Contact:
Lisa Patterson (508) 698-6810, classic.pr@verizon.net

Annville, PA-July 31, 2006-The summer sizzles as battles for top positions heat up in the 2006 North American League (NAL).

The NAL runs season-long series in six hunter-jumper divisions - Adult Hunter, presented by Practical Horseman, Children's Hunter, Open Jumper Speed, Adult Jumper, Children's Jumper and Pony Jumper. Each division's series culminates with a championship final at the Pennsylvania National Horse Show in Harrisburg, PA in October. All horses competing in the NAL finals earn U.S. Equestrian Federation Horse-of-the-Year points.

The current NAL qualifying period runs from September 1, 2005 through August 31, 2006. Riders need not be members of the NAL to compete in any qualifying classes, but only current members earn points toward year-end finals.

Classes held through the spring generated plenty of excitement for competitors and spectators alike. Thousands of horses and riders continued their quest to qualify for the 2006 NAL finals as the summer began to heat up. Top spots become more difficult to maintain as the season progresses, and some impressive horse-and-rider combinations were holding the lead in each of the six divisions going into the summer months.

In the NAL Adult Hunter division, presented by Practical Horseman, Lara McPherson of McLean, VA, and Tenerife led with 3,485 points. In second with 3,213 points was Meghan Rehman of Mechanicsburg, PA, piloting Macallan. Following Rehman in third place with 2,739 points was Parker Minchin of Vass, NC, aboard Mandrake.

With 3,123 points, Adele Norton of Falls Church, VA, and Just One Look led in the Children's Hunter division. Colleen Holton of Hilliard, OH, and Gatsby followed in the standings with 3,001 points. With 2,522 points, Abigail McArdle of Barrington, IL, sat in third riding Bert.

In the Jumper Divisions, Laura Chapot of Neshanic Station, NJ maintained a decisive lead in the Open Speed division, which features this country's top riders competing for the right to ride in the NAL Finals. Chapot, with 15,195 points, had almost three times as many points as Brianne Goutal, who sat in second with 5,200. Goutal, of New York, NY, show jumping's newest up-and-coming superstar, stayed just under 2,000 points ahead of Margie Engle of Wellington, FL, who had 3,360 points. Points in the Open Speed division are awarded for riders only, based on their best finish in a class regardless of the horse on which the finish was obtained.

Patty Van Housen of Mequon, WI, and Ima Good 1-2 led the Adult Jumper division with 4,123 points. Following Van Housen in second place with 3,229 points was Hayley Carlson of Northport, NY, riding Gracia. In third place was Meghan Abbott of Coral Springs, FL, on Colleen with 3,200 points.

Topping the Children's Jumper division standings were Kaitlin Campbell of Upper Black Eddy, PA, and Lucy in the Sky, with 5,121 points. In second place with a total of 3,955 points was Holly Cerasano of Stillwater, NY, with Koko. Rounding out the top three was Olivia Goossen of Howell, NJ, with 3,775 points riding Inca.

In the Pony Jumper division, Wilhelmina Horzepa of Englishtown, NJ, and Exhilaration sat atop the standings with 1,253 points, nearly 400 points ahead of second place rider Lillie Ross. Ross of Wheaton, IL, had 810 points aboard TNT. Kaitlin Campbell of Upper Black Eddy, PA, sat in third aboard Magic BB with 716 points.

For more information on the North American League and a list of qualifying competitions for the 2005-2006 season, please visit the Ryegate Show Services website at www.Ryegate.com.

The 2006 North American League leader boards, as of July 27, appear below:

