February 16, 2005 – Ottawa, Ontario – Starting Gate Communications, Canada’s largest full-service public relations agency dedicated to the equestrian industry, is pleased to announce the launch of its website, www.startinggate.ca.

With up-to-date news, athlete biographies, and photos surrounding the achievements of the extensive client base serviced by Starting Gate Communications, www.startinggate.ca is a valuable source of information. In addition, as the official Canadian agent for BCM of the Netherlands, Starting Gate Communications is able to offer direct ordering from its website of the popular publications Horse International magazine, L’Annee Hippique and the World Breeding Federation of Sport Horses annual International Breeding Guide.

“It is our goal that the Starting Gate Communications website will become a useful source of news and information for the horse community,” states Jennifer Ward, President of Starting Gate Communications. “In addition to posting news items as they happen, the website will also serve as a valuable research tool. We have put a lot of time and effort into developing a website that showcases our clients while also remaining easy to navigate for our users.”

Founded in 2001, Starting Gate Communications has quickly grown to become one of the largest public relations companies in the world specializing in equestrian sport, particularly the three Olympic disciplines of dressage, show jumping and three day eventing. Services offered include athlete and competition promotion, media relations, freelance journalism, website development, advertising, magazine and newsletter publishing and promotional materials creation.

Its current roster of clients include some of the sport’s biggest names, including the BMO Financial Group, the Capital Classic Show Jumping Tournament, the CDI-W Blainville Dressage International and CSI-W Blainville Show Jumping International competitions, the Equestrian Management Group, Horse Sport magazine, Just World International, Mill Creek Stables, the Royal Horse Show and the Canadian Young Horse Jumper Development Series.

Individual athletes who have benefited from Starting Gate Communications’ athlete promotional services include three-time World Cup Finalist Ainsley Vince, 2004 USEA Intermediate Rider of the Year Nicole Shinton, two-time Olympian Stuart Black, 2004 World Cup Finalist Yann Candele, 2004 Olympic Bronze Medallist Darren Chiacchia, 2003 North American Young Riders’ Championship Team Gold and Individual Silver Medallist Keean White, 2003 and 2004 National Talent Squad Champion Carly Campbell Cooper and 2003 Pan American Individual Bronze Medallist, Yvonne Losos de Muniz.

For more information on Starting Gate Communications, please call 613 569-2423 or e-mail contactus@startinggate.ca.