Thursday, June 7, 2001

Qualified Riders for the Grand Prix Bayer/USET Festival of Champions, presented by State Line Tack

Gladstone, NJ—June 4, 2001—Olympic medalists Guenter Seidel and Steffen Peters and Pan American Games medalists Debbie McDonald, Lynda Alicki, Donna Richardson and Nancy Polozker head the list of riders who have qualified to compete in the USET Grand Prix Dressage Championship during the first weekend (June 14-17) of the Bayer/USET Festival of Champions, presented by State Line Tack.

The following riders have qualified by earning the highest scores in a series of qualifiers held throughout the year. The riders (listed in the order of their ranking) are:

Rider: Deborah McDonald of Hailey, ID
Horse: Brentina (Hannoverian mare Brentina by Brentano II out of Lisselott)
Owner: Peggy Thomas
Rider: Guenter Seidel of Del Mar, CA
Horse: Nikolaus 7 (Westfalian Gelding by Weinberg out of Elise)
Owner: Dick & Jane Brown
Rider: Steffen Peters of Escondido, CA
Horse: Grandeur (KWPN Dutch WB Gelding by John U to Berry out of Cisca)
Owner: Lila Kommerstad
Rider: Deborah McDonald of Hailey, ID*
Horse: Beaurivage (Hannoverian Gelding by Bonjour out of Goldstenchen)
Owner: Peggy Thomas
Rider: Lynda Alicki of Wellington, FL
Horse: Impressario (KWPN Gelding by Darwin out of Elina/Zebulon)
Owner: Lynda Alicki
Rider: Tom Noone of North Abington, MA
Horse: Fresco (Westphalian Gelding by Fruehlingshall out of Fiorella)
Owner: Francine Weiner-Govostes
Rider: Cherri Reiber of Toronto, ON
Horse: G Tudor (KWPN Dutch Warmblood Gelding )
Owner: Cherri Reiber
Rider: Michael Barisone of Califon, NJ
Horse: Safir (Danish mare by Diamond out of Hexa/May Sherif
Owner: Susan Thomas
Rider: Susan Dutta of Thornwood, NY
Horse: Gum Shoes-DC (KWPN Dutch Gelding by Joost out of Suzan/Nimmedor
Owner: Susan Dutta
Rider: George Williams of Delaware, OH
Horse: Rocher
Owner: Joann Smith
Rider: James Armstrong of Glyndon, MD
Horse: Gustaaf (KWPN Dutch Gelding by Flamingo out of Citrona/Noortgedacht
Owner: Patsy Ward
Rider: Susan Dutta of Thornwood, NY
Horse: Xandarius Fernando (Danish gelding by Ragtime out of Amelia)
Owner: Xandarius LLC
Rider: Donna Richardson of San Marcos, CA*
Horse: Jazzman (KWPN Dutch by Amethyst out of Ironica
Owner: Antje Freygang
Rider: Pamela Goodrich of Boscawen, NH
Horse: Melville (Danish Gelding by May Sherif out of Optical
Owner: Pamela Goodrich
Rider: Nancy Polozker of Wellington, FL
Horse: Dutch Indy (KWPN Dutch Gelding by Le Mexico out of a Calvados dam)
Owner: Nancy Sullivan

*(McDonald, who qualified two horses, has elected not to compete with Beaurivage. Additionally Richardson has elected not to compete with Jazzman.)

In addition to the Grand Prix Championship, Dressage competition at the Festival will include the USET Intermediaire I Championship, the Young Rider Team, Individual and Prix St. Georges Freestyle classes and the Cosequin/AHSA Junior Dressage Team Championships.

Along with world-class competition in the Singles and Four-In-Hand divisions, the Festival Driving Division sponsored by the Gladstone Equestrian Association (GEA) will feature the final Selection Trial for the 2001 Pairs Driving World Championship which will be held in Riesenbeck, Germany, August 16-19. The country’s best Pairs drivers will vie for the opportunity to represent the United States in this World Championship.

The Show Jumping competition will highlight the amazing height and speed of this exciting discipline during the $100,000 Rolex/USET Show Jumping Championship. The Festival will also host the USET Junior and Amateur/Owner Show Jumping Talent Derbies both presented by BET on Jazz as well as the Merrill Lynch Futures Division.

Top endurance riders are expected to compete during the Sooner/USET Endurance 50 mile and 80 mile Championship rides which are sanctioned by the American Endurance Ride Conference and the East Coast Trial Riders Association. This marks the first time that an 80 mile ride will be hosted by the Festival.

This year’s Reining Division will again feature the $100,000 Cosequin/USET Reining Championship presented by Bayer. Reiners have competed throughout the year in a series of qualifiers sponsored by Intervet for the opportunity to compete in this Championship competition. Additionally, the Reining Division will also include the highly popular Invitational Freestyle class and Nations Cup competition along with the addition of the Sooner/USET Futures Championship, Developing Riders classes and Young Rider Medal Final.

Admission is $10.00 for adults, $6.00 for children who are 6 – 12 years of age with children under 6 attending free of charge. Parking is $5.00. Also available for purchase are reserved tables in the Reining, Pine Meadow and Dressage Clubs. Reserved table costs are $2000.00 for 8 people, $1000.00 for 4 people and $500.00 for two chairs.

Every year, the Festival offers a wide variety of family entertainment for equestrian enthusiasts with various competitions in Reining, Dressage, Combined Driving, Show Jumping, and Endurance and although the Festival is geared toward equestrian competition, it is the goal of the USET to provide families the opportunity to enjoy equestrian sports along with a more traditional country fair and “Children’s Corral.” The fair includes over 70 vendors offering a large selection of crafts, clothing, jewelry, gifts and the latest in equestrian supplies for every age and interest.

If you want to see impressive equestrian competition in a beautiful country atmosphere, coupled with a weekend of family fun, then the place to venture to is Bayer/USET Festival of Champions in June.

To learn more about this spectacular event call the Festival Hotline at (908) 234-0555 or visit the USET on line at www.uset.org.

Stay tuned to DressageDaily.com as we will be "On the Scene" covering this exciting event.