Coming from horse jumping royalty has its advantages.
For example, if 18-year-old Ben Asselin is unsure how to tackle a course at Spruce Meadows he has the luxury of asking his father Jonathan, a two-time Olympic show jumper and fellow competitor for some tips.
“ It ' s a great experience,” Asselin said of competing with his father. “ He ' s also my coach so it ' s a huge benefit for him to go and ride that track and then he can pass on how the track rides.
“ It ' s a really, really special partnership.”
Asselin ' s bloodlines in the sport don ' t end there. His mother Nancy Southern is the vice-president of Spruce Meadows and grandparents Ron and Marg Southern happen to be the founders of the world-class show jumping facility.
Despite his background, Asselin is just like any other rider when he enters Spruce Meadows ' gates.
Competing in the International Ring, the biggest stage at show jumping ' s premiere venue, for a second year is still an exciting prospect for the 18-year-old.
“ There still is (trepidation) for sure,” he said. “ But I think with one year under my belt it ' s a little easier to walk into it, but whenever you come to Spruce Meadows it ' s always a big step up. You ' re competing against the best riders and the best horses in the world.”
The Priddis rider carries considerable momentum with him into the 2012 Spruce Meadows summer show jumping circuit.
“ I do feel a little more ready this year,” he said. “ I had a good tour in Europe and had a grand prix win over there so I ' m coming in quite confident.”
Asselin has every reason to feel optimistic after winning the first stop of the European Tour at the Bonheiden Belgium Grand Prix in May.
“ I was over there competing on the Canadian Young Riders Team so that was great experience,” Asselin said of the 1.45m competition.
Out of 53 participants, Asselin rode 11-year-old Belgian Warmblood Rush to the only clear round of the competition to ensure his place atop the podium. At the same venue, Asselin competed as part of the Canadian entry for the Nations ' Cup.
“ That plays a whole different role in the sport so that was great experience,” he said of competing for his nation.
Canada finished eighth in the Nations ' Cup competition, but Asselin did all he could in completing a clear round aboard 14-year-old mare Lolita in Bonheiden. He carried his strong showing to the Austrian Grand Prix in late May, where he finished third.
“ Just to compete internationally was a great step before you come to Spruce Meadows.”
Through two weeks of events at Spruce Meadows, Asselin has shown promise at both the National, which was held June 6-9, and the Continental, June 13-17.
At the Scotiabank Cup on June 15, Asselin finished third, just behind reigning Olympic champion Eric Lamaze, with a clean run to take home $4,800 in prize money.
Despite his ascension in the sport, the precocious 18-year-old is not putting all of his eggs in one basket. Asselin graduated early, in December 2011, from Bishop Carroll High School in Calgary. He will be making the leap to post-secondary at Mount Royal University in the fall where he ' ll be pursuing a Bachelor of Arts degree.
For more information on Asselin and Spruce Meadows go to www.sprucemeadows.com
