Winter Equestrian Festival in Tampa to Determine Which Riders Qualify for Budweiser American Invitational and Budweiser World Cup in Las Vegas

Wellington, FL – February 23, 2005 – The 2005 Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) moves to Tampa for the final two weeks of show jumping action beginning on Wednesday, March 23, 2005, with the Tampa Bay Classic at the Bob Thomas Equestrian Center at the Florida State Fairgrounds at I-4 and Orient Road. The second week, the Tournament of Champions, gets underway on Tuesday, March 29th.

Top show hunters, the nation’s best junior competitors and world class show jumping riders will take center stage with key qualifying positions for the Budweiser American Invitational and the Budweiser World Cup up for grabs and WEF Circuit Championships on the line.

The Winter Equestrian Festival is the nation’s largest and longest running equestrian extravaganza. The final two weeks of the nine week long festival in Tampa have always been a battleground for one of the coveted positions in the $200,000 Budweiser American Invitational, but this year in particular, with the 2005 Budweiser World Cup coming to America, the stakes are particularly high.

The FEI World Cup Jumping Final, started in 1979, is an annual showdown among the world’s best jumping horses and riders. Approximately 45 riders qualify from 13 leagues around the world. In the 26 finals held through 2004, United States riders have emerged with the most titles, having won the championship seven times.

This will mark the sixth FEI World Cup Jumping Final to be held in the United States, following Finals in Baltimore in 1980, Tampa in 1989, Del Mar, CA in 1992 and the two in Las Vegas in 2000 and 2003.

Only the seven top riders on the East Coast World Cup list will make it to Las Vegas and the final two qualifying events will be contested in Tampa. The first is the $75,000 Grand Prix of Tampa, presented by Kilkenny/ICH, CSI-W on Sunday, March 27th at 2 P.M. at the Bob Thomas Equestrian Center. The final chance for that coveted trip to Las Vegas happens on Wednesday, March 30th, in the $30,000 Ariat WEF Challenge Cup Series-Final, CSI-W* scheduled for a 1 P.M. start, again at the Bob Thomas Equestrian Center on the Florida State Fairgrounds.

In addition to offering valuable World Cup points, the Grand Prix of Tampa is the final qualifying event for the $200,000 Budweiser American Invitational. The Invitational is the final event of the 2005 Winter Equestrian Festival and will be held under the lights at 7 P.M. on Saturday, April 2, 2005 at Raymond James Stadium on Dale Mabry Blvd. in Tampa.

The thirty-third annual Invitational, a free event for those who qualify, is the nation’s most prestigious show jumping event. The event is limited to only thirty top riders.

Invitations are extended to the defending Budweiser American Invitational Champion, the five members of the 2004 Silver Medal Olympic Show Jumping Team and to the riders in the top four spots on the American Grand Prix Association (AGA) Rider of the Year Standings as of March 27, 2005. Two additional invitations will be issued by the organizing committee.

The remaining spots are determined by money won in the WEF Challenge Cup classes and the Sunday Grand Prix events during the 2005 Winter Equestrian Festival.

Crunch time comes to Tampa when the Winter Equestrian Festival gets underway on Wednesday, March 23, 2005 at the Bob Thomas Equestrian Center.

Budweiser American Invitational Money Won List – as of 2/20/05

• Chris Kappler - $15,000 - qualified 2004 Olympic Team
• Beezie Madden - $13,050 - qualified 2004 Olympic Team
• McLain Ward $11,750 - qualified 2004 Olympic Team
• Alison Firestone - $425 - qualified 2004 Olympic Team
• Norman Dello Joio - $0 - qualified 2004 American Invitational Winner
• Peter Wylde - $0 - qualified 2004 Olympic Team
• 7 - Laura Kraut $47,225
• 8 - Anne Kursinski $22,075
• 9 - Lauren Hough $19,000
• 10 - Kevin Babington $13,200
• 11 - Cara Raether $13,000
• 12 - Markus Beerbaum $11,600
• 13 - Cayce Harrison $11,000
• Paige Johnson $11,000
• 15 - Jeffery Welles - $7,925
• 16 - Ramiro Quintana $7,800
• 17 - Margie Engle $6,725
• 18 - Joe Fargis $6,625
• 19 - Schuyler Riley $6,500
• 20 - Laura Chapot $5,750
• 21 - Eric Lamaze $4,875
• 22 - Keean White $4,750
• 23 - Kimberly Frey $4,425
• 24 - Eric Flemeng $4,000
• 25 - Christine Tribble $3,825
• 26 - Sheila Burke $3,600
• 27 - Todd Minikus $3,250
• 28 - Clare Bronfman $3,000
• Federico Sztyrle $3,000
• 30 - Jimmy Torano $2,950
• 31 - Georgina Bloomberg$2,850
• 32 - Candice King $2,700
• Kent Farrington $2,700
• 34 - Cody Baird $2,500
• 35 - Ken Berkley $2,000
• Maggie Jayne $2,000
• Nona Garson $2,000
• 38 - Yann Candele $1,925
• 39 - Michael Morrissey$1,500
• 40 - Ian Millar $1,250
• Mac Cone $1,250

USA East Coast World Cup League - Standings as of February 20, 2005

• 1 - McLain Ward - 92
• 2 - Kimberly Frey - 81
• 3 - Laura Kraut - 81
• 4 - Lauren Hough – 74
• 5 - Candice S King – 66
• 6 - Schuyler Riley – 65
• 7 - Beezie Madden – 59
• 8 - Georgina Bloomberg – 56
• 9 - Todd Minikus – 49
• 10 - Anne Kursinski – 45
• 11 - Christine Tribble -44
• 12 - Kevin Babington – 39
• 13 - David Raposa – 37
• 14 - Margie Goldstein Engle – 35
• 15 - Peter Pletcher – 35
• 16 - Jimmy Torano – 33
• 17 - Callan Solem – 30
• 18 - Jeffery Welles – 23
• 19 - Lauren Bass – 23
• 20 - Ken Berkley – 21

PHOTO CREDIT: 2004 Budweiser American Invitational Champion Norman Dello Joio and Glasgow. Photo by Randi Muster