Horses - WELLINGTON'S MARGIE ENGLE EARNS 95th CAREER VICTORY - March 2001 - Equiworld

NEWS FROM THE 2001 COSEQUIN WINTER EQUESTRIAN FESTIVAL
Palm Beach Polo Equestrian Club

WELLINGTON'S MARGIE ENGLE EARNS 95th CAREER VICTORY

WELLINGTON, FLORIDA - March 4, 2001 - Six-time AGA Rider of the Year and 2000 U.S. Olympian Margie Goldstein-Engle of Wellington, riding Hidden Creek's Laurel, a 13-year-old Dutch-bred bay mare, defeated 68 starters en route to her 95th career grand prix title in the $75,000 Tommy Bahama Florida Open Grand Prix on Sunday.

Engle, who went 12th in the 17-rider jump-off, the largest of the season, earned $22,500 for the triumph. With such a large group, Engle slightly altered her strategy.

"Slow and clean wasn't going to do it, so I figured I would take a shot at it," said Engle, who watched Jeffrey Welles, aboard Riviera, set the new pace with a clean round in 40.953 seconds. The final five riders couldn't catch Engle over the seven-obstacle jump-off course, with Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum of Germany completing the only double-clear round of that group. However, Michaels-Beerbaum was more than one second slower than Engle at 40.985 seconds, pushing Welles into third.

The points gained with the victory have virtually solidified Engle's position for an unprecedented seventh AGA Rider of the Year crown, as No. 2 Laura Kraut did not qualify for the jump-off. The $300,000 AGA Championships, the largest prize money in show jumping, will be held on Sunday, April 8 at the Palm Beach Polo Equestrian Club.

The $75,000 Tommy Bahama Florida Open grand prix will be televised on March 15 at 11 a.m. on Fox Sports Net.

FOR AGATE:

$75,000 TOMMY BAHAMA FLORIDA OPEN
Wellington, Florida - March 4, 2001
Course Designer: Olaf Peterson, Germany

Place / Horse / Rider / Hometown / Faults-Time / Purse

1. Hidden Creek's Laurel / Margie Engle / Wellington, FL / 0-0-39.756 /
$22,500
2. Stella / Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum / Germany / 0-0-40.895 / $16,500
3. Riviera / Jeffrey Welles / Pound Ridge, NY / 0-0-40.953 / $ 9,750
4. Rosina / Eric Lamaze / Ontario, Canada / 0-0-41.339 / $6,000
5. Concetta / Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum / Germany/ 0-0-41.632 / $4,500
6. Casanova / Alison Firestone / Upperville, VA/ 0-0-43.149/ $3,750
7. Landato / Katie Prudent / Middleburg, VA / 0-4-38.575 / $3,000
8. Oh Star / Todd Minikus / Loxahatchee, FL / 0-4- 39.906 / $2250
9. Millcreek Raphael / Eric Lamaze / Ontario, Canada / 0-4- 42.877 / $2250
10. Lassergut Calino / Helen McNaught / Austria / 0-4-45.716 / $1500
11. Royal Discovery / Alison Firestone / Upperville, VA / 0-4-46.407 / $1500
12. Legato / Peter Leone / Greenwich, CT / 0-8-40.494 / $1500