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Rita Swift from Worthington, West Virginia, on Just Cass rode in 48 minutes later in the company of Stagg Newman on Jayel Super with the USA EAST Team. Newman from Chandler, North Carolina, had decided to let Swift cross the finish line first and get the Bronze medal, as was successfully riding for the Team Gold. The host venue for the race that gathered together some of the best riders in the United States and 8 other International countries including Australia, Great Britain, Brazil, Germany, Canada, Romania, Venezuela, and Mexico was the Green Mountain Horse Association (GMHA) in South Woodstock, Vermont. Over 60% of the trail was run on private lands. The trail consisted of 3 loops, with 8 Vet Checks and had elevations to 2200, the highest in the first 10 miles, according to the President of the Organizing Committee, Donna Curtin. The trail was developed specifically for the PAC, but much of it has been used for the Green Mountain Horse Association 100 mile competitive trail ride. Bergantz, 24, has been riding endurance since she was 11 years old. She said, "Red has really come into his own this year, and he's still learning and not at the top of his game yet." This was Bergantz first East Coast race with Red. "I didn't know what to expect", she said." They just kept coming." She credits Red's great big stride and his fast recoveries with his wins. She said she had been "dreading the hard ground, which she estimated to be "about 70 miles of dirt road." Skip Lightfoot of San Jose, California, a Ride & Tie competitor himself, paid $400 for this Cinderella horse three years ago when he took the 6-year old right off the truck where he was bound for the slaughterhouse. He saw that his new find could go for miles in an effortless trot and he asked Bergantz if she would take him in the longer endurance races. She worked with Red for a month, and then entered him in the 3-day 150-mile Silver State race in Las Vegas. He finished all three days placing, 15th, 9th, and 2nd. She says, "He just seemed to get stronger as the days went on." A month later, at the Death Valley Ride in California, he came in 4th, 1st, 12th, and 3rd, and won the four days best overall time by over a half an hour. After his promising start, he developed some "shoeing problems" and had a less than fantastic year in 2000. Starting out 2001, Red took 2nd and Best Condition at the Twenty Mule Team ride in Ridgecrest, California. Bergantz then entered him in the 100-mile Washoe Valley, Nevada race in May, which they won and also received BC, and in July, Bergantz and Red breezed through the 100-mile Swanton/Pacific Race in Davenport, California and received BC. In the near future, Bergantz plans to enter Red in the American Endurance Ride Conference (AERC) National Championship 100-mile ride in October in Kentucky, then the IAHA Championship Arabian Endurance 100-mile ride in New Mexico in November. For their long-term goal Bergantz declared, "As long as he's sound next year, he's going to Spain (World Endurance Championships 2002). Team Gold was won by USA East team members: Stagg Newman, Brenda Baird, Dinah Rojek and Meg Sleeper. Team Silver was won by USA Central team members: Shelley Bridges, Roberta Harms, Tracy Webb-Hoskins and Janice Worthington. Team Bronze members from Pacific North were Karen Vilander, Jazon Wonders, Marie Mallon, and Dennis Summers.
Pan American Championship Winners:
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