Take Zone Four Finals, National Classic Equitation Finals, the $25,000 Barry Lane Memorial Grand Prix, the $25,000 Rio Vista Products Grand Prix and you get the first of two big weeks of showing at the Georgia International Horse Park.

The 3rd Annual $25,000 Barry Lane Memorial Grand Prix continued it’s growing success with 98 competitors in the qualifying round on Saturday, November 12, from which a field of 61 moved on to the challenging course designed by Jeff Smiley for championship rounds on Sunday, November 13. A mere 12 riders made into the final jump off.

Sarah Owen of South Carolina with her partner Arko, a 16-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding, not only won, but made a little history in the Memorial Prix. After a clear first-round time of 76.172, Owen's clean jump-off time of 37.269 made her the youngest rider at age 13 to win this event. She commented, “It was a big well-laid out course. The only jump I worried about was the big Liverpool, but Arko had no problems.”

Kimberly Jungherr and Roscoe took second place with a jump-off time of 37.336, and following in third was Esme Melchior and Bienvenido with a jump-off time of 38.074. Fourth went to Tovah Goldfarb on board Gaby Do Anjo with a jump off of 40.432, and rounding out the fifth spot was Natalie Solyomvari and Galileo 36 with a finishing time of 43.041.

The excitement continued with the $25,000 Rio Vista Products Grand Prix and a field of 39 competitors vying for top honors. Smiley upped the drama with a sweeping field of 13 technical jumps. Only six returned for the jump-off, including the winning pair of Aaron Vale of Aiken, SC, and Hollow Creek/Town Creek Investment’s 11-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding Romulus 16. Vale had a clear first round time of 82.620 and a jump-off time of 44.913. Sergio Campos of Longwood, FL, owner and rider of Shakira Do Jacare was bumped down a spot by a mere .676 of a second with a jump-off time of 45.589. Robert Kraut with Providence, owned by Happy Hill Farm, finished third with a jump-off of 46.645.

The National Classic Equitation (NCE) Finals, sponsored by Connections, saw some stiff competition in all five divisions this week. The finals are open to any rider who has competed in any NCE equitation class during the 2005 season, and riders can choose only one division for finals. Winners were presented with a custom letterman’s jacket and a choice of vacation getaways. Destinations included a week in a mountain resort, Florida condo, or a weekend in Orlando, Miami or Atlanta, including Braves or Six Flags theme park tickets. The trainer of each winner was also presented with the same awards, making these divisions among the toughest competition.

In the junior amateur owner division, top honors went to Caroline Searcy and her mount Interpol from Kimberden Farm of Corryton, TN, with trainer Dennis Mitchell. For the childrens/adult division, it was Lynn Seithel Jekel on board Caviar from Mt. Pleasant, SC, with trainer Elizabeth Warmington taking the win. Chase Boggio and Franklin Mint of Alpharetta, GA, with trainer Heather Tinney were the pony division champions. Cara Cupit with Rialto of Atlanta, GA, with trainer Stephanie Cumming won the Pre Childrens-Pre Adult division. And in the Short Stirrup-Childrens Pony division, Mallory Turner riding Movin On Up from Hardeeville, SC, with trainer John Barnett took top call.

Wrapping up a big first week were the Zone Four Finals. Among some of this years champions were Maggie Schottenfeld on board Celebrate for the children's hunter 15-17 division with Guerry Force and Cabernet in the reserve champion spot. Kaitlin Porath riding In A Dream won the green pony division, and Bridget Burke on board Simply Stated were reserve champions. Small Pony Hunter Champion was Victoria Free riding Check Me Out and Derek Hirsch with Go For The Gold