Shields Grabs Early Lead in the Triple Crown of Driving, Presented
by Driving Essentials, Inc./Glinkowski Carriages
West
Grove, PA—September 12, 2002—Kate Shields of Middleburg,
VA, took the early lead in the Triple Crown of Driving, presented
by Driving Essentials, Inc./Glinkowski Carriages. Shields won
the Advanced Singles division at The Laurels at Landhope Combined
Driving Event, the first leg of the Triple Crown, held in West
Grove, PA, September 6-8.
The
2002 Triple Crown consists of three events: The Laurels at Landhope
Driving Event, the Gladstone Driving Event in Gladstone, NJ, October
11-13, and the Fair Hill International Driving Event in Fair Hill,
MD, October 24-27.
At
the Laurels at Landhope, Shields took first place in the Advanced
Singles division with a score of 108.10 penalties. The win gave
her the lead in the Triple Crown over two-time Triple Crown champion,
Lisa Singer, who won the Advanced Pairs division with a score
of 110.70 penalties and is in second place in the Triple Crown
standings. Canadian Andre Paquin finished second behind Singer
in the Advanced Pairs division with a score of 115.70 and sits
in third place in the Triple Crown.
Each
of the Triple Crown events, The Laurels, The Gladstone Driving
Event and The Fair Hill International, offers a testing, three-phase
competition. The components are dressage, highlighting training
and obedience; the exciting marathon, where speed, timing, and
nerve rule the day; and cones, which emphasizes accuracy. The
competition is for horses showing at the advanced level in the
Singles or Pairs divisions. There is no U.S. citizenship requirement,
but drivers must compete at all three of the participating events.
The
Triple Crown champion is determined by adding each competitor’s
two best final scores from the three events with the championship
being awarded to the driver with the lowest combined score from
his or her two best events.
The
2001 Triple Crown champion was Nancy Johnson of Lincoln, MA, with
her horse Canequin’s Look Out.
This
year, Driving Essentials, Inc. will provide the prize for the
Triple Crown champion, a Glinkowski Carriage. The winner of the
illustrious title will receive his or her choice of either a single
or pair FEI Presentation or Marathon competition vehicle made
by Glinkowski Carriages.
For
more information about the Triple Crown of Combined Driving, please
call (610) 486-6484.
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