September 16, 2006

Jump Canada Announces Inaugural Inductees to Hall of Fame

• Jumper Horse - Big Ben (Ian Millar)
• Hunter Horse - Just Cruising
• Pony - Farnley Soya
• Team - The 1968 Olympic Gold Medal Team - James Day riding Canadian Club, James Elder riding The Immigrant and Tom Gayford riding Big Dee
• Rider - Gail Greenough (1986 World Champion)
• Sponsor - BMO Financial Group (formerly Bank of Montreal)
• Builder (Organization) - The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair
• Builder (Individual) - Brigadier-General W. Denis Whitaker D.S.O., C.M., E.D., C.D. (posthumous)

The inaugural Jump Canada Hall of Fame ceremony will be part of a black-tie gala and dinner to be held in the Imperial Ballroom of the Royal York Hotel in Toronto, ON, on Sunday, November 5, 2006.

Close friends and associates will be on hand to present the Hall of Fame awards to the recipients, making for a very special evening recalling the sport's greatest memories.

"With the passing of time, it becomes more and more important to preserve the history of our sport and to recognize the enormous contributions of those athletes, both human and equine, as well as those individuals and organizations that have played an instrumental role in Canadian equestrian sport," stated Mark Samuel, Past Chair of the Jump Canada and Chair of the event. "In the future, we plan to introduce additional categories in order to recognize other distinguished members of our industry who have played a major role in helping our sport to thrive."

Already selling fast, tickets for the Jump Canada Hall of Fame induction ceremony are $200 per person and can purchased individually or in tables of eight or ten. Ticket order forms can be found on the Jump Canada website, www.jumpcanada.ca, or by downloading the form at http://www.jumpcanada.ca/acrobat/JC_Hall_of_Fame_Ticket_Form.pdf

Additionally, please contact Jennifer Mahoney, Equine Canada, at tel: 613 248-3433 ext. 109, or e-mail: jmahoney@equinecanada.ca.

Jump Canada is a committee of Equine Canada responsible for all hunter, equitation and jumper activities in Canada from the grass roots to the international level. Jump Canada is governed by a board of directors, the majority of whom are elected by the stakeholders in the sport. For more information regarding Jump Canada programs and activities, visit www.jumpcanada.ca.

PHOTO CREDIT:1968 Olympic Gold Medalists James Day, James Elder and Tom Gayford, are inaugural inductees into the Jump Canada Hall of Fame. Photo Credit - Courtesy of Horse Publications Group