Spruce Meadows was founded by your parents, Ron and Marg Southern, and your family has continued to develop the venue over more than five decades. Following last year’s 50th  anniversary, how do you balance preserving that family legacy with continuing to evolve Spruce Meadows?

[LS-H] I think we have always stayed true to the core values of Spruce Meadows, from the grass rings to the traditions. However, the venue has evolved considerably since I took over 20 years ago, and today it has become much more of a sports and entertainment destination. We still have our show jumping events, but we have also added our International Christmas Market, soccer, concerts, big fireworks displays, and more.

Continuing to evolve is important because, when we started Spruce Meadows, there were only around 300,000 people in Calgary, compared to around 1.3 million today. There are a lot of people who have never been to Spruce Meadows before, so it is important that we continue to engage with people and encourage them to come to Spruce Meadows throughout the year.

We also have a real focus on bringing the younger generation to Spruce Meadows to enjoy our events, our show jumping, and everything else that we do here.

The CAD $5 million prize purse for the CPKC ‘International’, presented by Rolex, has been retained for 2026. What does that commitment say about the ambition of Spruce Meadows and the status of this competition within international show jumping?

Throughout the 51-year history of Spruce Meadows, we have always been a leader in offering the top prize money to equestrian athletes from around the world. It is important to our family that we continue that tradition and continue to lead in that space. As it was last year, it will be the richest single-day prize money of any sporting event in Canada. This has also been made possible by the commitment of our sponsors, some of whom have been with us from the very beginning.

Richard Vogel arrives as the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping live contender following consecutive Major victories at The Dutch Masters and TSCHIO Aachen. What would it mean to witness only the second Rolex Grand Slam triumph in history at Spruce Meadows?

I think it would be really special. In the early days of the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping, everybody said it couldn’t be done. Then Scott Brash went on to achieve that remarkable feat in 2015, and it would be spectacular if we could have another Rolex Grand Slam winner.

It is a huge feat for an athlete in terms of how they manage their horses, how they manage themselves, how professional they are, and how good a horseperson they are. If Richard Vogel were to go on and win the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping, I think it would really elevate not only our sport, but also the accomplishments of the athletes. Furthermore, I think it puts us in the same spotlight as sports such as tennis or golf, and that is very important to us.

Richard enjoyed considerable success at Spruce Meadows during the 2026 Summer Series. What will he have learned from that experience, and how might it help him prepare for the very different demands of the ‘Masters’ Tournament?

Whenever you have competed at a venue several times, that experience helps to shape your decisions. It doesn’t necessarily mean you have an advantage on the course, but I think it gives you an advantage mentally. You are comfortable in the venue; you understand what is expected and you understand the lay of the land. Therefore, I do believe Richard’s experience here during the 2026 Summer Series will give him an advantage when he returns for the ‘Masters’ Tournament.

As a former international rider who represented Canada at the Olympic Games, what do you believe separates the combinations that perform well at Spruce Meadows from those capable of winning the CPKC ‘International’, presented by Rolex?

You need a brave horse, a brave rider and nerves of steel.

We are outdoors, so the weather can sometimes cause us trouble. Spruce Meadows is a very expansive venue, and all the Grand Slam events are very unique. We are unique as well, with the wider jumps and the big International Ring. There is also quite a long walk between the warm-up area in the paddock and the show jumping arena, so there are a number of different elements for athletes to contend with.

The atmosphere is different, too. Ours is very much a family environment. We have great crowds and you will often see three generations here together. For the CPKC ‘International’, presented by Rolex, you will see a lot of hardcore fans, but you will also see a lot of families.

For an athlete, the advice I can always give is simply to take it all in and enjoy it. As long as you stay calm and have your wits about you, I think you can rise to the top.

With riders now able to choose from an increasingly busy international calendar, what continues to attract the world’s leading combinations to Calgary for the CSIO Spruce Meadows ‘Masters’ Tournament?

I can’t really comment on that because it is ultimately up to the riders to say. What we try to focus on is making decisions for our show jumping events based on what we believe is best for the sport.

We believe that the origins of the sport, including grass footing, are very important, as are the natural obstacles and some of the other elements that have held us in good stead over the years.

We also have an approachable environment and welcoming hospitality, which I do believe the athletes appreciate. And, of course, they are drawn to the prize money, so I believe that is probably one of the components as well.

The ‘Masters’ also gives Canadian riders the opportunity to compete against the very best in the world on home soil. How important is that experience to the strength and future of Canadian show jumping?

One of the reasons my parents and our family started Spruce Meadows was to give Canadian athletes the opportunity to hone their skills at home and compete on the international stage.

If we look back over the years, I do believe Canada has punched above its weight in the sport of show jumping because of Spruce Meadows. In some regards, so has the United States, because so many American riders have also competed at Spruce Meadows.

I am quite confident that Spruce Meadows will continue to be part of the reason why Canadian athletes do well at championships. We will continue to support Canadian athletes and give them the opportunity to hone their skills and compete on the international stage.

The knowledgeable crowds surrounding the International Ring have contributed to many of the Tournament’s most memorable moments. What does that atmosphere bring to the competition, and how do you think it affects the riders entering the ring?

Our crowd is interesting. I know that in a lot of places they ask crowds to be quiet and not cheer while horse and rider combinations are still jumping the course, but our crowd almost takes ownership of different areas of the ring. They learn very quickly where the hard parts of the course are and cheer for the combinations as they tackle them.

I think it is a benefit. I had a horse that was very sensitive to noise, but he would actually get bigger when he heard the crowd. Horses are part of the equation, and they have very real personalities. I believe the good horses dig down deep and try harder.

I think it has helped our athletes over the years, both equine and human, to compete in front of a crowd that can be very quiet but also very expressive.

Rolex and Spruce Meadows have shared a partnership spanning more than three decades. How has that relationship helped the ‘Masters’ Tournament uphold its traditions while continuing to raise the standard for international show jumping?

I think it is almost 40 years now that we have had the partnership with Rolex, and that relationship has grown over time. We are lucky enough to have close to 20 sponsors and partners that have been with us for 50 years, and Rolex for almost 40 years.

It is about building relationships and trust, having the same goals and aspirations, and being aligned with a quality partner like Rolex, which is very important to Spruce Meadows and to our family.

We share the same core values and a focus on excellence and on what we can do to always be better. It doesn’t mean we are ever perfect, but I think what is most important is striving for that perfection. That is how you have top athletes, top sport and top partnerships.