Brandon, Manitoba—Kubota Cup Canadian Show Jumping Series is back for its fourth exciting year, with its prestigious kick-off event hosted at the Royal Manitoba Winter Fair in Brandon, Manitoba.

“We are absolutely thrilled to have Kubota Canada Ltd. back for the fourth year as title sponsor of this national show jumping series,” stated Sandra Fraser of Lejoma Sports Management, Event Manager for the Kubota Cup Series. “Kubota’s continued support means we can continue to offer great prize money for the athletes and great entertainment value for Canadian spectators in six provinces.”

Other official sponsors for the Kubota Cup Series include Softstall therapeutic bedding systems for horses and Game Ready Equine sports therapy systems. Additional sponsors will be announced in the coming weeks.

The first Kubota Cup event of the year draws many of Canada’s best athletes and horses as they start their quest to qualify for the Kubota Cup national finals. Each year, three Kubota Cup Grand Prix are held in Western Canada and three in Eastern Canada, with the top 20 qualifying for the nationals. With $35,000 in prize monies available at each of the six Grand Prix competitions, and $100,000 up for grabs at the national championship plus great sponsor prizes, there is a lot on the line. That is why nine of the top ten Western Canada finishers from 2007 and two of the past three winners have already confirmed their participation in the opening event. Riders ship their horses from great distances for the chance to participate. Among them will be last year’s Western Canadian Kubota Cup champion Gary Brewster from Vancouver, B.C. and the winner of the inaugural Kubota Cup in 2005, Mike Grinyer from Campbellville, Ontario and his 17-year-old partner Alcatraz, who actually has his own mini fan club in Brandon.

“The Kubota Cup series is a real asset for Canadian show jumpers,” commented Mike Grinyer, the winner of the first Kubota Cup held in Brandon four years ago. “The Kubota Cup in Brandon gets the Canadian show season off to a great start for us because the Royal Manitoba Winter Fair always offers a great week of competition with good course designs and enthusiastic audiences. My horse Alcatraz and I are looking to repeat our win in Brandon and then compete in the rest of the eastern Canada Kubota Cup events.”

Also among the more than 25 expected entries in the Kubota Cup will be local favourites Eric Martin and his horse Baker, from Oakbank, MB; Hayley Alfonso from St. Andrews, MB who is coming with several horses; and Kate Curry riding Tinsel Town, owned by Valerie Matheson from Brandon. Watch for Albert Kley, Riding Master at Spruce Meadows, Calgary since its inception in 1975 along with his long-time partner SM Daiquiri who, together, won the Kubota Cup at the Royal Manitoba Winter Fair last year and Olympians Jonathan Asselin and John Andersen, also from Calgary, who will be competing with several horses each.

“Spectators at the Royal Manitoba Winter Fair have become very knowledgeable about show jumping over the years,” commented Sandra Fraser. “We know they will pack the stands again this year for the Saturday night Kubota Cup which is the grand finale to a week of show jumping competition. Show jumping is a sport that teams up great men and women riders with their equine athlete partners for a fast-paced, action-packed competition that anyone can enjoy!”

The Royal Manitoba Winter Fair is one of the largest agriculture shows in Canada, combining agriculture, equestrian events, livestock and world-class entertainment in a family-oriented experience. Over 120,000 people attend the Fair every year at Brandon’s Keystone Centre. The Kubota Cup Grand Prix begins at 6:30pm, Saturday, April 5, 2008 as the finale for equestrian competition at the Royal Manitoba Winter Fair.
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For further information, please contact:
Carol McDonald,
Kubota Cup Media Manager,
905-875-1795
mail@mcmarketing.ca