The deadlines for entries for the first three weeks of the CN Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) have been extended, announced Equestrian Sport Productions, LLC (ESP).

The WEF prize list of the schedule of events for the 12 weeks at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center has been available online since December 19, 2007, only four days after ESP took over operational management of WEF. The extended Wellington WEF series and additional sponsorship to bring prize money to a record $5 million required a complete review of the prize list.

The printed prize list with paper entry forms is identical to the online version and should be available within the next two days.

The entry deadline for the opening week of WEF, January 16-20, has been extended to Monday, January 14.

The deadline for entries for weeks two and three, January 23-27 and January 30-February 3, respectively, has been extended to January 20.

"Online electronic entries through the ShowGroundsLive.com system developed for ESP has been huge," said David Burton, Jr., a co-manager of WEF. "We have had to install additional Internet server capacity to handle the record number of online entries."

As of Sunday night, he said, 848 electronic entries had been received for the first week of WEF by exhibitors using the ShowGroundsLive.com program. Hundreds of paper entries have also been mailed in.

"We understand that some exhibitors do not use or have access to computers so we decided to extend the deadlines as a service to them," Burton said.

"Exhibitors are welcome to come to the show offices at the PBIEC Show Grounds and South Grounds, and we will assist them in any way we can. We will also fax entry forms if exhibitors call (561) 793-JUMP (5867)."

The ShowGroundsLive.com program is provided to all exhibitors at WEF, the cost covered by an office service fee. In recent years, WEF exhibitors paid a subscription fee of up to $385 for a PC-only program.

ShowGroundsLive.com is the result of a partnership between ESP and Blue Fox, Inc., of Shelburne Falls, MA.

The Internet-based program is the only show software service that works on both PC and Mac-based computers, cellular phones and other personal digital assistant devices.

Highlights of the service are:
* Check in and file entries;
* View personal up-to-the-minute schedule;
* Get the Order-of-Go;
* View live ring status;
* Add and drop classes;
* See results and division totals;
* Order supplies, and
* Checkout and pay the bill (or if you win money have the funds electronically transferred to your account).

It is linked to the United States Equestrian Federation and United States Hunter Jumper Association databases to access up to date membership, horse registrations and other vital data. A similar link will be forged with the United States Dressage Federation.