Team RBC gallops to glory at Spurs & Sparkles for Queensway Carleton Hospital

From left, two-time Olympic show jumper Amy Millar, RBC regional vice president Dion Farentino and Melissa Lamb, co-host of CTV Morning Live, were this year's Get Up & Gallop champs at the Spurs & Sparkles gala for Queensway Carleton Hospital Foundation, held at Wesley Clover Parks on Wednesday, August 13, 2025. Photo by Caroline Phillips

Team RBC gallops to glory at Spurs & Sparkles for Queensway Carleton Hospital

Published On: August 14, 2025By Caroline Phillips

Team RBC pulled off the night’s big upset, knocking three-time defending champs Team Terlin from first to second in the crowd-favourite Get Up & Gallop at the Spurs & Sparkles gala held Wednesday at Wesley Clover Parks.

The sold-out evening, presented by RBC Royal Bank, raised $151,976 for the Queensway Carleton Hospital Foundation — a total that got an extra lift from an unexpected gift of $10,000 from prominent businesswoman Kathryn Tremblay, owner and co-founder of Altis Recruitment. She was there to support her friend Karen Sparks, who co-chairs the popular fundraiser with Catherine McLaughlin.

Some 400 guests gathered beneath the beautifully decorated party tent for a summer night of local food, drinks, mingling and music. As the hot sun began to set, the scene was bathed in golden light, creating a lovely, outdoorsy feel. It was hard to believe the venue was well within the city limits.

Spurs & Sparkles co-chairs Catherine McLaughlin, left, and Karen Sparks, holding the Get Up & Gallop award during the outdoor summer gala, held at Wesley Clover Parks in support of Queensway Carleton Hospital Foundation. Photo by Caroline Phillips

Karen Sparks shows her love and appreciation for her Spurs & Sparkles co-chair Catherine McLaughlin. Photo by Caroline Phillips

The Get Up & Gallop competition is a three-part race that combines show jumping, a sports challenge and a wild golf-cart sprint through an obstacle course. There were 10 teams in total this year, each sponsored by a local business or organization. Team leaders took the driver’s seat of the golf cart, tearing through the course once their celebrity teammate completed their golf shot and their show jumper cleared all eight fences.

After claiming victory in 2019, 2023, and 2024, Team Terlin was really feeling the heat this time around — and with good reason; they faced fierce competition. Dropping to second creates a new goal for next year, said Terlin Construction president Terry McLaughlin. He and his celebrity teammate and good friend Terry Marcotte, former sports director at CTV Ottawa News, can also finally exhale. “The stress is off us,” said McLaughlin, whose rider was Canadian pony jumper Mathilde Candele.

RBC’s Dion Farentino has every intention of returning in 2026 to defend his new Get Up & Gallop title. He gave all the credit for their win to celebrity teammate Melissa Lamb, co-host of CTV Morning Live, for sailing through her golf challenge, and to two-time Olympic show jumper Amy Millar for nailing her show jumping leg. “It’s all about the team,” said Farentino, regional vice president, integrated markets, for Ottawa West & Valley.

Interestingly, Lamb’s husband, Ottawa Redblacks defensive lineman Nigel Romick, has twice reached the podium as a celebrity teammate — though never quite claiming first place like Lamb.

In third place was Team Mark Motors. Executive vice president Liza Mrak — who’s more accustomed to driving luxury cars than golf carts — was joined by 10-time Olympian and show-jumping icon Ian Miller as her celebrity teammate, and rider Will Martin.

After their shining podium moment, the three winning teams hopped back into their golf cart for a triumphant victory lap, cheered on by an enthusiastic crowd.

Team RBC, represented by regional vice president Dion Farentino, his celebrity teammate Melissa Lamb from CTV Morning Live, and two-time Olympic show jumper Amy Millar, followed by the second and third place winners of the Get Up & Gallop competition, enjoy their triumphant finish at the Spurs & Sparkles gala. Photo by Lindsay Germano

From left, Terry Marcotte, Mathilde Candele, Terry McLaughlin, Amy Millar, Dion Farentino, Melissa Lamb, Liza Mrak, Will Martin and the legendary Ian Millar made the podium following the Get Up & Gallop competition at the Spurs & Sparkles gala. Photo by Caroline Phillips

From left, Terry Marcotte, Spurs & Sparkles co-chair Catherine McLaughlin and her husband, Terlin Construction president Terry McLaughlin, and their rider Mathilde Candele pose for a photo after Team Terlin took second place — ending its three-year Get Up & Gallop championship run at Spurs & Sparkles. Photo by Caroline Phillips

From left, Shannon Bain, vice president of marketing, communications and community partnerships at Queensway Carleton Hospital Foundation, Mark Motors Group executive vice president Liza Mrak — whose team placed third in the Spurs & Sparkles’ Get Up & Gallop competition — and Shannon Gorman, president and CEO of Queensway Carleton Hospital Foundation. Photo by Caroline Phillips

Also to compete were teams from Fairmont Château Laurier (represented by director of operations Patrick Vincelette), Dragonfly Golf Links (general manager Jeremy Goodsell), The LoudCup Company (owner Jay Conohan), Chartwell Retirement Residences (business development manager Curtis Vasquez-Guindon), Faces Magazine (sales executive Quinn Valters), Cityscape (Victoria La Valle), and Senators Community Foundation (president Jacqueline Belsito).

