Harrisburg, PA—October 14, 2003—Another Jersey girl captured a North American League Final at the Pennsylvania National Horse Show on Tuesday. Lauren Pedicini, 16, of Farmingdale, NJ, jumped to the head of the class to win the $10,000 North American League Children’s Jumper Final with a clean round in a blistering 30.585 seconds on Moonlight Sonata. Katie Brown of Wellington, FL, finished second also going clean in a time of 31.181 and Lisa Goldman riding Judgement Farms Count, owned by Tina Judge, came in third with no faults and a time of 31.687.

It was a question of time rather than faults with 15 of the 31 going clean in the first round and making for a very exciting jump-off. Pedicini and her Mecklenberg mare were eighth in the line-up and just about all before her went clean, prompting Pedicini to ask her mom for help.

“Just before I went into the ring, I asked my mom for the fastest clear,” said Pedicini. “I never thought there would be so many in the jump-off and then when they were going clear, I got a little nervous. I knew I had the best horse in the class, this is her forte, but I knew I was really going to have to try hard in order to win.”

The competition was fierce as less than two seconds separated the top three. “When I won, I was like “YES!” and then I thought my trainer was going to yell at me for going so fast.”

Pedicini’s trainer, Hugo Huesca, of Olympia Farm, was not mad, he was proud. “When I saw the way she took the course, I knew it would be difficult to beat her, said Huesca. “She lost a little time in one of the turns, but the rest of the course was great.”

The North American League (NAL) runs season long series in six hunter jumper divisions – Children’s Hunter, Children’s Jumper, Adult Hunter, Adult Jumper, Pony Jumper and Open Jumper Speed. Each series culminates with a championship final at the Pennsylvania National Horse Show in Harrisburg, PA in October. Riders need not be members of the NAL to compete in any qualifying classes, but only current members earn points toward year-end finals. For more information and a list of qualifying competitions for 2003, please see the Ryegate Show Services website at www.Ryegate.com.