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Katie
Gardner Wins the 2003 BET/USET Show Jumping Talent Search
Final-West
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Gladstone,
NJ—September 22, 2003—Katie Gardner of Westlake Village,
CA, won the 2003 BET/United States Equestrian Team (USET) Show
Jumping Talent Search Final-West, held at the Los Angeles Equestrian
Center in Burbank, CA, September 17-21.
Gardner
rode Karen Healey’s Let’s Twist to finish in front of
Megan Edrick of Woodland Hills, CA, who placed second on her Mardi
Gras. Third place went to Niki Connor of Rancho Santa Fe, CA on
her Incento and fourth place went to Kate Broadbent of Salt Lake
City, UT, on Cyrano 80 owned by Staar Jumpers Ltd.
The
BET/USET Talent Search Finals on the East and West coasts are
open to equitation riders under the age of 21, who have qualified
through their placement in regional BET/USET Show Jumping Talent
Search classes held throughout the year.
USET
veteran show jumping rider Ray Texel and nationally regarded trainer
Judy Richter were the judges.
The
BET/USET Show Jumping Talent Search Final, one of the nation’s
most prestigious equitation competitions, consists of four competition
phases designed to provide competitors with a challenging and
rigorous final and help the USET identify future international
competitors. In the flat phase, riders perform specific tests
of their riding skills without jumps; in the gymnastic phase,
riders jump combinations of obstacles. During the jumping phase,
competitors negotiate a grand prix style jumping course of fences.
Only the top four riders return to begin the fourth phase, a ride-off.
During this final phase, riders compete with their own horse over
a course of jumps, and then ride each of the other entries’
horses over the same course.
Started
in 1965 as the USET Medal program, the BET/USET Show Jumping Talent
Search encourages Young Rider development and awards USET Gold,
Silver and Bronze Medals to competitors who have won BET/USET
Show Jumping Talent Search classes held at horse shows throughout
the United States. In 1982, the program incorporated year-end
Finals as a further goal.
BET
initiated its USET sponsorship program in 1997. Black Entertainment
Television and BET On Jazz support the Team’s show jumping
program as title sponsor of the BET/USET Show Jumping Talent Search
and as presenting sponsor of the USET Show Jumping Talent Derby
held each year at the Bayer/USET Festival of Champions.
The
2003 BET/USET Show Jumping Talent Search Final – East will
be held at the USET Headquarters and Olympic Training Center in
Gladstone, NJ, October 4-5.
Results
-- BET/USET Show Jumping Talent Search Final-West
Place
Rider Hometown
1 Katie Gardner Westlake Village, CA
2 Megan Edrick Woodland Hills, CA
3 Niki Connor Rancho Santa Fe, CA
4 Kate Broadbent Salt Lake City, UT
5 Andrew Ramsay Oakland, CA
6 Randy Sherman Pasadena, CA
7 Nicole Adamson Los Angeles, CA
8 Natalie Rae Medlock Orange, CA
9 Caitlin Chapin Rancho Santa Fe, CA
10 Kasey Ament Reche Canyon, CA
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
.
