Winter Equestrian Festival To Host Samsung Nations’ Cup,
Presented by CN
Wellington, FL—January 15, 2003—For the second year,
the Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) will host the Samsung Nations’
Cup, presented by CN, as part of its 2003 run, January 22 –
April 6 in Wellington and Tampa, FL.
The Samsung Nations’ Cup, presented by CN, an international
team show jumping competition recognized by the Fédération
Equestre Internationale (FEI), will take place during the Cosequin
Wellington Finale CSIO***, March 5-9, the final week of the WEF’s
seven-week stay at the Palm Beach Polo Equestrian Club in Wellington,
FL.
The United States, Canada, Great Britain, Russia, Argentina, Ireland,
and Saudi Arabia have all accepted invitations to compete in the
Nations’ Cup and CSIO. Germany, France, and the Netherlands
have also been invited to compete, but have not yet submitted
their entries.
In
2001, Wellington was the host of the U.S.’s first-ever outdoor
Nation’s Cup competition. Wellington became only the fifth
U.S. location for a Nations’ Cup since the first Nations’
Cup was held in London, England in 1909. The first Nations’
Cup in the U.S. was at the National Horse Show in New York in
1911. The National Horse Show continued to host Nations’
Cups through 1998, missing only the years 1914-1924 and 1942-1945.
Other U.S. cities to host Nations’ Cups are Boston (1929-1932),
Harrisburg (1948-1963, 1965-1966, 1969-1972) and Washington D.C.
(1973-2001).
The
United States squad of Margie Goldstein-Engle, Lauren Hough, Laura
Kraut, and McLain Ward won last year’s Samsung Nations’
Cup, presented by CN. Finishing in second behind the U.S. was
Canada, and Ireland took third. Argentina finished in fourth.
In addition to its seven weeks of competition in Wellington, the
2003 Winter Equestrian Festival will also include three weeks
of competition in Tampa, FL, culminating with the $200,000 Budweiser
American Invitational in Raymond James Stadium on March 29.
The
WEF then returns to Wellington for the American Grandprix Association
National Championship, April 2-6.
Several
FEI-recognized dressage competitions will also be held at the
Winter Equestrian Festival, including qualifiers for USET selection
trials for the 2003 Pan-American Games to be held this summer
in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
Other
WEF highlights include the following:
$430,000
Amateur-Owner Jumper Series
$350,000 USA Equestrian ‘AA’ Hunter Series
$230,000 Junior Jumper Series
$96,000 Adult Amateur Jumper Series
$25,000 Windsome WEF Dressage/Jumper Spectacular
$16,000 Pony Jumper Series
R.W. Mutch Equitation Championship
The
2003 Winter Equestrian Festival also includes the WEF $1,000,000
Grand Prix Series featuring the following:
Nutrena/Western
Hay Grand Prix of Palm Beach
Bayer/USET Wellington Cup, presented by Fleet Financial
Kilkenny/ICH Internationale Cup
Idle Dice Classic
Zada Enterprises, LLC Masters Cup
Tommy Bahama Florida Open, presented by RV Sales of Broward
Samsung Nations’ Cup, presented by CN
Cosequin U.S. Open Jumper Championship, presented by CN
Grand Prix of Tampa
Budweiser American Invitational, presented by The Tampa Tribune
Admission
to the Winter Equestrian Festival at Wellington is free every
Wednesday, and children under 12 are always admitted free. Adult
admission is $5.00 on Thursdays and Fridays, $10.00 on Saturdays,
and $15.00 on Sundays. Senior citizens are $5.00 every Thursday
through Sunday. All adults who attend the Festival any Wednesday,
Thursday, or Friday will receive a coupon entitling them to a
two-for-one admission on that weekend.
For
more information on the Winter Equestrian Festival and all its
exciting events and activities, please call Stadium Jumping, Inc.
in Wellington at (561) 793-JUMP or visit www.stadiumjumping.com.
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