The first of two 747s carrying horses for the ‘Masters’ has arrived in Calgary. Photo © Spruce Meadows Media/Bart Onyszko.
Press release from Spruce Meadows, edited by World of Showjumping
A jumbo jet carrying 51 horses landed in Calgary, Canada, on Saturday afternoon ahead of the 50th Anniversary Spruce Meadows ‘Masters’ – along with four tonnes of flowers from the Netherlands.
The chartered Boeing 747 delivered many of the world’s top equine athletes from a transportation centre in Liege, Belgium, as well as the enormous haul of flowers that will soon decorate the Spruce Meadows grounds.
Pallets are unloaded from the plane. Photo © Spruce Meadows Media/Bart Onysko.
Accompanied by a host of professional grooms and vets, the horses were welcomed at the world-class facilities of the International Animal Lounge at Calgary International Airport, before heading to Spruce Meadows.
Champion steeds representing Great Britain, Germany, France, Belgium, Latvia, Brazil and Spain were on board. Rolex Grand Slam-winner Scott Brash’s (GBR) mount Hello Jefferson, 2023 Rolex Grand Prix of Geneva-winner United Touch S (Richard Vogel, Germany) and 2024 Paris Olympic Champion Checker 47 (Christian Kukuk, Germany) are just a few of the superstars set to compete this week at the ‘Masters’.
United Touch S loads onto a trailer bound for Spruce Meadows. Photo © Spruce Meadows Media/Bart Onysko.
In addition to the equine athletes, the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping Trophy, memorabilia, and the enormous haul of decorative flowers, were offloaded and transported to Spruce Meadows.
“For all of us at Spruce Meadows, the arrival of the first charter plane really signals the start of the ‘Masters’,” said Ian Allison, Senior Vice President of Sport and Media Services. “This year is no different. We are delighted to be joined by world and Olympic champion horses, among so many other elite equine athletes, including defending CPKC ‘International’ champion Leone Jei."
“I would also like to thank all the staff at YYC, Air Canada Cargo, CBSA, CFIA, Film Logic Customs Brokers, Swissport, Overseas Horse Services, International Animal Lounge, Stateside Farms Inc., CEVA Logistics in Liège, Belgium and all our volunteers for their help ahead of the week’s competitions. We look forward to an incredible ‘Masters’.”
Horses unload off the pallets at the International Animal Lounge. Photo © Spruce Meadows Media/Bart Onysko.
A second plane will arrive at YYC on Monday as Spruce Meadows – and the world – get set for an edge-of-your seat 50th Anniversary ‘Masters’ tournament that promises to be unlike anything Calgary has ever seen.
The action starts on Wednesday (Sept. 3), with five days of competition ramping up to the Grand Prix finale on Sunday (Sept. 7), the $5M CPKC ‘International’, presented by Rolex, offering the largest single-day sporting event prize purse in all of Canada this year.
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