East Dorset, VT—July 12, 2002—Vanessa Stevenson joined the list of winners at the Vermont Summer Festival Horse Show by besting a field of 24 in the $10,000 Mini Prix Jumper class on Friday, July 12, 2002, at Harold Beebe Farm, in East Dorset, VT, riding Galiana, owned by Robert Ross. The 19-year-old resident of Southampton, NY was the first of nine to go clean and the fastest in the jump-off with a time of 32.845 seconds. Ezequiel Peralta of Oriedo, FL came in second with the only other double clear in a time of 34.129 aboard Charming Z, owned by Wendy Ritter & Seabreeze Farm. Third place went to Canada’s Mario Deslauriers riding Amica.

The Mini Prix class is similar to Grand Prix, but the jumps are slightly lower. The highest fence was set at about five feet, but the course looked a lot bigger to Stevenson as she entered the ring. “I was a little nervous,” said the young rider. “The fences looked really big, but Galiana was awesome.”

Stevenson has only been riding the Grand Prix circuit for two years and has already begun to make a name for herself at the Manchester Summer Festival this week. In addition to winning Friday’s class, she has placed in several other open jumper events. On Sunday, the same pair will be competing in the $35,000 Grand Prix, sponsored by the Stratton Mountain Inn, but Stevenson is taking it all in stride. “Riding her is so much fun, I know she’ll take care of me.”

In other horse show action, Lara Gay, of Ridgefield, CT won the ASPCA Horsemanship Medal class riding Capital Hill. In the Hunter ring, Barbara Orans of Mamaroneck, NY won the $500 North American League Adult Amateur Classic aboard Sunday Evening. The North American League (NAL) runs year-long series in six equestrian divisions—Children’s Hunter, Adult Hunter, Children’s Jumper, Adult Jumper, Pony Jumper, and Open Jumper—with year-end championship finals at the Pennsylvania National Horse Show in Harrisburg, PA, in October.

Thirty riders are accepted in the Children’s and Adult Hunters and Jumpers finals, each of which awards $10,000 prize money. The Open Speed finals also accept 30 entries and awards $25,000 prize money. The pony division final accepts 25 riders and awards $5,000 prize money.

The Vermont Summer Festival, which is New England’s largest “AA” rated hunter-jumper horse show circuit, continues with the Manchester Classic, July 17-21, The Valley Classic, July 24-28, and the Manchester and the Mountains Horse Show, July 31-August 4. The action culminates with the Vermont Summer Celebration, August 7-11.

For further information please visit the Vermont Summer Festival website at www.vt-summerfestival.com or call 802-362-7548.