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USET
Show Jumping Squad Wins Nations’ Cup at CSIO Buenos
Aires Clinches Berth in 2004 Samsung Super League
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GLADSTONE, NEW JERSEY—November 16, 2003—The United States
Equestrian Team (USET) show jumping squad competing in CSIO Buenos
Aires won the Nations’ Cup and secured a position for the
United States in the 2004 Samsung Super League.
The Samsung Super League, begun in 2003, limits participation
in eight select CSIO competitions (La Baule, Rome, St. Gallen,
Aachen, Dublin, Hickstead, Rotterdam, and Barcelona) to only eight
countries. Participation at the level of competition found in
the Samsung Super League events is considered a critical component
of the USET’s strategic plan for Olympic and international
success. Since invitations to Samsung Super League events is often
difficult to obtain for non-Super League teams, it is important
to be one of the eight Super League countries.
The Show Jumping High Performance Committee was committed to trying
to qualify for next year’s Samsung Super League and it all
came down to the year’s final event at Buenos Aires. The
U.S. needed to win over the six-team field in order to qualify
and the squad of Norman Dello Joio on Peace Train, Chris Kappler
on Primeur 59, Laura Linback on Remember Me 9 and Beezie Madden
on Innocence achieved that goal.
The U.S. squad, coached by USET chef d’equipe Frank Chapot,
finished the two-round Nations’ Cup with a score of 12 faults
to easily defeat the host country of Argentina which placed second
with 38. Brazil was third with 40 faults. Kappler led the way
with a double clear round.
Each year, the country finishing last in the Super League drops
off and is replaced by the country finishing first in the year-long
series of the seventeen CSIOs outside the Super League. The US
entered the Nations Cup at Buenos Aires tied for first place with
Switzerland and with its win moved into the Super League for 2004.
U.S.
Equestrian was formed through the combination of USA Equestrian
and the United States Equestrian Team. The vision of U.S. Equestrian
is to provide leadership for equestrian sport in the United States
of America, promoting the pursuit of excellence from the grass
roots to the Olympic Games, based on a foundation of fair, safe
competition and the welfare of its horses, and embracing this
vision, to be the best national equestrian federation in the world
.
