Tampa, FL-July 7, 2000- Peter Meuse of Lancaster, OH, leads the Midwest Conference of the Explorer BIOLAN/NHSF Show Jumping Hall of Fame Jumper Classic Series after the year's first four events. Meuse and his mount Comodoro lead with 60 points.

Meuse and Comodoro lead the series in the Midwest after winning two Explorer BIOLAN/NHSF Show Jumping Hall of Fame classes at the Motor City and the Detroit Horse Shows.

Laura Linback of Mundelein, IL and Kennedy are standing in second place with 44 points following their second place finish at both the Motor City and the Detroit Horse Shows.

Dropping to third place after leading the conference through May is Claire Bronfman of Free Union, VA and Lord William, with 33 points. Moving from second to fourth place with 32 points is Paige Rassas of Northfield, IL riding Billy. Standing in fifth place is Ellen Talbert of Cedarburg, WI and Omar with 26 points. Tied for sixth place with 22 points are Paige Johnson of Middleburg, VA riding Flirtatious and Marilyn Little of Frederick, MD riding Comtessa.

Listed below are the seven leading riders in the Midwest Conference series after four events:

The Explorer BIOLAN/NHSF Show Jumping Hall Fame Series has expanded to 44 shows for the 2000 season. The series, which runs February through November, is divided into three geographical conferences: the East Conference hosting 20 shows, the Midwest Conference hosting 10 shows and the West Conference hosting 14 shows. Conference point standings are calculated separately and updated after all shows. At the end of the series, a championship is awarded for each conference with East and Midwest Conference champions honored at the National Horse Show in New York and the West Conference champion honored at the Los Angeles National Horse Show in Burbank, CA.

Explorer Nutrition & Fiber Group, manufacturer of Explorer BIOLAN, is dedicated to the management, marketing, and investment in agricultural based products and companies which are ecologically friendly, safe, innovative, effective, and which perform. Explorer BIOLAN manufactures and produces palletized straw bedding products for horses and small animals which is 100% natural, with no additives.

The National Horse Sports Foundation (NHSF) is a publicly supported charitable and educational organization whose purposes include providing financial and technical support for amateur equestrian programs for adults and children including therapeutic riding and competitions for the disabled.

The Explorer BIOLAN/NHSF Show Jumping Hall of Fame Series gives Amateur-Owner and junior riders an opportunity to compete at higher levels and serves as a proving ground for riders who aspire to someday represent the United States in international competition.

The focus of the Show Jumping Hall of Fame and Museum, Inc. is to encourage broader interest and participation in the equestrian sport of show jumping, as well as to educate the equestrian and non-equestrian alike by sharing the sport's lore, fundamentals, history and greatest achievements.

Watch for the upcoming shows in the Explorer BIOLAN/NHSF Show Jumping Hall of Fame Series. Standings are posted at each horse show in the series on the Show Jumping Hall of Fame standings board sponsored by Debbie Stephens and Centennial Farms.

For more information about the 2000 Explorer BIOLAN/NHSF Show Jumping Hall of Fame Jumper Classic Series, please visit the SJHF website at www.showjumpinghalloffame.net.

For more information about the National Horse Sports Foundation, please call (914) 454-5555. For more information about Explorer BIOLAN, please call (800) 821-ENFG.