61st Annual Del Mar National Horse Show Adds More Prize Money and New $25,000 Open Hunter Classic to World Class Competition

The 61st Annual Del Mar National Horse Show, one of the most prestigious horse shows in the nation, opens April 20th and runs through May 7th at the Del Mar Fairgrounds Equestrian Center. Del Mar’s world class event offers more than $350,000 in prize money during three weeks of Western, Dressage, and Hunter/Jumper competition. This year prize money is increased for the NRHA reining show, and a new $25,000 Dearborne Stables Open Hunter Classic is added. With three weeks of Western, Dressage, and Hunter/Jumper classes, three Saturday night performances, ringside dining or gourmet boxes, equestrian shopping, and live entertainment, the Del Mar National is unique amongst shows in the West.

Night of the Horse presented by Mary’s Tack & Feed on Saturday night, April 22nd is a spectacular equestrian showcase featuring hilarious equine extremist Tommie Turvey and his amazing paint horse Poker Joe. Spanish Horses, Mules, Mounted Rescue, and dancing Friesians will entertain along with performances of Roman Riding, Freestyle Reining, and Vaulting. It’s the highlight of Western Week, which runs April 20th – 23rd and offers four AQHA/PCQHA Shows Split/Combined, Youth State Qualifier, PCHA Open Horse Show, NRHA Show, and is also VQHA and SJQHA approved. This year NRHA prize money is increased for Open, Intermediate Open, Snaffle Bit/Hackamore, and Novice Horse Open classes. Riders compete in English and Western pleasure, trail, reining, halter, and horsemanship, with pole bending and barrel racing speed classes on Sunday. The Triple Crown Feeds Challenge of the Breeds western pleasure finale runs back to back with a Sliding Contest competition presented by Del Mar Feed & Tack and Equine Facilities Management on Friday evening, April 21st.

Evening of Musical Freestyles on Saturday night, April 29th at 7 p.m. is CDI-3* FEI Grand Prix Freestyle and Intermediaire I qualifying competition for USEF World Equestrian Selection Trials, National Grand Prix Championship, and National Intermediare I Championships. Dressage Week runs April 27th to 30th, and features the best in the world in a showcase of the finest horses and riders in all levels of tests, and in junior, young rider, amateur, and open divisions. Riders expected to compete include Debbie McDonald on Brentina (2005 USEF Horse of the Year), Olympic and World Cup competitor and Champion 2005 USEF Intermediaire I Championships Steffan Peters, Reserve Champion 2005 USEF Intermediaire I Championships Shannon Peters, past Olympic bronze medalist Charlotte Bredahl, and Leslie Webb on Harmony’s Cassiano (CDS Grand Prix Freestyle Horse of the Year). Del Mar National’s Dressage Show offers NAYR Region 7 Selection Trial, qualifying competition for the USEF/Markel Young Horse Program, FEI Junior classes, FEI Young Horse division, and USDF Young Rider qualifying classes.

The $100,000 HBO Grand Prix of Del Mar an AGA event on Saturday night, May 6th at 7 p.m. presents world class show jumping in the Del Mar Arena, home of the 1992 Volvo World Cup. Hunter/Jumper Week runs May 2nd to 7th and features the biggest and the best hunter/jumper competition in Southern California. Show highlights include the $10,000 Ralphs Supermarkets Power & Speed Grand Prix Qualifier on Tuesday, May 2nd at 7 p.m., and the $25,000 Surfside Grand Prix Qualifier on Thursday, May 4th, at 7 p.m. The top thirty horses and riders from these two qualifiers move on to the $100,000 HBO Grand Prix of Del Mar. A new class added this year, the $25,000 Dearborne Stables Open Hunter Classic takes place on Friday, May 5th at 7 p.m. It’s followed by the $25,000 Show Circuit Open Jumper Equitation Championship, considered the premiere equitation class of the region. On Sunday, May 7th, the $25,000 California Junior Amateur Show Jumping Championship final wraps up its 5 rounds of championship jumping. Olympic, World Cup, World Equestrian and Pan American Games veterans are expected to compete in this years $100,000 HBO Grand Prix of Del Mar, while adoring fans will be watching for Rich Fellers riding McGuinness, already making history with back to back wins in 2004 and 2005.

See it all from ringside box seats serving dinner or gourmet wine and hors d’ouevres baskets. For ticket information, call the Del Mar Fairgrounds Equestrian office at 858-792-4288. Tickets may be purchased at the Equestrian Office by phone or in person Monday thru Friday between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. Saturday night grandstand seats are $17 and also available at Mary’s Tack & Feed stores located in Del Mar and San Juan Capistrano. Saturday night box seats are available thru the Del Mar Fairgrounds Box Office at 858-792-4252 after March 16th between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. Tuesday thru Saturday. Buy tickets at any Ticketmaster location, call Ticketmaster at 619-220-8497, or purchase online at www.ticketmaster.com. Reserved grandstand and large group discount seats are available too. Visit www.delmarnational.com for more information.