Las Vegas, Nevada in the United States is known for it's 24 hour entertainment and this weekend it hosted the richest invitation showjumping event in the world - a million dollars was on offer for just four events.

The FEI gave this spectacular event a CSI5* rating and the two days of competition featured the the top 15 riders in the world rankings, all of whom received invitation to compete. The top 5 ranked American riders were also invited and there were an additional five wild cards issued giving a start list of 25 riders.

Germany's Olaf Petersen was the Course Designer for this event and he also designed several spectacular new fences for the event which carried the Las Vegas theme by way of rolling dice and baccarat tables and the entertainment for the weekend included the daredevil motorcyclists, The Riders of the Thunderdome.

With betting permitted on showjumping for the first time in the United States, Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum was the favourite coming into the event at 2 to 1 odds. Olympic Gold medallist, Rodrigo Pessoa was at 3 to 1 with Nick Skelton and Michael Whitaker also offering short odds.

With tickets ranging from USD75.00 per session to USD800 for the VIP tickets for both days, the place was a sell out well before the festivities began and all proceeds go to the Heaven Can Wait Animal Sanctuary and the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation.

The four events for this series are the Las Vegas Stakes followed by the Knock Out Stakes and the Casino Classic on the Friday evening. Saturday evening opened with the Ride and Drive was the first event of the evening and concluded with the USD750,000 Las Vegas World Invitational Grand prix.

The start list is impressive to say the least with the best in the world represented:

Marcus Ehning GER - current leader on the world rankings
Meredith Michaels Beerbaum GER - 2nd on world rankings
Rodrigo Pessoa BRA - 3rd on world rankings - current Olympic Gold medallist
Markus Fuchs SUI - 4th on world rankings
Nick Skelton GBR - 5th on world rankings
Jessica Kürten IRL - 6th on world rankings
Christian Ahlmann GER - 8th on world rankings
Lars Nieberg GER - 10th in world rankings
Marco Kutscher GER - 11th on world rankings
Steve Guerdat SUI - 13th on world rankings
Michael Whitaker GBR - 15th on world rankings
Ludo Philippaerts BEL - 18th on world rankings
Otto Becker GER - 19th on world rankings
Robert Smith GBR - 25th on world rankings
Ian Millar CAN - 46th on world rankings
Malin Baryard-Johnsson SWE - 53rd on world rankings
Ali Nilforushan IRAN - 333rd on world rankings

AMERICAN RIDERS

McLain Ward - America - 17th on world rankings
Laura Kraut - America - 16th on world rankings
Richard Spooner - America - 26th on world rankings
Schuyler Riley - America - 34th on world rankings
Anne Kursinski - America - 45th on world rankings
Lauren Hough - America - 51st on world rankings
Kimberley Prince - America- 64th on world rankings
Georgina Bloomberg - America - 70th on world rankings

The winners definitely went home from this show happy and they more than "covered their fuel money" as the Australian saying goes after a good show!

LAS VEGAS STAKES - Class one

Ludo Philippaerts for Belgium took the first class with Theo Vanderheyden's 9 year old Darco stallion, Tauber VH Kapelhof beating Germany's Marcus Ehning by 1.66secs to take home the USD8,100 prize money.

Marcus was aboard a 13 year old gelding by Ligorett, Gelha's Junior owned by Caroline Fletcher and they took home USD6,200 for their second placing.

Twenty two year daughter of New York's Mayor, Michael, Georgina Bloomberg, took 3rd placing on Gotham Enterprises LLC, Nadia. Georgina has had this 10 year old Indoctro mare since she was a six year old and classes her as a "great speed horse".

Fourth placing in the opening event went to Britain's Michael Whitaker who chose this event over the British Horse of the Year Show and he was in the saddle of Haras des Hayettes 9 year old gelding, Iqbal Des Hayettes.

Malin Bayard-Johnsson, the thirty year old "sweetheart of showjumping" gave birth to her first child this year but has managed to maintain her 53rd place in the world rankings continues to ride into the placings and this invitational was no different when she placed 5th in the opening class riding the 12 year old Ramiro mare, H&M Tamina which is owned by Baryard Investments.

Switzerland's Marcus Fuchs took 6th place with Johanna Wagishauser's 12 Irish gelding by Cavalier, Royal Charmer and 7th place went to current Olympic Gold medallist, Rodrigo Pessoa riding Keri Potter-Pesoa's 11 year old Quick Star mare, Queen Z.

Eight place money went to Ireland's Jessica Kurten riding Lady Georgina Forbe's Castleforbes Libertina. Jessica, the top ranked Irish rider, is currently "doing battle" with her home country selectors who do not appear to value her 6th place in the World Rankings sufficiently to give entry to this years world Cup shows but she is obviously not allowing the internal squabblings to affect her riding as she continues to place in the top shows throughout the world.

KNOCK OUT STAKES - Class two

This is a class which always gets the crowd going and today's event was no exception - with two riders going "head to head" the excitement was high as Ludo Philippaerts did battle with Germany's Chritian Ahlmann. Ludo won his round finding him pitted against Ireland's Jessica Kurten who had beaten Switzerland's Steve Guerdat to go through to round two.

Malin Baryard-Johnsson went down to America's Laura Kraut who went on to do battle with Britain's Michael Whitaker who had beaten American Richard Spooner.

Two of America's top women riders did battle when Georgina Bloomberg won over Lauren Hough to advance to the second round.

American Schuyler Riley beat Switzerland's Markus Fuchs in round one to face fellow American Georgina in round two.

Rodrigo Pessoa won over Iran's Ali Nilforushen to do second round battle with Canada's Ian MIllar who had beaten Germany's Marcus Ehning in round one.

Round three saw Ludo Philippaerts beat Jessica Kurten to advance to the third round to do battle with Michael Whitaker who beat Laura Kraut in round two.

Georgina Bloomberg was on fire and advanced to round three after defeating fellow American, Schuyler Riley and she was to fight it out in round three with Rodrigo Pessoa, who had beaten Ian Millar.

The final round saw Britain's Michael Whitaker doing battle with American Georgina Bloomberg who emerged the victor taking home the USD16,000 first place money.