Page 25 - AEF-AlbertaBits_Fall-2025

Photos © Spruce Meadows Media
L
ooking out over the pristine tournament
grounds and perfectly manicured lawns of
Spruce Meadows, Senior Vice President, Sport
and Media Services Ian Allison beams with
a mixture of excitement and pride. In 2025,
the venue is marking 50 years at the heart of Alberta’s
equestrian community — and Allison has had the privilege
of being there for nearly all of it.
“Spruce Meadows has always prided itself on really
respecting a lot of the traditions of the sport, but also,
modernizing it through different innovative elements, like
the Riders Cup or our world-leading prize money,” he says.
“It’s about taking these sports from their very beginnings
to becoming front-page sports.”
What started as a small, family-run operation on a
60-acre farm nestled in the foothills outside of Calgary has
since grown into a year-round, multi-million dollar sport
and entertainment enterprise, with an estimated economic
impact of more than $110 million annually in Alberta. And
although the venue itself has grown in size and impact over
the years, the family values of its founders, Ron and Margaret
Southern, remain at the core of the business today.
“Spruce Meadows is essentially a gift back to Alberta
and Canada and Calgary from the Southern family,”
Allison explains, noting that although the reins have
changed hands, the Southern family remains at the head
of Spruce Meadows’ operations. Since 2006, Ron and
Margaret’s daughter, Linda Southern-Heathcott, has
served as the facility’s CEO and president, guiding the
facility’s growth in the equestrian world and beyond.
“The focus here is the horse, and the horse is always
going to be the focus. But there are other complementary
elements that through the years have taken root here too,”
Allison says.
Today, Allison estimates the venue welcomes more
than 500,000 visitors annually, for events ranging from
its flagship summer series and masters tournaments, to
family-friendly concerts, conferences, community events
and expos. Outside of the more formal organized events,
the now 360-acre property has also become an important
gathering place for the community, where families
can enjoy green spaces, try fly fishing, or gather before
exploring the surrounding foothills by bike.
“Not only is it a tournament and professional sporting
grounds, but it’s also a campus for recreation and
families,” he says.
albertaequestrian.com 25