“I shouldn’t be driving,” Belsito later joked about her less-than-perfect run on the obstacle course. “Win or lose, it was an honour to support QCH — the hospital that saved my mother’s life.”

Former Ottawa Senators players Chris Neil, Chris Phillips and Jason York, PWHL Ottawa Charge player Rebecca Leslie, Nigel Romick and actress Paris Jefferson were among the celebrity teammates. So was CTV Morning Live co-host Will Aiello, who had a blast competing with his sister, Victoria La Valle.

One of the funniest moments was watching Neil ride in the golf cart driven by Conohan. Neil’s outside leg was pumping along in classic Fred Flintstone style to try and get the cart moving faster.

It was inspiring to see Marcotte — effectively down one arm after major elbow surgery — breeze through a golfing challenge that others struggled with, earning him the nickname “One-Shot Wonder.”

The Get Up & Gallop race was emceed by MOVE 100 morning show hosts Jeff Hopper and Sophie Moroz, whose commentary was a joy to listen to. They were joined by Sparks, who, as an accomplished Grand Prix rider, shared her knowledge about the riders and their horses.

Emcees Sophie Moroz and Jeff Hopper from MOVE 100 with Melissa Lamb — a Get Up & Gallop champion — and Will Aiello, co-hosts with CTV Morning Live, at the Spurs & Sparkles gala in support of Queensway Carleton Hospital Foundation. Photo by Caroline Phillips

Kathryn Tremblay, owner and co-founder of Altis Recruitment, was out to support Karen Sparks, co-chair of the Spurs & Sparkles gala held at Wesley Clover Parks in support of Queensway Carleton Hospital Foundation. Photo by Caroline Phillips

Spurs & Sparkles, an annual charity gala at Wesley Clover Parks, shines a spotlight on show jumping. Photo by Lindsay Germano

Jacqueline Belsito, president of Senators Community Foundation, may not have won but she and former Ottawa Senators player Jason York, joined by rider Sophie Clauwers, had fun navigating the obstacle course in a golf cart. Photo by Lindsay Germano

From left, Spurs & Sparkles co-chair Catherine McLaughlin; Glenn Sheen, RBC’s regional director of marketing and citizenship; Queensway Carleton Hospital Foundation president and CEO Shannon Gorman; and RBC’s Justin Schurman, regional vice president of business financial services, at the Spurs & Sparkles outdoor summer gala in support of QCH Foundation and presented by RBC Royal Bank. Photo by Caroline Phillips

Melissa Lamb, co-host at CTV Morning Live, and RBC regional vice president (Ottawa West & Valley) Dion Farentino made up two-thirds of the winning Get Up & Gallop team at this year’s Spurs & Sparkles gala. Photo by Lindsay Germano

Former Ottawa Senators player Chris Neil was one of the celebrities to participate in the golf challenge during the Get Up & Gallop competition featured during the Spurs & Sparkles gala. Photo by Lindsay Germano

A look at this year’s Get Up & Gallop competitors — a mix of business leaders, celebrity athletes and television personalities. Photo by Lindsay Germano

Queensway Carleton Hospital Foundation board chair Alan Doak, partner and co-founderProveras Commercial Realty, and his wife, Erin Doak, at the Spurs & Sparkles gala for QCH Foundation, held at Wesley Clover Parks. Photo by Caroline Phillips

From left, Brazeau Seller Law partner Harold Feder, Nancy Walkington, Stacey Seller and Fred Seller, past board chair of Queensway Carleton Hospital Foundation, at the Spurs & Sparkles gala held at Wesley Clover Parks in support of QCH Foundation. Photo by Caroline Phillips

Shannon Gorman, president and CEO of Queensway Carleton Hospital Foundation, with her good friend Debbie Green O’Brien at the Spurs & Sparkles gala held at Wesley Clover Parks in support of QCH Foundation. Photo by Caroline Phillips

Former Ottawa Senators player Chris Phillip rides in the passenger seat while Jeremy Goodsell, general manager of Dragonfly Golf Links, prepares to floor it — as much as he can in a golf cart — through the obstacle course as part of the Get Up & Gallop competition at the Spurs & Sparkles gala. Photo by Lindsay Germano

