His first visit to Spruce Meadows dates back to 1977, when he was just fourteen years old. “I came there as a junior rider, at a time when the provinces still had their own teams,” he recalls. “It was autumn, and I couldn’t believe how beautiful Spruce Meadows looked. I was 14 then, and now I’m 60. That was already 46 years ago.”

What especially stuck with him was the presence of great names. “I saw riders like David Broome and Harvey Smith from the United Kingdom. Michael and John Whitaker were in their early twenties then, and Ian Millar was still very young too. For a fourteen-year-old, it was incredible to see such famous riders.”

A year earlier, Deslauriers had experienced the Olympic Games in his own backyard, in Bromont near Montreal. “I was 13 then, and the equestrian disciplines of the Games took place literally next to my house. Those are memories you never forget.”

Highlights and successes

Over the years, Spruce Meadows has brought countless highlights. Deslauriers names 2006 as one of the most memorable moments. “That year I was a reserve at the World Championships in Aachen. After that we went to Calgary, and there Canada won the Nations Cup for the very first time. That was a huge achievement.”

His debut in 1983 also remains vivid in his mind. “I finished second in the du Maurier International, behind Norman Dello Joio with his horse I Love You. The prize money was 75,000 Canadian dollars. At the time, that was an enormous amount of money for us.”

Later came more successes. “I’ve won the Queen’s Cup a few times, became Canadian champion several times, and earned fine placings such as third in the Chrysler Classic Derby with Paradigm. Spruce Meadows has given me so many good memories.”

Developing horses

For Deslauriers, Spruce Meadows also symbolizes the training ground for young horses. “I always brought six- and seven-year-olds there to give them experience,” he explains. “After a few weeks of competition, they came out as fantastic horses. If they had talent, that was the place to make it.”

What struck him was that the facility kept developing. “Every summer I took some time to explore the grounds, because there was always something new. They made Spruce Meadows grow every season, and that wasn’t only good for the sport, but also for Calgary itself.”

Essential for Canada

According to Deslauriers, the importance of Spruce Meadows for Canadian show jumping can hardly be overstated. “They’re really the only major player for our sport in the country. Without Spruce Meadows, our sport would be in much worse shape. Ian Millar became a household name there, and the TV and media coverage has always been huge. Spruce Meadows makes riders, it makes people, and it makes horses.”

He compares the event to the great Majors in golf. “It’s like when a golfer plays the Majors. That’s where you make your name known. There simply is no better facility to ride at.”

A unique identity

What distinguishes Spruce Meadows within the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping, according to him, is its own style. “All the Majors are different. Two indoors and two outdoors, but Spruce has always stuck to its identity. We still jump the long poles there, and that makes it unique. They’ve become more modern, but the personality of the place has remained.”

Words and vision

When asked to describe Spruce Meadows in a few words, Deslauriers doesn’t hesitate: “Spectacular, prestigious, beautiful, breathtaking.”

He also has great respect for founder Ron Southern. “The vision he had to build Spruce Meadows was incredible. When I rode in Calgary at fourteen, it was still a twenty-minute drive to the nearest houses. He really thought he was out in the countryside, but the city quickly grew toward him.”

After fifty years, Spruce Meadows has become one of the most important competitions in the world. For Mario Deslauriers, it is a place of memories and achievements, but also a driving force behind the development of Canadian show jumping. “When you ride at Spruce Meadows, you know: this is a place that makes you as a rider.”