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

Annville, PA-July 5, 2007-The summer sizzles as battles for top positions heat up in the 2007 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 2007 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, Mindy Wurzburg of Memphis, TN, and Overseas led with 2,948 points. In second with 1,966 points was Donna Struve of Wilmette, IL, piloting Tapestry. Following Struve in third place with 1,862 points was Dr. Suzanne J. Smith of Milford, NJ, aboard Shablis.

With 3,640 points, Jessica Chappell of Warrenton, VA, and Grin led the Children's Hunter division. Laura Baginski of Ballwin, MO, and Prep School follow in the standings with 3,469 points. With 2,570 points, Lindsay Portela of Southwest Ranches, FL, sat in third with her mount, Jack.

In the jumper divisions, the battle for top spots in the Open Speed division really heated up with many of this country's top horses and riders competing for the right to ride in the NAL Finals. Leading the way with 11,375 points was Laura Chapot of Neshanic Station, NJ. Chapot was chosen as a member of the United States show jumping squad for the 2007 Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. In second was Sydney Olympian Laura Kraut of Wellington, FL, with 7,510 points. In third with 4,200 points was two-time Olympic veteran Joe Fargis of Middleburg, VA. 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.

Rebecca Forbes of Stuarts Draft, VA, and Kick The Clouds led the Adult Jumper division with 5,589 points. Following Forbes in second place with 3,969 points was Tracey Mack of Noank, CT, riding Lucky Four, and in third were Katrina Weinig of Fairfield, VA, and Cortina with 3,585 points.

Topping the Children's Jumper division standings were Wilton James Porter of Dallas, TX, and Benvolio, who had 4,005 points. In second place with a total of 3,688 points was Mackenzie Keck of Allmunchy, NJ, with AK Mickey. Rounding out the top three was Elizabeth Porath of Camden, SC, with 3,246 points riding Le Beau Cheval.

In the Pony Jumper division, Daniella Paradyzs of Millneck, NY, and Indigo sat atop the standings with 425 points. Elizbeth Boone of Lexington, KY, was in second with 258 points aboard Magic BB, and Wilhelmina Horzepa of Millstone Twp, NJ, sat in third aboard Exhilaration with 248 points.

For more information on the North American League and a list of qualifying competitions for the 2006-2007 season, please visit the Ryegate Show Services website at www.Ryegate.com .

The NAL series is sponsored by horsetrader.com. Horsetrader.com reaches horse people coast to coast looking to find, buy, or sell that perfect mount, select the perfect stallion, locate a dream ranch, find a great trainer, or load up with a trailer for show season. Horsetrader.com works for more buyers and sellers, faster than any other equine website, delivering both online and in print with horsetrader.com's alliance publications. Find, buy, or sell anything from A to Z, apparel to zebras, on horsetrader.com with 56 categories to search. Horsetrader.com's founder is the publisher of California Horsetrader, the voice of the horse industry in the West since 1979, a twice-monthly all-breed, all-discipline news and classified publication.

The 2007 North American League leader boards appear below:

