2008 Charlotte Jumper Classic Hosts Stellar List of Show Jumpers

Charlotte, NC -The 2008 Charlotte Jumper Classic starts their competition tomorrow evening, Friday, April 11, and runs through Sunday, April 13, when the $500,000 Grand Prix of Charlotte, CSI 5* will be held at 3 p.m. This year, the list of riders attending the Charlotte Jumper Classic is the who's who of the sport of show jumping.

In the international open jumper division, there are 11 American Olympians attending this year. They include three members of the 2004 Athens Olympic gold-medal winning team: Beezie Madden, McLain Ward, and Chris Kappler. Other Olympians from the United States include Margie Engle, Katie Prudent, Leslie Howard, Todd Minikus, Alison Robitaille, Laura Kraut, Lauren Hough, and Norman Dello Joio. The 2004 Olympic individual gold medalist, Rodrigo Pessoa of Brazil, will also compete in Charlotte. There are top Canadian riders, including eight-time Olympian Ian Millar, last year's CN $1 Million grand prix winner Eric Lamaze and Canadian team riders Mario Deslauriers and Erynn Ballard. Top Irish rider Edward Doyle is in Charlotte, as is one of Great Britain's up and coming show jumpers, Ben Maher.

Riders on this year's American Olympic Short List who are at Charlotte include Charlie Jayne, Kent Farrington, Kate Levy, Nicole Simpson, and William Simpson. Other top show jumpers include Richard Spooner, Hillary Dobbs, Eliza Shuford of Hickory, NC, Georgina Bloomberg, Cara Raether, Schuyler Riley, Brianne Goutal, Judy Garofalo, William Lowry, Christine McCrea, Danielle and Jimmy Torano, Callan Solem, Andres Rodriguez, Michael Morrissey, Lisa Silverman, Eduardo Salas of Mexico, and Karen Cudmore, Emily George and Jonathan Asselin of Canada.

In addition to top professionals, there is a full roster of the best junior and amateur riders in the country who are attending the Charlotte Jumper Classic. They include Jeanne Hobbs of North Carolina, Paige Johnson, Tatiana Dzavik, Lauren Sturges, April Wehle, Carolyn Kelly, Callie Bass, Amelia McArdle, Clara Lindner, Peter Welles, Alexandra Arute, Cortie Wetherill, Sloane Coles, Gabby Slome, Alexandra Biederman, Mary Elizabeth Moore, Clementine Goutal, Francis Tres Roig, Sean Crooks, Ashley Baker, Ashley Fleischhacker, Lauren Tisbo, Jenna Thompson, Cody Auer, Andrew Ross, Nicole Lakin, Carolyn Curcio, Catie Boone, Whitney Weeks, Tracy Weinberg, Reed Kessler, Marley Goodman, Jessica Speiser, Ali Wolff, Jennifer Waxman, and Catherine Pasmore.

The biggest class of the week is the $500,000 Grand Prix of Charlotte, CSI 5* for the Charlotte Bobcats Cup. It will be held on Sunday, April 13, at 3 p.m. The international jumpers will battle for $100,000 in prize money in their first three classes of competition at the show. The $50,000 Charlotte Welcome Stake, CSI runs on Friday, April 11, at 8 p.m. Their second class, a speed competition for $25,000 in prize money, will be held on Saturday afternoon at 1:30 p.m. The accumulator class, which also offers a $25,000 purse, is on Saturday at 8 p.m. In addition to the prize money that riders can win in competition, the Leading International Rider will win a trophy and $7,500, as will the Best International Horse. The reserve horse will be presented $2,500.

The junior/amateur-owner jumpers will compete for an amazing $80,000 in prize money. This includes a $15,000 speed class on Friday, April 11, at 7 p.m. and a $15,000 accumulator class on Saturday evening. Their final class is the $50,000 Charlotte Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper Classic on Sunday at 1 p.m., which rivals in prize money many of the grand prix events held around the country.

The Charlotte Jumper Classic is a signature fundraising event for the Bobcats Youth Foundation, which focuses on improving the lives of children and youth in the community. The 2008 Charlotte Jumper Classic will benefit the Bobcats Youth Foundation's three signature initiatives: Building reading and technology centers, resurfacing outdoor basketball courts and supporting the Presbyterian Hospital Community Care Cruiser, a mobile health clinic providing needed healthcare to disadvantaged children.

The Charlotte Jumper Classic will host more than 150 horses in Uptown Charlotte and features $700,000 in prize money. For more information on the Charlotte Jumper Classic, please visit their Web site at www.charlottejumperclassic.com.

Photo Credit: North Carolina resident Eliza Shuford will compete at the 2008 Charlotte Jumper Classic. Photo (C) 2008 Jennifer Wood/PMG.