Columbus Coalition Against Family Violence


			FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 18, 2000 NORTH AMERICA'S BEST PROFESSIONAL RIDERS COME TO NEW ALBANY SEPTEMBER 24 New Albany Classic Will Be Nationally Televised on Fox Sports Network (New Albany) – The third annual New Albany Classic Invitational Grand Prix will bring some of the best competitors in world class equestrian sports to Central Ohio this Sunday, September 24. North America's best riders, selected from the United States Equestrian Team computer listing, will compete for $50,000 in an American Horse Show Association sanctioned event. The Classic is a fundraising event for the Columbus Coalition Against Family Violence, and is held at the home of Abigail and Les Wexner with gates opening at 10:0A.M. and the competition program beginning at 2:00P.M. Tickets must be purchased in advance and may be obtained by visiting the official website at www.TheNewAlbanyClassic.com or calling 614-889-6875. This year, for the first time, the New Albany Classic will be televised nationally via the Fox Sports Network. The New Albany Classic is already attracting attention from top riders and officials within the nation's show jumping circuit. In a recent edition of The Chronicle of the Horse, Ellen Talbert, the 1999 winner of the New Albany Classic, said of the event, "These people have done an excellent job. I can't say enough. They cared a lot about the horses, about making the riders happy, and it was very spectator-friendly." Tricia Booker, editor-at- large of The Chronicle of the Horse, praised the New Albany Classic as a model for future equestrian events that are designed to attract a broader spectrum of spectators. Competitors in this year's Classic include several Olympic Medalists. In all, around 30 riders will participate and include: Leslie Burr-Howard - Leslie is a team Gold Medal winner from the 1984 Olympics, and a team Silver Medal winner from the 1996 Olympics. She represented the U.S. at the 1999 Pan Am Games in Canada. As a junior rider, Leslie won the 1972 ASPCA Maclay Finals. Among several other awards and honors, Leslie represented the U.S. at the World Equestrian Games in Holland in 1994. McClain Ward - McClain opened the 1998 season with four major wins on the Cosequine Winter Equestrian Festival Tour, and had 11 Grand Prix wins in all that year. He also started 1999 with four wins, and he became the youngest rider to pass the $1million mark in Grand Prix winnings. At the age of 14, McClain became the youngest rider to win the Rolex USET Show Jumping Talent Derby and was the youngest rider to win the Rolex USET Medal Finals — the first rider to win both titles in the same year. Alison Firestone - The recipient of a U.S. Equestrian Team (USET) grant to represent the U.S. on a European tour, she was one of 12 riders to contribute to the USET's win in the inaugural Samsung Nations Cup World Series. She was named Leading Rider on that series. After that highly successful year in 1997, she was named Female Equestrian Athlete of the Year by the U.S. Olympic Committee. She has represented the USET on several occasions, including the 1999 Pan America Games Silver Medal team. Norman Dello Joio - A veteran of the USET, Norman has contributed to many Nations Cup victories since 1979. He has had several wins in recent years, but is perhaps best known for two major titles he won: the 1983 FEI World Cup Final and the Individual Bronze Medal. He established an American Grand Prix Association record with five wins in 1981. Chris Kappler - Chris has represented the USET on many occasions and has over 26 career grand prix wins in North America and Europe. He was named Midwest Rider of the Year in 1987, 1988, 1989, and 1991. Other highlights for Chris include winning the Garden State Grand Prix, the Autumn Classic Grand Prix and the Chicago Equifest Grand Prix. Beezie Patton Madden - Beezie was also one of the 12 riders who contributed to the USET's win of the inaugural Samsung Nations Cup Series. Named the U.S. Olympic Committee's Female Equestrian Athlete of the Year in 1989, she also won the American Gold Cup. In 1993, she won two major Grand Prix events: the Grand Prix of Luxembourg and the Hampton Classic Grand Prix. In 1997, she won the American Grand Prix Association Rider of the Year award. Current Press Releases 2001 Press Releases 1999 Press Releases