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Champions
Crowned At The Laurels At Landhope International Combined
Driving Event
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West
Grove, PA—September 7, 2003— The champions have been named
the Laurels at Landhope Combined Driving Event at Landhope Farm
in West Grove, PA, on Sunday.
World-class
drivers and horses from the United States and Canada, competed in
one of the most prestigious combined driving events in the country
for several championship titles that included the USA Equestrian
National Combined Driving Pony Championship, presented by Driving
Essentials. The winner of the Advanced Single Pony Division was
Betsy Cowperthwaithe of Aiken, SC who won with a combined score
of 121.23 penalties.
“I
was thrilled to win,” said Cowperthwaithe. “I was a little
worried after I dropped a ball in the cones, but fortunately it
did not make a difference.”
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It was a fierce but friendly battle in this division with Jack Wetzel
of Aiken, SC holding the lead the first two days, but dropping to
the Reserve Champion position due to a seventh place finish in the
cones. Last year Jack won the Laurels by less than a point.
“At
least the championship is still going to Aiken,” said Cowperthwaithe.
The
other National Championship was the Advanced Pair Pony Division,
won by the defending champion, Tracey Morgan of Beallsville, MD
with an overall score of 126.24 penalties.
“I
am really pleased with the Ponies,” said Morgan of her pair
of Dartmoors. “They are getting a well deserved holiday! This
competition was so beautiful and a culmination to a really great
year.”
Fred
Merriam of Newfane, VT, captured the win in the Advanced Single
Horse Division, which served as a United States Equestrian Team
(USET) Selection Trial for the 2004 World Championships in Astorp,
Sweden. As winner of this division, Merriam also claimed the Martin
Auctioneer/Kuhnle Carriage North American Single Horse Challenge
scoring 100.07 penalties.
Chester
Weber of Ocala, FL led from start to finish to take the Advanced
Multiple Division with 125.17 penalties. This was Weber’s fourth
consecutive international win defeating five other teams. In the
Advanced Pair Division, Eleanor Gallagher of Southern Pines, NC,
took top honors with 167.60 penalties.
For
the Preliminary entries, Scott Adcox of Mendenhall, PA, won the
Preliminary Single Horse “A” Division going clean in the
cones for a combined score of 92.94 penalties. Rochelle Temple of
Powhatan, VA, won the “B” Division also went clean on
Sunday for a final tally of 107.57 and Ellen Epstein of Newtown,
PA won the Preliminary Pair Horse Division with 122.40. In the Preliminary
Single Pony “A” Division Suzy Stafford of Bear, DE took
top honors with a clean go in the cones for a final score of 94.30
penalties and the “B” Division was won by Leslie Griewe
of Southern Pines, NC who was also clean in the cones and finished
with 104.95. Joan McGurren of Great Falls,VA captured the Preliminary
Pair Pony division with 102.77 penalties and Claire Reid won the
Preliminary Multiple Pony scoring 174.21.
The
Laurels at Landhope Autumn Celebration benefited the Brandywine
Conservancy, the Cheshire Hunt Conservancy, the Large Animal Protection
Society and the University of Pennsylvania New Bolton Center.
For
further information and results, please visit the website at www.laurelscde.org.
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