Beezie Madden, riding Cortes C will try for her third American Invitational win on Saturday. (Kenneth Kraus)
The rider list for this year's American Invitational, presented by G & C Farm, reads like a who's who of show jumping, headed by two, two-time Olympic Gold medalists for the United States, Beezie Madden and McLain Ward. Both were teammates on the winning squads at Athens and in Hong Kong. Madden has won the Invitational twice, and Ward, a three-time winner is also the defending champion aboard Rothchild. United States Olympic Gold medalist Laura Kraut (Hong Kong) is joined by Leslie Howard, a Gold and Silver Olympian for the United States in Los Angeles and Atlanta. Sydney Olympians Lauren Hough and Miami's Margie Goldstein Engle are also scheduled to compete on Saturday night. Christine McCrea, team and Individual Gold Medalist from the most recent Pan American Games is also on this year's roster of superstars.
Internationally, Brazil's Rodrigo Pessoa, one of the most decorated riders in history, has entered this year's event in hopes of adding a second American Invitational win to his resume. Riding his legendary stallion, Baloubet du Rouet, Pessoa captured the 2006 event in Tampa. Pessoa, a five-time Olympian for Brazil, won the Individual Gold medal in Athens, Greece and has been a part of two team Bronze medals as well. He is also a three-time winner of the prestigious World Cup Finals.
Great Britain's red-hot rider Ben Maher will compete in this year's debut in Miami. Maher, currently the second highest ranked rider in the world, was part of the British team Gold medal at the most recent Olympic Games on his home turf in London, England. Maher comes into the Invitational on a history making winning streak at the recently concluded Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, Florida, where, against the best horse and riders in the world, he won an unprecedented number of major events.
Kent Farrington and Todd Minikus, two of America's winningest riders over the past three seasons, join the American Invitational fray. Farrington comes in as the number one ranked rider in the United States.
Other American riders scheduled to compete include New York City's Georgina Bloomberg, Candice King, Catherine Pasmore, Jared Peterson, Jordan Coyne, Kaitlin Campbell, Lauren Tisbo, Quentin Judge, Molly Ashe-Cawley, a two-time winner of the American Invitational and Jessica Springsteen, daughter of renowned rocker Bruce Springsteen.
The international list includes Gustavo Arroyo, Max Amaya, Angel Karolyi, Irish rider Shane Sweetnam and Canadians Yann Candele and Tiffany Foster.
The prize list for the American Invitational can be found at www.stadiumjumping.com/#!athlete-information/cr6r