East Dorset, VT—July 31, 2002— Sandy Van Dyke bested the field to win Wednesday’s $2,500 Open Jumper Class at the Manchester and the Mountains Horse Show, part of the 2002 Vermont Summer Festival held at Harold Beebe Farm in East Dorset, VT.

Three riders mastered the course set by American course designer, Buddy Brown, to advance to the jump-off. Riding Roulette Rouge, owned by Perrin Berkey, Van Dyke of Lake Worth, FL, was the only rider to post a second fault-free performance to win the competition.

Jonathan Phillips of Potomac, MD, incurred eight faults in the jump-off to finish in second position riding Jewels Idaim while third placed Katie Sykes of Lowell, MI, the only other rider to join the jump-off ranks riding Rollo, ran into trouble the second time out by incurring 11 jumping and 20 time penalties after having a refusal.

Kristi Smith of Rockport, MA, took both fourth and fifth positions with Jennieta and On The Sly respectively after having four faults in the first round.

The five-week Vermont Summer Festival, New England’s largest “AA” rated hunter-jumper horse show circuit, features the Manchester Classic, July 17-21, The Valley Classic, July 24-28, and the Manchester and the Mountains Horse Show, July 31-August 4. International horse sport action culminates with the Vermont Summer Celebration, August 7-11.

Each week the Vermont Summer Festival features several open jumper classes including the $35,000 Grand Prix class each Sunday as part of the Series, sponsored by the Stratton Mountain Inn, Hand Motors and the Equinox Resort. Top riders and horses, both nationally and internationally, are showcased in these USET-recognized events.

For further information please visit the Vermont Summer Festival website at www.vt-summerfestival.com or call 802-362-7548.

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