Markus Fuchs guides La Toya III to victory in the $100,000 Zada Masters Cup on Sunday, March 4. Photo Credit - Sportfot
Markus Fuchs Photo Credit - Sportfot

March 9, 2007 – Wellington, Florida – JustWorld Rider Ambassador Markus Fuchs is finding his first visit to the Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, Florida, to be sunny in many ways.

The Swiss Olympian is spending three weeks at the highly competitive international show jumping event where JustWorld International is the charity partner. During his first week of competition, Fuchs finished as the runner-up in Thursday's $25,000 WEF Challenge Cup Round VI before winning Sunday's $100,000 Zada Masters Cup, which acted as a World Cup Qualifying event, on Sunday, March 4. His partner in both classes was La Toya III, a 12-year-old Belgian Warmblood mare that Fuchs has been riding for the past six years.

"It is very nice to be here, it is much warmer than in Switzerland," smiled Fuchs, 50, whose charming and affable personality makes him a favorite with fans and fellow competitors alike. "There is a high level of competition here with very good riders. I am also very pleased with my horse. I was actually quite surprised that she felt and jumped so good because it is her first time competing outdoors again after jumping indoors for the past few months. She feels super!"

Fuchs will spend a total of three weeks competing in Wellington, Florida, before returning to his home base in St. Gallen, Switzerland. A Team Silver Medalist at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, Fuchs has enjoyed an illustrious show jumping career that has also seen him win the 2001 World Cup Final with Tinka's Boy. He is currently ranked the number five show jumping rider in the world.

During Fuchs' first successful week in Wellington, Leopoldo Palacios, a former member of the JustWorld International Advisory Board and currently a member of the Board of Directors, was acting as course designer.

"As the course designer, I felt very happy to have Markus Fuchs, who is an ambassador to JustWorld International, be the winner," said Palacios who sat on the FEI Jumping Committee for four years with Fuchs during the 1990's. "Markus is one of the best riders and one of the best horseman that I have known in my life, and he brought his best horses to Wellington and was very successful. In addition to being a great horseman, he is a nice, good and honest person.

"I am very proud to have been a part of JustWorld since the beginning as an Advisor, and now I am very proud to be a member of the Board of Directors," continued Palacios of his own involvement. "I want to do all that I can to collaborate with JustWorld."

As for Fuchs, he became a Rider Ambassador in 2004 for JustWorld International, a not-for-profit, humanitarian organization founded to work as a catalyst for positive change in the developing world by helping underprivileged children.

"Jessica (Newman, Executive Director of JustWorld International) approached me and explained the organization about three years ago and since then, I am a member," explained Fuchs of his decision to become involved. "I have always done a lot of charity work and have been supporting charity organizations for many years, and after Jessica spoke to me, I decided to team up with JustWorld. We live on the sunny side of life, and I feel that we have to do something for all those people who do not have such a good life and such good possibilities as we have."

In addition to donating a percentage of his prize money, Fuchs is also very generous with his time, helping to promote JustWorld International and the sport of show jumping in general. Readily available for autograph signing sessions, Fuchs also takes time to walk courses with sponsors when possible in order to explain the intricacies of the sport.

Over the past four years through its fundraising endeavors, JustWorld International has raised almost $2 million for its project sites in Honduras, Cambodia, Kenya, Senegal, and Brazil. On January 20 and 21, Just World held its Fourth Annual Fundraising Dinner and Training Show at Belle Herbe Farm while a Hunter Training Show was held at the same location on February 20. In addition, riders may train on the grass field at Belle Herbe by appointment and making a $150 donation to JustWorld International.

Founded in 2002, JustWorld International raises awareness and funds in the equestrian community to support humanitarian projects that benefit impoverished communities and children in the developing world.  Cooperating with local partners, JustWorld International implements sustainable, culturally sensitive education, health and vocational projects.  For more information on JustWorld International and its upcoming fundraising events, please visit www.justworldinternational.org.