Holly Orlando rode Great Pleasure to victory in the $30,000 Otter Creek Grand Prix, sponsored by Devoucoux Saddles, at the 2007 Vermont Summer Festival. Photo by David Mullinix Photography

May 5, 2008 – East Dorset, Vermont – The Vermont Summer Festival is pleased to welcome Devoucoux as a returning Grand Prix sponsor of the six-week show jumping competition taking place July 9 to August 17, 2008, in East Dorset, Vermont.

Devoucoux, French producers of handcrafted saddles, will sponsor the $30,000 Battenkill Grand Prix, Presented by Devoucoux, held Sunday, July 20. Some of the biggest names in show jumping, including past champions Jimmy Torano (2006) and Holly Orlando (2007), will gather to take on the test set by renowned American course designer, Anthony D’Ambrosio.

“The Vermont Summer Festival is one of the year’s premiere shows for us, and we are very pleased to continue to support such a beautiful and well-organized event,” said Benjamin Auzimour of Devoucoux. “The atmosphere that surrounds this event is truly unique, and we are looking forward to greeting our current clients and meeting new customers during the six-week horse show.”

Throughout the six-week Vermont Summer Festival, Devoucoux will have an on-site sales booth making it easy for prospective buyers to 'try before they buy' in order to ensure the most comfortable fit for themselves and their horses. Devoucoux currently offers custom made saddles to satisfy the needs of the horse and the tastes of even the most discriminating rider. They are renowned for high quality saddles for optimum balance, weight distribution, and fit for both horse and rider.

"We are thrilled to once again have the support of Devoucoux as the presenting sponsor of the $30,000 Battenkill Grand Prix," said Ruth Lacey, Marketing Executive for the Vermont Summer Festival. "Their products are of the highest caliber, and having Devoucoux representatives on-site for all six weeks of the Vermont Summer Festival is evidence of their outstanding commitment to customer service. Devoucoux's investment in the Vermont Summer Festival is one that our exhibitors will truly appreciate."

Visit Devoucoux's extensive website at www.devoucoux.com for more information, including its full line of products. Devoucoux saddles are the saddle of choice for many international riders including Olympians Laura Kraut, Norman Dello Joio and Kevin Babington as well as many others.

New England’s largest “AA” rated hunter/jumper horse show, the Vermont Summer Festival offers over $750,000 in prize money, making it the richest sporting event in the state of Vermont. Each week of competition includes a $10,000 Friday Open Welcome Stake, and, for the first five weeks of competition, a $30,000 Sunday Grand Prix. The 2008 Vermont Summer Festival closes with the grand finale, the $50,000 Vermont Summer Celebration Grand Prix on Sunday, August 17. Each of the six weeks also features a $10,000 Show Jumping Hall Of Fame High Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper class, part of the Show Jumping Hall of Fame Jumper Classic Series, and is also a member event of the Marshall & Sterling League and the North American League (NAL).

In addition to offering exhibitors a high quality horse show, the nearby village of Manchester provides an endless selection of lodging, restaurant, and shopping options.

For more information on the 2008 Vermont Summer Festival including sponsorship opportunities, please call (802) 496-9667, e-mail: info@vt-summerfesetival.com, or visit www.vt-summerfestival.com.