James Fairclough Wins USET Four-In-Hand Driving Championship

Gladstone, New Jersey – October 29, 2001—Veteran United States Equestrian Team (USET) driver, James Fairclough of Newton, NJ won the USET Four-In-Hand Driving Championship at the Fair Hill International in Fair Hill, MD, October 25 – 27. The Championship served as a USET selection trial for the 2002 Four-In-Hand Driving World Championship to be held in Jerez, Spain.

Fairclough, driving Jane Clark’s team of horses, swept the competition by winning all three phases of the competition, and finished with a final score of 160.34 penalties.

Five-time USET champion, Tucker Johnson of Oldwick, NJ placed second with his team of horses with a score of 303.40 ending his winning streak of four consecutive championship titles.

Fairclough commented on his win, “ It was nice that I did well on the first and last day, however, I didn’t do as well as I would have liked in the marathon, but then again, everyone had trouble with it.”

It was the third USET Four-In Hand Championship for Fairclough who previously won the title in 1982 and 1994. Additionally, he has finished as Reserve Champion eight times.

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