East Dorset, VT—August 08, 2003––The Vermont Summer Festival, concluding its fifth and final week this Sunday, reached its culmination with the Vermont Summer Celebration.

The Celebration’s $10,000 Mini Prix had 20 horse-and-rider combinations competing over a Buddy Brown designed track. Of those 20 horses, five turned in fault-free rides and then returned for the timed jump-off. Three horses produced double clear rounds and speed was the deciding factor. Armando Hassey of Mexico City and Kosmanta finished on top after their round was just 0.52 seconds faster than second placed Makkelijk with Deb Shegog riding.

In Equitation, Emily Parker won the ASPCA Maclay Medal while Jaime Jansen of Pittsford, NY produced a “Hat Trick”. Jamie, who attends Skidmore College, won the Ariat Adult Medal, the Adult Equitation 18-35 Over Fences and the Adult Equitation on the Flat.

CC Bloom, a chestnut filly out of the 1996 Olympic champion horse Jus de Pomme, won the Circuit Grand Champion Award for Pre-Green Hunters with Rob Bielefeld riding. CC Bloom won the two Adult Hunter 18-35 Classes with owner Samantha Hallman of New York, NY. Of her horse that she bought in Europe last year, Samantha said, “She’s so kind, she would just climb in your lap if she could.”

The Vermont Summer Festival is New England’s largest “AA” rated hunter/jumper horse show. This year’s event includes five USET-recognized $35,000 Grand Prix held on the last day of each show and five $10,000 Mini Prix held on the Friday of each show. Each of the five weeks also features a $10,000 Show Jumping Hall Of Fame High Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper class, part of the Show Jumping Hall of Fame Jumper Classic Series which determines which junior and amateur/owner riders will qualify to ride at the 2003 National Horse Show.

For further information on the 2003 Vermont Summer Festival, please call (802) 362-9023. For full results, visit the Vermont Summer Festival website
at www.vt-summerfestival.com.