It’s been a full week of equestrian action at Thunderbird Show Park in Langley, B.C. and after five days of competition it was time to get the big class of the week underway – the $50,000 CSI** Spring Classic Grand Prix.

The day got started bright and early in the hunter and jumper rings as riders trotted their horses out one last time. Clouds rolled in, but competitors and spectators alike barely noticed the weather. Courses were walked, rounds were taken and ribbons were handed out.

The crowds arrived early in the day for the main attraction, the CSI** Spring Classic Grand Prix. This class provides an opportunity for riders to win substantial prize money and qualify for future international competitions. With 21 entries and fences at five feet high, International and Olympic riders from Ireland, Germany, the United States, Korea and Canada rode alongside local contenders for the win and the first place prize of $15,000. With the grandstands full and dozens of cars parked drive-in style around the ring, the West Coast Drill Team got the event underway.

The course was extremely demanding with 16 jumping efforts, including a daunting water jump that did more than a couple horses in. Only four out of 21 horse-rider combinations advanced to the jump off. Kyle King led the jump off on Spitfire with a quick time of 33.08 and four jumping faults. Next into the ring was Audra Fleck-Snijders on Rainland Mel. With two rails down and eight jumping faults she moved into second place. Canada's Molly Graham and Powerscourt were next to challenge in the jump-off. Molly also accumulated eight jumping faults and a time just a few hundredths of a second slower than Audra for a third place position. The final challenger in the ring was Kyle King back on his 10-year old Holsteiner Stallion, Capone 1. With a steady ride, he jumped right into first with no rails and 39.70 seconds.

$50,000 CSI Spring Classic Grand Prix - Top 8
1. Kyle King on Capone 1
2. Kyle King on Spitfire
3. Audra Fleck-Snijders on Rainland Mel
4. Molly Graham on Powerscourt
5. Jennifer Crooks on SF Cassandra
6. Kyle King on Farve
7. Eddie Macken on Tedechine Sept
8. Andrea Strain on Zeline

It was a great first week to kick off the 2007 show season with Kyle King taking the weekend. A first place finish in Friday’s $10,000 Spring Welcome and a first, second and sixth in Sunday’s $50,000 CSI Grand Prix made him the big winner. Richmond’s Gary Brewster, Irish Olympian Eddie Macken, Washington’s Jennifer Crooks and Langley’s own LJ Tidball were also on the leader boards as Thunderbird hosted a fantastic international show.

In preparation for the 2007 show season, management at Thunderbird invested over $100,000 in footing for the facility. The park already has one of the best Grand Prix fields on the continent, but the remaining rings had a sand footing that is difficult to keep in top condition. The new footing material is made from ground Nike running shoes that can be mixed with sand to reduce dust, improve drainage and decrease shock.

“As an international show jumping venue, we’re committed to providing the safest and most comfortable footing possible,” said Jane Tidball, President and Tournament Director for Thunderbird. “The fact that it’s also a recycled product means we’re doing the best we can for our riders and our environment.”

Thunderbird Show Park also added a new feature to their web site this season to reach out to those who couldn’t make it to the final event. Sunday’s $50,000 CSI** Spring Classic Grand Prix was the first show jumping tournament to be web cast live. For those who missed it or just want to relive the action, visit www.thunderbirdshowpark.com/video.asp, and stay tuned throughout the season for more exciting live events at www.thunderbirdshowpark.com.

For a complete list of results from the Spring Classic visit www.thunderbirdshowpark.com. This wraps up the Spring Classic at Thunderbird Show Park. Competitors will be back on site starting June 27th. Spectators and media will be welcomed back to experience all that Thunderbird has to offer.

For further information visit www.thunderbirdshowpark.com or contact Pamela Saunders, Media Relations at 604-833-3372 or at pam@markmywordspr.com.