Defending champion Jeffery Welles and two of the four riders on the United States squad for the 2007 Pan American Games head the impressive list of entries as the 38th Annual Lake Placid Horse Show opened at the North Elba Showgrounds in Lake Placid, NY.

The 2007 Lake Placid Horse Show will once again host outstanding non-stop equestrian action highlighted by the $75,000 Budweiser Grand Prix of Lake Placid CSI***, presented by RV Sales of Broward, on Sunday, July 1. The 30th Annual I Love New York Horse Show, highlighted by the $60,000 Hermès Grand Prix CSI*** on Saturday, July 7, follows at the same site, July 3-8.

Last year Welles became only the fourth rider ever to sweep both of Lake Placid’s grand prix events, taking both titles on Armani. Welles, who rides out of Bedford, NY, also won the Budweiser Grand Prix of Lake Placid in 2000 on S&L Riviera. Also vying for top honors in this year’s grand prix are Todd Minikus of Loxahatchee, FL, and Laura Chapot of Neshanic Station, NJ, two of the four riders chosen to represent the U.S. in show jumping in the Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil later this summer. Minikus, the 2001 United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) Horseman of the Year, won the Hérmes I Love New York Grand Prix in Lake Placid in 2004, while Chapot won the Budweiser Grand Prix of Lake Placid in both 1996 and 2004.

Two-time Olympic team Silver medalist (1988, 1996) Anne Kursinski, 2004 Athens Team Gold medalist McLain Ward, two-time Olympian (1988, 1992) Lisa Jacquin and 2000 Sydney Olympian Margie Engle add to the horse show’s star-studded field.

This year’s Lake Placid Horse Show schedule includes classes such as the 1.35m Adirondack Store Jumper Class and 1.45m Whiteface Mountain Open Jumper Stake on Wednesday, June 27; 1.45m Golden Arrow Lakeside Resort Open Jumper Class and The Hooker Family Children’s Jumpers on Thursday, June 28; Turtle Lane Farm Open Jumper Classic, and 1.40m Hilton Lake Placid Resort Open Speed Challenge; 1.35m Chair 6 Jumper Class on Friday, June 29; The Whiteface Lodge NAL Adult Amateur Jumper Classics, Adirondack Life Low Junior Jumper Classic, Sidelines Low Amateur Owner Jumper Classic, 1.40m Crowne Plaza Resort & Golf Club NAL Open Speed Stake, 1.35m A.G. Edwards Jumper Class, and The Hooker Family Children’s Jumper Classes on Saturday, June 30; and the Pepsi Bottling Group High Junior Jumper Classic, Mirror Lake Inn High Amateur Owner Jumper Classic, Juliam Farm Lead Line Class, C.M. Hadfield’s Saddlery Parade of Champions, Moss Communications NAL Children’s Jumper Classics, and the $75,000 Budweiser Grand Prix of Lake Placid CSI*** presented by RV Sales of Broward on Sunday, July 1.

Live webcasts of all horse show competition are available online at the horse show’s official website at www.lakeplacidhorseshow.com or at www.productionseast.com.

Admission to the Lake Placid and I Love New York Horse Shows is just $2 on weekdays and $5 on weekends. Children under the age of 12 are admitted free. Tickets are available at the gate. Guided walking tours of the horse show are available each weekday (Wednesday to Friday) at 11:30 a.m. for just $1. Further information is available by calling the Lake Placid Horse Show Association at (518) 523-9625 or online at www.lakeplacidhorseshow.com.