Las Vegas, NV—June 26, 2002—Exciting plans are underway for the return of the Budweiser Show Jumping World Cup Final to the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas, NV, April 16-20, 2003.

The top show jumping riders in the world will once again be competing for the prestigious title of World Cup Champion at what will be the 24th annual World Cup Final. After winning his third consecutive World Cup Final in Las Vegas in 2000, international superstar Rodrigo Pessoa of Brazil exclaimed, “This has been one of the best World Cup Finals I’ve ever seen.” Budweiser World Cup 2003 promises to be even better!

The World Cup will begin with a warm-up class on Wednesday evening, April 16. Thursday, April 17, kicks off the main event with the first leg of the World Cup Final, a heart-stopping speed class run under Table C specifications—with faults converted into penalty seconds. Riders go all out in the speed class, knowing that in order to have a chance at a top placing in the Final standings they need to produce a slick, fast ride. The second leg of the Final takes place the following evening, Friday, April 18. This leg features a lengthy and grueling first-round course followed by a jump-off round where competitors again show their mastery of the speed format.

Saturday, April 19, is a day off from World Cup competition, but not from top show jumping action as the prestigious Grand Prix of Las Vegas takes place in the afternoon. Some riders bring multiple mounts to the Final and use a second horse in the Grand Prix which also features World Cup horses not going in Sunday’s last leg. So once again spectators have a chance to watch a class filled with the national and international legends of the sport.

The grand finale of the weekend is Sunday afternoon, April 20: the final leg of the Budweiser World Cup Final, a challenging two-round class run under Table A with a jump-off if needed to break a tie for first place. The field of starters is winnowed down to only the top twenty riders who are granted the privilege of returning for the second course. The rider with the fewest faults emerges as the new World Cup Champion.

This will be the fifth World Cup Final held in the United States. Previous Finals were held in Baltimore (1980), Tampa (1989), Del Mar (1992) and Las Vegas (2000). In 2000, nearly 36,000 spectators got the chance to see the brightest American stars face-off against their top rivals from around the world in a setting known as “The Entertainment Capital of the World.” Besides the top show jumping competition, spectators were treated to spectacular laser light shows and dazzling performances by Las Vegas showgirls and Las Vegas celebrities such as Susan Anton and Clint Holmes. Other highlights of 2000 included bull riding, buffaloes, the world famous Budweiser Clydesdales, and a dressage demonstration by 1999 Pan American Games double Gold Medalist Debbie McDonald. Outside of the arena, spectators were able to take part in the “Glitz and Glamour” that is Las Vegas—fine dining, shopping, world-famous theatrical shows, and, of course, gambling.

Director of the World Cup, Max Ammann, stressed in 2000 that the success of the Las Vegas Final was a breakthrough for U.S. show jumping. “Las Vegas proved that you can do a different horse show than what is normally the case in the United States,” Ammann explained. “I think what we saw was the future of the sport in the United States.”

The success of the World Cup Final in 2000 paved the way for new international competitions to be held on U.S. soil, including the Oaks Blenheim International CSI featuring the $175,000 Cargill Grand Prix of the United States in San Juan Capistrano, CA and the CSIO Samsung Nations Cup competition in Wellington, FL. Now, the ultimate competition—the World Cup Final—is back.

A variety of ticket packages for all price ranges and interest levels is now available for purchase. All-Session Plaza Level Priority seating is available for $300 per person. All-Session Balcony Level Priority seating is available for $150 per person. VIP Packages are available for $1,000 and include one premier All-Session seat, access to the private VIP hospitality area complete with complimentary deluxe food/beverage each day and preferred parking. Daily individual tickets for the five days of competition range from $10 to $85 depending on the seating and the session. To order tickets or for more information on the excitement of the 2003 Budweiser World Cup Final, please visit www.worldcuplasvegas.com or call (702) 260-8605.