The first ever Kubota Cup Western Canadian Champion will be crowned at the Twin Oaks Derby in Richmond, BC on Sunday, August 14, and will be awarded the crystal Kubota Cup and the new Kubota RTV900 utility vehicle that is coveted by Western Canada’s best show jumpers. Points leader Tamie Phillips of Strathmore, AB, has her eyes firmly planted on the prize, but so do those who are further down the list. With the innovative points calculations, any one of the top on the list could conceivably take the championship by winning Sunday’s $35,000 Kubota Cup Jumping Derby.

“The competition will be fierce amongst a very talented field. It doesn’t get any better than this!”says Ross Wallace, General Manager of Kubota Canada Ltd., which signed a multi-year agreement to sponsor the first ever Canadian Show Jumping Series that runs coast to coast .

Karen Cudmore, a Victoria, BC native who now resides in Omaha, NE and has represented Canada at top international competitions, is still in the hunt with Southern Pride, second in the Western Division standings. Cudmore has been competing at major shows in Ontario and Quebec this summer, and won the $60,000 Kubota Cup Grand Prix at International Bromont with her stallion, Conejo, but will be making the trek west with Southern Pride and Moxie, a testament to the high profile the Kubota Cup Series has reached in its inaugural year. Also challenging are three riders from Calgary - John Anderson and O’Malley, closely followed by his wife Tani, with Galand D’illi, and up-and-comer Kristin Russell. Hometown favourite Gary Brewster, who trains out of the host Twin Oaks Farm, has also served notice that he will be competing to win with two mounts, Royal Viali and Watermark.

In the Eastern Division veteran Canadian Equestrian Team rider John Pearce of Stouffville, ON and Archie Bunker are the leaders after two events. The third goes Sunday, August 21 at the Kubota Collingwood Classic in Collingwood, ON, where it is the last chance before October’s Final in Halifax for the riders and horses to consolidate their positions. Jay Hayes will be looking to win the $60,000 Kubota Cup Grand Prix on his home “turf”, and improve his standings with Landor 17, while Orangeville, ON’s Frankie Chesler will be looking to keep up the momentum she has built up recently with Nuit De Pomme. The duo won the first in the Series in Ottawa in July.

The intrigue is all being captured on film by Generator Productions for the 13-part television series, “Along For The Ride”, which will begin airing on Global National Television on October 2.