Contact:
Diana De Rosa for Phelps Media Group, Inc.
at (561) 753-3389 or at pmginfo@phelpsmediagroup.com

Philippaerts Maintains His Lead with a Winning Round on Parco--.a special report from Diana DeRosa for PhelpsSports.com Estoril, Portugal - July 23, 2006 - In a brilliant fight to the finish Ludo Philippaerts rode Parco to victory in the Global Champions Tour Grand Prix "Costa Do Estoril," presented by CN and CN Worldwide, in front of a record crowd. Philippaerts triple clear round in a time of 38.90 seconds sealed his win. Second place honors went to Australian Edwina Alexander aboard Isovlas Pialotta. Bernardo Alves (Brazil) was third on Chupa Chup 2.

Californian Megan Lamaze made America proud by negotiating two clear rounds and only four faults in the jump-off to garner a sixth place ribbon on Ollandaise. U.S. riders Robin Sweely on Qarco vt Merelsnest, and Michael Morrissey on Crabamboli never made it to the second round after dropping too many rails to make the cut off. The sun shone bright at the Hipodromo de Cascais showgrounds for the fourth event on the Global Champions Tour. The 1.60m course designed by Frank Rothenberger (GER) saw a starting field of 45 riders in a speed competition from which the top 18 would move on to the second and final round. "It feels great to win," commented Philippaerts in his always calm manner. His face lit up with a grin as he added, "It-s always good but it-s better now because you come closer to the bonus." That bonus he was talking about was the additional monies that would be distributed to the top eight riders in the Global Tour Rankings, which he is also leading. JUMP-OFF GETS THE CROWD ROARING A total of seven riders negotiated two clear rounds and advanced to the jump-off. First to return was Michel Hecart riding Itot du Chateau for France. He set the pace with a clear go in 42.33 seconds. Next to go was Brazilian Rodrigo Pessoa aboard Cantate Z, but a rail down for four faults (41.57) ruined his chances for a victory.

Then it was Alves- turn and he sliced 1.2 seconds off Hecart-s time finishing clear in 41.15 seconds. Lamaze was in the fourth position with a rail down but a speedy time of 40.97 seconds put her at the lead of the 4 faulters.

"I am very happy because this is my first grand prix with this horse," explained Alves. "I changed horses at the last moment. This horse has very good scope." "It was a freak thing in the jump-off," commented Lamaze. "It was a stupid fault; she barely hit it and it came down. I wouldn-t do anything differently. I can-t complain. It would have been great to do better but I am really happy with the result." Alexander was about to show what the females in the sport can do when put to the test. She sped around the course with shear determination finishing clear in 39.61 seconds.

"I had to be a little careful in the jump-off turning back to the oxer. That-s where I lost my time," commented Alexander. "I was not very happy with the way I rode to that fence; I came too deep. But lucky my horse was good enough to save me." Ludo Philippaerts wasn-t about to give up his lead on the Tour and so he raced around the course clear in 38.90 seconds, a time that the last rider in, Daniel Deusser, was not able to beat. German Deusser and Hooligan de Rosyl dropped a rail for 4 faults in 39.69 seconds. Said Philippaerts, "in the jump-off I started off very quick but then was careful at the double (a short in and out combination which was the fourth fence in the jump-off course) and ended quick."

Philippaerts was thrilled with his horse and with the event and added, "I think it (the Global Champions Tour) is very good for everybody; for the riders for the horses and even for the public. I think it can only grow." ROUND 1 & SOME COMMENTS FROM THE RIDERS As the first of 45 riders to go in the first round, Lamaze showed the field of horses to follow her how it should be done by setting the pace and negotiating a clear round. In between there were a few more clears, 4 faulters and lots of rounds with three or more rails down including Sweely, who had the very first fence, the 4th and 5B down. Morrissey had problems right from the start and when too many rails fell he opted to retire Crabamboli. Morrissey had planned to compete on Crelido, but when his horse flipped over a jump in the schooling area earlier in the week, he opted to take the cautious route and not compete on him any more this week.

The riders couldn-t say enough nice things about the show, the Global Champions Tour, the facilities and the course designs.

"This was three days of top sport," said Philippaerts. "I-ve never been here but this was one of the best places I-ve ever rode. I don-t have any complaints."

