I’m heading to Spruce Meadows Masters this year for the first time, yay! I was wondering if anyone had advice. I’ll be there Friday/Saturday/Sunday. I was going to get reserved seats for Sunday in the West Grandstand, but wasn’t sure if it’s necessary or if rush seating will work just as well. I’d love to hear any tips you have for planning my trip! Thanks!
Prepare for any weather! Froze last year watching the 6 bar after they had to shovel snow from the entire grounds! Then Sunday was quite pleasant. Friday’s not too bad, put a blanket on the hill early enough that it’s easy to watch. Same with Saturday/Sunday. I’d get there in the am and lay down a spot at the international ring then you’re free to wander the property and watch the other rings, check out equi-fair and such. I’ve never done reserved seating, but may not be a bad idea. It’s a big place, I enjoy checking out the smaller rings and seeing the up and comers, as well as watching the warm ups. Have fun! It’s a nice venue.
Yup, just like any horse show you need to prepare for the weather. I took the free shuttle for the 6 bar last year on Friday night which was nice since it drops off and picks up right by the international ring.
The six bar takes place right in front of the West grand stand, it wasn’t too busy so it wasn’t hard to find seats. Although that may have been partly the cold weather.
As far as for Saturday and Sunday I tried to check out where they were placing the jumps so I could snag spots with a good view. (I was by myself though so obviously finding one seat by itself is a little easier)
I watched round one of the nations cup from the East grandstand, I watched round two from grass infront of the west grandstand.
On Sunday I watched from the south east grandstand, further from the jumps but close to the clocktower and Ian actually came and stood beside me to watch a couple trips which was fun since he went on to win.
Watching from the grass was actually my favourite. However, if it was wet or raining I’d be there early for some covered seating.
Thank you for the tips, much appreciated! Any recommendations for things to do or great restaurants in Calgary? I will be there for 5 days so will be trying to do a few other things too!
Calgary is an awesome city!!! I was bummed that I couldn’t come up for a tournament this summer, but I’ll be there in October for Thanksgiving. Have fun at the Masters! I’m so jealous!!
If you’re looking for somewhere to eat then I recommend the Palomino Smokehouse. It’s easy to get to, right off the C-train. I’ll warn you it’s big and loud, but they’ve got a nice outdoor patio and the food is delicious and well priced. Try out the bacon wrapped corn!
Check if there’s anything going on at the Agrium centre, sometimes they have team penning, cutting horses, etc.
Calgary is my home town - I am lucky and get to see the Masters every year 
Lots of good restaurants - what’s your taste and whats your budget? Definition of a “good” restaurant changes within each price range. Wander down 17th Ave SW, Stephen Ave or use Urban Spoon for other parts of downtown and there’s lots of options. We’ve got pretty much any type of restaurant you could want.
Do you know where you’re staying yet? Spruce Meadows is accessible from downtown by train and then the Spruce shuttle from the last train station to the grounds themselves. So you can stay downtown if you like and be closer to more restaurants for the evening. If you do stay in a hotel closer to Spruce Meadows there are restaurant and shopping options down that way as well, its just more suburban big box style “malls”.
Definitely bring layers including some waterproof. Last years snow was an anomaly, BUT! the temperature does drop a lot overnight here compared to during the day, so you could be roasting in 25-30 degree (celsius) weather during the day and shivering in 10 degree (celsius) weather in the evening. Rain is not unusual unfortunately during the masters. Every time i’ve gone down for the 6-bar I’ve had to use my umbrella.
You don’t necessarily need to buy tickets. Rush seating is quite good and if you’re getting there first thing in the morning, just put down your blanket or tarp on the grass or your spot on the bleachers (in the rush bleacher areas) and your spot is safe for the day. Most people are quite respectful of this.
I usually abandon my seat for a bit to go shopping but I’ve noticed the last few years the shopping is less and less horse and tack stuff and more and more just regular old shopping. The local tack shops always have booths but they aren’t doing the kind of massive sales we used to see a few years ago. And less of them are coming. I’ve heard the price Spruce charges for a booth is astronomical so its prohibitive for a lot of the smaller shops to get a booth.
It won’t be very busy on Thursday or Friday during the day. The weekends are nuts, especially Sunday for the CN International.
There is food to buy on the grounds but its pricey.
