New York City, NY - July 11, 2003 - The National Horse Show Association of America (NHSAA) has announced the distinguished panels of hunter/jumper judges and course designers who will officiate at the new Metropolitan National Horse Show in New York City, NY and the National Horse Show Indoor Championships in Las Vegas, NV.

Hunter and Equitation judges at the Metropolitan National Horse Show include Thom Brede of Stamping Ground, KY, John Roper of Franklin, TN, Hap Hansen of Encinitas, CA, Matt Collins of Culpeper, VA, and Julie Winkel of Reno, NV. Hansen, Collins, and Winkel will jointly judge the 2003 ASPCA-Maclay National Horsemanship Championship. Jumper officials will be Fred Brown of Newtown Square, PA and Allen Rheinheimer of Zionsville, IN.

Robert Bielefeld of Ithaca, NY, Robert Crandall of Baltimore, MD, Jack Towell of Camden, SC, and Patrick Rodes of Argyle, TX will officiate at the National Horse Show Indoor Championships in Hunters and Equitation. Lewis Pack of Columbus, NC, Peter F. Looker of Los Angeles, CA, and Fred Brown will handle judging duties in the jumper ring.

The jumper course designer at both shows will be esteemed horsewoman Linda Allen of Salinas, CA. In addition to her brilliant work on the courses at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, Allen has designed courses throughout the world for many international championships. Domestically, she has left her mark on such events as the Los Angeles National, the I Love New York Horse Show, the Kentucky Spring Horse Show, the Colorado Summer Classic, and many other national shows.

Jean Paul Godard of Aiken, SC will create the hunter courses for both events. A course designer for close to a decade, Godard has designed courses for the Jacksonville Winter Series, Gulf Coast Winter Series, South East Maclay Regional Finals, Lexington Kentucky Spring, Maryland Pony and Children's Equitation Finals, Biltmore Estate Summer Classic, and Atlanta Classic Horse Show. Godard is scheduled to design the courses at the 2003 USAE Junior Hunter Finals in August.

"We're pleased to bring our competitors the best officials from around the U.S.," said Bob Bell, manager of both shows. "All of the judges and course designers who will officiate in New York City and Las Vegas are excellent horsemen and have contributed in significant ways to our sport."

After the Metropolitan National Horse Show takes place on October 29 to November 2 in NY, the National Horse Show Indoor Championships will be held at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas, NV on November 19 to 23. The final show of the three events being organized in 2003 by the National Horse Show Association of America is the National Horse Show Outdoor Championships in Wellington, FL from November 26 to 30. All three shows will be rated "AA" by the national federation. Started in 1883, this is the 120th year for the National Horse Show Association of America.

Details on qualification for NHSAA events and related information may be obtained by contacting the National Horse Show Association of America, PO Box 386, Greenvale, NY 11548, telephone (516) 484-1865, e-mail NationalHS@aol.com, or by consulting the official website at www.nhs.org. Further information may also be obtained by contacting show manager Bob Bell at bbell@classiccompany.com. Media inquiries can be directed to Hallie McEvoy at NationalHSNews@aol.com.