Monday, September 15th

Hurricane "IKE" won the final round of the Preliminary-Advanced Sections of the American Eventing Championships at Lamplight Equestrian Center, in Wayne, Illinois.

Organizers, led by Katie Lindsay, are to be congratulated on making all the correct decisions! At least competitors were able to complete a Combined Test for the upper levels on Saturday, a day which featured a record twenty-four hour rainfall for Chicago of 6.74 inches. Nonetheless, all the Advanced, Intermediate and Preliminary competitors were able to Show Jump on Saturday thanks to the excellent all weather surface at Lamplight.

Advanced Section Combined Test:

1. Leslie Law (GBR), Fleeceworks Mystere du Val - 28.8 (DCSJ) (Leslie and Mystere du Val are pictured at the right.)
2. Amy Tryon, Leyland - 29.2 (DCSJ) (Amy and Leyland are pictured at the left below.)
3. William Coleman III, Twizzel - 31.7 (DCSJ)
4. Darren Chiacchia, Better I Do It - 36.7 (DCSJ
5. Amy Tryon, Coal Creek - (DCSJ)
6. Darren Chiacchia, Windfall II - 37.6 (4 jumping for 1 refusal, and 4 time
(12 competitors)

* * * * *

Intermediate Section Combined Test

Becky Holder who led after Dressage with Rejuvenate jumped a double clear Show Jumping round to win the Intermediate Section.

Jennie Brannigan and Cooper also jumped a double clear in the Stadium to place second on a score of 30.3.

Intermediate Section Combined Test:

1. Becky Holder, Rejuvenate -25.6 (DCSJ) (Becky and Rejuvenate are pictured at the right.)
2. Jennie Brannigan, Cooper - 30.3 (DCSJ)
3. Heather Morris, Genial - 30.9 (DCSJ)
4. William Coleman III, Nevada Bay - 34.4 (DCSJ)
5. Elinor MacPhall, Woodstock II - 35.3 (DCSJ)
6. Erika Treis-Petersen, Under the Influence - 31.9 (4 faults SJ)
(20 Competitors)




Preliminary Amateur Championships Combined Test:

1. Jamie Marlewski, Sprint Tech - 33.2 (4 faults SJ)
2. Maria Brazil, Bon Chance - 34.2 (DCSJ)
3. Ashley Johnson, Macintosh - 36.3 (DCSJ)
(13 competitors)
4. Tiffany Lunney, My Tuition, 36.7 (5 time faults SJ) (Tiffany is pictured at the left with water wings and a rubber duckie suitable for the weather at the AEC's.)

Preliminary Jr/YR Championships Combined Test:

1. Arden Wildasin, I'm Happy As Larry - 31.3 (DCSJ)
2. Kaitlynn Chambers, Enchanted - 31.6 (2 time faults SJ)
3. Callie Judy, Call on Me - 32.1 (4 jumping, 1 time SJ)
(19 competitors)


Preliminary Horse Championships Combined Test:

1. Mary Burke, Espirit-de-Corps - 34.2 (DCSJ)
2. Heather Morris, Slate River - 35.3 (2 time faults SJ)
3. Leslie Law (GBR), All The Buzz - 35.4 (DCSJ)
(35 competitors)

The Following Sections were run as Complete 3-Day Competitions:


Training Amateur Championships:

1. Donna Miller, ArdCeltic Art - 26.9
2. Carrie Meehan, Duane's Country - 33.1
3. Caroline Pingree, First Furlong - 33.6
(34 competitors)

Training Jr. Championships:

1. Kate Aldrich, William Don't Tell 24.7 (FODS)
2. Madeline Backus, P.S. American Girl - 27.4 (DCSJ)
3. Ashley Allen, Grove Pashley 29.5 (FODS)
(26 competitors)


Training Horse Championships:

1. Mara Dean, Casino - 26.3 (FODS)
2. Sara Dierks, Puzzle It Out- 29.5 (FODS)
3. Mary Grantham Cook, Rave Review - 30 3 (FODS)
(36 competitors)


Novice Amateur Championships

1. Erin Miller, The Tempest - 21.1 (FODS)
2. Kristina Watkins, Little Joe - 24.2 (FODS)
3. Brad Turley, Ratzi - 25.4 (1.2 time XC)
(34 competitors)


Novice Jr Championships:

1. Charlee Marinovich, Rapport 26.3 (FODS)
2. Mackenzie Kurtz, Harry Houdini 30.5 (FODS)
3. Caroline Glen, Tinian 30.5 (FODS)
(42 competitors)


Novice Horse Championships:

1. Tera MacDonald, Savvant - 23.2 (FODS)
2. Tera MacDonald, La Tee Da - 25.8 (FODS)
3. Amy Wilson, Quinn the Eskimo 26.8 (FODS)
(27 competitors - 7 of the top 8 finished on their Dressage Scores)


BN Horse Championships:

1. Lisa Mendell, Ripplin' Waters - 29 3 (FODS)
2. Kelly Hill, Wolfsfalle - 30 2 (4 faults SJ)
3. Michelle Donlick, Cindee - 31.5 (FODS)
(20 competitors - 6 of the top 8 finished on their Dressage Scores)


BN Amateur Championships

1. Annie Desmond, Britannica - 27 (FODS)
2. Jen Ahwesh, PL Irish Kitten - 29.5 (FODS)
3. Megan Campbell, Aeqceleration 30.5 (FODS)
(26 competitors - 8 of the top 8 finished on their Dressage Scores)


BN Jr Championships:

1. Kelsey Neely, Zula 29.5 (FODS)
2. Brittany Vinson, It's a Dun Deal 31 2 (FODS)
3. Alexandra Kalinich, Majestic Oasis - 31 (FODS)
(42 competitors - 10 of the top 10 comperttors finished on their Dressage Scores)

* * * * *

Bulletin 5:55 PM Saturday, September 13
Due to five inches of rain between midnight last night and noon today and continued rain thereafter the Upper Levels (Prelim. - Advanced) American Eventing Championships were cancelled after Show Jumping on Saturday and were pinned as a Combined Test. The competition is over.
.

Photos will be available on Monday. At this juncture, all equipment is soaking wet and needs to be dried out; and I shall be returning home (Wayne, Illinois to Lexington, Kentucky) on Sunday. Thank you for your patience.

* * * * *

Bulletin - 5:15 PM Friday, September 12
Due to inclement weather and due to a forecast of more rain on Saturday, Show Jumping for all sections of Novice and Training will begin at 8:00 AM on Saturday. The Show Jumping for Preliminary, Intermediate and Advanced will begin at approximately 12 noon on Saturday. The Cross Country will be run on Sunday assuming emergency vehicles such as ambulances will be able to access the course.

The Cross Country will be held on Sunday

Open Intermediate Dressage

The morning had been threatening and misty; however, it did not start to rain in ernest until ten minutes after noon - and then did it EVER rain!!!

Becky Holder (fresh from the Olympic Games in Hong Kong) and Rejuvenate went in the worst of the deluge and still managed to have a lovely ride to take the lead with the only score in the twenties. (Becky and Rejuvenate are pictured at the right in the pouring rain.)

None of the other rides were anything to write home about. Heather Morris's gelding Genial had a serious disobedience esentially refusing to go forward and she still managed to land up third.

Erika Treis Petersen entered at the trot and stopped to salute. The test requires entering at the canter. Sue Smithson, the judge, stopped Petersen and sent her out of the arena to begin again. This immediately raised the question as to whether Petersen should be eliminated for leaving the arena after her test had started, although it had been ordered by the judge.

Editorial Opinion: This was, after all, the American Eventing Championships at the Intermediate Level. Shouldn't Petersen have merely been charged an Error of Course and/or a movement not done for a zero, and gone on from the halt? It seems quite weird that she is presently standing fourth!

Open Intermediate Standings After Dressage:

1. Becky Holder, Rejuvenate - 25.6
2. Jennie Brannigan, Cooper - 30.3 (Jennie and Cooper are pictured at the left above.)
3. Heather Morris, Genial - 30.9
4. Erika Treis Petersen, Under The Influence - 31.9
5. Jordynn Sahagian, Nestor- 32.2
6. Amy Tryon, That's Smart - 34.4
7T. William Coleman III, Nevada Bay - 34.4
7T. Boyd Martin (AUS), Remington XXV - 34.4
(21 competitors)

* * * *

Advanced Championships Dressage

The rain continued through the afternoon effecting the Advanced as well as the Intermediate.

Three competitors in the Advanced broke into the twenties. Great Britain's Leslie Law, who leads with Fleeceworks Mystere du Val (Leslie and Fleeceworks Mystere du Val are pictured at the right.); Amy Tryon, who sits second with Leyland; and Darren Chiacchia who is in third place riding Windfall.

The Top Six Advanced Competitors After Dressage:

1. Leslie Law (GBR), Fleeceworks Mystere du Val - 28.8
2. Amy Tryon, Leyland - 29.2 (Amy and Leyland are pictured at the left below.)
3. Darren Chiacchia, Windfall - 29.6
4. William Coleman III, Twizzel - 31.7
5. Ralph Holstein, Arctic Dancer - 32.1
6. Sara Dierks, Somerset II - 34.6
(12 competitors)