The Belgian went on to note that he won-t be riding Parco in the next Global Champions in Valkenswaard (NED), because he is saving him for WEG Aachen, but he intends to choose another horse and compete so he can maintain his top placing. The riders also were pleased with the courses and the way the event is run. "He is the best course designer," added Edwina. "It is fair sport in the Global Champions Tour. One of the most important things is it creates a whole new atmosphere and environment for the whole sport. It-s lifting everything up and it-s been great sport. Because there is a lot of prize money the best riders want to be here. Rather than having to jump in eight shows and win less money, here you jump less competitions and win more money and then you have your horse for a longer period of time." Jan Tops, the creator of the Global Champions Tour is also pleased with this inaugural year. "We just started. The last four have been very special. CN Worldwide (the main sponsor) we can-t thank them enough. They had the confidence to come with us and believe in the project. It is a new (railway) company in Europe. It-s very established in Canada and the U.S. They are growing now in other sites of the world so we try to grow together." Anita Ernesaks, who was there representing CN Worldwide added, "It-s been for us a great experience. I am proud to be a part of the tour. The facilities are fabulous, the venue is fabulous and the riding and the course were great. We have a vision of growing something globally and I think today we are very pleased. I think the rewards outweigh the challenges." A CHAT WITH MEGAN LAMAZE =91It really did work out today," commented Lamaze. "You just stick to your plan and you go with doing what you normally do and today it really worked out for me. It doesn-t always go that way." As the very first rider to go one would have thought that Lamaze was concerned about that position. "I prefer to go first then really late," she explained. "I walked the course with Conrad (Homfeld) and I thought it was really great. The first course asked all the questions nicely and my horse really jumped well." Megan spoke about the little ways that Conrad helped, including a decision she made at a tough water line. She thought she would need to move right after she landed from a vertical headed to the water but she explained that Conrad said, "you need to land and wait and think about it. Thank goodness he told me that. I am really lucky my horse is so adjustable." "My horse is really smart," she continued. "She is good at judging where the poles are. We were both really on the game today." "I prefer to have Conrad every where. It helps me a lot. I think it is great to have another pair of eyes and I have so much confidence and faith in what Conrad says to me. It always helps," she continued. Megan-s week hadn-t started out that great but she had faith in Ollandaise. "She-s always better the more she goes. I wasn-t discouraged. The first day she had two down but I still felt she jumped well. We really concentrated on putting that out of my mind. I knew she was more than capable of doing this.- Megan went on about the mare she has a lot of respect for. "She is an unbelievable horse. I just have to remember to trust that and normally it just works out. They are animals. They can-t have their best day everyday." Megan was thrilled but tired. "It is a lot of jumping. It is a long class and a long format. It-s long for the horses, the riders and the grooms. But I am really happy. It-s great to come here - this is what you work for and it is great to have achieved that. It doesn-t go your way everyday. It-s great to finally be there to achieve that." Class 6 GRAND PRIX "COSTA DO ESTORIL" - International Jumping Competition - Tour A - FEI Art. 273.2.2 & 3.1 Table A 1.60m with Two Rounds RESULT

