Wellington, Florida – March 24, 2003 – After The 2003 Winter Equestrian Festival wraps up in Tampa on March 29, 2003, most competitors will head back home for a bit of respite before going on to the summer shows. But an elite group of show jumper horse-and-rider teams will return to The Palm Beach Polo Equestrian Club in Wellington for five days of The American Grand Prix Association’s Jumper Championships, presented by Budweiser. The Championships will take place from Wednesday, April 2 through Sunday, April 6, 2003.

In the late 1970s Eugene R. Mische, Leonard King and Mason Phelps, Jr. founded the American Grand Prix Association (“AGA”). The AGA’s goal is to provide the very best jumpers and their riders with the type of world-class competitions they can expect to face at The Pan American Games, The World Cup and The Olympics. The AGA tour, beginning in April of each year (after the Championships), consists of 33 events offering a total of $3 million in prize money.

Jumper competitions during the week will feature classes for young and schooling jumper horses and for child, junior, senior and amateur-owner jumper riders.

The highlight of the week will undoubtedly be The $150,000 2002/2003 AGA Championship Series Final, presented by Budweiser, which will begin at 2pm on Sunday, April 6th, in The Internationale Arena. The Final is by invitation-only, with invitations extended to the top 30 horses and riders in point standings on the year-long tour. In addition to receiving the prestigious title of AGA Horse and Rider of The Year, the winning team will receive a trophy, a cooler and $45,000.

Expected among the competitors in Sunday’s Final will be defending champion, Olympian Margie Goldstein-Engle, winner of the Final for the past two years; Beezie Madden, winner of two Sunday Grand Prixs during this past season’s Wellington series; Olympians Laura Kraut, Norman Dello Joio, Anne Kursinski and Lauren Hough; and other top grand prix riders such as Candice King, Todd Minikus, Chris Kappler, McLain Ward and Jimmy Torano.

The Outdoor Life Network will be televising The Championships for future broadcasting.

The show will begin at 9am on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, and at 8am on Saturday and Sunday.

Tickets to the AGA Championships are $5.00 for Adults on Wed. – Sat; $10.00 for Adults on Sunday; Seniors are $5.00 Wed – Sunday; Children 12 & under are free. Parking is free. Tickets can be purchased at the Gate. Schedules, directions and information are available at www.stadiumjumping.com or by phone at (561) 793-5867

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