Encinitas, Ca - May 16 - The Hap Hansen Stables wrapped up two weeks of action in Del Mar, California, with success at both the 60th Annual Del Mar National Horse Show, May 3-8, and at the just completed Ranch and Coast Show, held at Del Mar Showpark this past week.

Riding Linda Smith's ABC Lanzelot, Hansen grabbed a fifth place finish in the $100,000 HBO Grand Prix of Del Mar last Saturday night. "I was the second fastest of the four faults in round one," Hansen said. "The horse jumped super and it was a lot of course. He was a bit green and little spooky under the lights, but he tried hard and I was very proud of the effort." This week at Showpark's Ranch and Coast, Hansen and the 10 year old Oldenberg gelding finished seventh in the $40,000 Ranch and Coast Grand Prix. This marks the fifth Grand Prix in a row that this duo has finished in the top twelve.

Hansen's biggest success at this year's Del Mar National came on the hunter side. Aboard Sharon Engel's The Promise, Hansen dominated the Pre-Green Hunters, taking top honors in three classes. "She's an elegant mover and a beautiful jumper," said Hansen. "I'll keep her Pre-Green this year and move her up next season. She's got a great future." Hansen continued his winning ways with The Promise at Ranch and Coast, taking home the Modified Hunter Championship.

Following a win and a fifth place finish at the Del Mar National Horse Show, Sharon Engel was champion in the Adult Amateur Hunters 51 and Over with her wonderful hunter Superman at Ranch and Coast. At Showpark this week, the duo racked up a win and three second place finishes to take home the tri-color.

Hansen finished third this year in the hotly contested $25,000 Del Mar National Horse Show Equitation Championship. Hansen, who missed the top twelve in phase one, came from behind to gather in a third place finish in the second phase of the three phase competition and then held steady to finish third in the overall championship. Nicole Simpson and Jenny Karazissis finished first and second.

At Del Mar National, junior rider Bliss Heers topped a field of seventeen competitors to snare the victory in the Hunter Phase of the Washington International Horse Show Equitation Class and finished seventh in the USEF Show Jumping Talent Search. Heers also took home five ribbons in the Large Junior Hunter section aboard her mount, Cento, owned by Bridgeside Farm, LLC. This week at Ranch and Coast, Heers was fifth in the Washington and seventh in the CPHA Hunt Seat Medal.

Heers is currently ranked as the top West Coast rider and ninth in the nation on the 2005 Bigeq.com Equitation Index at the popular www.bigeq.com website. Earlier in the year, Heers was the number one rider on the Indio Desert Circuit rankings and was honored with the Consistency Award for most number of placings on the Indio tour.