Washington, D.C. -October 27, 2005 - It was a one-two finish for Great Britain on Thursday night in the $20,000 International-Open Jumper Gambler's Choice class at the 2005 Washington International Horse Show at the MCI Center in Washington, D.C.

England's Michael Whitaker broke the one thousand point barrier and edged fellow Brit Nick Skelton by seventy points for the victory. The Gambler's Choice class features an array of jumps with point values based on the degree of difficulty of the obstacle. Riders design their own course and accumulate as many points as possible in the 50 second time allotted. The riders then have the option of the final fence, The Joker, with a value of 200 points. If they clear the Joker, the 200 points are added on, if it's knocked down the points are deducted.

Riding Iqbal Des Hayettes, Whitaker sliced and diced his way around the Steve Stephens designed course to an initial total of 850 points. The successful effort at the Joker brought his total to 1050. Whitaker was the only rider to top 1000 points.

McLain Ward and Oasis, riding second in the order, made an early bid to make it two wins in two years in the Gambler's Choice, taking the early lead with 970 points.

Great Britain's Nick Skelton edged Ward out of the top spot eleven horses later. Aboard Russel, Skelton piled up 980 points, a total that would top the leader board. It was then, with only three to go in the class, that Whitaker grabbed the lead from his fellow countryman.

"Of course I had the advantage of going later on and I had a chance to see everyone else go and try and figure out the best course. Obviously the key is finding the best course and leaving all the fences up," Whitaker said with a smile. "And, I got to that fence on the end of the ring again which no one else who did my course was able to do."

Iqbal Des Hayettes is a brand new mount for Whitaker. "The first time I showed him was in Las Vegas a couple of weeks ago and he was second, third and fourth," Whitaker said. "This is just my fourth class together with him and he's been absolutely brilliant."

Whitaker who returned to the Washington International for the first time since the move to the MCI Center, likes the new facility. "I showed a number of times at the old building (Capital Center)," he said. "But this place is fantastic. A really good atmosphere. I really like it here."

For Whitaker, who spent the winter in Florida this past season, it was nice to be here in the fall. "It's a nice change to be over here. Well not really a change," he laughed. "I'm spending quite a bit of time over here. More than in Europe I think. I plan to return to Florida again this winter and see what happens."

For Michael Whitaker a win in the main event on Saturday night would make the trip really worthwhile.

The $100,000 President's Cup sponsored by Salamander Hospitality, LLC highlights this year's jumper division and will take place on Saturday night, October 29, 2005.

Friday is the all new AOL.com Night at the Washington International Horse Show featuring two exciting show jumping events, the $20,000 International-Open Jumper Accumulator and the $25,000 AOL.com International Open Puissance classes.

Official Results-Class 213- $20,000 International-Open Jumper Gamblers's FEI Art. 270 -2005 Washington International Horse Show October 25-30 2005

2-712 -Nick Skelton -GBR -RUSSEL-980/57.17

3-717 -McLain Ward -USA -OASIS-970/57.55

4-721 -Aaron Vale -USA -SEA CLOUD 2-940/52.50

5-81 -Todd Minikus -USA -GAME BOY-940/61.53

6483 -Leslie Howard -USA -ROLLING THUNDER -930/54.86

7-711 -Harry Smolders -NED -EXQUIS OLIVER Q - 890/53.64

8-393 -Kim Farlinger -CAN -LAFORZA- 870/55.21

9-635 -Lauren Hough -USA -OTTALINE - 750/52.21

10-612 -Caitlin Venezia -USA -GAROUCHA -740/57.90

11-86 -Judy Garofalo -USA -HARLEM DE MESCAM -700/55.19

12-701 -Philippe Rozier -FRA -IDEAL DE PRISSEY- 650/55.21

Washington International President's Cup Qualifier Goes to Goldika and McLain Ward for Third Year in a Row

Washington, D.C. - October 27, 2005 - For the third year in a row, McLain Ward led the victory gallop in the $20,000 President's Cup Qualifier, sponsored by Monarch International/Show Circuit Magazine, at the Washington International Horse Show at the beautiful MCI Center in Washington, D.C. Ward will try and make it two in a row in Saturday night's main event, the $100,000 President's Cup, sponsored by Salamander Hospitality, LLC, the highlight of this year's jumper division and one of the nation's most prestigious show jumping titles.

Steve Stephens of Palmetto, Florida is the Course Designer for the 2005 Washington International Horse Show. Today's class was scored under FEI Table A, Art. 238.2.1. Time First Round. Ward topped a field of thirty-two horse and rider combinations for the afternoon win.

Madison, owned by Alexa Weeks and ridden by Kent Farrington, grabbed the early lead out of the seventh spot in the order. Farrington flew home with a clean round and broke the beams in 46.41 seconds. That lead held up through the next eighteen competitors.

Ward and Goldika, owned by the Double H Farm, flat out flew around the twists and turns of the Stephens designed challenge and when the smoke had cleared, the scoreboard flashed up an incredible time of 43.53 seconds.

