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American riders hold three of the top seven places after the dressage phase
at Burghley Three-Day Event (CCI****), England today. Darren Chiacchia from
Springville, NY, riding Colleen Hofstetter's R G Renegade is currently lying
in fourth place on 45.6 penalties; 3.2 penalties behind the leader,
Britain's Christopher Bartle on Word Perfect II.
Chiacchia was listed as an alternate for the Olympic Games and having missed
his ticket to Sydney, headed for the British event with the 10 year-old
French Thoroughbred by Galoubet. He was delighted with 'Reggies'
performance, which he acknowledges as being the result of some intensive
training with Olympic dressage team Chef d'Equipe Jessica Ranshousen. "She
whipped me into shape'" said Chiacchia. "He is a young horse, getting
stronger and more confident so now he is more competent," he added after his
test.
Tiffani Loudon from Blythewood, SC riding Makabi, and Beale Morris from
Middleburg, VA on Pathfinder are close behind in sixth and seventh place on
48.4 and 54.0 penalties respectively.
Going into the cross-country phase the other U.S. riders are placed as
follows:
17th Marcia Kulak; Scotia, NY (Talk Back) 57.8
Tie for 54th
54th Momi Akeley; Bluemont, VA (Chort) 68.8
54th Aletta Nickles; Great Falls, VA (Mozart) 68.8
60th Jonathan Elliot; Fairfield, VA (Kilcotrim) 70.2
For further information, please contact Christine E. Stafford, Director of
Communications on (859) 225 6923 or via email at cstafford@ahsa.org. Press
releases are available on our web site - www.ahsa.org.
The American Horse Shows Association, as the National Equestrian Federation
of the U.S., is the regulatory body for the Olympic and World Championship
sports of dressage, driving, endurance, eventing, reining, show jumping, and
vaulting, as well as 19 other breeds and disciplines of equestrian
competition. As the country's largest multi-breed organization, the AHSA
has over 70,000 members and recognizes more than 2,600 competitions
nationwide each year. It governs all aspects of competition, including
educating and licensing all judges, stewards, and technical delegates who
officiate at these shows.
