HALTON HILLS, ONTARIO Halton Place is probably Canada’s fastest-growing show jumping venue and will host a World Cup Qualifier this year, for the second consecutive year. Halton Place’s premier tournament, the Canadian Country Classic, will host a $75,000 FEI World Cup Qualifier on September 2nd, culminating its two-week run.
The tournament will also play host to the Eastern Canadian Qualifiers for the FEI Childrens’ International Jumping Final. Open to riders 12 to 14 years of age, the winner of this competition will compete in the FEI Childrens’ International Jumping Final in Jalapa, Mexico, December 3rd to 8th. The childrens’ qualifiers will be held on August 31st and September 1st.
Last year’s Canadian Country Classic attracted an excellent field, with Frankie Chesler Ortiz on the sensational Picolien Zeldenrust emerging the winner of the World Cup Qualifier. Picolien Zeldenrust recently gained notoriety when she was sold for an undisclosed sum to Athina Onassis de Miranda, of Greece. The 10-year-old mare will now be ridden by the Onassis heiress’ husband, Alvara de Miranda Neto, of Brazil.
Halton Place owner Timur Leckebusch, a former member of the German junior show jumping team and now a Canadian businessman, has had a dream of creating a top show jumping facility since moving to Canada in 1986. He is making a significant investment in the tournament facilities and infrastructure on his 200-acre property and has an ambitious long-range plan. Leckebusch’s primary business is commercial real estate, but he has a variety of business and sports interests. He played soccer and raced cars while living in Germany. He plays golf, is a member of the Royal Canadian Yacht Club, and a member of the St. Moritz Tobogganing Club in Switzerland. He is a collector of classic luxury cars, which are housed at Halton Place, including Rolls Royces, Porsches, a Ferrari and a BMW motorcycle, to name a few.
Halton Place is now the only outdoor venue, hosting major tournaments, in close proximity to major suburbs of Canada’s largest city. It is located in beautiful Niagara Escarpment Country, northwest of Toronto.
Week One of the 2007 Canadian Country Classic opens on August 22 and winds up with a grand prix on August 26. Week two runs from August 29 until September 2, highlighted by the World Cup Qualifier.
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