Bits and Bites from Around the World

Both the Prix St. Georges and the Intermediaire USET Qualifiers were won by Sue Halasz of Parker, Colorado riding Inca. The USET Qualifying classes are held only at select shows throughout the country. Top finishers are invited to compete at the USET Festival of Champions in Gladstone, New Jersey. Inca, a 13-year-old Dutch gelding owned by Barbara McElnea, also claimed the FEI High Point for Show II.

Westphal's partner in claiming all of the ribbons was her 14-year-old Swedish gelding Epigram. "He's a real puppy dog-- a licker and a lover," she said of her horse. The pair is now qualified for the North American Young Riders Championships to be held in August in Canada. Westphal, who is apprenticing to be a jeweler, will represent Region Four.

Amateur rider Vance Diggins was the big winner of the High Point Awards sponsored by Markel Insurance. Diggins, owner of Paragon Equestrian Center, claimed three of four High Point Championships and Reserve Championships for Upper Level Amateur and Junior riders.

Kappler and Hough Named USET Co-Athletes of the Month for May
Chris Kappler of Pittstown, NJ, and Lauren Hough of Wellington, FL, have been named United States Equestrian Team (USET) Co-Athletes of the Month for May. Kappler and Hough were subjectively chosen for two of the four positions on the show jumping team that will represent the United States at the 2003 Pan American Games in Santo Domingo, the Dominican Republic. This marks the first time since 1990 that any places on a U.S. show jumping team competing at a continental or world championship or Olympic Games will be held by riders chosen subjectively.

The Pan American Games selection process, developed initially by the Active Riders Committee and approved by the Executive Committees of both the United States Equestrian Team and USA Equestrian (USAE), allowed "Selectors to nominate one or two horse-and-rider combinations to the team before the conclusion of the trials."

When Kappler and Royal Kaliber, owned by Kappler and Kathy Kamine, won both the $200,000 Budweiser American Invitational and the American Grand Prix Association Championship within an eight-day period earlier this spring, the Selectors felt that these performances, plus the horse's impressive record last year, made it in the Team's best interest to have Kappler and Royal Kappler on the Pan American Games Team. Kappler and Royal Kaliber confirmed the strength of the Selectors' recommendation by winning the Grand Prix at Devon in Devon, PA, at the end of May.

Competing with a broken collarbone and separated shoulder suffered in early April at the AGA Championships in Wellington, FL, Hough and Windy City, owned by Peppercorn Ltd., jumped clear rounds in the first two of six selection trials in Lexington, KY. After considering her performance at Lexington, as well as her earlier international success, the Show Jumping Selectors voted unanimously to recommend that she be put on the Pan Am team.

Qualified Riders Named for USET Intermediaire I Championship/Pan American Games Dressage Selection Trials
The 2003 Bayer/United States Equestrian Team (USET) Festival of Champions, Presented by State Line Tack, will host the Pan American Games dressage selection trials, June 19-22 at the USET Olympic Training Center in Gladstone, NJ. The USET Intermediaire I Championship at the Festival will serve as the selection trials to choose the rider/horse combinations who will represent the United States in dressage at the 2003 Pan American Games in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, August 7-10.

To qualify for the selection trials, rider/horse combinations had to compete in a series of qualifying events held throughout the country from September, 2002 - June 1, 2003. Rider/horse combinations had to compete in the Prix St. Georges and the Intermediaire I in a minimum of two USET Qualifying Competitions. At least one of those competitions had to be a CDI (Concours Dressage Internationale). In addition, combinations had to complete one Intermediaire I Freestyle at a qualifier.