"It's been a good class for her for the past three years and hopefully we can repeat on Saturday night as well," Ward said. "She's incredibly careful, very fast and very quick inside. She adjusts very quickly. The size of the ring only helps her, it doesn't hurt her," noted Ward. "Her entire career, while she's had some great success outside, her top ranked, quality wins have come indoors. You can feel her confidence inside. She's really an indoor specialist," he said.

Ward, who went on to win the 2004 President's Cup following last year's Qualifier victory, has had tremendous success at Washington. He hasn't placed less than second in this event for the past five years and last year won every class at Washington, except the Puissance. "Rio was also very good in this class a couple of times, too," he said. "Washington has been a very good show for me. In our sport, it seems to go in trends. The good shows are usually good and the bad ones stay bad," laughed Ward.

Ward also noted the Dwight D. Eisenhower Trophy that came with today's win. "Certainly for me, being an historian of the sport, it's great to win the important classes and even nice when a prestigious trophy is involved," Ward said.

Many are saying that this year's Washington International boasts one of the best and most highly rated jumper rosters in it's long history. Ward agreed, "Absolutely. Nick Skelton, Michael Whitaker, Gerco Schroeder. They're the best and the hottest in Europe right now. They're all at the top of the world rankings. And the American contingent is as strong as Washington's ever seen," he said.

Results of Class 210 -$20,000 International-Open Jumper 238.2.1- 2005 Washington International Horse Show - October 25-30, 2005 - FEI Table A -Article 238.2.1.

2- 479 -Kent Farrington-USA-MADISON-0.00/46.41

3-105-Kimberly Prince-USA-MARLOU-0.00/46.78

4- 484-Leslie Howard - USA- YOUP- 0.00/46.82

5-182-Lauren Hough -USA-CASADORA-0.00/47.78

6-41-Aaron Vale -USA-ARTUR 28-0.00 /47.88

7-613-Danielle L. Torano-USA-CAPITANO-0.00/48.15

8-605-Judy Garofalo -USA-OLIVER III -0.00 /48.69

9-599-Candice S. King -USA-TURBO vh GESTELHOF -0.00/48.96

10-395-Kelley Small -CAN-CALIBUR- 0.00/49.13

11-156-Cayce Harrison -USA-COEUR-0.00 /50.24

12-549-Chris Kappler -USA-VDL ORANTA-0.00 /50.95

Two in a Row for Georgina Bloomberg and Lumina 2 in Amateur Owner Jumpers

Georgina Bloomberg posted her second win in as many days on Thursday, topping a field of thirteen in the Amateur Owner Jumpers, Time First Round Class.

Bloomberg and Lumina 2, owned by Gotham Enterprizes, raced across the finish line in 41.874 seconds to post a 2.31 second win over second place finisher, Laura Linback on Woodrun Farm's Mohawk Du Clair De Lune. Linback's final time was 44.185 seconds.

Cromwell, owned the Weinberg Brokerage and ridden by Tracy Weinberg, finished third in 45.198 seconds.

Results of Class 207 $2,500 Amateur Owner Jumpers TII, Sec 1-2005 Washington International Horse Show-October 25-30, 2005

2-63-Laura Linback -MOHAWK DU CLAIR DE LUNE -0.00 /44.185

3-259-Tracey Weinberg -CROMWELL -0.00 /45.198

4-522-Michelle Spadone -R MABLE KZ -0.00 /45.292

5-69-Joy Slater -SHINDIG -4.00 /41.409

6-523-Gabby Slome -SALSA -4.00 /43.898

7-154-Cayce Harrison -QUICKSTAR II Z -4.00 /45.356

8-196-Mary Elizabeth Moore -TRILLION- 8.00 /44.444

Evan Coluccio Finishes One-Two in Junior Jumpers

Twenty-one Junior Jumpers went to the post in a Time First Round class scored under USEF Table II, Sec 1. It was the first class in the division for the junior riders, leading up to their Championship and the Senator's Cup Trophy class.

Evan Coluccio took the top two spots in the speed class, topping the field with Batman in 44.186 and finishing second with Ransom in 46.026 seconds. Brianne Goutal finished third with Onira, just off the second place pace in 46.157 seconds.

Results of Class 202 -$2,500 Junior Jumper TII, 2.1-2005 Washington International Horse Show-October 25-30, 2005

2-651-Evan M. Coluccio-RANSOM - 0.00/46.026

3-438-Brianne Goutal -ONIRA - 0.00/46.157
3-438-Brianne Goutal -ONIRA - 0.00/46.157

4-207-Jessica Speiser -CALINO DE LEZEAUX -0.00/46.972

5-486-Lauren Hester -OXFORD-0.00/48.023

6-687-Hannah Selleck -CIRKA Z-0.00/49.402

7-436-Clementine Goutal-LAURIN-0.00/50.997

8-437-Clementine Goutal -RASTELLA-0.00/52.641

For complete results for all classes at the 2005 Washington International Horse Show please go to: www.ryegate.com