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United
States Drivers in Second Place Following Marathon at World
Equestrian Games 2002
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Jerez
de la Frontera, Spain – September 20, 2002 – The United
States is in second place at the conclusion of Friday’s Marathon
Phase of the Four-In-Hand Driving World Championship at the 2002
World Equestrian Games in Jerez de la Frontera, Spain.
The
U.S. team has a two-phase score of 286.52 penalties. The Netherlands
is in the lead with 275.01 and Germany is third with 290.54.
Individually,
Ijsbrand Chardon of The Netherlands leads with 134.30, Christoph
Sandmann of Germany is second with 135.57 and Tomas Eriksson of
Sweden, the reigning World Champion, is third with 135.67.
Two
U.S. drivers are next. Five-time U.S. Equestrian Team (USET) Four-In-Hand
champion Tucker Johnson of Hobe Sound, FL, driving a team he co-owns
with Mr. and Mrs. James L. Johnson, is in fourth place with a
score of 143.19. Chester Weber of Ocala, FL, driving his team,
is slightly behind in fifth, with 143.33. The other U.S. driver,
reigning USET Four-In-Hand champion James Fairclough of Newton,
NJ, driving a team owned by Jane Forbes Clark, is in twenty sixth
position with a score of 187.20.
The
Marathon course was at the same location as the eventing cross
country with the jumps converted to obstacles for driving. The
“Island” obstacle with all its “splash” was
a crowd pleaser, as was the obstacle appropriately called the
“Bull Ring”. One was almost surprised to see a four-in-hand
team come through instead of a bull.
Weber
went first for the U.S. and was pleased with his trip around the
colorful course, although he thought it could have been better.
“It
was OK, I tried my hardest, but it was not without fault,”
said Weber. “I had a little trouble at a couple of obstacles
that surely cost a few penalties. The challenge was the heat.
The horses are all fine now, but they were tired at the end.”
Fairclough
was the next to go and he had a problem with the Island by entering
the gate backwards, which cost twenty penalties, but still felt
they put in a credible performance.
“Other
than the one hazard, we were right there,” said Fairclough.
“My team was wonderful. Other than my mistake, the horses
did really well. We all owe some thanks to the USET for letting
us train at Gladstone.”
Johnson,
the final member of the U.S. squad, had an incident at “C”
in the sixth obstacle called “The Balcony”. His left
wheel hit the post and popped Johnson up out of the carriage.
The grooms pulled Johnson back in with the strap he was wearing,
but Johnson landed badly and bruised his rib cage.
“It
was not the marathon I was dreaming of having in the World Championship,”
said Johnson. “It was a little disappointing with those penalties
and all the banging around, but the horses are fine. As a nation
we are going to put the pressure on the others tomorrow.”
The
Four-In-Hand World Championship concludes on Saturday with the
Cones phase which will determine both the team and individual
medals.
Comprehensive
coverage of all World Equestrian Games competition is available
on the USET website at www.uset.org.
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
.