The following are the top twelve qualified riders (one of whom has qualified with two horses) for the Pan Am Selection Trials:

RIDER/HORSE - HOMETOWN
1. Jan Brons/Josien - Wellington, FL
2. Margot McAllister/Bravo - Upperville, VA
3. Tina Konyot/Liberty - Palm City, FL
4. Brooke Doss/Westcott - Charlotte, NC
5. Kathleen Raine/Lord Glendale - Murrieta, CA
6. Jan Ebeling/Feleciano - Moorpark, CA
7. Tara Stegen/New Tango - Wellington, FL
8. Susan Dutta/West Side Lady - Thornwood, NY
9. Carol Lavell/Much Ado - Loxahatchee, FL
10. Kristina Harrison-Nanese/Kantor - Burbank, CA
11. Jan Ebeling/Liberte - Moorpark, CA
12. Arlene Page/Wild One - Wellington, FL
13. David Wightman/Garein - Murrieta, CA

In addition to the Intermediaire Championship, the Dressage Division at the Festival will also feature the USET Grand Prix Championship, qualifiers for the North American Young Riders' Championships to be held in August in Bromont, Quebec, and the National Disability Sports Alliance (NDSA) Championship for Riders with Disabilities. The NDSA Championship will serve as the final selection trial for the team that will represent the U.S. at the World Championships for Riders with Disabilities to be held in Belgium in September.

Along with dressage competition, the Festival will feature Show Jumping with the $50,000 Rolex/USET Show Jumping Championship and the USET Junior and Amateur-Owner Talent Derbies, both presented by BET on Jazz. The 2003 Festival will also host the USET Endurance 75-Mile Championship, a Fˇdˇration Equestre Internationale (International Equestrian Federation - FEI)-sanctioned CEI** ride. The ride will take place in and around the USET grounds. The Bayer Reining Division will feature the USET Futures Championship and the Reining Young Rider Medal Final.

Americans experience triumph and tragedy overseas at Brahmam CCI***
It was a mixed bag for American competitors at the Brahmam CCI*** in England. Up-and-coming rider will Coleman, III was the winner of the Under 25 division aboard new mount Fox-In-Flight, formerly campaigned by David O'Brien, and David O'Connor finished a strong 7th in the regular CCI***aboard new mount Courting Danger, who looks to be a promising horse for the future. James Moore and Herzjuwel jumped clean around the cross-country, adding 20 time penalties, but were forced to withdraw before show jumping. Christy Price and Grey Spirit II retired on the cross-country.

RIP Regal Scot. The 15-year-old gelding ridden by Karen O'Connor collapsed and died while on course at the Brahmam CCI***. Photo by Heather Bailey©

The 15-year-old Thoroughbred gelding had been campaigned in the early part of his career by Mark Todd, who won the Punchestown (Ireland) CCI*** with the big bay. After Todd announced his retirement, owners Jackie Mars and Dick and Vita Thompson acquired the horse for Karen, hoping to point him for the 2000 Olympic Games. Unfortunately, a cyst in his leg seemed to have ended the horse's career, until the experimental shockwave treatment restored the horse's soundness. He returned to competition in 2002. Karen once said that, "[Scotty] reminds me everyday how much fun horses have at this sport. He just loves it."

This loss will hit Team O'Connor especially hard after losing another of their mounts, The Native, to a similar problem earlier this year. Horsecity extends its deepest condolences to Team O'Connor.

O'Connor Triumphs at Inaugural Jersey Fresh CCI
David O'Connor riding the Irish-bred gelding Gorta Glen captured the trophy at the Jersey Fresh CCI**, ahead of Jan Thompson on Waterfront and Bonnie Mosser on Upper Register, who finished in third. The new competition was held at the Horsepark of New Jersey.

Dutton Takes Another One at Bromont CCI
Phillip Dutton looks to be unstoppable this year after winning his second CCI aboard the 8-year-old American Thoroughbred The Foreman at the Bromont CCI** in Quebec, Canada. Australian Dutton, who is based in West Grove, Pennsylvania, has won the Bromont CCI** the last two years, making this victory a "three peat." He finished ahead of his student Will Faudree and the Connemara-cross gelding Trustworthy who was second, and Stuart Black with Sailing who was third.

The highest placed young rider was 15-year-old Hilary Popeil aboard Snow Boots. In the CCI* division the winner was Liza Horan and My Boy Bobby ahead of Michelle Mueller and Cheevos Regale and Curtis Barbour aboard Gundy Park.. The CIC** division proved to be tough, as only two clean jumping rounds were achieved on the cross-country. One was by winner James Atkinson of Canada and Above The Clouds, and the other by third placed Adrienne Iorio-Borden aboard Caesar. Second place went to Skyler Icke and Dillinger.