Wellington, FL - February 11, 2004 - This year marks a record for number of countries represented at the 32-year-old Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, Florida. Riders competing at the Palm Beach Polo Equestrian Club show grounds hail from 31 countries - Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Denmark, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, Guatemala, Haiti, Holland, Iraq, Ireland, Italy, Mexico, Morocco, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Peru, Puerto Rico, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Sweden, Turkey, the USA, and Venezuela.

Produced by Stadium Jumping, Inc. under the guidance of President Eugene R. Mische, the Winter Equestrian Festival is the oldest and longest consecutively running equestrian sporting event in the world. Each week, approximately 4,000 horses and 6,000 horsemen populate the show grounds. Prize money offered for the 10-week circuit is $3-million. Eight back-to-back shows in Wellington, which started January 28 and will run through March 21, feature hunters, jumpers and dressage. Hunter/jumper action moves on to Tampa starting March 24 and wraps up on April 3 with the $200,000 Budweiser American Invitational.

For more information, visit www.stadiumjumping.com