Competition Heats Up at Summer Fort Classic CSI3*

The second of three consecutive weeks of international competition at Thunderbird Show Park kicked off Tuesday, and ahead of a most busy September in Canadian show jumping sport, an influx of athletes arrived in Langley for the Summer Fort Classic CSI3*.
Eighty five horses were presented at the afternoon’s horse inspection. They will compete under the guidance of 53 athletes representing eight nations. International competition begins Wednesday, Aug. 17 with the CSI3* Happy Welcome 1.40m and CSI3* George & Dianne Tidball Legacy Welcome 1.45m. The week’s feature is the CSI3* ATCO Cup Grand Prix 1.50m, set for Sunday, Aug. 21.
After a most successful tbird debut at last week’s Summer Fort Welcome, CSI3* Matthew Sampson (GBR) returns with three international mounts. Sampson won six events last week, including two international features with Ebolensky and Curraghgraigue Obos Flight. Elisa BJX is slated to step up to international competition this week after winning the national standard Maui Jim Grand Prix 1.40m on Sunday.
“Everybody’s so welcoming. The ground’s perfect. The jumps are perfect,“ Sampson said of his time at tbird. “Nothing is a trouble, and it makes such a difference. It’s so nice.“
Kyle King (CAN) won the CSI3* ONNI Grand Prix at the Summer Fort Welcome, and he too will return to the lineup with mounts Enzo, Inferno BF and exciting new mount Chess.
Vanessa Mannix (CAN) is the defending champion of the ATCO Cup and will bring forward Valentino d’Elte and Kitting des Hausseurs. Among the fresh faces this week are former tbird international winners Robert Blanchette (IRL), Katie Kraft (CAN), and Mandy Porter (USA).
The nine-class international schedule will conclude Sunday, Aug. 21 with the CSI3* ATCO Cup Grand Prix at 2:00 pm PT.
VIEW RIDER LIST https://tbird.ca/classes/detail?cid=13044&sid=6268
HSJ

Press release © 2022 Thunderbird Show Park
Photo ©tbird/Quinn Saunders Uma O’Neill (NZL) and Clockwise of Greenhill Z.