Wesley Clover International chairman Terry Matthews with his daughter, Karen Sparks, who, along with co-chairing the Spurs & Sparkles gala, is executive director of Wesley Clover Parks, where the fundraiser for Queensway Carleton Hospital Foundation took place. Photo by Caroline Phillips

From right, Susan Finlay, who serves on the board of Queensway Carleton Hospital Foundation, is joined by her family, including two of her daughters, Kyla and Paige Westeinde, mother-in-law Shirley Westeinde, and her husband, Jonathan Westeinde, at the Spurs & Sparkles gala in support of QCH Foundation. Photo by Caroline Phillips

Will Aiello, co-host of CTV Morning Live, was one of the celebrities to participate in the golf challenge as part of the Get Up & Gallop competition held at the Spurs & Sparkles charity gala. Photo by Lindsay Germano

Spurs & Sparkles, an annual charity gala at Wesley Clover Parks, shines a spotlight on show jumping. Photo by Lindsay Germano

Business leader Liza Mrak from Team Mark Motors with teammates Ian Millar and rider Will Martin hanging off the back during the golf cart obstacle portion of the Get Up & Gallop race at Spurs & Sparkles. Photo by Lindsay Germano

Lesley Baird (left) and Ann Matthews, whose daughter, Karen Sparks, was co-chair of the Spurs & Sparkles gala in support of Queensway Carleton Hospital Foundation. Photo by Caroline Phillips

Paul Chiarelli, president and COO of Wesley Clover, and his wife, Lisa Chiarelli, at the Spurs & Sparkles gala in support of Queensway Carleton Hospital Foundation. Photo by Caroline Phillips

From left, John Cullen, Denise Bourque, Dave Ready and Lesley Baird at the Spurs & Sparkles gala held at Wesley Clover Parks in support of Queensway Carleton Hospital Foundation. Photo by Caroline Phillips

Whitney Fox and Dan Goldberg, president and CEO of Telesat, at the Spurs & Sparkles gala held at Wesley Clover Parks in support of Queensway Carleton Hospital Foundation. Photo by Caroline Phillips

Actress Paris Jefferson in full swing as one of the celebrities to participate in the golf challenge during the Get Up & Gallop competition held during Spurs & Sparkles. Photo by Lindsay Germano

Terry Marcotte, second from left, placed second — as gestured by Chris Neil (left), CTV Ottawa News community and weather anchor Jackie Perez and Chris Phillips — in the Get Up & Gallop competition held at the Spurs & Sparkles gala for QCH Foundation. Photo by Caroline Phillips

Shawn Hamilton, principal at Proveras Commercial Realty, and his wife, Tanya Murdoch, Chandos Construction director of regional development Jennifer Cross, and Trista Lynch-Black, director of major giving and corporate partnerships at the University of Ottawa, at the Spurs & Sparkles gala. Photo by Caroline Phillips

Sparks is also executive director of Wesley Clover Parks, a founding board member of the Wesley Clover Foundation, a philanthropic leader, a mother of four, and former board member and board chair of QCH Foundation. QCH was an obvious choice to support, said Sparks, who birthed her children there and relies on the hospital to treat riders injured at the Wesley Clover Parks equestrian facilities (it’s currently hosting some of the best horses in the world as part of the RBC Ottawa International show jumping competition).

“Anytime there’s an accident here — an ankle breaks or someone falls off their horse — they’re going to QCH,” Sparks added. “It’s really important to me that we have the absolute best equipment in the emergency room. It’s a cause that’s important to my heart.”

She gave a big shout-out to their hard-working organizing committee, including Keira Conlin from Wesley Clover Parks and Katie King (formerly Barrett — she just got married) from QCH Foundation, and to her dear friend, Catherine McLaughlin, with whom she created Spurs & Sparkles — a fundraiser inspired by her own nickname, Sparkles.

QCH serves more than half the population in Ottawa. Funds raised from events like Spurs & Sparkles help the hospital invest in such priorities as life-saving equipment, MRI technology, staff training and upgrades to surgical suites, said QCH Foundation president and CEO Shannon Gorman. “Every dollar raised helps move healthcare forward in a meaningful way.”

From left, Shannon Gorman, president and CEO of Queensway Carleton Hospital Foundation, with Spurs & Sparkles co-chairs Karen Sparks and Catherine McLaughlin as they announce the total raised — more than $151,000. Photo by Caroline Phillips

From left, Kelly Gordon, Erin Horwitz, Tracy Howard, Karen Sparks, Catherine McLaughlin, Katie King, Keira Conlin, Taylor Bond, Taylor McRae, Kathryn Hull and Robyn Cyr organized the Spurs & Sparkles gala at Wesley Clover Park, in support of Queensway Carleton Hospital Foundation. Photo by Caroline Phillips