WELLINGTON, FL - February 17, 2006 - Featured on the second day of the Zada Enterprises, LLC Florida Dressage Classic at the Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, Florida, were two sections of the FEI Grand Prix, which accommodated a combined total of 27 horses. In the morning section, George Williams of Richwood, Ohio, aboard Marnix for owner Joann Smith claimed victory over a field of 14 entries scoring 70.069%. In the afternoon section, Michael Barisone of Long Valley, New Jersey, topped a field of 13 horses riding Neruda, a Dutch gelding he owns with Jane and Salo Suwalsky, earning 70.417%.

Williams won the early Grand Prix with a total of 1,009 points, narrowly edging Katherine Bateson-Chandler of Wellington aboard FBW Kennedy into second place (1,001 points). Bateson-Chandler rode Robert Dover's 2004 Athens Olympic Games Team Bronze Medal horse, owned by Jane Forbes Clark, to a score of 69.514%. Two-time Canadian Olympian Ashley Holzer of New York, New York, claimed third place riding Gambol to a score of 69.167% (996 points). Holzer and Dr. Diane Fellows own the black Dutch stallion.

Officiating were Sue Madden Mandas at E, Jessica Ransehousen at M, and Brenda Minor at S, who were tightly consistent on Williams' points, giving him 336, 336, and 337 respectively. All but Mandas scored Williams as the winner, with the judge at E putting Holzer first with 341 points. Williams, however, was most pleased with the judges close consensus on his test. "The judges were together, which I love," Williams said. "That always makes me the happiest."

Williams noted that he was most pleased with Marnix's piaffe/passage tour. "He stayed in front of me. He stayed more up. He's carrying himself better. He's lighter, more elevated," Williams explained. "He's allowing me to make corrections in the test now, within the movement. I can ask for more energy to improve the impulsion, where as before it was a little tricky with him. But now he's getting to the point where he has enough confidence in the test that I can make adjustments."

Marnix gives the impression of a very high-energy horse, and Williams acknowledged that "electric" was a good descriptive word for him. "He's an electric horse and it's really about getting him to stay focused on the test and the rider and have confidence in himself," explained Williams. "There are times when he can be right on for a while and then you lose him for a little bit. Now he's getting to the point where he really listens and he's being very attentive to the rider."

Williams has been partnered with the 12-year-old, 17.2-hand, Dutch bay gelding by Hinault for six years. Owner Joann Smith imported him in 2000 as a Third Level horse and Williams trained and showed him up the levels, exhibiting him in his first Grand Prix in 2003. Williams noted that in his first two years at Grand Prix, Marnix "had some good rides but was inconsistent in the beginning." The breakthrough came in 2005 at Dressage at Devon. "He was so relaxed in the arena that it caught me off guard," Williams said. "I look back on it and see that it was a turning point because since then he's been more relaxed in the test."

Williams' primary horse aimed for the 2006 World Equestrian Games (WEG) is the 15-year-old mare Rocher, also owned by Chuck and Joann Smith. He plans to show Marnix in the High Performance qualifiers, but not aim him for the WEG this year. His goal for the handsome gelding is "to get him steadier and better in the test." Williams added, "We have a little bit of time because Rocher's still going."

In today's class Williams acknowledged that the competition was stiff, scores have been getting progressively higher as the winter circuit continues, and that Marnix's win was an important victory. "His confidence in the arena is getting greater and greater. As the test went on, I felt more and more with him. To me, he felt like he was getting better and better. As his confidence increased I had the feeling that I could push him and really sit down and ride him and focus on the riding."

In the afternoon FEI Grand Prix, Michael Barisone and Neruda scored 70.417%, tallying up a total of 1,014 points. Taking second place was Arlene Page of Wellington with her Wild One, who was awarded 999 points for an average of 69.375%. Separated by one point, Canada's Holzer riding her own Imperioso earned 998 points and third place, scoring 69.306%.

"I thought it was better than two weeks ago," Barisone said, referring to his win at the USEF High Performance Grand Prix at the Wellington Dressage show where the pair won on a score of 69.292%. "It was more complete. I thought I rode a little clearer and with a little more purpose."

Barisone pointed out that he is consistently asked now if his goal is qualifying Neruda for the WEG or the World Cup, and that he has a consistent answer. "I say, 'You know what I learned after all these years? I learned that all I want to do is ride better today than I did yesterday'," Barisone said, adding, "And I did that today."

Known for his lofty passage/piaffe and canter work, today Neruda exhibited such lofty suspension in his one-tempis that he appeared to hesitate mid-air in the changes. Barisone explained that Neruda's canter is "so big and so expressive that that makes it a little hard for him to get those ones if everything's not perfect. I tried to ride him a little quicker and better and I rode it a little bit wrong on the entry and then about number six I got him stabilized out. He got too big and he hung and he needed to be more forward."

Judges Mandas, Ransehousen, and Minor also presided over this Grand Prix. Ransehousen and Minor both awarded the victory to Barisone (344 and 339 respectively) with Mandas putting him in second place (331 points) and Page and Wild in first (338).

For complete results of today's competition, visit www.stadiumjumping.com or www.phelpsmediagroup.com

Winter Equestrian Festival Dressage Schedule

* February 16-19 - Zada Enterprises, L.L.C. Florida Dressage Classic

* March 16-19 - Zada Enterprises, L.L.C. WEF Dressage Classic, CDI 3*/Y

* March 17-18 - USEF National Grand Prix Freestyle Championship / U.S. League Final CDI-W, the Official Selection for the 2006 FEI World Cup Dressage Final