Kappler, Madden and Ward, 2004 Olympic Show Jumping Silver Medalists Rally for the 2005 Charlotte Jumper Classic

Wellington, FL – February 23, 2005 – Three members of the 2004 Olympic Showing Jumping Silver Medal Team rallied in Charlotte, North Carolina, in support of the 2nd Annual Charlotte Jumper Classic. Hosted by Bob Johnson, majority owner of the Charlotte Bobcats organization and the founder and CEO of Black Entertainment Television (BET), Chris Kappler, Beezie Madden, and McLain Ward met with print and TV media at a press conference on Tuesday, February 22, 2005 at the Charlotte Coliseum where the classic will be held on April 8-10, 2005.

The inaugural 2004 Charlotte Jumper Classic was a huge success, culminating with its $150,000 Grand Prix won by Beezie Madden and Judgement. The prize money for the 2005 event will increase to $300,000 with the Grand Prix again set at $150,000. Many of the best riders in the world, including Kappler, Madden and Ward will vie against each other to claim the Grand Prix win.

The 2005 Charlotte Jumper Classic, an FEI sanctioned event and a part of the American Grand Prix Association (AGA) tour, will feature three days of show jumping competition for junior and amateur competitors as well as professionals, along with a variety of entertainment, including musical performances and horsemanship exhibitions.

Proceeds from the event benefit the Bobcats Charitable Foundation, established to support, promote and enhance important community efforts that enrich the quality of life for those in need, especially children and youth in the Charlotte area.

“This is a great event for the Charlotte area, one that allows our organization to both raise money for those in need and feature a sport that is gaining more and more attention on the world stage”, said Johnson. Johnson plans to build the Charlotte Jumper Classic into one of the premier stops on the AGA Tour in the years to come. Johnson became an enthusiastic advocate of the equestrian sport through his daughter Paige’s involvement with the sport. Paige Johnson is one of the leading amateur riders in the country.

Following the press conference, Johnson with Kappler, Madden and Ward enjoyed some time-off from the intense demands of the equestrian sport to root courtside for the Charlotte Bobcats at a Bobcats versus Milwaukee Bucks game.

“The Charlotte Jumper Classic is fast becoming one of the preeminent grand prix jumping events in the equestrian sport”, said Johnson, expressing his appreciation to the 2004 Olympic Team Silver Medalists.

2005 Charlotte Jumper Classic Fast Facts

EVENT: Charlotte Jumper Classic, Charlotte Coliseum, Charlotte, North Carolina.

WHEN: Friday, April 8 – Sunday, April 10, 2005.

WHAT: Three days of show jumping competition for junior, amateur and professional competitors with $300,000 in total prize money.

ADMISSION: To order tickets, please visit www.ticketmaster.com or to order by phone, please call 704-52-6500. You may also stop by the Charlotte Coliseum Box Office, Monday through Friday, 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Tickets are available by single show ($15-$25) or five-show packages ($55-$95).

INFORMATION: Please log onto www.charlottejumperclassic.com