Edward Gal of the Netherlands, riding Geldnet Lingh, won the opening Grand Prix at the FEI World Cup Dressage Finals, Presented by Offield Farms, at the 2005 Las Vegas FEI World Cup Finals.

The world’s top dressage and jumping horses and riders are in Las Vegas competing for the prestigious title of International Equestrian Federation (FEI) World Cup Champions in both dressage and jumping at the Thomas & Mack Center.

The FEI World Cup Dressage Final, presented by Offield Farms, and the FEI Budweiser World Cup Jumping Final are being held simultaneously for the first time in history.

Gal and the 12-year-old Dutch stallion Geldnet Lingh wowed the crowd of more than 8,500 with his test that was awarded many 8s and 9s by the panel of five judges for a total score of 78.625%. “At first I was very nervous because of the crowd,” said Gal. “Then I thought, what the heck, just ride and see what happens. [Geldnet Lingh] did everything I wanted. I heard the crowd say, ‘Oh wow,’ so I thought it must be good. My day was super.”

Immediately behind Gal was teammate and defending World Cup champion Anky van Grunsven riding Keltec Salinero. Van Grunsven and the 11-year-old Hanoverian gelding scored a close 78%. She had a few mistakes, which she attributed as her own. Van Grunsven, who trains Gal said, “I’m very proud [of Edward], though I am going to try to beat him in the Kür.”

Standing in third place after the Grand Prix was American Debbie McDonald of Hailey, Idaho, and Brentina. The pair had the second ride of the day and held the first-place position until the last two rides of the competition. McDonald and the 14-year-old Hanoverian mare, who were the 2003 World Cup champions, scored a total 75.925%. “The atmosphere is phenomenal of all the places I’ve been,” she said. “Mentally, it’s nice to start on top, but I have to remember that the next competition is a clean slate.”

The top 12 horses and riders from today’s Grand Prix will advance to the FEI World Cup Dressage Final-Freestyle on Saturday night. The Grand Prix scores will determine the order of go in the Freestyle, and the riders will compete in reverse order. The scores from the Freestyle only will determine the World Cup champion.

McDonald will be joined in Saturday night’s Freestyle by the three other American riders competing in the FEI World Cup Dressage Finals. Robert Dover and FBW Kennedy, Leslie Morse and Kingston and Guenter Seidel and Aragon all qualified.

The pairs that will be competing in the Saturday Freestyle are:

Rider | Horse | Country | Score

1 Edward Gal | Geldnet Lingh | NED | 78.625

2. Anky van Grunsven | Keltec Salinero | NED | 78.000

3. Debbie McDonald | Brentina | USA | 75.958

4. Robert Dover | FBW Kennedy | USA | 75.625

5. Jan Brink | Bjorsells Briar 899 | SWE | 75.583

6. Andreas Helgstrand | Blue Horse Cavan | DEN | 73.000

7. Leslie Morse | Kingston | USA | 72.792

8. Hubertus Schmidt | Aramis | GER | 71.708

9. Carl Hester | Escapado | GBR | 71.667

10. Sven Rothenberger | Barclay II | NED | 71.167

11t. Guenter Seidel | Aragon | USA | 71.125

11t. Lone Joergensen | Hardthof’s Ludewig G | DEN | 71.125

The World Cup Finals feature five action-packed days of electrifying equestrian competition. The schedule for the Jumping Final includes a heart-stopping speed class on Thursday evening, a nail-biting jump-off class on Friday evening, the Grand Prix of Las Vegas on Saturday afternoon, and of course, the illustrious World Cup Final on Sunday afternoon.

The Dressage Final features the world’s best dressage riders locked in a four-day battle to determine who will be crowned this year’s FEI World Cup Dressage Champion. The schedule includes the impressive Grand Prix on Thursday afternoon, an exciting Grand Prix on Friday afternoon for horses not entered in the Final, and the crowd-pleasing Musical Freestyle on Saturday evening.

More than 100,000 tickets have been sold with tickets purchased by individuals in 13 countries and all 50 of the United States. Better than 96% of the ticket sales have been to people who live outside Nevada.

