October 21, 2005 – Toronto, Ontario – The Canadian Show Jumping Championships will kick-off ten days of equestrian excitement at the 2005 Royal Horse Show held November 4-13, 2005, at the Ricoh Coliseum in Toronto, ON, as part of the 83rd Royal Agricultural Winter Fair.

Experiencing a surge of new athletic talent, both human and equine, show jumping sport will be at its best for Round One of the Canadian Show Jumping Championship on Friday evening, November 4. Riders then carry their Friday night scores forward to Saturday afternoon’s deciding event, a two-round Grand Prix, with the 2005 Canadian Show Jumping Champion crowned at the conclusion. With $70,000 in prize money on the line as well as national glory, the stakes are high and CBC Sports will capture all of the drama live from the Ricoh Coliseum.

Ian Millar of Perth, ON, will attempt to defend his Canadian Show Jumping Championship title with In Style, a 10-year-old Holsteiner gelding owned by Susan Grange. The eight-time Olympian has won the national championship title on nine occasions, more than any other rider in the history of Canadian show jumping, and hopes to increase his record to ten.

21-year-old rookie Kim Farlinger, who last year finished as runner-up to Millar, will be looking to out perform the seasoned veteran for the 2005 crown. Eric Lamaze of Schomberg, ON, won the title in 2003 and would love nothing more than to repeat his victory while fan favourite Ainsley Vince of Milton, ON, always a strong performer at the Royal, captured back-to-back titles in 2001 and 2002.

However, a strong group of athletes are poised to give these recent Canadian Champions a run for their money. Chris Pratt of Belfountain, ON, has been riding a winning streak for the past few months, as has Quebec’s Mario Deslauriers, who is hot on the comeback trail. Erynn Ballard, 24, is on the brink of taking her first national title while the competitive abilities of Canadian Olympians Mac Cone and John Pearce can never be taken lightly.

Amid the excitement of the Canadian Show Jumping Championships, fans can also look forward to a new event, Saturday evening’s $40,000 Kubota Cup National Finals, to inject enthusiasm into the sport. In a unique format that sees riders from eastern and western Canada going head-to-head, the Kubota Cup offers a rare opportunity to witness the present and future stars of Canadian show jumping. The event is also the thrilling conclusion to the Kubota Cup Series, which presented competitions in seven cities across the country in its inaugural year.

Keeping with the all-Canadian theme, the RCMP will perform its majestic Musical Ride three times during the Royal Horse Show’s opening weekend. On Friday evening, Saturday afternoon and Saturday evening, the patriotic riders in red, sitting atop their black horses, will execute a complicated ballet that culminates with the thunderous ‘Charge’.

New for 2005 is the Royal Rodeo at 1 p.m. on Sunday, November 6. A thrilling family outing, the Royal Rodeo features bull riding, bareback bronco riding and barrel racing. Special appearances by the Eukanuba SuperDogs and the One Arm Bandit will put a smile on the face of all who attend.

Tickets for all Royal Horse Show performances, held as part of the 83rd Royal Agricultural Winter Fair, can be purchased through Ticketmaster at tel: 416 872-7777 or by visiting www.ticketmaster.ca. For more information on the Royal Horse Show, including complete schedules, please visit www.royalfair.org.