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Articles: Press Release
Murray Kessler and All That left Win the $10,000 NAL Adult Jumper Finals
Contact:
Marty Bauman (508) 698-6810,
classic.pr@verizon.net
Annville, PA-October 25, 2005-Murray Kessler and All That left
their competition in the dust as they raced to the top of the class in the
$10,000 North American League (NAL) Adult Jumper Finals on the final day of
the Pennsylvania National Horse Show in Harrisburg, Pa.
Six riders qualified for the jump off from a field of 27 and
Kessler had the advantage riding last in the jump-off. Four of the jump-off
contenders attempted the course and had the speed, but dropped rails to the
ground.
Elizabeth Pandich and Kaiser were the only pair to keep the rails
in the cups. They posted a time of 36.882 which put them in the lead...
that is, until Kessler and All That, a 9-year-old Oldenburg gelding, flew
through the course clean and stopped the timers more than three full seconds
faster than Pandich.
"I watched the first ride. She was clean but slow. She took a big
loop between the third and fourth fences. When I went in, I asked the
gatekeeper how many were clear; he said, "One." I knew what I had to do,"
Kessler said.
"I was very fast over the first part of the course, left out
strides. I purposely slowed and was very careful over the final three
fences. I knew All That would be fast enough to win. He just had to go
clean."
This was Kessler's second year qualifying for the NAL Adult Jumper
Finals and he was pleased to best his third-place finish from last year.
Kessler's wife, Teri, showed All That as an Amateur Owner Hunter until about
three years ago.
"Our trainer, Andre Dignelli figured All That was bred to jump. He
was getting bored in the Hunters-- getting too fresh, so I inherited him for
Adult Jumpers," Kessler explained.
Kessler rode jumpers when he was younger, but, as president of the
US Smokeless Tobacco Company, he doesn't find much time to show. And as
husband and father, he often spends more time getting horses for his wife
and their 11-year-old daughter, Reed.
The North American League (NAL) runs season-long series in six
hunter-jumper divisions - Children's Hunter, Children's Jumper, Adult
Hunter, Adult Jumper, Pony Jumper and Open Jumper Speed. Each series
culminates with a championship final at the Pennsylvania National Horse Show
in Harrisburg, PA in October. Riders need not be members of the NAL to
compete in any qualifying classes, but only current members earn points
toward year-end finals. For more information, a list of qualifying
competitions and results, please see the Ryegate Show Services website at
www.Ryegate.com.
Place/rider/horse/faults r1/r2/time
1 Murray Kessler/ALL THAT 0/0/ 33.614
2 Elizabeth Pandich/KAISER 0/0/ 36.882
3 Patty Van Housen/IMA GOOD 1-2 0/4/32.413
4 Ericka Schaefer/MAIZY TOLTIEN 0/4/32.520
5 Jarell Ward/XS 0/4/33.916
6 Wendy Libert/GALIA ROUGE 0/4/ 34.218
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