WELLINGTON, FL - February 7, 2004 - Olympians Bent Jensen and Anne Kursinski won the $25,000 Windsome Dressage/Show Jumping Spectacular today at the 32nd Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, Florida. This is the sixth year for the duo to claim victory in this popular crowd-pleaser that features teams of two competing in two phases - the show jumpers ride a Third Level Test 3 and the dressage riders jump a Hit 'N' Hurry course with fences up to 3'6". Kursinski placed third in the dressage phase, while Jensen won the jumping phase. Their total points proved to be sufficient to top the field of 11 teams.

Officiating in the dressage phase was Maryal Barnett at H; Joan Macartney at C; and Lorraine MacDonald at B. Olaf Petersen was the course designer.

The winner of the dressage phase, Alexandra Putnam riding Levin, scored 66.519%, which gave her team 12 points and the lead going into Phase 2. She was partnered with Christopher Hickey who rode Quo Vadis in the jumping phase. Hickey scored 14 points in 67.05 seconds for 10th place and 2 points. With a total of 14 points, the duo finished in a two-way tie for fifth place with the team of Jules Nyssen and Chris Kappler.

Kursinski riding Mitchell, a 10-year-old Fourth Level Dutch warmblood gelding owned by John Zopatti, scored 65.33% in the dressage phase for third place and 9 points. Her partner Bent Jensen riding Splendid, a 13-year-old Thoroughbred owned by Stephanie McCarron (McCarron is a new assistant at Kursinski's Market Street and the daughter of jockey Chris McCarron.) put in a stellar jumping performance scoring 20 points in 56.144 seconds, to win the phase, adding 12 points to his team's score. The total for the duo was s 21 points overall, giving them the win.

"I didn't feel just right in the dressage," said Kursinski. "The horse was a little spooky and maybe I could have ridden him better, so Bent made a wonderful comeback. The horse we put him on is a little New Zealand Thoroughbred that Bent's never ridden before. The last couple of years he's always ridden the same horse, Eros. He did great because he shortened his reins and shortened his stirrups, got into two-point and really just let him go. He made it all up."

Jensen was just as supportive of his partner. "Her dressage was good enough," Jensen said. "He was a little more difficult horse this year. She did very well."

An enthusiastic crowd of fans at the Internationale Arena cheered on the riders in the jumping phase, adding to the fun of the competition - especially the 'go-for-broke' style many of the competitors exhibited. The riders went in reverse order of their partner's dressage score, putting Jensen third to last in the ring, with the title resting on his performance. Jensen said, "There's always the pressure at the end of the class." But he did enjoy the crowd's highly vocal participation. "That's fun. I know a lot of people who live up north who pick this weekend to come down just to watch this. They have a really good time."

Kursinski also enjoyed the fans' participation. "We get such a great crowd every year. It's really, really terrific."

Jensen and Kursinski have developed an unplanned strategy for their winning streak - they never practice for the event. "I got on this horse for the first time today," said Jensen. "We have done that every time and every time we say, next year we need to practice, but Anne was so busy that we couldn't do it."

Kursinski concurred, "Every year I say I'm going to practice and I feel like I should have practiced. One of the girls at my barn said, Anne you never practice - don't change anything!"

Will the dynamic duo be back next year? "Yes, we have a standing date!" said Kursinski, and Jensen seconded her statement.

Scoring for the event is determined as follows: In Phase I and 2, the best-placed competitor receives one point more than the number of participants in Phase I. The second placed competitor receives two points less than the winner, and the third placed competitor receives three points less than the winner - and so on down the line. In the jumping phase the rider is awarded two points for an obstacle correctly jumped and one point for an obstacle knocked down. The winner of the phase is the rider who at the end of the fixed time acquired the greatest number of points in the fastest time. Team placings were determined by adding the points from Phase I to their teammate's points in Phase 2. The team with the highest number of points was named the winner.

2004 WINTER EQUESTRIAN FESTIVAL TICKET INFORMATION
Show days for the 2004 Winter Equestrian Festival are Wednesday through Sunday. Gates open at 8:00 am. Ticket Prices: Wednesdays are free to everyone; Children 12 and under are admitted free every day; Young Adults 13 to 18 and Seniors are $5 on Thursday through Sunday; Adults are $5 on Thursday and Friday, $10 on Saturday, and $15 on Sunday. The Palm Beach Polo Equestrian Club is located on Pierson Road off South Shore Boulevard. For additional information, visit www.stadiumjumping.com or call 561-793-5867.

2004 WEF SCHEDULE OF COMPETITIONS
February 4 - 8 Bayer/USET Foundation Gold Coast Jumper Classic CSI***
February 5 - 8 Wellington Dressage (Qualifier for Olympic Selection Trials)
February 11 - 15 Kilkenny/ICH Internationale CSI***
February 18 - 22 Florida Classic/WCHR Spectacular CSI-W/Y CSI-Ch
February 19 - 22 Zada Enterprises, LLC Florida Dressage Classic
February 25 - 29 PDP Capital Wellington Masters CSI***
March 3 - 7 CN Wellington Open CSI-W
March 10 - 14 CSIO United States Cosequin Finale CSIO***
March 18 - 21 Zada Enterprises WEF Dressage Classic CDI***/Y
(Qualifier for Olympic Selection Trials)
March 24 - 28 Tampa Bay Classic CSI-W (Bob Thomas Equestrian Center)
March 30 - April 3 Tournament of Champions CSI-W (Bob Thomas Equestrian Center)
April 3 Budweiser American Invitational (Raymond James Stadium)

2004 WEF MILLION DOLLAR GRAND PRIX SERIES
February 8 $50,000 Bayer/USET Foundation Wellington Cup, CSI***
February 15 $50,000 Kilkenny/ICH Internationale Cup, CSI***
February 22 $60,000 Idle Dice Classic, presented by Palm Beach Post, CSI-W
February 29 $75,000 PDP Capital Masters Cup, CSI***
March 7 $75,000 CN Wellington Open presented by Estates of Wellington Green, CDI-W
March 12 $50,000 Samsung Nations' Cup, presented by CN, CSIO****
March 14 $100,000 Cosequin U.S. Open Jumper Championship, CSIO****
March 28 $75,000 Grand Prix of Tampa, presented by Kilkenny/ICH, CSI-W
April 3 $200,000 Budweiser American Invitational, presented by The Tampa Tribune

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