Nine men and women, three equine partners vault to sold-out crowds, standing ovations in Las Vegas

LAS VEGAS, April 23, 2005 -- Nine equestrian vaulters, including four world champions and three national champions, demonstrated vaulting to a sold-out and enthusiastic crowd of dressage riders, jumpers and other equine enthusiasts Thursday, April 21 and Saturday, April 23, at both the jumping and dressage events at the Budweiser 2005 FEI World Cup.

The team included nine world renowned vaulters, ranging in age from nine to 29, who demonstrated team, pas de deux and individual performances to a "Phantom of the Opera" theme. The demos, complete with period costumes, were rewarded with standing ovations.

Reigning and former FEI world champion vaulters demonstrating include: Kai Vorberg (Germany), 2004 Men's World Vaulting Champion; Nicola Stroeh (Germany), 2004 Women's World Vaulting Champion; Matthias Lang (France), 2002 Men's World Vaulting Champion; and Devon Maitozo (USA), 1998 Men's World Vaulting Champion. Reigning and former USEF/American Vaulting Association US vaulting champions also were featured: 2004 Men and Women's National Champions Blake Dahlgren (F.A.C.E.) and Megan Benjamin (Mt. Eden) performed, along with 2001 Women's National Champion Mari Inouye (Mt. Eden). Shannyn Poer, a seasoned international vaulter from F.A.C.E., and Elizabeth Ioannou, a nine-year-old flyer from Mt. Eden, rounded out the highly skilled demonstration team.

The vaulters' partners included two F.A.C.E. horses, Mozart and Marshall, as well as Pacific Coast horse Sir Anthony van Dyck, a Shire Thoroughbred owned by Sydney Frankel. Mozart (a seasoned Czech Warmblood, owned by Devon Maitozo and Carolyn Bland), and Marshall (a sturdy Percheron/Thoroughbred cross, owned by Carolyn Bland) have earned many national team and individual titles for their vaulters throughout their careers. Van Dyck's impressive career brought him to Germany in 2000 where he earned World Championship medals for Devon Maitozo and Keri Lemon (multiple national champion), as well as to New York in 1998 where he performed in Madison Square Garden.

Longing these horses in seamless harmony throughout the performances were F.A.C.E.'s Carolyn Bland, Mt. Eden's Emma Drinker, and Silver Bay's Julie Keville. Their ability to handle and communicate with the horses in such an energy-filled arena enabled the vaulters to perform with complete confidence.

Principal choreographer Devon Maitozo, who has been on a multi-year mission to showcase international-level vaulting at such a World Cup event, believes that the performance had its intended effect. "The atmosphere was amazing, and the audience really seemed to enjoy and appreciate our sport," Devon said.

"The time has come for the equestrian community at large, especially in the United States, to recognize vaulting as the world class equestrian discipline that it is. We felt some of that respect in Las Vegas, and look forward to continuing to build recognition and respect throughout the international equestrian community. Many thanks to the organizations and people who made this possible: the USEF, the USET, the American Vaulting Association community, the horse owners, our world-class vaulters and unflappable longeurs, and our grooms and other support volunteers. There's much more to come!"