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Fred
Merriam Wins Bronze Medal at World Singles Championship
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Gladstone,
NJ—September 3, 2002—Fred Merriam of Newfane, VT, driving
Gaitwood Lightwing owned by Nicholas J. Mercede, won the Bronze
Medal at the World Singles Championship in Conty, France, August
28 – September 1. This marks the first individual medal ever
won by an American in a World Driving Championship.
Merriam
finished the dressage phase in 13th place with a score of 47.00
penalties. After his 17th place finish in the marathon with a
score of 78.33 penalties, Merriam stood in 11th place overall.
His clear round in the cones phase, the only one of the day, boosted
Merriam into third place overall with a total of 125.33 penalties.
Out
of a starting field of 54 drivers, Merriam finished behind only
the Gold Medal winner, Stéphane Chouzenoux of France who
had 123.29 penalties, and Marie Kahrle of Sweden who took the
Silver Medal with 125.17 penalties.
The
other drivers on the United States Equestrian Team (USET) squad
– Eleanor Gallagher of Southern Pines, NC, and Nancy Johnson
of Lincoln, MA – finished 44th and 45th respectively. The
United States finished in 13th place as a team with the team Gold
Medal going to Sweden, and the Silver to Finland. Austria won
the team Bronze.
The United States Equestrian Team is a non-profit organization
that selects, trains, equips and finances equestrians of the highest
possible standard to represent our country in major international
competition, including the Olympic Games and the World Championships.
To accomplish this, the USET seeks out and nurtures the development
of talented athletes - riders, drivers and horses - and provides
the support and guidance they need to help them attain their fullest
potential. For more information on the USET, please call (908)
234-1251, or visit USET ONLINE at www.uset.org
.
