Wine, cheese, big hats, and a silent auction, combined with athletic equines and their human partners paid off for the Langley School District Foundation on Sunday afternoon, May 31.
The 10th annual Grand Prix Gala at Thunderbird Show Park raked in a gross amount of $70,000, with net proceeds going towards the foundation’s Food For Thought Campaign, which provides nutritious meals to the more than 3,000 Langley students who come to school hungry every day.
Planning for the gala, which included the CS12 British Columbia Open Open Grand Prix, started in January with committee meetings every week.
Foundation executive director Susan Cairns said the day was “incredible. Sunny and bright.â€
“It was another grand day at the 10th annual Grand Prix Gala,†she added, before describing the fundraiser as a whole:
“Guests arrived, dressed to the nines in chi chi frocks, spectacular hats, designer jeans and oh so sexy cowboy boots. They made their way to their patio tables and mingled and mixed with friends and colleagues. They sipped on robust Merlots, cabernet sauvignons and shiraz. They sampled the Pinot Giorgios, Chablis and Proseccos. They munched on a myriad of hors d’oeuvres and a special 10th annual cake and cupcake dessert. They scooped up incredible deals at the silent auction and walked away with huge prizes. And they did all of this while watching a grand prix international horse jumping competition at one of the highest rated equestrian centres in the world.â€
Running in conjunction with the gala was the $56,000 CSI2* Grand Prix, which completed the 2015 BC Open.
In a jump-off, Shelley Fellers and Revenge took top spot with a flawless performance and a time of 38.21.
The course was challenging, many riders had four faults in the first round, and several with eight or 12 jumps faults as well as time. The combination coming home proved to be difficult in both rounds, and only seven riders had a clear round and returned for jump off.