Frequent Vermont Summer Festival competitor, Hillary Dobbs, won the $30,000 Manchester & The Mountains Grand Prix, Presented by Hand Motors, at the 2011 Vermont Summer Festival. Photo by David Mullinix Photography

April 28, 2011 – East Dorset, Vermont – The annual Vermont Summer Festival will return to East Dorset, Vermont, for six consecutive weeks of competition running July 6 through August 14, 2011.

New England’s largest hunter/jumper competition, the 2011 Vermont Summer Festival will offer more than $750,000 in prize money, making it the richest sporting event based on purse in the state of Vermont. The competition attracts the best athletes, including Olympic medalists, from across the country and around the globe to vie for top honors.

The first five Sundays of the Vermont Summer Festival will feature a $30,000 Grand Prix, culminating with the $50,000 Vermont Summer Celebration Grand Prix on Sunday, August 14. Weekly $10,000 Open Welcome Stake classes, presented by Manchester Designer Outlets, and weekly $10,000 Show Jumping Hall of Fame Junior/Amateur-Owner Classics are also highlights for show jumping competitors. The sixth and final week of competition will also feature a $15,000 Children’s/Adult Jumper Classic.

Hunter competitors will enjoy time in the spotlight with the introduction of a $5,000 3'3" Hunter Derby which will be held every week with the exception of week three. During week three, running July 20 to 24, the $2,500 WCHR Handy Hunter Challenge will be held, which acts as a World Championship Hunter Rider qualifying event.

The Vermont Summer Festival prides itself on hiring the best course designers in the business to set the tracks in the all-weather grand prix ring. Named the 2010 Course Designer of the Year by the USHJA, Anthony D’Ambrosio will return to Vermont this year, as will Eric Hasbrouck, Ken Krome, and popular Canadian course designers Chris Brandt and Olympic Silver Medalist Michel Vaillancourt. Ireland’s Alan Wade will also be traveling to Vermont to course design this year.

“We pride ourselves on listening to our exhibitors and we are constantly striving to make their showing experience the best it can be,” said Ruth Lacey, Vermont Summer Festival Marketing Director. “The addition that we are most excited about for 2011 is our new weekly hunter derby series. We’ve added the hunter derby series in response to exhibitor feedback, and we hope to see many new faces competing alongside our returning customers. We take great pleasure in introducing newcomers to the fabulous amenities the Manchester area has to offer, which our loyal customers have enjoyed year after year.”

For over 20 years, the Vermont Summer Festival has attracted exhibitors and their families to the Manchester region. Well-known for its wide variety of area amenities including a large range of lodging options, restaurants to suit every taste, and lots of shopping, Manchester warmly welcomes horse show competitors to the area each summer.

The Vermont Summer Festival is a proud member event of the Show Jumping Hall Of Fame, the Marshall & Sterling League, and the North American League (NAL). For more information about the Vermont Summer Festival, please e-mail: info@vt-summerfestival.com or visit www.vt-summerfestival.com.