September 12, 2004 – Bridgehampton, New York – Several ‘Jump for a Just World’ Rider Representatives enjoyed a successful week of competition at the Hampton Classic Horse Show held August 29 to September 5 in Bridgehampton, NY.

Around the world, many top names in show jumping sport have become rider representatives for JustWorld International, a non-profit, humanitarian organization whose mission is to prepare and empower youth to become visionary leaders and work for social justice. By contributing their prize money earnings to JustWorld International, the riders are having a direct impact on the organization’s projects and programs.

Enjoying a Grand Prix victory at the Hampton Classic was Candice King of Wellington, FL, who claimed the $30,000 Adequan Grand Prix on Friday, September 3, riding Camillo V. Owned by the Camillo Group, a syndicate that includes JustWorld International Senegal project site sponsors Joan and Ernie Kalman, Camillo V is a 10-year-old Holsteiner gelding.

King was one of 46 contenders to advance to a four-horse jump-off. As the final rider to challenge the shortened jump-off course, King was able to go clear in a time of 38.35 seconds to overtake the lead from Sydney Olympian Laura Kraut, who had posted a time of 38.97 seconds.

“I just tried to stick to my plan,” explained King of her strategy. “I competed with Laura all spring on the Super League Tour in Europe, and I know Laura is always fast with Miss Independent even when she is not trying to be.”

The $30,000 Adequan Grand Prix also acted as a qualifier for the 2005 World Cup Finals to be held in Las Vegas, NV, next April, and King hopes to gain enough World Cup points to earn her ticket. In the meantime, she has generously donated a portion of her Hampton Classic prize money to JustWorld International.

“We all live in a very nice world, but there are a lot of people out there that are not as fortunate,” explained King of her motivation. “This is the one small thing that I can do to make a difference in the world. Any little bit that I can give back, based on how fortunate I have been to enjoy a victory, is well worth it.”

The Junior Rider Representatives were not to be outdone, posting strong results all week long. Natalie Johnson, 17, of Greenwich, CT, shined at the Hampton Classic, winning the $15,000 WGHR Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper competition. Riding Calino de Lezeaux, a 14-year-old selle francais gelding, Johnson beat out 36 other competitors to claim the win following an exciting jump-off where she was the only rider to post a double clear round. Johnson earned $4,500 in prize money for her victory, all of which will be donated to JustWorld International.

On the same day, Jessica Speiser of Armonk, NY, finished runner-up in the prestigious $10,000 Calvin Klein Jeans Equitation Championship held in the Grand Prix ring on Saturday, September 4. Held over two rounds, only the top ten riders qualified for Saturday’s final round which tests amateur riders under 21 over natural obstacles that included an open water and a bank. 17-year-old Speiser, who, along with Johnson, trains with Andre Dignelli at Heritage Farm in Katonah, NY, was riding Fax du Laine.

Johnson and Speiser packed a one-two punch in the BET/USET Show Jumping Talent Search Section ‘A’, placing first and second. Interestingly, it was a performance they repeated in the prestigious ASPCA MacLay Medal class, again placing first and second.

Josephine Nash of New York, also a ‘Jump for a Just World’ Junior Rider Representative, was successful in the hunter ring, picking up a Reserve Championship title in the Large Junior Hunter division for riders aged 16-17 riding Artistic.

All three of the Junior Rider Representatives have donated their entire horse show prize money earnings to JustWorld International. In addition to competing at the Hampton Classic Horse Show, the Junior Rider Representatives hosted a reception on Thursday, September 2, at the Resort Lounge in East Hampton, NY, to share their enthusiasm for JustWorld International and to encourage other junior and young riders to get involved.

“When you visit a project site and see first-hand the huge impact your small donation has made, it is a very exciting feeling that you want to share with others,” noted Johnson who, along with Speiser, traveled to Honduras to visit a JustWorld International project site and witness the impact of their involvement.

“We wanted to introduce JustWorld and the whole ‘Jump for a Just World’ concept to the riders who are interested in learning more about it, and inform them so that they can get involved,” added Speiser, 17.

Another visit to Honduras is planned for this fall with Just World Rider Representatives Candice King and Ray Texel, both well-known Grand Prix competitors on the American circuit, and Kevin Babington, who recently represented Ireland at the 2004 Athens Olympics, along with several other international riders from Europe, intending to make the trip.

“I was so proud of our JustWorld riders at the Hampton Classic,” said Jessica Newman, Executive Director of JustWorld International. A former Grand Prix competitor, Newman, 28, gave up her own riding career in order to concentrate her efforts on forming JustWorld International after working with street children in Honduras. “I just arrived in New York after three weeks in Honduras where we held our first leadership training seminar for Honduran University students who are currently designing and developing projects and programs for the underprivileged children we work with. With the money our riders won and donated from this week, we will be able to fund most of these projects!”

Just World professional rider ambassadors include Candice King and Ray Texel of the United States, Eric Navet, Herve Godignon and Olivier Guillon of France, Kevin Babington of Ireland, Rafi Latham of Spain, Imka Hofschroer of Germany, and Angela Covert-Lawrence and Eric Lamaze of Canada.

JustWorld International offers fellowship programs for students from around the globe to learn leadership skills, the tools that they can use to make a positive difference in the world. With several project sites already located in such underprivileged nations as Honduras, Cambodia and Senegal, students have the opportunity to work for change in a wide variety of environments on behalf of JustWorld International. For further information on JustWorld International, please visit www.justworldinternational.org.