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The first rider on course in the Advanced Championship was the pride of Southern Pines, Will Faudree, riding his Pan Am Gold Medal Team horse and his mount for the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton CCI****, this spring, Antigua.
Will and Antigua ran a picture perfect double clear to finish on their second place Dressage score of 26.3. At the time Will's score was announced by Giles Rowsell, Rowsell said, "That will set the standard for the Advanced Section!" (Will and Antigua are pictured at the right jumping the toothbrushin the water.)

Giles was absolutely correct as no other rider succeeded in achieving a double clear and Antigua's score stood up throughout.

There was a huge controversy over Course Designer John William's placement of the toothbrush in the water prior to the Cross Country competition. Advanced competitors went to the Technical Delagate Gretchen Butts asking that the toothbrush be removed or replaced as there were only three strides to the fence in the water after the horse was able to see it, unless one took a detour out of the water to make a longer approach.

Will Faudree, the eventual leader, rode first and made the toothbrush look doable. After Will's exemplary ride, all but about three competitors jumped the tooth brush and did not take the alternative which was the Intermediate brush into the water. Course Designer John Williams was vindicated.

Nathalie Bouckaert Pollard and West Farthing, on whom she had ridden one of two American double clears Cross Country at the Luhmuhlen CCI****, in Germany, this June, came the closest as they ran a clear jumping round, picking up only two time faults for a two day score of 33.7 and second place after Cross Country. (Nathalie and West Farthing are pictured at the left jumping into the water.)

The overnight leaders Corinne Ashton and Dobbin ran into serious trouble at the "toothbrush" in the water and fell out of contention with that 20 fault run out and 16.6 time faults.

Karen O'Connor and Upstage were 24 seconds over the Time Allowed for 9.6 time faults and stood third on 39.0. Jonathan Holling picked up 6.8 Time Faults with Lion King II and slid into the fourth slot on a two day score of 39.4.

The Top Eight After Cross Country Were:

1. Will Faudree, Antigua - 26.3
2. Nathalie Bouckaert Pollard, West Farthing - 33.7
3. Karen O'Connor, Upstage - 39.0
4. Jonathan Holling, Lion King II - 39.4
5. Will Faudree, Wild Frontier - 41.1
6. Mark Weissbecker, Swayne - 42.9
7. Stephen Bradley, Brandenburg's Joshua - 44.1
8. Becky Holder, Courageous Comet - 44.5.

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The Intermediate Championship

Jessica Kiener and My Boy Bobby added only .4 of a Time Fault to their first place Dressage score of 32.5 for a two day score of 32.9 and the lead in the Intermediate Championship.
(Jessica and My Boy Bobby are pictured at the right jumping the skinny after the water.)

Another Southern Pines favorite Bobby Costello rode his lovely grey Wild Delight to a second place score of 38.5.

Stuart Black and Fleeceworks Pacific Storm are in third on a score of 39.9, which included 3.6 time faults Cross Country.

The Top Six After Cross Country Were:

1. Jessica Kiener, My Boy Bobby - 32.9
2. Bobby Costello, Wild Delight - 38.5
3. Stuart Black, Fleeceworks Pacific Storm - 39.9
4. Holly Johnson, Dances With Wolves - 41.4
5T. Mike Winter, Wonderful Will - 41.6
5T. Samantha Allen, Every Wish - 41.6

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Open Preliminary Championship

Alison Kelly-Coates, who teaches Math in a Southern Pines private school, rode Irish Cavalier to a double clear Cross Country and rose from fifth place after Dressage to the top spot in the Open Preliminary Championship.

One of Alison's fifth grade students Kaily Meeks came to the AEC and was disappointed to have missed Alison's run; but, was thrilled she was in first place.

Alison told of her five minute signal having gone off before she reached the infield which contained the final two fences. She knew she was down on the clock so really stepped on the gas. As she approached the second last she said to Irish Cavalier as she set him up, "I'm not going to let you kill me here!" He didn't (kill her) and the pair did run a double clear for a leading score of 30.5, .7 of a fault ahead of the second place finishers Doug Payne and Cornerhouse, who finished on 31.2. (Alison and Irish Cavalier are pictured at the left above at the second to last fence.)