Presented by Practical Horseman

Plc HORSE; Rider Points Rider - City, State

1 TENERIFE; Lara McPherson 3485.00 Mc Lean, VA

2 MACALLAN; Meghan A. Rehman 3213.00 Mechanicsburg, PA

3 MANDRAKE; Parker Minchin 2739.00 Vass, NC

4 OVERSEAS; Mindy Wurzburg 2554.00 Memphis, TN

5 TALISKER; Jessica Ianello 2397.00 Chicago, IL

6 RIESLING; Cheryl Rubenstein 2348.00 Memphis, TN

7 PLAY WITH FIRE; Elizabeth Sponseller 2340.00 New Market, MD

8 IN KOMMAND; Julie Harrington 2273.00 Harrisonburg, VA

9 CONAN; Thom Mitchell 2005.50 Franklin, TN

10 SHOWCASE; Cheryl Rubenstein 1940.00 Memphis, TN

11 WALKABOUT; Rosalie Morton 1928.00 Pasadena, CA

12 BOWMORE; Lindsay Ianello 1923.00 Lake Forest, IL

CHILDREN'S HUNTER

Plc HORSE; Rider Points Rider - City, State

1 JUST ONE LOOK; Adele Norton 3123.00 Falls Church, VA

2 GATSBY; Colleen Holton 3001.00 Hilliard, OH

3 BERT; Abigail McArdle 2522.00 Barrington, IL

4 TOBASCO; Alexandra Thornton 2520.00 Bedminster, NJ

5 ALL IN; Allan Palmer 2358.00 Eads, TN

6 GIZMO; Hannah Gorman 2296.00 N. Barrington, IL

7 GASPATCHO; Victoria Efrid 2018.00 Ada, MI

8 GOTHAM CITY; Catherine Avolese 1892.00 St James, NY

9 PEREGRINE; Adele Norton 1874.00 Falls Church, VA

10 STONEWASHED; Madeline Baker 1872.00 Chagrin Falls, OH

11 MELANDA; Salli Slack 1859.00 W Dundee, IL

12 CARUSO; Natalie Grubman 1746.00 Glenroe, IL

OPEN JUMPER SPEED

Plc Rider Points Rider - City, State

1 Laura Chapot 15195.00 Neshanic Station, NJ

2 Brianne Goutal 5200.00 New York, NY

3 Margie Engle 3360.00 Wellington, FL

4 Joe Fargis 3260.00 Middleburg, VA

5 Laura Kraut 3025.00 Oconomowoc, WI

6 Kent Farrington 2925.00 Chicago, IL

7 Robin Sweely 2705.00 Madison, VA

8 Leslie Howard 2210.00 Westport, CT

9 Scott Lenkart 1850.00 Delano, MN

10 Kimberly Prince 1835.00 Hume, VA

11 Norman Dello Joio 1580.00 Wellington, FL

12 Jonathan Millar 1510.00 Perth Ont, CAN

ADULT JUMPER

Plc HORSE; Rider Points Rider - City, State

1 IMA GOOD 1-2; Patty Van Housen 4123.00 Mequon, WI

2 GRACIA; Hayley Carlson 3229.00 Northport, NY

3 COLLEEN; Meghan Abbott 3200.00 Coral Springs, FL

4 FOUL PLAY; Mindy Blackford 3076.00 Mayfield Heights, OH

5 GYPSY ROSE; Mindy Blackford 2741.00 Mayfield Heights, OH

6 QUEST D'OR; Kris Hoffman Kennedy 2682.00 Newtown, PA

7 FOXTROT ECHO; Chris Richards 2567.00 Arlington, TN

8 CONTI-B; Elizabeth Maloney 2509.00 Franklin, MA

9 FILIBUSTER; Emily Straw-Colella 2445.00 Wellington, FL

10 KOEN; Kris Gali 2226.00 Potomac, MD

11 GATOR B. CAREFUL; Kathleen Mitchell 2208.00 Lockport, NY

12 CLEOPATRA; Alexis Bodo 1971.00 Lebanon, TN

CHILDREN'S JUMPER

Plc HORSE; Rider Points Rider - City, State

1 LUCY IN THE SKY; Kaitlin D. Campbell 5121.00 Upper Black Eddy, PA

2 KOKO; Holly Cerasano 3955.00 Stillwater, NY

3 INCA; Olivia Goossen 3775.00 Howell, NJ

4 MARKIES; Paulena Johnson 3737.00 Bristol, VA

5 JOHNNY ON THE SPOT; Melissa Prusock 3730.00 Larchmont, NY

6 AK MICKEY; Mackenzie Keck 3659.00 Allmunchy, NJ

7 THE WATERBOY; Amber Siegelman 3085.00 Versailles, KY

8 TIGER LILLY; Paige Henderson 2967.00 Skillman, NJ

9 TIGER LILY; Nicole Elizabeth Bellissimo 2548.00 Wellington, MA

10 VOTE FOR PEDRO; Alexandra Sonnenberg 2510.00 Purcellville, VA

11 COACH; Nicole Elizabeth Bellissimo 2431.00 Wellington, MA

12 TOSCA; Flavia D'Urso 2380.00 Chester, NJ

PONY JUMPER

Plc HORSE; Rider Points Rider - City, State

1 EXHILARATION; Wilhelmina Horzepa 1253.00 Englishtown, NJ

2 TNT; Lillie Ross 810.00 Wheaton, IL

3 MAGIC BB; Kaitlin D. Campbell 716.00 Upper Black Eddy, PA

4 INDIGO; Paige Coles 705.00 Wellington, FL

5 VERTIGO; Wilhelmina Horzepa 545.00 Englishtown, NJ

6 C'EST LA VIE; Kasey Cannon 534.00 North Wales, PA

7 NOBODY'S FOOL; Mary Elizabeth Horzepa 447.00 Englishtown, NJ

8 THE WATERBOY; Amber Siegelman 414.00 Versailles, KY

9 DOUBLE DELIGHT; Edie Ringger 352.00 Midland, GA

10 AMBER; Mary Elizabeth Horzepa 252.50 Englishtown, NJ

11 FARMORE ROYAL T; Laura Bostwick 251.00 Wellington, FL

12 SALSA; Claudia Billups 229.50 Gulfport, MS