Members
of the Bronze Medal Olympic Team are pictured above: L. to R. Mark Phillips, Chef
d"Equipe, Darren Chiacchia, Kim Severson, Doug Hannum, Stable Manager and
Physiotherapist, John Williams, Julie Richards and Jim Wolf, USEF Director of
Eventing and Games Preparation.
A ceremony to honor the USEF Bronze Medal Olympic Team and Kim Severson, the Individual
Silver Medalist, was held on Sunday, September 19th at the Carolina Horse Park
during the American Eventing Championships.
All
members of the Bronze Medal team, with the exception of Amy Tryon, who lives in
the state of Washington, were present.
Pictured
above L. to R.: Jim Wolf, Lefreda Williams, Organizer of the AEC, with wreaths,
Doug Hannum, Kim Severson, Individual Silver Medalist, Mark Phillips, Chef d'Equipe.
Three
Bronze Medal Team members entered the ring mounted, Darren Chiacchia, Julie Richards
and John Williams, along with the travelling spare, Will Faudree. Kim Severson,
who rode on the team and was also the Individual Silver Medalist, did not ride
as she had suffered a severely sprained neck in a freak fall in the stable area
the previous day. Happily, Kim had been released from the hospital and was able
to take part in the Ceremony on her feet.
Because
of the error made at the Olympic Games by the Eventing Jury of Appeals, which
was later corrected by the Court of Arbitration for Sport, the Americans had been
denied the privilege of taking part in the Medal Ceremony, at Athens. In an effort
to make up in some way for this disappointment, Lefreda Williams, the Organizer
of the AEC, arranged for the Medalists to receive wreaths similar to those given
at Athens, as well as floral bouquets with red, white and blue ribbon streamers.
(It had been hoped that the Medals, which had been awarded incorrectly at the
Markopoulo Equestrian Center, in Greece, and which had been returned to the FEI,
would be available for presentation during the ceremony. Had they been available,
Amy Tryon would have been flown in from the West Coast. Sadly the Medals were
not in the United States in time for presentation at the AEC.)
Kim
Severson of Keene, VA, the 2004 Olympic Individal Silver Medalist and member of
the USEF Bronze Medal Team, is pictured at the right. With her Olympic mount,
Linda Wachtmeister's Winsome Adante, Kim finished 4th after Dressage on 36.20;
rode a double clear Cross Country to move up to 3rd; added 4 jumping and 1 time
fault in the Team Show Jumping, and 4 faults in the Individual Show Jumping for
a final score of 45.20 and 2nd place - The Silver Medal.
Amy Tryon, of Duvall, Washington,
a member of the USEF Olympic Bronze Medal Team, rode Poggio II, owned by Amyas
well as Mark Hart, to 7th place individually. Amy and Poggio II were 29th after
Dressage on a score of 50.60; they added 1.20 time faults Cross Country to move
up to 22nd place and Show Jumped double clear in the Team Show Jumping to move
up to 11th. Poggio II Show Jumped double clear again in the Individual Show Jumping
to move up to 7th place on a final score of 51.8. Amy was not present at the AEC.
Darren
Chiacchia, of Springville, NY, a member of the USEF Olympic Bronze Medal Team,
rode Timothy Holekamp's Windfall to 12th place individually. Darren and Windfall
were 15th after Dressage on 44.60; rode a double clear Cross Country to move up
to 12th; added 8 faults Show Jumping for a final score of 52.60,maintaining their
position in 12th
.
John Williams, of Middleburg, VA, member of the USEF Olympic Bronze Medal Team
rode Carrick, owned by John, Atkins, dePapp and Tichell, to 21st place individually.
John and Carrick were 23rd after Dressage on 47.60; picked up 1.2 time faults
on Cross Country to move up to 19th and added 12 Show Jumping faults to finish
on a score of 60.80.
Julie
Richards, of Atlanta, GA, a member of the USEF Olympic Bronze Medal Team, rode
Jim Richards' Jacob Two Two to 23rd place individually. Julie and Jacob Two Two
placed 58th after Dressage on a score of 65.40; added 1.60 time faults Cross Country
to move up to 36th place; and Show Jumped clean to finish on 67.0 for 23rd place.
Will
Faudree, of Southern Pines, NC, was the Travelling Spare for the USEF 2004 Olympic
Team.
