PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
March 3, 2006

OCALA, FL (March 3, 2006) -- "It almost doesn't feel real," said junior rider Lexy Reed after her win in Thursday's $25,000 HITS Ocala Grand Prix.

Lexy, who trains with Bobby Brasswell of Quiet Hill Farm, Ocala, produced the only clear round out of a strong field of 36 starters over Anthony D'Ambrosio's course. This was Lexy's first, and will probably be her most memorable win with Ludwig, an eleven-year-old Warmblood gelding she bought three months ago through her previous trainer Don Stewart.

For Lexy, competing in the Grand Prix ring is a learning experience. When not competing, she is in the bleachers watching the professionals closely to learn all she can. She cites Aaron Vale as her idol. "He is probably the best rider in the world, and to go in there and beat Aaron Vale, you can't even imagine how it feels."

Anthony D'Ambrosio was expecting between 4-6 clean, but little mistakes along the way produced eight four-faulters and no jump-off.

"There were a few places towards the end of the course where you had to really keep your horse on a very specific, precise track between the jumps. You had to stay very balanced, stay very straight and not anticipate where you were going next, but finish with one jump and then look to the next," commented D'Ambrosio. "Lexy was very patient, she rode with a lot of poise and a lot of accuracy, and that’s what the course required."

Lexy was twelfth in the order-of-go. She watched the first six compete, making sure she took in Aaron Vale's round with his first horse Droxello. "He had an unlucky rail, but I set out to mimic they way he rode the round."

Lexy's biggest worry was the final combination, a vertical to an oxer in one stride. "Ludwig is a big horse (17hh) and it was a tight one-stride, but he jumped it great. I was really impressed with him." A good pairing for Lexy, Ludwig is an experienced horse with some Nation's Cup classes to his credit.

As the rails continued to tumble for the other riders, Lexy watched from the sidelines. Ludwig endured a slight cut to his back leg during their round, and tending to him helped keep her mind off things.

In the end, 18-year-old Lexy Reed was the only rider to master Anthony D'Ambrosio's course. "It was an interesting class to watch, and interesting to see that a young person like Lexy could pull it off, and be the one to show the way," remarked D'Ambrosio.

Watch out for Lexy and Ludwig as they compete in Sunday's $50,000 HITS Grand Prix. This will be the biggest Grand Prix competition of Lexy's career so far, and spectators at HITS Ocala will get to enjoy watching a young Grand Prix rider on the rise.

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

$25,000 HITS Ocala Grand Prix - Thursday, March 2, 2006
HITS IV - Ocala Tournament, Ocala, FL
Course Designer: Anthony D'Ambrosio, Red Hook, NY

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