Joe Fargis and Diams III were the winners of the $10,000 Escada Welcome Stake, presented by Manchester Designer Outlets, at the Vermont Summer Festival. Making the presentation is Amy Feiden, Manager of the Escada store in Manchester. Photo by David Mullinix Photography

June 9, 2008 – East Dorset, Vermont – Manchester Designer Outlets and the retail brands it represents will sponsor all six $10,000 Open Welcome Stake classes during the six-week Vermont Summer Festival taking place July 9 to August 17, 2008, in East Dorset, VT.

The renewed and expanded agreement with Manchester Designer Outlets marks the broadest local sponsorship in the history of the Vermont Summer Festival. Polo/Ralph Lauren, Escada, Giorgio Armani, Hickey Freeman/Bobby Jones, Tumi, Lilly Pulitzer, Michael Kors, Furla, TSE, Betsey Johnson, Theory, Anichini and The Vermont Bird Place are the 13 Manchester Designer Outlets brands participating in this unique sponsorship agreement. The brands will be co-sponsoring each of the $10,000 Open Welcome Stakes held every Friday at 1 p.m. during the Vermont Summer Festival horse show. The winner and runner-up of each Open Welcome Stake will receive their share of the $10,000 purse as well as a prize valued at $1,000 from one of the sponsoring brands.

“The magical combination of the Vermont Summer Festival and the Manchester Designer Outlets, both set in the beautiful Green Mountains of Vermont, has created excitement and enthusiasm with local residents, the retail, lodging and restaurant communities, as well as equestrians and fashionistas,” noted Ben Hauben, President of Manchester Designer Outlets. “It is a huge plus for the Vermont tourism industry, and the participants of the Vermont Summer Festival enjoy all aspects of our wonderful area. The annual pairing of the most prestigious horse show in the Northeast with the most upscale designer outlet center in the Northeast will help make the Festival, our stores, and the town of Manchester, not just a destination but the destination.”

Ruth Lacey, Marketing Executive for the Vermont Summer Festival, agreed, saying, "Once again, Manchester Designer Outlets and the brands they represent have stepped forward in support of our show jumping event. We’ve crafted a relationship that drives business to the retail stores in Manchester while also making the prizes that we award to the winning athletes more attractive. It's clearly a win-win scenario for both the Vermont Summer Festival and Manchester Designer Outlets."

Manchester Designer Outlets signifies the newest trends in today’s shopping experience: boutique-like specialty stores offering everything from designer label fashions for men and women, to luxury home furnishings, distinct gifts and stylish accessories – metropolitan or handcrafted, international or American. Shopping at the Manchester Designer Outlets stores offers a wide array of culture, style and sophistication – a retreat for shoppers and travelers with savings up to 70% off retail prices from top name brands.

New England’s largest “AA” rated hunter/jumper horse show, the Vermont Summer Festival offers over $700,000 in prize money, making it the richest sporting event in the state of Vermont. Each week of competition features a $10,000 Friday Open Welcome Stake, sponsored by Manchester Designer Outlets, 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.

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