The World Cup will also include a special World Championship Hunter Rider (WCHR) World Cup Team Hunter Challenge on Saturday afternoon. The first-ever Challenge pits the skills of four past WCHR Professional National Hunter Champions against four of Europe’s top show jumping superstars, including three-time FEI World Cup Champion and Athens Olympic individual Silver Medalist Rodrigo Pessoa of Brazil, Sydney Olympic team Gold Medalist and 2003 FEI World Cup Champion Marcus Ehning of Germany, five-time Olympic veteran and 1995 FEI World Cup Champion Nick Skelton of Great Britain and his countryman, three-time Olympic veteran Michael Whitaker.

The FEI Budweiser World Cup Jumping Final will be televised on NBC on Sunday, May 8 at 5:00 p.m. EDT. The FEI World Cup Dressage Final, presented by Offield Farms, will be televised on Monday, June 6 at 4:00 p.m. EDT on the Outdoor Life Network (OLN).

The FEI World Cup Jumping Final, started in 1979, is an annual showdown among the world’s best jumping horses and riders. This year’s Final features 33 riders from 17 countries. In the 26 finals held through 2004, United States riders have emerged with the most titles, having won the championship seven times. This marks the sixth FEI World Cup Jumping Final to be held in the United States, following Finals in Baltimore in 1980, Tampa in 1989, Del Mar, CA in 1992 and the two in Las Vegas in 2000 and 2003.

First held in 1986, the Dressage World Cup Final has been held in the U.S. only once, in 1995 in Los Angeles. Germany and The Netherlands have dominated the competition, winning six titles each through 2004. The United States won its first title in 2003 when Debbie McDonald of Hailey, Idaho and the magnificent mare, Brentina, emerged as champions. Brentina is owned by Parry and Peggy Thomas of Las Vegas, for whom the Thomas & Mack Center, the venue for the World Cup Finals, is named.

Las Vegas Events, Inc. (LVE), producer of 2005 FEI World Cup Finals, was founded in 1983. LVE has grown with Las Vegas as the city has emerged as one of the world’s top special event and resort destinations. A private, not-for-profit organization, LVE is funded by hotel room tax and serves as the exclusive major special events agency for the city. In its 21-year history, Las Vegas Events has produced, presented or supported more than 200 events, which have driven more than 2.5 million visitors to the area, resulting in an economic impact of more than $700 million.

Las Vegas Events, Inc. is grateful for the generous support of its many sponsors, such as Budweiser, the title sponsor of the Jumping Final, Offield Farms, the presenting sponsor of the Dressage Final, and Breyer Animal Creations, the sponsor of the Riders’ Lounge. Other sponsors include: Bally’s and Paris Hotels; Bellagio Las Vegas and The Mirage Las Vegas; Creel Printing; Coast Hotels & Resorts; Der Dau Custom Boots and Shoes; D.K. Saddlery; Equifit; Equisearch.com, the Official Online Partner of the World Cup; Hermès of Paris; Lake Las Vegas Resort; Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority; Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino; Merial Limited; Mikmar Bit Company; NBC Television; Platinum Performance; Practical Horseman ; Schleese Saddlery Service; Sidelines ; Style-Wise; Summit Dynamics; Triple Crown Custom, the Official Custom Blanket of the FEI World Cup Finals; the U.S. Dressage Federation; the U.S. Eventing Association and the U.S. Equestrian Federation.

Also signed on as “Friends” of the FEI World Cup Finals 2005 in Las Vegas are the American Warmblood Society, “Brentina: From Idaho to Athens, Presented by Rolex,” Cornerstone Hunters & Jumpers, Devon Wood Equestrian Centre, Diamond Legacy Breeding, DressageArenas.com, Dressage un Ltd, HorseDeals.US, Las Vegas Magazine, Nevada Equestrian Association, Royal Oaks Farm, Tish Quirk/Horses USA and Valley Horse News.

For more information on the 2005 FEI World Cup Jumping and Dressage Finals, please call Las Vegas Events, Inc. at (702) 260-8605 or visit the official Web site at www.worldcuplasvegas.com.