Long-jumping water dogs and beautiful tributes: eight things you’ll only find at Spruce Meadows

As well as superstar riders and horses, and top showjumping action, there are some things you’ll see nowhere else at this show...

Spruce Meadows in Calgary, Canada, showcases some of the best in equestrian sport, with the world’s richest grand prix prize.

But as well as superstar riders and horses, and top showjumping action, there are some things you’ll see nowhere else..

1. This enormous vertical, marking the record set in the Atco Electric six-bar in 2004 of 2.12m cleared by Ireland’s Jessica Kurten on Castle Forbes Libertina

2. This beautiful sculpture in tribute to Eric Lamaze’s superstar ride Hickstead. Love always

3. Just a dog, doing the long jump into a swimming pool. No biggie

4. Signs apparently pointing to European countries

5. …and if you follow the sign to Holland, you’ll find giant clogs, in which you can stand to have your picture taken. Amazing

6. Glad to hear it!

7. A signpost giving the distances to the other grands prix associated with the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping

8. And finally, you won’t just see these sockets at Spruce Meadows but we couldn’t resist — what are they so worried about?

Don’t miss the full report from the 2019 Spruce Meadows Masters in this week’s edition of Horse & Hound magazine, out 12 September.