1 32 PARCO - Ludo PHILIPPAERTS (BEL)-0.00 -0.00 -0.00/ 38.90

2 34 ISOVLAS PIALOTTA - Edwina ALEXANDER (AUS) -0.00- 0.00 -0.00 /39.61

3 51 CHUPA CHUP 2 - Bernardo ALVES (BRA)-0.00-0.00 -0.00/ 41.15

4 45 ITOT DU CHATEAU - Michel HECART (FRA) -0.00- 0.00 -0.00/ 42.33

5 1 HOOLIGAN DE ROSYL - Daniel DEUSSER (GER) -0.00 -0.00 -4.00 /39.69

6 5 OLLANDAISE - Megan LAMAZE (USA) -0.00 -0.00 -4.00 /40.97

7 52 CANTATE Z -Rodrigo PESSOA (BRA) -0.00 -0.00 -4.00 /41.57

8 84 JADIS DE TOSCANE - Philippe ROZIER (FRA)0.00 -1.00 1.00 - 76.75

9 20 THE SIXTH SENSE - Thomas FR=FCHMANN (AUT)4.00 0.00 4.00 - 74.47

10 61 CASTLE FORBES LIBERTINA - Jessica K=FCRTEN (IRL) 4.00 0.00 4.00 - 75.25

11 21 AK LOCARNO 62 - Ellen WHITAKER (GBR) 0.00 4.00 4.00 - 75.76

12 77 GALET D'AUZAY - Michel ROBERT (FRA)4.00 0.00 4.00 - 76.15

GCT 2006 - RANKINGS AFTER 4TH ROUND AT ESTORIL

1 111,500 Ludo Philippaerts BEL

2 57,500 Thomas Fr=FChmann AUT

3 50,000 Norman Dello Joio USA

4 36,500 Edwina Alexander AUS

5 33,000 Michel Hecart FRA

6 31,000 Francois Mathy Jr. BEL

6 31,000 Samantha McIntosh BUL

8 30,000 Nick Skelton GBR

9 21,500 Jessica K=FCrten IRL

REMAINING EVENTS ON GLOBAL CHAMPIONS TOUR

Valkenswaard - Netherlands - August 17-20

Lanaken - Belgium - September 15-17

2006 EVENTS ON THE GLOBAL CHAMPIONS TOUR

150,000 CN Worldwide - Wellington, FL - March 1-5

1. Norman Dello Joio - Glasgow

2. Samantha McIntosh - Loxley (BUL)

3. Kim Prince - Couletto K. James

Grand Prix of Cannes - Cannes, FRA - June 8-11

1. Thomas Fruhmann - The Sixth Sense

2. Nick Skelton - Arko III (GBR)

3. Michel Hecart - Itot du Chateau (FRA)

Grand Prix du Prince de Monaco - Monte-Carlo, Monaco - June 22-24

1. Ludo Philippaerts - Parco (BEL)

2. Francois Mathy Jr. - Ivoire du Rouet (BEL)

3. Richard Davenport - Nelson Z (GBR)

Grand Prix "Costa do Estoril" - Estoril Portugal - July 21-23

1. Ludo Philippaerts - Parco (BEL)

2. Edwina Alexander - Isovlas Pialotta (AUS)

3. Bernardo Alves - Chupa Chup 2 (BRA)

ESTORIL

The event in Estoril Portugal was an outgrowth of the involvement of the local Tourism Board and the vision of its president Duarte Nobre Guedes. It began even before the GCT became a goal. The Hippodromo de Cascais, where the event was held, had been vacant for around 30 years and Duarte wanted it to get requalified. When that happened they then held their first CSI**** and invited key equestrians hoping to get their opinions. Duarte-s goal is to increase the interest in coming to Estoril as a tourist destination and he believed by bringing a variety of high profile sports events (among them equestrian) to the area he could do just that.

"I invited a lot of opinion leaders and all the world was very happy and saw the potential of the show," he explained. "Jan Tops came to me and said I have a train that is already starting and he invited us to be on the Global Champions Tour which of course is a great honor. I told him okay but that I want it to be at the top level. He told me this is top top top. And we started like that.

"I must say that I am very glad," continued Duarte. "We have top riders, top sport, top officials, and a top course designer. Even in the social part it is very good.

SPONSORS

A few very supportive sponsors have been the key to the success of this event. The main sponsor is CN, a leader in the North American rail industry and CN Worldwide, headquartered in Rotterdam, The Netherlands. (CN is also the title sponsor of the $1 million CN International held at the Spruce Meadows 'Masters' in Canada.) CN believes the goals of both organizations are similar. They both focus on world-class performance, agility and precision. In their case, those qualities refer to delivering their customers- shipments via the railway. CN also likes the fact that the GCT spans two continents since its business also focuses on the transport of containers between Europe and North America.

Anita Ernesaks, Global Managing Director of CN Worldwide explained, "One of the things in terms of similarity is you have to have a plan and you must execute that plan. It has to be seemless and precise and you have to overcome barriers and obstacles to achieve your goals."

Ernesaks continued, "Each venue has its own differences in terms of the course itself - sand versus grass and size, which adds another dimension. You have those same similarities in doing business for CN in different countries. You have to adapt to the customer, culture and country."

CHUM International is handling the television rights.

The GCT also has a philanthropic approach and has partnered with JustWorld International, a charitable organization working in impoverished countries for the benefit of underprivileged children. They are hoping that by naming JustWorld International the official charity of the GCT, they can give it more exposure and gain additional support from the equestrian community for its projects.

If you want more details about the GCT, Estoril, or CN, here are a few web sites you should visit. www.globalchampionstour.com , www.cn.ca , www.Cnworldwide.biz ,

www.justworldinternational.org , www.scg-nl.nl,www.monacohorseshow.com, and www.stadiumjumping.com .

PhelpsSports.com is coming in August!!!

Join the family now and save 10% off of the regular price for yearly and lifetime memberships. Visit www.phelpssports.com