All
That Glitters is Gold 2004
U.S. Olympic Show Jumping Team to Receive Gold Medals, Kappler
to be Awarded Individual Silver in Wellington, Florida, February 5
Lexington, KY – Following a star-studded performance that
warmed our hearts at the Athens Olympic Games more than a year ago (August 2004),
U.S. Show Jumpers Chris Kappler,  Beezie
Madden, McLain Ward and Peter Wylde will finally be awarded their Olympic
Gold medals at 1:30 p.m. on Sunday, February 5th, just before the Gold Coast Jumper
Classic Grand Prix at Circuit Finale in Wellington, Florida. In addition, Chris
Kappler will be officially awarded the Individual Silver. (The US Team
is pictured at the left after they received the Team Silver Medal at Athens ,
in 2004. Diana de Rosa Photo.) “This is truly something
for all of equestrian sport in our country to celebrate,” said United States
Equestrian Federation President, David J. O’Connor. “This is
not merely a victory for the U.S. Show Jumping Team from Athens. This is a victory
for each and every one of us who loves horse sport. These four athletes and their
four equally incredible horses made us all proud at the 2004 Olympic Games. They
represented our country well, and we’re thrilled that they’ll now have
the opportunity to wear the Gold medals they’ve worked so hard for.”
Chris Kappler and Royal Kaliber, Beezie Madden and
Authentic, The owners of Authentic at the time of the 2004 Athens Olympic Games
were: Beezie and John Madden, Mr. and Mrs. Jeremy Jacobs, Barbara and Steffan
Wolf, Chandi Duke Heffner, Joseph and Kathleen Patton, and Elizabeth Busch Burke.
McLain Ward and Sapphire, and Peter Wylde and Fein
Cera brought home their hard-earned Silver medals from the Olympic Games in Athens
in 2004. Now, following a 2005 decision by the International Equestrian Federation
(FEI) and the International Olympic Committee (IOC), their Silver medals will
be replaced with Gold in a once-in-a-lifetime ceremony and celebration. Likewise,
Kappler’s Bronze Medal will be replaced with Silver, again following
the decision by the FEI and IOC The Team Gold medals and Individual
Silver medal will be awarded by 1984 (Los Angeles) U.S. Olympic Show Jumping Team
members Conrad Homfeld, Joe Fargis and Leslie Howard, along
with USEF President and (2000 Sydney) Olympic Gold medal eventing athlete David
O’Connor. Following the Grand Prix, fans will be able
to meet our Olympic athletes, and have the opportunity to get a souvenir photo
autographed. For more information, please contact Sarah Lane, Public
Relations Manager, on (859) 225-6974 or via e-mail at Sarah.Lane@usef.org. USEF
press releases can be found on our web site. Editor's
Notes: The
American Show Jumping Team moved up from Silver to Gold because Ludger
Beerbaum's (GER) Athens ride Goldfever  tested
positive
for the drug betamethazone. The German Team had initially
won the Team Gold; however, when Beerbaum and Gold Fever were disqualified, the
German Team dropped to third place on the scores of the other three team members.
(Beerbaum is pictured at the right on Ratina several years ago.
Photo by Phelps.) 
Chris
Kappler moved up from his Bronze Medal placing to the Silver Medal when the initial
Individual Gold Medal winner Cian O'Connor's (IRE) horse Waterford Chrystal also
came up with a drug positive for both Fluphenazine and Zucolophentixol and was
also disqualified. (O'Connor
is pictured at the left. Photo
courtesy of Cian O'Connor's Web Site.)
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