Wedding Proposal at the ‘KUBOTA’ Capital Classic Show Jumping Tournament

Wedding bells were in the air on Saturday at the 14th annual ‘KUBOTA’ Capital Classic Show Jumping Tournament in Ottawa, ON.

Troy Wilson, 25, of Manotick, ON, choose the international show jumping tournament as the perfect location for proposing to Crystal Mitchell, also 25, of Greely, ON.

“She is really into horses and if her horse was in shape, she would be here competing,” said Wilson, a mechanic. “This is an international event and she comes here every year, and she also watches show jumping on television whenever it is on, so I thought it would be fitting.”

The whole thing came as a big surprise to Mitchell, a receptionist at a commercial design company. Her younger sister, Lea, brought her to the event, where the Capital Classic organizers were in on the secret. They arranged for Wilson to come out onto the Grand Prix field in the RCMP-escorted Landau before the start of the $35,000 Jumping Derby. The announcer told the crowd that Wilson had a special presentation to make, and Mitchell was brought to the front of the Spectator Tent and presented with a proposal and a ring. She said ‘yes’.

“If she were to tell me how to do it, I think this would be pretty close to what she would want,” Wilson said before the proposal. “The whole thing has been absolutely insane, it has been really hard to keep it all quiet and under wraps.”

The five-day ‘Kubota’ Capital Classic Show Jumping Tournament, taking place at the Nepean National Equestrian Park, features over 700 horses competing for $150,000 in prize money. Sunday brings the grand finale, the $65,000 ‘KUBOTA CUP’ Big Ben Memorial Grand Prix.

In addition to world-class show jumping, spectators can also enjoy an extensive trade fair featuring a petting zoo, face painting, pony rides, agility dog demonstrations, and the Ottawa Police Canine Unit. Horsepower of a different type is also on display at the Classic Car Show.

The ‘KUBOTA’ Capital Classic Show Jumping Tournament is honoured to once again benefit The Children’s Wish Foundation of Canada. Located in Ottawa’s west-end at the Nepean National Equestrian Park, at the Moodie Drive exit off of the 417 Highway, the annual Capital Classic Show Jumping Tournament is enjoying its 14th year of competition. For more information, please visit www.capitalclassic.ca.