For Immediate Release

Jennifer Ward for Starting Gate Communications

MEDIA CONTACT: (613) 569-2423 or www.startinggate.ca

Vermont Summer Festival Has Huge Economic Impact on Vermont Tourism

East Dorset, VT — August 2, 2006 – The Vermont Summer Festival, the largest ‘AA’ rated hunter-jumper horse show held in New England, had a huge economic impact on the state of Vermont with approximately $15 million spent throughout the duration of the five-week competition.

With approximately 1,000 horses competing each week at the Vermont Summer Festival that ran July 13 to August 14 in East Dorset, VT, and approximately 3,000 people related to the horse show visiting the area on a daily basis, the impact on the local hotel and restaurant industry was considerable. Shopping at the many outlets offered in the Manchester area has almost become a second sport for the horse show enthusiasts and, combined with the other leisure pursuits offered in the Manchester area including theater, sporting activities, and antique hunting, it is conservatively estimated that each person spent approximately $150 per day, pumping a significant amount of dollars into the Vermont economy.

“The immense economic impact that the Vermont Summer Festival has on the Manchester and surrounding areas of Vermont cannot be overlooked,” noted John D. Ammerman, Manager of the Vermont Summer Festival. “In addition to a first-rate horse show, many competitors come to Vermont due to the wide variety of amenities offered in the area. Shopping, great restaurants, and a great selection of bed and breakfasts and country inns attract those looking for a more complete horse show experience. And it is largely because of these local businesses that offer high quality products and services that the Vermont Summer Festival patrons keep coming back year after year.”

Recognizing the value of having the annual Vermont Summer Festival in the Manchester area and wanting to promote strong community relations, several local sponsors have stepped forward to offer their support. The Equinox Resort & Spa has sponsored the $30,000 Mt. Equinox Grand Prix for the past five years while Manchester Designer Outlets and its retail brands came forward in 2006 to sponsor the $10,000 Friday Mini Prix for each of the five weeks of competition. The support of local businesses is integral to the overall success of the Vermont Summer Festival, and is appreciated by organizers and competitors alike.

Running July 12 to August 13, 2006, at Harold Beebe Farm in East Dorset, the Vermont Summer Festival offered more than $650,000 in prize money throughout the five weeks of competition, making it the largest sporting event based on prize money offered anywhere in the state. Each week featured a $30,000 Sunday Grand Prix as well as a $10,000 Friday Mini Prix. The 2006 Vermont Summer Festival concludes with the $50,000 Vermont Summer Celebration Grand Prix held Sunday, August 13, as the grand finale to the five-week Vermont Summer Festival.

For more information on the 2006 Vermont Summer Festival please e-mail.

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