Over the Walls Horse Trials Brings Top Eventing Competition to Northeast

Hardwick, MA—June 2, 2003—The Over the Walls Horse Trials will again bring top eventing competition to the Northeast when it returns to picturesque Great Meadowbrook Farm in Hardwick, MA, owned by Olympic Gold Medalist Torrance Watkins, August 1-3, 2003.

Over the Walls, which comprises three days of exciting eventing competition highlighting more than 200 horses and riders from the U.S. and other countries, showcases the nation’s most accomplished eventers as they vie for the Jack Le Goff Trophy in the event’s featured competition – the National Advanced Horse Trials Championship. Over the Walls also hosts seven other Advanced, Preliminary and Young Rider division classes.

Expected to return to defend his title at the 2003 Over the Walls Horse Trials is last year’s Jack Le Goff Trophy winner, David O’Connor, the 2000 Sydney Olympic individual Gold Medalist and team Gold Medalist at the 2002 World Equestrian Games in Spain. O’Connor won the Championship aboard his Gold Medal World Equestrian Games mount, Giltedge. O’Connor also took first place in the Advanced Division 1 competition in 2002 aboard his Gold Medal Olympic partner, Custom Made.

In last year’s Advanced Division 2 competition, Australian Phillip Dutton, a two-time Olympic team Gold Medalist, emerged victorious with House Doctor, his 2000 Gold Medal Olympic mount. Dutton also placed second riding It’s A Knockout. Dutton continued his winning streak when he took first place in the Advanced Division 3 with Nova Top.

In the Preliminary divisions at the 2002 Over the Walls Horse Trials, Diann Roffe, who achieved international fame as a Medal-winning Olympic skier, won the Preliminary Division 1 competition aboard Windswept. Susan Bourassa and L’Cedric took first place in the Division 2 class, and Mark Weissbecker, a two-time U.S. Equestrian Team (USET) Fall Three-Day Event Champion, rode away with the win in the Preliminary Division 3 competition aboard DeCordova.

Tom Lane rode Alexander to a first place finish in the Young Riders Preliminary Division at last year’s Over the Walls. This year, the Over the Walls Horse Trials will serve as the final outing for several eventing teams before they travel north to compete at the North American Young Riders’ Championships in Bromont, Quebec, Canada, August 20-24.

“Over the Walls is growing at an amazing rate and keeps getting better every year,” said Watkins, a team Gold Medalist at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, CA and a Bronze Medalist in the 1980 Alternate Games in France. “Our focus has always been on trying to make the event a great experience for the horses, their riders and spectators alike. This year, it’s definitely going to be bigger and better than ever.”

In addition to witnessing world-class horses and riders galloping over green fields overlooking the pristine Central Massachusetts Town of Hardwick, spectators at the 2003 Over the Walls Horse Trials can enjoy shopping at the event’s trade fair. Vendors will be on hand, offering gifts for home, people, and pets, horse supplies, tack and equipment, and everything for the horse enthusiast.

The Over the Walls Horse Trials is open to the public with free admission and a parking charge of $5.00 per carload that benefits Windrush Farm Therapeutic Riding, Inc.

For more information, please visit the Over the Walls website at www.overthewalls.com.

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