The National Horse Show Association of America is pleased to announce that they have chosen the judges for this year's ASPCA Maclay National Championship. Leo G. Conroy of Wellington, FL, and Jimmy Torano of Ft. Lauderdale, FL, will judge the prestigious national final, which is held during the Syracuse Invitational Sporthorse Tournament in Syracuse, NY. The show will run from October 29-November 2, 2008, at the Oncenter Complex.

Conroy has been a sought-after judge for many years. He has held the card at such events as the Washington International Horse Show Equitation Finals, the USEF Show Jumping Talent Search-West Coast, the Capital Challenge Horse Show, the Devon Horse Show, and at various ASPCA Maclay regional qualifiers.

Conroy is eager to judge his first ASPCA Maclay National Championship. "I'm very excited," he said. "I couldn't ever judge before because of timing or because I had clients competing. This is the last equitation final of the year, and people remember it. I love the history of class."

Conroy also mentioned that he anticipates a good working partnership with fellow judge Torano. "I look forward to judging with Jimmy. He's a great judge, I know him well, and I think we'll work together very well," he remarked.

Torano has more recently become a judge, but he has already presided over events such as the 2006 USEF/Pessoa Hunt Seat Medal Finals and the 2007 USEF Show Jumping Talent Search-East Coast Finals. In addition to the ASPCA Maclay National Championship this year, he will judge at the Pony Medal Finals.

"I think Leo and I will be a great pair," Torano said. "Originally I wanted him to judge with me at the Medal Finals, but it didn't work out. I'm glad that we'll get the chance this year at a wonderful event like the ASPCA Maclay National Championship."

Once again in 2008, there will be eight regional competitions held across the country for riders to qualify for the national championship. The dates and locations of these regional qualifiers will be announced at a later date.

The ASPCA Maclay Horsemanship class has been held since 1933, and it is one of the most prestigious competitions for junior riders in the United States. Its winners are some of the biggest names in equestrian sport. Previous winners include: William Steinkraus (1941), Frank Chapot (1948), George Morris (1952), Leslie Burr Howard (1972), Stacia Klein Madden (1987), and Nicole Shahinian Simpson (1992). The 2007 ASPCA Maclay National Championship winner was Kimberly McCormack of Clermont, NJ.

For more information on the ASPCA Maclay National Championships and its qualifiers as well as the National Horse Show Association of America, please visit www.nhs.org.

For details on the Syracuse Invitational Sporthorse Tournament, please visit www.syracuseinvitational.com.