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$200,000 Budweiser American Invitational at Tampa’s Raymond James Stadium to Showcase Record Number of Olympians
As many as sixteen Olympians are on the money won list for this year’s edition of America’s richest and most prestigious show jumping event. Headlining the list of Olympians competing is the 2004 US Olympic Show Jumping team. Winners of the team Silver Medal in Athens, Greece, the members competing are Chris Kappler, McLain Ward, Beezie Madden and Alison Firestone. Kappler came home with the Athens Individual Bronze medal as well. Peter Wylde, a key member of that team, resides and competes in Europe and won’t be in Tampa for this year’s event. Norman Dello Joio, the 2004 Budweiser American Invitational champion, won the Individual Bronze Medal at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona, Spain. Topping the money won list, with $76,650 in prize money won on the Winter Equestrian Festival tour this year, is Laura Kraut, a member of the 2000 U.S. Show Jumping team at Sydney, Australia. Four time United States Olympian, Anne Kursinski, will take the field at Raymond James Stadium with $38,575 in prize money won so far this year. She’s a two time Team Silver Medalist at Atlanta in 1996 and in Seoul, Korea in 1988. She was the alternate member on the 1984 Gold Medal squad at Los Angeles. Other United States Olympic veterans on the current qualifying list include Margie Engle, Lauren Hough, Todd Minikus and Nona Garson, all teammates of Kraut at the Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia. Joe Fargis, a Gold Medalist in Los Angeles in 1984 and a Silver Medalist in Seoul, Korea in 1988 and Leslie Howard, Fargis’s teammate in Los Angeles and a Silver Medal winner from Atlanta in 1996, are also on this year’s roster for the Budweiser American Invitational. International Olympians round out the all star roster for Tampa’s main event. Ian Millar of Canada, who has competed in nine Olympic Games, more than any athlete in the world, has bankrolled over $13,000 towards his appearance in this year’s event. Millar’s consecutive Olympic streak began with the Olympic Games of Munich in 1972 and continues through his latest appearance in Athens, Greece this past summer. Kevin Babington of Ireland competed for his nation’s Olympic team this past summer at Athens, Greece. Babington was a grand prix winner during the South Florida portion of the Winter Equestrian Festival and produced two clear rides leading to Ireland’s victory in the Samsung Nations Cup at Wellington. France’s Herve Godignon was a member of France’s Bronze Medal Olympic team in 1992 at Barcelona and competed in Atlanta in 1996 as well. Michael Whitaker of Great Britain rounds out the stellar line up of Olympic stars. Whitaker has competed four times for Great Britain in Olympic competition, including the Games at Los Angeles in 1984, where he was a member of the Silver medal winning British team and also competed at Barcelona in 1992, Atlanta in 1996 and at Sydney in 2000. The thirty-third annual Budweiser American 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 eighteen spots are determined by money won in the WEF Challenge Cup classes and the Sunday Grand Prix events during the 2005 Winter Equestrian Festival. The top show jumping stars begin competition in Tampa on Wednesday, March 23, 2005 at the Bob Thomas Equestrian Center at the Florida State Fairgrounds. Key events include the $25,000 WEF Challenge Cup, CSI, on Thursday, March 24 and the $75,000 Grand Prix of Tampa, presented by Kilkenny/ICH on Sunday, March 27, 2005. These events are the final two money qualifiers for the $200,000 Budweiser American Invitational. In addition, the Grand Prix of Tampa and the $30,000 Ariat WEF Challenge Cup Series Final, CSI-W on Wednesday, March 30, are the final two East Coast World Cup qualifying events. 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, plus one “Wild Card” rider 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. The 2005 $200,000 Budweiser American Invitational Money Won List as of 3/14/05
The East Coast League World Cup Standings – as of 3/14/05
PHOTO CREDIT: 4 time U.S. Olympian Anne Kursinski, aboard Roxana 112. Photo by Randi Muster |
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Wellington,
FL– March 15, 2005 – When the $200,000 Budweiser American
Invitational kicks off on Saturday evening, April 2, 2005 at Raymond
James Stadium, it will be the largest gathering of Olympic show jumping
stars in one venue in United States history. 