Presented by Practical Horseman

Plc HORSE; Rider Points Rider - City, State

1 OVERSEAS; Mindy Wurzburg 2948.00 Memphis, TN

2 TAPESTRY; Donna Struve 1966.00 Wilmette, IL

3 SHABLIS; Dr. Suzanne J. Smith 1862.00 Milford, NJ

4 NO SURRENDER; Laurie Kutz 1851.00 Dallas, PA

5 CAPABLE; Kim Shuler 1764.00 Virginia Beach, VA

6 BECKFORD; Chelsea Ireland 1729.00 Chesapeake, VA

7 HONNEUR; Audrey Latham 1722.00 Arlington, VA

8 RIESLING; Cheryl Rubenstein 1529.00 Memphis, TN

9 CAPITAL GAINS; Jennifer Ann Munday 1522.00 Johns Island, SC

10 EVER SO; Gigi Good 1453.00 Boca Raton, FL

11 MOVADO; Courtney Grimm 1436.00 Green Cove Springs, FL

12 LATENTE; Jill Vannatta 1384.00 Evanston, IL

CHILDREN'S HUNTER - As of June 22

Plc HORSE; Rider Points Rider - City, State

1 GRIN; Jessica Chappell 3640.00 Warrenton, VA

2 PREP SCHOOL; Laura Baginski 3469.00 Ballwin, MO

3 JACK; Lindsay Portela 2570.00 Southwest Ranches, FL

4 FINDING NEVERLAND; Leylan Gleeson 2532.00 Moreland Hills, OH

5 CLASSIC MEMORIES; Jessica Chappell 2036.00 Warrenton, VA

6 TRYST; Meredith Harris 1923.00 Middleburg, VA

7 JUST PUSH PLAY; Kelsey Burns 1902.00 Westport, CT

8 OH VATION; Shelby Rogers 1446.00 Gettysburg, PA

9 SUNNY BANKS; Meredith Harris 1440.00 Middleburg, VA

10 GRAND CRU; Paul O'Keefe 1422.00 Smithfield, VA

11 CR LENA; Julia Hemingway 1376.00 Alpharetta, GA

12 RAINDANCE; Kalvin Dobbs 1356.00 Carmel, IN

OPEN JUMPER SPEED - As of June 22

Plc Rider Points City, State

1 Laura Chapot 11375.00 Neshanic Station, NJ

2 Laura Kraut 7510.00 Oconomowoc, WI

3 Joe Fargis 4200.00 Middleburg, VA

4 Beezie Madden 3485.00 Cazenovia, NY

5 Margie Engle 2985.00 Wellington, FL

6 McLain Ward 2665.00 Brewster, NY

7 Cara Raether 2100.00 N. Palm Beach, FL

8 Jonathan McCrea 1735.00 East Windsor, CT

9 Leslie Howard 1630.00 Darien, CT

10 Michael Walton 1280.00 West Chester, PA

11 Alison Robitaille 1250.00 Upperville, VA

12 Julie Welles 1200.00 West Simsbury, CT

12 Todd Minikus 1200.00 Loxahatchee, FL

ADULT JUMPER - As of June 22

Plc HORSE; Rider Points Rider - City, State

1 KICK THE CLOUDS; Rebecca Forbes 5589.00 Stuarts Draft, VA

2 LUCKY FOUR; Tracey Mack 3969.00 Noank, CT

3 CORTINA; Katrina Weinig 3585.00 Fairfield, VA

4 TIONA; Danielle Stacy 2725.00 Ipswich, MA

5 FERNS RUBY; Raymond Coutley 2591.00 Lexington Park, MD

6 PANCHARAN; Meghan Abbott 2394.00 Palm Beach Gardens, FL

7 GYPSY ROSE; Mindy Blackford 2295.00 Mayfield, OH

8 PLAYBOY; Mary Loeber 2266.00 Barrington Hills, IL

9 UP TO CODE; Allison Stawarz 2256.00 Morgantown, WV

10 ALL THAT; Murray Kessler 2223.00 Bedford Corners, NY

11 GALIA ROUGE; Wendy Libert 2178.00 Hughesville, MD

12 WAIKATO; Marilou N. de Azua 2077.00 Wellington, FL

CHILDREN'S JUMPER - As of June 22

Plc HORSE; Rider Points Rider - City, State

1 BENVOLIO; Wilton James Porter 4005.00 Dallas, TX

2 AK MICKEY; Mackenzie Keck 3688.00 Allmunchy, NJ

3 LE BEAU CHEVAL; Elizabeth Porath 3246.00 Camden, SC

4 CALVIN; Abigail McArdle 3110.00 Barrington, IL

5 OYSTER; Sydney Leto 3032.00 Foxpoint, WI

6 FRANCO; Wilton James Porter 2815.00 Dallas, TX

7 SUGAR DADDY; Kara Kaufman 2461.00 New York, NY

8 CAPPUCINO; Sydney Christman 2427.00 Sarver, PA

9 SENSATION; Mackenzie Keck 2336.00 Allmunchy, NJ

10 PEDRO 259; Hayley Hansen 2189.00 Geneva, IL

11 WHISPER; Mackenzie Smith 2174.00 Washington, DC

12 WORDS OF WISDOM; Marque Cincotta 2128.00 Palmetto, FL

PONY JUMPER - As of June 22

Plc HORSE; Rider Points Rider - City, State

1 INDIGO; Daniella Paradyzs 425.00 Millneck, NY

2 MAGIC BB; Elizbeth (Ali) Boone 258.00 Lexington, KY

3 EXHILARATION; Wilhelmina Horzepa 248.00 Englishtown, NJ

4 NOBODY'S FOOL; Mary Elizabeth Horzepa 242.00 Englishtown, NJ

5 RASCAL; Carly Attanasio 214.00 Douglassville, PA

6 SPUD WEBB; Leigh Anne Hartrampf 198.00 Atlanta, GA

7 C'EST LA VIE; Christie Shapiro 190.00 Freehold, NJ

8 I BELIEVE IN MIRACLES; Kalvin Dobbs 176.00 Carmel, IN

9 RINGWOOD SKY DANCER; Josie Bennett 168.00 Fallston, MD

10 C'EST LA VIE; Kasey Taylor Cannon 162.00 North Wales, PA

11 CORAGGIOSO; Jessica Gravalis 146.00 Princeton, NJ

12 DON'T GO BREAKING MY HEART; Mattias Tromp 120.00 North Salem, NY