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Two
Time World Endurance Champion, Valerie Kanavy, Wins USET
75-Mile Ride At The Bayer/USET Festival Of Champions,
Presented by State LIne Tack
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Gladstone,
New Jersey—June 26, 2002— Two time Endurance World Champion
Valerie Kanavy of Ft. Valley, VA won the 75-Mile United States
Equestrian Team (USET) Endurance Championship Ride and FEI/Emirates
Endurance World Masters Series Ride, riding Hott Property, owned
by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum of Dubai, UAE, with a
ride time of 9 hours 14 minutes and 31 seconds.
Meg
Sleeper of Frenchtown, NJ was just ten minutes behind on her mare
Syrocco Blair in a ride time of 9 hours 24 minutes and 30 seconds.
Yvette Vinton of Ontario, Canada, riding EH Malachi nosed out
Cia Reis on Coeur-D-Wave by one second to come in third with a
ride time of 9 hours 47 minutes and 31 seconds.
“It
was hard,” said Kanavy. “The last loop was long, 18
miles, but my horse did an outstanding job. It’s such beautiful
country here and the landowners are so kind. Some of them even
let us ride into their yard! I couldn’t believe it.”
Kanavy
is no stranger to the winner’s circle at the USET. She won
the 50-mile USET Championship in 2001.
There
were 20 starters in the competition and 11 completed, which is
impressive considering the high temperatures. USET Endurance Director
Mary Lutz credits the trail.
“Several
of the riders commented that the trail was very technical and
challenging, which may have slowed them down,” said Lutz.
“There were no metabolic problems and more than half the
field finished, which is great.”
The
coveted Best Condition award went to fourth place finisher Coeur-D-Wave,
owned and ridden by Cia Reis of Pennsdale, PA.
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
.