Hmmm… trying to think if there’s anything else…
oh! If you venture outside Calgary, Banff is only 1 hour away, and Lake Louise is about 1.5-2 depending on traffic and what part of the city you’re leaving from. I live on the west edge of Calgary so its quick to get out and be on your way to the mountains. But if you’re leaving from Downtown add an extra 20 minutes or so.
I’d recommend avoiding Banff as its quite tourist trappy and just go to Canmore (you hit it on the highway just before Banff). Canmore has some great restaurants, there’s a ton of good hikes near the townsite or just back along the highway in Kananaskis (along Hwy 40).
Agreed on all of the above, especially the downward spiral of the equi-fair. It used to be so interesting, lots of great booths selling horsey stuff; different halters and blankets and show coats new break out brands, booths from europe of interesting things we don’t normally see here. Now it’s a few generic tack shops and a bunch of trinkets and weird tacky booths selling cheap jewelry and mixes for dips and insoles. It’s the saddest thing about the masters now.
The horse sport is still excellent though. Rush seating has always been good for me, as long as you get there early enough on Sunday. It is usually the busiest day.
Calgary city has a lot of good (albeit pricey) restaurants. Bookers has far superior and better priced bbq than palomino.
[QUOTE=Rescuer;8296110]
oh! If you venture outside Calgary, Banff is only 1 hour away, and Lake Louise is about 1.5-2 depending on traffic and what part of the city you’re leaving from. I live on the west edge of Calgary so its quick to get out and be on your way to the mountains. But if you’re leaving from Downtown add an extra 20 minutes or so.
I’d recommend avoiding Banff as its quite tourist trappy and just go to Canmore (you hit it on the highway just before Banff). Canmore has some great restaurants, there’s a ton of good hikes near the townsite or just back along the highway in Kananaskis (along Hwy 40).[/QUOTE]
I, on the other hand, LOVE Banff. Love Canmore, too, though.
[QUOTE=ybiaw;8296450]
I, on the other hand, LOVE Banff. Love Canmore, too, though.[/QUOTE]
Banff the park is quite nice - just in terms of visiting a town - the Banff townsite is always so congested. If you’re going to spend the money at the park gates, go do one of the hikes in the area as opposed to wasting time in Banff townsite in my opinion. If you want to eat/shop in that general area, Canmore is a more laid back vibe and you won’t be fighting through so many tourist bus loads full of people to get a spot at a restaurant or meander through the shops.
[QUOTE=Rescuer;8296579]
Banff the park is quite nice - just in terms of visiting a town - the Banff townsite is always so congested. If you’re going to spend the money at the park gates, go do one of the hikes in the area as opposed to wasting time in Banff townsite in my opinion. If you want to eat/shop in that general area, Canmore is a more laid back vibe and you won’t be fighting through so many tourist bus loads full of people to get a spot at a restaurant or meander through the shops.[/QUOTE]
This is truth. Plus, I am biased toward Banff because of my family’s relationship to some hotels there. :lol: Canmore is totally adorable, though.
Ugh, I can’t wait to go up there in October. It’s always such a welcomed break from the neverending heat of south Florida. Last year, I was in that half-asleep phase and thought I heard a man running down the street (had my balcony door open because WINTER) in hard-soled shoes and thought to myself “What the heck is this guy doing!!!” Went to look out the window…it was an elk trotting down the street, not a man in hard-soled shoes. :lol:
Not much else to add except:
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take some time to enjoy the pub at Spruce… I recommend going after the last class on Sunday.(CP international)… It’s the 40th anniversary it is always a goodnight time! No need to order for example, a double Jack and coke (yes they’ll ask) they’re very generous with their singles
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line up for the little Dutch pancakes early, as in when the booth opens. They are fantastic and the lineup will quickly scretch to a 45 min wait (yes I have lined up that long for them! LOL) then head into their little cafe and buy cheese sandwiches. Fairly cheap and the best deal on the grounds.
totally off topic but…is Bumpers still in Banff? I recall when I was little & were up there (late 80’s mind you).
