Tuesday , June 12, 2001

Three-Time Young Riders' Gold Medallist, Louise Labrucherie Finalist for The 2001 USET Intermediare Championships

Wadsworth, IL-June 9, 2001-Louise Labrucherie, the North American Young Riders' Championships (NAYRC) most decorated medallist, has qualified as one of 12 finalists for the U.S. Equestrian Team Intermediaire I Championship during the first weekend (June 15-17) of the Bayer/USET Festival of Champions, presented by State Line Tack.

Laburucherie, of Santa Rosa, CA, won the NAYRC individual Gold Medal in dressage three times (1997, 1998 and 2000). She is the only rider in North America ever to accomplish that feat.

Laburucherie qualified for the USET Intermediaire I Championship with Picone, her winning NAYRC mount from 2000. Picone is an 11 year old Hannoverian gelding by Prince Orac xx out of Wodena by Wolfsburg. Together, they earned the sixth highest score (out of the 12 who qualified for the Intermediaire I Championship) in a series of qualifiers, finishing behind such riders as two-time Olympic medallist Guenter Seidel and Pan American medallist Leslie Webb.

"Louise was a skilled and excellent competitor at Young Riders," said Howard Simpson who, with his wife Martha, and Linda and Vincent Buonanno, organizes the Championships at Tempel Farms. "We are extremely proud that she has been able to use her experiences at Young Riders as a stepping stone to the start of what will surely be a successful career."

The North American Young Riders' Championship is the premier equestrian competition in North America for young riders, age 16-21. This year's competition, August 8-12 at Tempel Farms in Wadsworth, IL, will feature competitors from the United States, Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, Puerto Rico, and the Caribbean Islands competing on teams and individually in the three Olympic disciplines of dressage, eventing and show jumping.

Many other top international and Olympic riders also got their start at the NAYRC including Olympic Silver Medallists Greg Best and Karen O'Connor, as well as Megan Johnstone, Elise Haas, Buck Davidson, Chris Kappler, Lauren Hough, Nicole Shahinian Simpson, Ray Texel, Chris Pratt, Lisa Carlsen Lubitz, Heather Mason, David Wilson, Tiffani Loudon, Mara DePuy, and Julie Gomena.

The NAYRC began in 1974 as an eventing challenge between the United States and Canada. A Dressage Championship was added in 1981, and Show Jumping debuted in 1982. The first complete NAYRC was held in British Columbia, Canada in 1982. Tempel Farms has hosted the Championship 12 times since 1985.

Tempel Farms is home to the world's largest private herd of Lipizzan Horses. It is widely considered to be one of the finest equestrian locations in North America with extraordinary facilities, excellent footing, and a challenging CCI** cross-country course.

Related Links
HorsesDaily "On the Scene" at the 2001 USET Festival of Champions
Labrucherie and Picone Win 2000 NAYRC Gold
1998 NAYRC - Labrucherie and Artiste Going for the Gold Again
HorsesDaily coverage of the NAYRC, 2000, 1999, 1998
www.youngriders.org
For more information on NAYRC activities, visit . At the NAYRC website you will find zone, region, area contact information, a competition schedule, Tempel Farms information, and many other details pertaining to the event.