February 25, 2005 – Stratford, Ontario – After being named the 2004 United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) Hunter Breeder of the Year, Augustin Walch of W. Charlot Farms is already poised to reclaim the title for a second consecutive year.

Three horses bred by W. Charlot Farms of Stratford, ON, claimed championship titles during the Hunter Classic Week running February 16-20 at the highly competitive 2005 Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, FL. The Hannoverian gelding, Eye Remember Rio (formerly Rio’s Rex), carried Victoria Watters, to a championship title in the Adult Amateur Working Hunter 35-50 division for the second week in a row, Addison Phillips rode Rio Bravo to the Large Junior Hunter 15 & Under Championship title, and Rio Renoir, a six-year-old bay Canadian Sport Horse gelding, won the Green Confirmation Hunter Championship. By claiming Championship titles, all three horses qualified for the $25,000 AHJF Hunter Classic Spectacular held Saturday evening, February 19, where Rio Renoir, ridden by Holly Orlando and owned by Thomas and Cynthia Diebert, had the best result to place fifth overall.

“He is without a doubt one of the nicest, most talented, well-mannered, fun horses that I have ever had, and I have had some nice ones!” raved Rio Renoir’s trainer, Joe Guzman, who divides his time between Wellington, FL, and Whitehouse Station, NJ. “He is an amazing athlete that has really come into his own this winter, and he has been either champion or reserve every time he has shown. In Saturday night’s Spectacular, he was breath taking; he jumped so high over the jumps that people in the crowd were gasping.”

Watters, who competes despite a visual impairment, and Eye Remember Rio also experienced success beyond claiming the Adult Amateur Working Hunter 35-50 Championship title. The pair beat out 48 entries to win the $5,000 Peggy Cone Adult Hunter Classic held Sunday, February 20, earning scores 87.75 and 87.50 for a total of 175.25.

“I can be a little long, a little short, a little off-center, and ‘Rio’ still helps me and jumps like a million dollars,” said Watters, who earned the 2004 Cosequin Winter Equestrian Festival Circuit Reserve Championship title in the Adult Amateur Hunter 35-50 division in 2004 riding Eye Remember Rio. “I have never known any horse that could be so forgiving, adjustable, and consistent.”

The results of Rio Renoir, Eye Remember Rio and the Canadian Sport Horse, Rio Bravo, all sired by W. Charlot Farms’ flagship stallion, Rio Grande, have once again put Walch at the head of the 2005 USEF Hunter Breeder of the Year standings. In 2004, Walch earned the title based on results from seven horses that were bred by W. Charlot Farms, all carrying bloodlines from Rio Grande, a 1986 registered Hannoverian by Raphael that enjoyed a successful international show jumping career under Eric Lamaze before being retired to stud in 2001. Recognized as a producer of hunter, jumper and dressage talent, Rio Grande is approved by the Hannoverian, American Hannoverian Society, International Horse Sport Registry, Oldenburg, Canadian Warmblood Horse Breeders Association, and the Canadian Sport Horse Association.

Four other top breeding stallions - Esprit D’Amour by Espri, Futurist by For Pleasure, Rio’s Ricardo by Rio Grande, and Viva Voltaire (Voltaire – Grannus – Argentinus) also stand at W. Charlot Farm, which has been owned and operated by Walch since 1980. In addition to the recent recognition for success in the hunter ring, W. Charlot Farms is also a leading producer of show jumping horses. In 2004, Pour Patrice W was crowned the Four-Year-Old Ontario Champion in the Canadian Young Horse Jumper Development Series while Rio’s Ricardo was the Reserve Ontario Champion in the Five-Year-Old Division.

With a herd of approximately 150 horses, including 40 broodmares and 31 foals born in 2004, W. Charlot Farms breeds specifically for the horse sport market. For more information on Rio Grande and W. Charlot Farms, please visit www.charlotfarm.com or call tel: (519) 271-5322.