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PRESS RELEASE

Training Wrap-Up and Upper-Level Cross-Country at the AEC

By Amber Heintzberger

Cross-country for Preliminary through Advanced took place today at the American Eventing Championships at the Carolina Horse Park in Raeford, NC. John Williams’ course proved influential at all levels. The AEC is the premier championship for riders at all levels from across the United States, offering $50,000 prize money and over $75,000 in prizes.

Missouri rider Maria Brazil’s nerves took over on her Preliminary ride with Lottery Ticket and she retired after a stop at the water jump, but she overcame her anxiety to ride a flawless round and win the Open Training Championship on her Selle Francais gelding Gadget des Brume (33.50). 19-year-old Nicole Kemerling, a student at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, placed second (33.9) riding Fiddlestix. Adrienne Classen on Rafferty’s Rules moved up from fifth place to finish third (3), and Amy Magee, riding Aspen’s Black Diamond, finished fourth (36.3) riding sidesaddle through the entire event.

Having overcome a series of difficulties in the past several years, Magee was the recipient of the Exquisite Equestrian Award, given to the rider who overcame adversity in the journey to the AEC.

The Junior/Young Rider champion, Jessica Borchers, finished on her dressage score (30.3) riding Windover, a horse that she has only been riding for three months. A student of David and Karen O’Connor, Borchers spent the summer riding and training in Virginia, but tomorrow returns to her hometown of Ft. Collins, Colorado, where she will go back to her high school to attend classes.

“After we qualified for the AEC and everything was going well, I decided this would be a good goal,” said Borchers. “I’ll definitely come back, I just don’t know when.”

Morgan Schank, of Spokane, Washington,.riding Ryley, moved up from fourth place to finish second in the Junior/Young Rider division. Like Borchers, Ryley has spent the summer training on the East Coast, but she plans to stay for a few months more. She started the event in tenth place on a score of 37.3 and finished the entire competition on her dressage score. “It took the pressure off,” said Schank. “It’s always easier to chase than to lead.”

In the Training Horse division, Karen O’Connor and Mandiba stayed in first place on their dressage score of 27.3. Stephen Bradley on The English Patient stayed in second place (29.3), but Nanci Lindroth and Running Rebel, who were tied with Bradley, were eliminated when they went off course. Kristin Schmolze and Glen Emeril moved into third place (30.5), followed by Mark Weissbecker on Tatham (31.5). Weissbecker is also in the lead in the Preliminary Horse Championship riding Top Gallant (31.3), followed by Karen O’Connor on Mr. Ripley (31.5) and Michael Pollard on Voltaire (31.8).

Show of Heart and Caroline Teich held on to their lead in the Preliminary Junior Championship (33.5), followed by Diana Brown on One 2 One (35.3) who moved up when Lauren Sappenfield on Derrik moved to fifth place when they added time penalties to their score. Paige Hewlitt and Steely Dan are in third (37.5).

Allison Kelly-Coates and Irish Cavalier lead on in the Open Preliminary Championship (30.5) followed by Doug Payne on Cornerhouse (31.2) and Nate Chambers on Rolling Stone II (32.). Chambers won individual and team gold medals at this year’s North American Young Riders Championship at the preliminary level.

In the Intermediate Championship, overnight leader Carol Kozlowski withdrew from the event and headed home this morning after coming down with mononucleosis. Jessica Kiener on My Boy Bobby moved into the lead, adding 0.40 time penalties to finish the day on 32.90. Robert Costello on Wild Delight moved from fifth to second place (38.70), followed by Stuart Black on Fleeceworks Pacific Storm (39.90).

Corinne Ashton led the Advanced Championship after dressage (24.8), but a run-out at the narrow toothbrush in the second water jump on cross-country dropped her to seventeenth place (60.80). Will Faudree and Antigua took the opportunity to claim the lead on their dressage score of 26.3, followed Karen O’Connor and Upstage (39) and Jonathan Holling and Lion King (39.4).

At Saturday evening’s competitor’s party, a silent auction will be held to benefit the US Equestrian Federation Hurricane Equine Relief Fund.

The event wraps up tomorrow with show jumping at the preliminary, intermediate and advanced levels. Tune in at www.useventing.com for live audio streaming from the announcer here at the AEC.

Amy J. Daum

Director of Communications

(703) 779-0440 ext. 3017

(703) 779-0550 fax

Don't forget the 2005 American Eventing Championships, September 14-18 at the Carolina Horse Park!