The CSIO Spruce Meadows ‘Masters’ Tournament – one of the four Majors which make up the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping – has a rich and impressive history. Over the past 50 years the Southern family have developed the showground into what is widely considered to be the leading equestrian venue in North America. From the outset, the mission of Spruce Meadows, which is still wholly owned and operated by the family, was to create a unique environment of "good friendship, good commerce, and good sport".

The journey of Spruce Meadows began in 1971 when the Southern family purchased 80 acres of farmland in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains in Canada. Just two years later construction of this legendary venue began, with work starting on the Riding Hall and East and West Meadows, and on 13 April 1975 the Official Opening Ceremony took place. In the same year the ‘Pegasus Club’ – Spruce Meadows’ Volunteer’s Club was officially born and consisted of friends and supporters of the Southern family – many of whom are still part of the club and regularly help at events.

On 3 June 1976, Spruce Meadows held its first competition, and from there the competition schedule and facilities have continued to grow and flourish. Attracting sponsorship has been an important element in growing Spruce Meadows, and in 1989 Rolex became the Presenting Sponsor of the CSIO Spruce Meadows ‘Masters’ Tournament, taking the venue to the next level. This year Spruce Meadows will celebrate the 35-year anniversary of this partnership.

As the showground grew with numerous stabling facilities, competition areas and much more added to the site, so too did the prize money. In 2000, the first $1million Grand Prix in the world was held at the CSIO Spruce Meadows ‘Masters’ Tournament and was won by Rolex Testimonee Rodrigo Pessoa ridng Gandini Lianos. 2006 then saw a change in leadership with Linda Southern-Heathcott, herself a former international show jumper, taking on the role of CEO and President. Southern-Heathcott credits teamwork to the success of Spruce Meadows, stating: “You have to have a strong team with you and around you. You need to be able to successfully communicate what the vision is, but it is the teamwork that helps you be successful.”

Throughout the years the acreage of the property has grown to accommodate the number of equestrian tournaments and additional events such as the annual Christmas Market. In 2007 Spruce Meadows purchased an 30 additional acres to bring the total size to 360 acres including 200 acres of pasture and 160 acres in tournament grounds.  

2013 was a momentous year for the venue as the CSIO Spruce Meadows ‘Masters’ Tournament was named one of the four Majors to make up the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping – the sport’s ultimate challenge. Over 10 years later the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping has set the standard for show jumping, with Spruce Meadows a true reflection of the prestige of the concept. Just two years later the CSIO Spruce Meadows ‘Masters’ Tournament played host to the iconic victory of Scott Brash, who became the first, and to date the only rider to win the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping.

The facility is also the home of Cavalry FC, a football [soccer] team who compete in Canadian Premier League. The team, which play their home matches on the 5,000-seater ATCO Field, played their inaugural season in the League in 2019, and are now a key part of the Spruce Meadows story.

Nowadays, Spruce Meadows hosts around 500,000 visitors annually and is open 365 days of the year.  Spruce Meadows is not only a leading equestrian venue, but a cornerstone of the Calgary community which provides residents with place to gather for sporting, lifestyle and educational events.