PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
February 27, 2006

OCALA, FL (February 27, 2006) -- Out of a field of thirty starters, Kylee Jo Johnson riding Landintendant was the only rider to post a double-clear over Buddy Brown's course in Sunday's $50,000 Footings Unlimited Grand Prix.

Kylee Jo finished her jump-off round in 49 seconds even. Two of the fastest riders on the circuit, Aaron Vale and Sergio Campos, chased her time but both failed to match her clear round.

Buddy Brown designed a 13-obstacle first-round course with the tallest fence no. 12 a wall measuring 5'2, no. 7 an oxer was set at 5 foot with a 4 foot spread, and some particles of other jumps measured 5 feet. "When I walked the course I thought it was really big this week," said Kylee Jo. "The jumps are not really a factor for my horse though, he does well no matter how high they are."

Landintendant is a a ten-year-old 16.1 hh Mecklenburg gelding owned by Derek Peterson. Kylee Jo also won a $50,000 Grand Prix with him at last year's HITS Ocala Winter Circuit.

Four riders mastered Buddy Brown's course to advance to the jump-off. Brown was expecting 6-8 clean, but commented that there were a number of unlucky four-faulters.

Tricia O'Connor riding Furistos Treasure opened the round. O'Connor lost her balance at the double combination. She jumped it clean, but then had a fall while making an inside turn to the vertical. O'Connor finished in fourth place, which was still a good result.

Kylee Jo Johnson was next to go. She had Aaron Vale and Sergio Campos coming up behind her, so she had to be as fast as she dared. "Those two guys are always so fast, and they always outrun me. Landintendant usually jumps really well going fast. I’m perhaps a bit more conservative than I should be, so I just thought I would go for it."

Kylee Jo rode a perfect round, leaving all the rails up with 49 seconds on the clock. In the end it wasn't her speed, but going clear that gave her the victory in the $50,000 Footings Unlimited Grand Prix. Both Aaron Vale and Sergio Campos posted four-faults apiece.

Aaron Vale rode Serval, winner of last week's $50,000 Duggan Equipment Grand Prix. A rail down at the third jump and a time of 50.16 seconds meant third place for Vale.

Brazilian rider Sergio Campos finished out the competition. Campos and his mare Shakira Do Jacare are a super-fast pair. From the start, it was clear that Sergio Campos was not riding for second, he was going all out to win.

"Shakira is so fast and he is such a fast rider, so I was fairly certain that they were going to be faster than my horse. I just didn’t know if they would leave all the jumps up," remarked Kylee Jo. "I watched Sergio's round and I thought he had me beat, but then he pulled a rail at the last jump. It was kind of unlucky for him, but lucky for me."

Sergio Campos delivered an exciting finish to the competition for the Ocala crowd. He blazed through the course in the fastest time of 47.09 seconds, but he paid for it with a rail down to end up in second place.

The next Grand Prix show jumping event at HITS Ocala will be the $25,000 HITS Grand Prix on Thursday, March 2. The $50,000 HITS Grand Prix will finish out the week on Sunday, March 5.

Other major award winners at HITS III Ocala Masters included:

HBO Children's Medal (Pony) - Alexandra Carlton, Madison, CT
HBO Children's Medal (Horse) - Grace Rogers, Burlington, VT
HBO Adult Medal - Tracy Harmon, Glen Allen, VA (2nd week in a row)
Farnam Adult Hunter Division Champion (18-35) - Unlisted ridden and owned by Anne Connolly, Wayland, MA
Farnam Adult Hunter Division Champion (36-45) - Twist of Gold ridden and owned by Bonnie Thaler, Metamora, MI
Farnam Adult Hunter Division Champion (46 & over) - Escada ridden and owned by Joanne Sims
Adequan® Open Hunter Division Champion - Untold ridden and owned by Jodi Czaplick, Long Island, New York
Marshall & Sterling Children's Hunter Classic - American Beauty ridden by Mary Kate Hassett, Chicago, IL
Marshall & Sterling Adult Hunter Classic - Ready Made ridden and owned by Bonnie Laurich, Hilton Head Island, SC
Marshall & Sterling Child Jumper Classic - Kylie Tekulsky, East Hampton, NY riding Nite Cap owned by Andre Deleyer
Marshall & Sterling Adult Jumper Classic - Stephen Green, Sag Harbor, NY riding Harvest Wine owned by Andre Deleyer

For complete horse show results please visit http://www.hitsshows.com.

$50,000 Footings Unlimited Grand Prix - Sunday, February 26, 2006
HITS III - Ocala Masters, Ocala, FL
Course Designer: Buddy Brown, Bend, OR

MEDIA CONTACT: Mary Creech, HITS Media & Public Relations, 319 Main Street, Saugerties, New York 12477-1330. Tel: 845-246-8833, Fax: 845-246-6371, E-Mail: mcreech@frontiernet.net. Web: www.HitsShows.com