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Scotland's Ruth Friend won Gatcombe's premiere class, The Championship of British Eventing, with Two Thyme on a score of 28.8. The Pair's excellent Dressage performance drew a score of 23.2. Ruth followed this with a rail down in Show Jumping and the Day's fastest Cross Country run, which incurred only 1.6 time faults.

Sammi McLeod, an Alternate for the Australian Olympic Team for Athens, rode Enchanted II, to second place, 7.7 faults behind the leaders. This pair placed 16th at the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton CCI****, this spring after one refusal on the Cross Country, and are headed to the Burghley CCI****, in September. They added only 5.2 time faults to their Dressage score of 31.3.

James Robinson, an Alternate for the British Eventing Team, rode Comanche, on whom he place fourth at the Badminton CCI**** this spring, to third place on a score of 40.0. He too is headed for Burghley in just under a month. Comanche's score of 40.0 was incurred on a Dressage Score of 31.2 and 8.8 time faults Cross Country. (James and Comanche are pictured above at the left jumping the skinny after The Lake at the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton CCI****, last spromg.)

The following were on the Leader Board for The Championship of British Eventing:

1. Ruth Friend (GBR), Two Thyme - 28.8
2. Sammi McLeod (AUS), Enchanted II - 36.5
3. James Robinson (GBR), Comanche - 40.0
4. Lucy Wiegersma (GBR), Shaabrak - 40.8
5. Kate Hewlett (NZL), Internet - 43.0
6. Francis Wittington (GBR), Oshkosh, 44.7

It had been reported earlier in these pages that Abigail Lufkin would ride both Better I Do It and Kildonan Tug at Gatcombe; however, these two were both withdrawm. Both are still entered for Burghley.

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Saturday, August 7th, 2004 - Show Jumping and Advanced Cross Country

Kim Severson riding Linda Wachtmeister's Winsome Adante repeated her win at the Mandatory Outing at the Horse Park of New Jersey, in the USEF's informal Combined Test at the Gatconbe Festival of British Eventing, on Saturday. Although Dan pulled one rail, his Dressage score kept him on top by 3.2 faults. (Kim is pictured below at the right at a Press Conference at the Mandatory Outing, in July.)

Only two of the ten Americans, from the Athens Olympic Team and the Alternates, Show Jumped clean at Gatcombe. Jan Thompson, one of the Alternates, had a clear go with Task Force to end up second in the Combined Test, on a score of 35.7.

Julie Richards with Jacob Two Two, the only pair to Show Jump clean at the Mandatory Outing at the Horse Park of New Jersey last month, repeated that performance at Gatcombe; however, Julie's Dressage had been undistinguished so her final score in the Combined Test was 43.2 for 9th place.

Below are the results of the the Combined Test (Dressage and Show Jumping) at The Gatconbe Festival of British Eventing, for the USEF Olympic Team and Alternates. The Combined Test was completed on Saturday, August 7th.

1. Kim Severson (USA-T), Winsome Adante - D 28.5 + 4 SJ = 32.5
2. Jan Thompson (USA-A), Task Force - 35.7 + 0 SJ = 35.7
3. Darren Chiacchia (USA-T), Windfall 2 - D 29.6 + 8 SJ = 37.6
4. Heidi White (USA-A), Northern Spy - 35.0 + 4 SJ = 39.0
5. Will Faudree (USA- A), Antigua - 35.6 + 4 SJ = 39.6
6. Amy Tryon (USA-T), My Beau - D 32.8 + 8 SJ = 40.8
7. Amy Tryon (USA-A), Poggio II - 38.2 + 4 SJ = 42.2
8. John Williams (USA-T), Carrick - D 34.3 + 8 SJ = 42.3
9. Julie Richards (USA-T), Jacob Two Two - D 43.2 + 0 SJ = 43.2
10. David O'Connor (USA-A), Outlawed - D 32.6 + 12 SJ = 44.6

A final gallop is scheduled for the Team and Alternates on Sunday at trainer Jonjo ONeill's racing gallops. The Team plus one Alternate, as yet unnamed will ship to Athens on Tuesday, August 10th.

Other Americans who competed at Gatombe had the following results:

Advanced Section 1:

John Williams, Sloopy, D - 33.7, 4 SJ = 37.7 - Withdrawn before XC
Cindy Rawson, Halava Dream, D - 39.3 - Withdrawn before SJ
Cindy Rawson, Ashdake David's Way, D 39.6 - Withdrawn before SJ

The name of the USEF's Travelling Spare for Athens will be posted as soon as that information is available.

Final Results for the two Advanced Sections:

Section # 1:

1. Francis Wittington (GBR), Spin Doctor, 40.1 (D 36.1; SJ 0; XC 4.4 time)
2. Clayton Fredericks (AUS), W P in Limbo, 51.0 (D 37.8; SJ 0;XC 13.2 time)
3. Tristram Owers (GBR), Classic Touch, 53.9 (D 37.8; SJ 0; XC 12.4 time)
4. Marie Ryan (GBR), Sparrow Hall, 54.1 (D 33.3; SJ 4; XC 16.8 time)
5. Polly Williamson (GBR), Wicked Time, 54.7 (D 36.3; SJ 0; XC 18.4 time)
6. Caroline Pratt (GBR), Kinsey Control, 56.3 (D 36.3; SJ 0; XC 20.0 time)

Section # 2:

1. Daisy Dick (GBR), Spring Along, 42.7 (D 33.9; SJ 0; XC 8.8 time)
2. Harry Meade (GBR), Midnight Dazzler, 43.1 (D 39.1; SJ 0; XC 4.0 time)
3.Vittoria Panizzon (ITA), Rock Model, 48.0 (D 42.4; SJ 0; XC 5.6 time)
4. Andrew Nicholson (NZL), Duddles, 49.6 (D 35.6; SJ 4; 10.0 time XC)
5. Christopher Burton (GBR), Woodmount Spry, 50.1 (D 31.3; SJ 0; 18.8 time XC)
6. Polly Jackson (GBR), Two For Joy, 52.9 ( D 36.5; SJ 4; XC 12.4 time)

Editor's Note: Only two of the top 12 finishers in the two Advanced Sections had rails down in Show Jumping, making the USEF's Team and Alternates performances in the Show Jumping Phase look rather non-competitive.