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United
States Endurance Team Finishes Fifth at World Equestrian
Games 2002
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Jerez
de la Frontera, Spain–September 16, 2002 – The United
States team finished fifth in the Endurance competition on Monday
at the 2002 World Equestrian Games in Jerez de la Frontera, Spain.
The
Gold Medal went to the French team, Italy won the Silver and the
Bronze was earned by the 2000 World Endurance Champions of Australia.
Individually, Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed al Maktoum of the United
Arab Emirates (UAE) was crowned the new World Champion riding
Bowman in a ride time of 9:19:29. The Silver went to Antonio Rose
of Italy on Alex Raggio Di Sole finishing in 9:35:23. The Bronze
winner was Sunny Demedy of France on Fifi du Bagnas it the time
of 9:38:47.
Individual
U.S. riders Valerie Kanavy of Ft. Valley, VA, and Heather Bergantz-Reynold
of San Jose, CA did not complete the 100 mile (160km) ride.
Chef
d’ equipe Art Priesz was disappointed with the results, but
pleased with the efforts of all the riders and the support crew.
“We
have made many friends here and I am not going to be upset about
the friends that beat us,” said Preisz. “I am proud
of us for finishing a healthy and happy team and of the work that
our crews put in for us and even other teams.”
The
three riders that completed on the team were Beverly Gray of Park
City, Utah on Regalidon in a ride time of 11:05:20, Cia Reis of
Pennsdale, PA riding Catch A Wave, owned by Alex and Cia Reis,
in 11:43:05 and Stephen Rojek of Woodstock, VT on Finally in a
ride time of 11:43:06. The fourth member, Kathy Brunjes of Bethel,
ME, riding Ali Darkness, owned by Kathy and Janet Brunjes, was
eliminated after the first loop.
The
first loop was bad luck for the U.S. two-time World Endurance
Champion, Valerie Kanavy and Shahdon, owned by Larry and Valerie
Kanavy, who did not complete the forty plus kilometers and was
only on the trail for about forty five minutes.
“I
got a flat tire,” said Kanavy. “Shahdon lost a shoe
and putting a new one on turned out to be very complicated out
on the trail, so I thought it was in the best interest of the
horse to retire.”
The
2001 Pan Am Endurance Champion also retired on the first loop
due to a lost shoe. Bergantz-Reynolds had a new one put on Crystals
Charm, owned by Skip Lightfoot, but it didn’t take well and
they withdrew the horse.
From
then on things went well and a medal was possible. Priesz and
the team had a strategy that they hoped would work.
“We
were down to only three horses very early,” said Priesz.
“So, we made the decision to work hard on the second and
fourth loops and let the horse recover in the third. It worked
for a while, we made up a lot of time in the second loop and the
horses recovered well in the third, but the strategy just didn’t
hold up. Our team did really well, though. I am really proud of
them.”
For
comprehensive coverage the 2002 World Equestrian Games, please
visit the United States Equestrian Team’s website at www.uset.org.
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
.
