Tournament Kicks Off With Wins from Legends Joe Fargis and Leslie Howard

$15,000 Pasmore/Pin Oak Horseman’s Cup Goes to Leslie Howard; Joe Fargis Wins the $5,000 Atlas Fence Challenge

Syracuse, NY, November 3, 2005: Joe Fargis posted the first win in the International Open Jumper competition tonight at the Syracuse Invitational Sporthorse Tournament winning the $5,000 Atlas Fence Jump Off at the War Memorial at Oncenter on Diams III. The LA Olympic Gold Medalist, was over a second and a half faster than the youngster Lauren Hough on Ottaline. Beezie Madden and Play On, was accurate, but not fast enough to beat Hough’s time, and with Fargis taking the lead, she was bumped down to third.

During the intermission, the newly minted Athens Gold Medal Olympic Team was honored. Chris Kappler, McLain Ward, Beezie Madden, Coach Frank Chapot and alternate Allison Firestone took in the appreciation of the fans as they were toasted for the first time as Gold Medalists. Their Gold is the first for the United States show jumping team since Fargis’s twenty years before.

In the second event of the night, the $15,000 Pasmore Pin Oak Horseman’s Cup, Olympic veteran Leslie Howard and Jeans Glove Varnel were the fastest of the 13 in the jump-off tie breaker. Howard was after Kimberly Prince’s pace-setting time and bested it by just .13 seconds. It was enough to hold on to the lead since Chris Kappler and VDL Oranta had an accurate, but restrained jump-off and the final competitor, Holland’s Harrie Smolders had four faults.

These two competitions are the first in which riders can earn points toward qualifying to be one of the seven riders competing in Sunday afternoon’s Syracuse Cup. Currently, the top seven in order are: Beezie Madden, Lauren Hough, Leslie Howard, Joe Fargis, Aaron Vale, Harrie Smolders and Callan Solem.

There’s still a lot of show jumping still to come in Syracuse through Sunday. Tomorrow night’s featured performance, which begins at 7PM, includes the $15,000 CN Gambler’s Choice, a fast-past, edge-of-seat competition in which riders decide their route on the fly and take a gamble or not with the “Joker” fence – all in costume! The Syracuse Corporate Team Challenge is the next performance. A unique challenge that teams up top International Open riders, their combined efforts are needed for the win. Free day performances include the Masters/Pro Relay in which an amateur rider combines with a professional partner in a relay competition and the $40,000 Beacon Hill Junior/Amateur-Owner Grand Prix, the richest purse for Juniors and Amateur Owners anywhere. On Saturday, the 2PM afternoon performance includes the $15,000 TK 99 Speed Derby and the $15,000 Southgate Junior/Amateur Pro Team competition. Saturday’s featured performance at 7:00 PM where riders will compete for coveted world cup points and a $75,000 purse in the Budweiser World Cup Qualifier of Syracuse.

Tickets for featured Open Jumper performances (Friday at 7 PM, Saturday at 2PM and 7PM and Sunday at 2PM) start at $7.50 and are still available for all performances, but Saturday night is expected to be sold out. Admission to all other events and to the Oncenter Exhibit Hall is free with a ticket to the day’s featured performance. In addition to world-class equestrian competition, the Syracuse Invitational offers free demonstrations, lectures, activities for children, the Budweiser Clydesdales and a program of live entertainment. Tickets are available through the Oncenter Box Office at 315-435-2121 or from Ticket Master (www.ticketmaster.com). For more information, visit www.syracuseinvitational.com.