August 5, 2006 – East Dorset, Vermont – The starting field was stacked with stiff competition, but 11-year-old Mattias Tromp of North Salem, New York, bested them all to claim the $1,500 NAL/WIHS Children's Jumper Classic during Week 4 of the Vermont Summer Festival Horse Show running July 12 to August 13 in East Dorset, Vermont.

Open to competitors' aged 17 and under, 33 entries attempted the track set by Ken Krome. Ten were successful in negotiating the first round test to advance to the jump-off. It was an exciting jump-off that saw horses and riders racing against each other as the turns got tighter and tighter. As the fourth challenger in the jump-off, Tromp set a time of 35.80 seconds that no one came close to catching, including Tromp himself with his second entry of the day, Alan, a game little chestnut gelding.

So it was Tromp who topped the field to claim victory riding Amelia, a 12-year-old bay mare. Amelia has been a family favorite of the Tromp's, having also been shown with great success by Tromp's older sister, Emmy. He also finished fifth riding Alan, a 19-year-old thoroughbred gelding formerly competed by his older brother, David, who is currently studying agriculture at Cornell University.

"My plan for the jump-off was to go as fast as I could and keep all the jumps up," said Tromp, a student at Pequenakonck Elementary School. "The second time with Alan, I was trying to beat my other horse's time, but I had one rail. I was so happy to win!"

Placing second was Catie Torcivia of Rumson, New Jersey. As the first jump-off challenger, Torcivia set the early pace, posting a clear round in a time of 39.60 riding Straight Up. Tilden Brighton, also of Rumson, New Jersey, followed Torcivia into the ring and was also clear riding Quick Time, but in a slower time of 44.74 seconds to eventually take third.

Julia Weiss of Stamford, Connecticut, had the fastest four-fault round in the jump-off to finish in fourth position riding the fiery chestnut, Lizzapei, while Tromp took fifth place riding Alan after knocking down the first element of the double combination for four faults.

Although the pair looked like seasoned veterans as they galloped to the win, Tromp and Amelia have only just begun contesting the Children's Jumper division this year. In their first outing at the Old Salem horse show in New York, they placed second before going on to claim victories in Saugerties and Lake Placid, both in New York. Tromp got the ride on Amelia earlier this year when his sister, Emmy, who is also his coach, turned professional.

"Amelia is a really hot horse," he says. "I love that I don't have to create so much energy when I ride her, that makes it a lot easier. When I am not riding, she is very sweet and very loveable. When she is in her stall, she will lie down and let you sit on her! She also loves having her face rubbed."

As for Alan, Tromp says, "He has less of a personality than Amelia. He is very sweet, and he will let you do whatever you want to him. When you are riding him, he will do anything for you, he will never stop. He will take a rail for you."

Tromp began riding as a five-year-old, and thinks that he might eventually turn professional like his sister. The family lives at Beyaert Farm and keep their horses at home, making riding and training very convenient. In addition to Amelia and Alan, Tromp is also showing Ferdinand in the Children's Hunter Pony division at the Vermont Summer Festival. Like his brother and sister before him, Mattias Tromp is a winner in the show ring.

Featuring more than $650,000 in prize money, the Vermont Summer Festival includes a $10,000 Mini Prix each Friday and, for the first four weeks of competition, a $30,000 Sunday Grand Prix. The 2006 Vermont Summer Festival closes with the grand finale, the $50,000 Vermont Summer Celebration Grand Prix on Sunday, August 13. The Vermont Summer Festival is also a proud member event of the Show Jumping Hall Of Fame, the Marshall & Sterling League, and the North American League (NAL). For more information about the 2006 Vermont Summer Festival, including full results, please visit www.vt-summerfestival.com.

The North American League (NAL) runs season-long series in six hunter-jumper divisions – Children’s Hunter, Children’s Jumper, Adult Hunter, Adult Jumper, Pony Jumper and Open Jumper Speed. Each series culminates with a championship final at the Pennsylvania National Horse Show in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, in October. For more information, a list of qualifying competitions and results, please see the Ryegate Show Services website at www.Ryegate.com.

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Rider Horse Faults Time
1. Mattias Tromp Amelia 0:0 35.80
2. Catie Torcivia Straight Up 0:0 39.60
3. Tilden Brighton Quick Time 0:0 44.74
4. Julia Weiss Lizzapei 0:4 36.91
5. Mattias Tromp Alan 0:4 38.16