Aaron Vale of Aiken, SC, posted the first victory of the season as the 2005 American Grand Prix Association (AGA) tour got underway in Jacksonville, Florida on Saturday, January 23, 2005. The nighttime competition took place at the Paul E. Reinhold Agricultural Center Fairgrounds on State Road 16 in Green Cove Springs, FL.

In its 27th year of equestrian excellence, the AGA tour includes 32 events in 22 different equestrian markets and offers over $2.5 million dollars in prize money.

Vale’s victory, his third career AGA win, came in the Jacksonville Internationale CSI** $50,000 Grand Prix Presented by Sleiman Enterprises.

Aboard Artur, an 11-year-old German Warmblood gelding under the ownership of Millstream, Inc., Vale toured the jump-off course in a time of 38.73 seconds for the win. Second place went to Olympic veteran Mac Cone of King City, Ontario, and Melinda, owned by Southern Ways, with a time of 40.82 seconds. Vale and his second mount, Romulus, owned by Hollow Creek Investments, finished third in 41.52 seconds. Finishing up in fourth place was eight-time Canadian Olympic rider Ian Millar of Perth, Ontario. Millar and his mount, In Style, tripped the timers in 41.67.

Dave Ballard of Canada designed the test for the AGA opener. Ballard was the assistant course designer at both the 1996 and 2000 Olympic Games. Thirteen riders went clear in the first round to advance to the deciding second round.

Florida remains the focus for the next six stops on the American Grand Prix Association tour with the next four events coming on consecutive Sundays at the Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, FL, beginning with the $50,000 Lincoln Idle Dice Classic, CSI-W, a World Cup Qualifier, on Sunday, February 20, 2005.

The following Sunday, February 27, features the $75,000 Zada Masters, LLC, Masters Cup, CSI***. Then it’s the $75,000 Cosequin Florida Open, CSI-W on Sunday, March 6, and the $100,000 U.S. Open Jumper Championship presented by CN CSIO**** on Sunday, March 13.

Following the Wellington events, the AGA tour moves to Florida’s west coast for the $75,000 Grand Prix of Tampa, CSI-W on Sunday, March 27, and the $200,000 Budweiser American Invitational, CSI*** on Saturday, April 2, under the lights at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, FL.

For more information on the American Grand Prix Association, please visit the website at www.stadiumjumping.com/aga.

Or, write to:
American Grand Prix Association
1301 Sixth Avenue West
Suite 406
Bradenton, FL 34205
(941) 744-5465
fax (941) 744-0874