[QUOTE=eclipse;8297528]
Not much else to add except:
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take some time to enjoy the pub at Spruce… I recommend going after the last class on Sunday.(CP international)… It’s the 40th anniversary it is always a goodnight time! No need to order for example, a double Jack and coke (yes they’ll ask) they’re very generous with their singles
-
line up for the little Dutch pancakes early, as in when the booth opens. They are fantastic and the lineup will quickly scretch to a 45 min wait (yes I have lined up that long for them! LOL) then head into their little cafe and buy cheese sandwiches. Fairly cheap and the best deal on the grounds.[/QUOTE]
The Time Fault Pub, just West of the main sand warm-up ring, has great food. Their soups, chili and dry ribs are great. The Garden Court, overlooking the All Canada ring and next to the Founders Plaza, has really good restaurant quality meals if you are not in the mood for pub food. They also have amazing smoothies!
I will have to try and line up for the little Dutch pancakes one morning. They sound yummy. Though, I don’t know if I will have enough time to wait in line. Maybe someone on COTH will be kind enough to get two orders and bring one over to the judges booth for me. 
For those who have been how is parking? Plentiful? A disaster? I am going this year for the Sunday (woo hoo!) but have to drive down from my hotel in the NE. Am I better to drive to the LRT and take the shuttle? Or can I park without too much issue? How early would you suggest getting there?
I have paid for a reserved seat (covered seating as it is supposed to rain), but I want to walk around a bit. I am not a big shopper, I just want to see the sights, so don’t want to be there for hours bored (I am also having to go by myself so lack of company may add to the bordom factor if I am there too many hours).
Anyone?
[QUOTE=Keltic Kross;8312126]
For those who have been how is parking? Plentiful? A disaster? I am going this year for the Sunday (woo hoo!) but have to drive down from my hotel in the NE. Am I better to drive to the LRT and take the shuttle? Or can I park without too much issue? How early would you suggest getting there?
I have paid for a reserved seat (covered seating as it is supposed to rain), but I want to walk around a bit. I am not a big shopper, I just want to see the sights, so don’t want to be there for hours bored (I am also having to go by myself so lack of company may add to the bordom factor if I am there too many hours).
Anyone?[/QUOTE]
Parking is not that bad. Always lots available. I’ve never not gotten parking. Even if you have to park in the grass field in between the two sides of the highway, the Spruce Meadows Shuttle goes back and forth every 5 minutes or so.
If you are going to wander the grounds, feel free to wander away from the crowds too. Most people don’t go back towards the barns at all (where Time Faults Pub is located). The crowds all stay near the International Ring and the shopping areas.
But you can wander back behind Equiplex and see the other rings (but there won’t be anything going on in them for the Masters - during the summer series they are all busy though). Obviously you won’t be allowed in the FEI barn areas but that is well marked.
[QUOTE=Keltic Kross;8312126]
For those who have been how is parking? Plentiful? A disaster? I am going this year for the Sunday (woo hoo!) but have to drive down from my hotel in the NE. Am I better to drive to the LRT and take the shuttle? Or can I park without too much issue? How early would you suggest getting there?
I have paid for a reserved seat (covered seating as it is supposed to rain), but I want to walk around a bit. I am not a big shopper, I just want to see the sights, so don’t want to be there for hours bored (I am also having to go by myself so lack of company may add to the bordom factor if I am there too many hours).
Anyone?[/QUOTE]
OUr flight leaves at 7 30 pm tonight!!
We have tickets (Rush seating) for tomorrow and I upgraded to reserved and covered seats in the West GrandStand for Sunday… it will rain and I want to be comfortable!!
We are staying by the airport and renting a car… We intend to spend both days Sat. and Sun at SM… Supposed to meet my SIL for dinner on Sunday… So will check out the recommendations for restaurants for Sat.
WE have seats C3 - 27 and 28 for Sunday… west grandstand!!
Parking is plentiful and organized but it will take forever to get out! Instead head to Time Faults pub and relax for an hour or so! It was hopping in their tonight after the 6 bar and fireworks… I’m so relaxed I couldn’t drive home and had to use my DD LOL
[QUOTE=eclipse;8312677]
Parking is plentiful and organized but it will take forever to get out! Instead head to Time Faults pub and relax for an hour or so! It was hopping in their tonight after the 6 bar and fireworks… I’m so relaxed I couldn’t drive home and had to use my DD LOL[/QUOTE]
Or Park RIGHT at the exit of the parking lot!! No matter how empty the lot is when you get there, park at the exit! Then pretty much RUN the SECOND the last horse jumps the final fence to be one of the first at your car!
