NEWS RELEASE
July 23, 2008

FOUR-DAY EVENT IS MORE THAN A HORSE SHOW IN KNOXVILLE

Top riders from around the world - including teams from Knoxville, Atlanta, Jacksonville and three foreign countries - are in Knoxville this week competing for prizes as City League International brings its competition to Tennessee for the first time.

The competition takes place at the Knoxville Civic Coliseum from Thursday, July 24, through Saturday, July 26. The event includes 24 teams vying to score enough points in events Thursday and Friday to make it to Saturday night’s Grand Prix. Total prize money is $47,000, with $25,000 at stake in the Grand Prix.

The competition includes show jumping, recognized as the most exciting event in equine sports. Riders negotiate a course of big jumps at racehorse speeds as they try to stay on their mounts and not knock down any rails. Winners are decided in fractions of a second.

Competition participants include Aaron Vale, the winningest rider of all time; Kimberly Mitchell, captain of the Knoxville team; Roberto Teran, three-time Olympian; Debi Connor, former member of the U.S. Olympic Team; and Francisco Martinez of the Venezuelan Olympic Team.

Other activities at Saturday’s main event include an appearance by world-renowned dog trainer Tiger Eye Duncan and his World Champion Frisbee dogs. The Grand Prix competition starts at 7:30 p.m.

Tickets start at just $5 and are available at the Civic Coliseum box office or online at http://www.cityleagueinternational.com.

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