For the first time in the 95 year history of the Royal, it opened with a LIVE performance of Rise, by Elyse Saunders. The magic continued the following night, when Jessica Phoenix won the Horseware Indoor Eventing Challenge, on her mount Abbey GS.

The excitement continued with copies of the book RISE: The Jessica Phoenix Story – with several autograph sessions with both Julie Fitz-Gerald, the author, and Jessica.

The jam-packed Royal included a quick-trip to Montreal and an appearance on BT to promote the book.