2003 USA Equestrians Of Honor Named

The 2003 USA Equestrians of Honor, finalists for the overall USA Equestrian of the Year, have been selected by the U.S. Equestrian Honors Committee. For the second year several divisional trophies will be awarded prior to the voting which selects the overall Equestrian of the Year.

Chris Kappler, of Pittstown, NJ, is the recipients of the William C. Steinkraus Trophy awarded to an equestrian competing in the Olympic disciplines of dressage, eventing or show jumping. Kappler was a member of the Gold medal-winning team at the Pan Am Games. His other wins throughout the year include the $200,000 Budweiser American Invitational and the $150,000 AGA Championship in Wellington, FL.

The Becky Grand Hart Trophy, given to an equestrian competing in international driving, endurance, reining or vaulting competitions, will go to Cia Reis of Pennsdale, PA. She won the Pan Am Endurance Championship where she was a member of the USA East squad, and her horse, Catch A Wave, won the Best Condition Award.

Richard Ames of Jordan, MN, will be awarded the Bill Robinson Trophy, given to an equestrian competing in harness or for driving performance in non-international competitions. Among his many accomplishments in 2003 are: 1st Arabian English Pleasure/Pleasure Driving Amateur and Half/Anglo Arabian English Pleasure/Pleasure Driving Amateur the Region 10 Championship, 1st Arabian English Pleasure/Pleasure Driving Amateur at the Region XIV Silverama Championship, as well as Champion Arabian English Pleasure/Pleasure Driving Amateur at the U.S. National Arab and Half/Arab Championship.

The Emerson Burr Trophy for an equestrian competing in hunter classes over fences goes to Scott Stewart of Flemington, NJ. With the horse Chopard, owned by Krista Weisman, he was Grand Hunter Champion at the 107th Devon Horse Show and the Washington International Horse Show. He was named Leading Hunter Rider at the Pennsylvania National and the Washington International Horse Show and won the 2003 Monarch International's Show Circuit Magazine Professional World Championship Hunter Rider title during the Capital Challenge.

Joel Kiesner of Friendsville, TN, topped the list in the performance in pleasure under saddle division and will receive the C.J. “June” Cronan, Jr. Trophy. He was the Region 12 Champion in Arabian English Pleasure, Arabian English Pleasure Junior Horse and Half/Anglo Arabian English Pleasure Junior Horse. At the 2003 U.S. National Arab and Half/Arab Championship he was Champion Arabian English Pleasure, Champion Arabian English Country Pleasure, Reserve Champion Half/Anglo Arabian Park Horse and had three Top Ten awards.

The Barbara Worth Oakford Trophy, awarded to an equestrian showing in a non-reining western discipline, will go to Bob Hart, Jr. of Afton, OK. Among many other accomplishments he was Region 12 Arabian Western Pleasure Champion, Region IX Arabian Working Cow Horse Champion. Hart was also Half/Anglo Western Pleasure Champion at the 2003 U.S. National Arab and Half/Arab Championship.

Oliver Brown of Reva, VA, is the recipient of the Norman K. Dunn Trophy, awarded to those competing in-hand or at halter. In 2003, Brown received four 1st place ribbons at Devon, eight at the Upperville Colt and Horse Show, four at the 2003 Lexington National Horse Show, and had seven 1st place finishes at Warrenton. He was also awarded the Belcort Farm Perpetual Trophy as leading handler at the 2003 Sallie B. Wheeler USAE National Hunter Breeding Championship.

The 2003 Equestrians of Honor, Kappler, Reis, Ames, Stewart, Kiesner, Hart and Brown are now finalists in the voting for Equestrian of the Year, to be announced and awarded at the Pegasus Awards Dinner held during the U.S. Equestrian Annual Meeting, Jan. 16, 2004, in Los Angeles, CA. For ticket information contact Krista Greathouse at 859-225-6961 or via email at kgreathouse@usef.org.

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