Right now, it’s all meetings and planning. I’m looking forward to the day when we’re physically moving things around. There’s a lot right now making sure plans are in place, not only for the Pan American Games but for the facility going forward for the next 30 years.”

At the Caledon Equestrian Park, the Canadian Show Jumping Tournament has found a home for years to come.

For more information on the Canadian Show Jumping Tournament, please visit www.equiman.com.