Waitsfield, VT-July 31, 2000-Mary Lisa Nicholson of Brookeville, MD, won the $30,000 NGL Grand Prix, July 26-30 to highlight the Vermont Summer Festival's first week in Waitsfield, VT, following two highly successful weeks in Manchester. She rode Mr. and Mrs. Bruce Chovnick's horse, Graf Rossini, to claim the $9,000 first-place purse.

Nicholson was one of only three riders who advanced to the jump-off from a starting field of 22 riders. She watched Ian Silitch and Bill Lowry both navigate their horses to a clean round, so the pressure was on Nicholson to beat Silitch's time of 43.029 seconds. She took advantage of knowing the time to beat and finished clean with a winning time of 41.628 seconds.

Earlier in the week, Lindsay Dawn Curtis won the Explorer Biolan/NHSF Show Jumping Hall of Fame Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper Classic. Curtis bested 15 competitors and dominated the six-person jump-off with Costello. She was the only rider to go clean and won the Classic with a time of 34.845. Jeff Brandmaier of Sacremento, CA, and Mary Moricoli of Wilmette, IL, finished second and third, respectively.

In other Championship action, Jennifer Jones won the Small and Large Junior Hunter (16/17) divisions riding Betcha By Golly and Star. In the Low Hunter division, she won the Championship (A) and Reserve Championship (B) aboard Preview and Betcha By Golly, respectively. She also tied for Championship honors in the Jr./Amateur Owner Jumper (High) Division with Let's Dance Jil.

Emily Williams was victorious in the Amateur Owner Hunter division with Here's To Ya. She also tied for Championship honors in the Jr./Amateur Owner Jumper (High) Division with Showgirl.

Whitney McCaslin took championship and reserve ribbons in the Warm-Up Jumper division with Charlie Baxter and Starburst. She also tied for second with Starburst in the Children's Jumper (High) division.

The Vermont Summer Festival is North New England's largest "A3" rated hunter-jumper horse show circuit and is held in two of the Northeast's top resort areas: Manchester and Waitsfield, VT.

For further information on the results of the Vermont Summer Festival Series please see the weekly results posted on the website www.vt-summerfestival.com.