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Articles: Press Release
Joie Gatlin And SunCal's King Win $25,000 Open Jumper At Metropolitan
National Horse Show
Photo by Flashpoint Photography
Joie Gatlin and SunCal's King
Contact:
Mason Phelps, Jr. of Phelps Media Group, Inc. at (561)
753-3389 or at info@phelpsmediagroup.com
NEW YORK, NY - November 3, 2004 - Joie Gatlin of San Juan Capistrano,
California, riding SunCal's King for owner Canyon Capital Insurance won
the $25,000 Open Jumper at the evening session of the Metropolitan
National Horse Show tonight in New York City. Gatlin topped a roster of
12 horses and earned $7,500. The Table II.2b class required riders to
clear the Linda Allen-designed course of 11 jumps in order to move on
immediately to the eight-obstacle jump-off. Six riders went clean in the
first round, but only Gatlin was able to produce a double clear
performance for the win. Georgina Bloomberg of New York City placed
second aboard Nadia owned by Gotham Enterprizes. Ken Berkley of
Flemington, New Jersey, placed third aboard Ratina Z owned by Carolyn
Kelly.
The Metropolitan National Horse Show features five days and five nights
of action, November 3-7, 2004, at Pier 94 and the Show Piers on the
Hudson in New York City. Tickets and passes are available in a variety
of packages and can be reserved by calling 866-NHS-SHOW or on the web at
www.nhs.org
"It's very, very exciting because this is my first time back here at The
National," said Gatlin, 37, who had competed as a junior at the National
Horse Show in Madison Square Garden. "I was so thrilled to be able to
come here and show, so it makes it extra special to win."
Gatlin went eighth in the order, when Georgina Bloomberg was holding
down first place with Nadia and second place with Lumina 2, who
eventually finished in fourth place. Gatlin took over the top spot and
held it, with only the final rider, Ken Berkley able to shake the final
outcome. "The course was very inviting. Linda Allen is totally
professional," commented Gatlin. "She set a very nice course for our
first time around out there. It was a nice start for the week." Gatlin
credited her win to her horse's performance in the jump-off. "In the
first round he was a little bit hard to ride, a little excited, a little
strong. After he got the first round out of his system then he settled
down in the jump-off and was a little bit smoother."
SunCal's King is a 12-year-old Holsteiner gelding that Gatlin has had
the ride on since the end of March. "He was the horse that I did the
Olympic Trials on," noted Gatlin. "He's a very scopey horse. We've just
been constantly working on the ride-ability - lots of flatwork, lots of
gymnastics and small jumps. All that hard work is starting to pay off."
Gatlin and her husband Morley Abey own a business in California with 30
horses competing in classes from hunters and equitation to Grand Prix.
Gatlin said she chose to make the trip across the U.S. to compete in the
Metropolitan National Horse Show because of the prize money and the
computer points for the computer list, but also "just to do something
different." She was favorably impressed with Pier 94 and The Show Piers
on the Hudson. "I really like it. The stabling is great. There's a nice
size warm-up and a beautiful size ring. It's very nice. It's really kind
of exciting - you're right on the water and that's a very unique thing
at a horse show."
Dressage Night And The Continental Cup
Prior to the $25,000 Open Jumper, the evening session opened with the
second annual Dressage Night featuring the Continental Cup - a team
Musical Freestyle competition. A rider at Grand Prix, Intermediaire I,
and First Level made up each of three teams. The riders on the "Park
Avenue Team" won the Gold Medal with a total score of 239; the team
consisted of Cynthia Payne of Jupiter, Florida, aboard Laredo scoring
81% in the Grand Prix; Gabriel Armando of Argentina who resides in
Flemington, New Jersey, riding Euclid scored 80% in the Intermediaire I;
and Isabelle Leibler, 9, of Greenwich, Connecticut, riding her German
pony Get the Picture scored 78%.
The Silver Medal went to the "Madison Avenue Team," with 221 points.
Making up the team were: Paige Finnegan of Chelmsford, Pennsylvania
riding Karola I who earned 67% in the Grand Prix; Silke Rembacz of
Readington, New Jersey, aboard Bulgari, scored 76% in the I-I; and
Chelsea Allen, 11, of Eire, Pennsylvania, riding Don't Tell Daddy earned
78% at First Level.
The Bronze Medal went to the "Fifth Avenue Team" comprised of Silke
Rembacz aboard Connecticut who scored 73% in the Grand Prix; 1976
Montreal Olympian Dorothy Morkis of Dover, Massachusetts, aboard Mr. Big
who earned 79% in the I-I; and Rachel Chowanec, 10, of Columbia,
Connecticut, riding Hakunamatata scored 62% at First Level.
Individual ribbons were awarded to the riders based on their individual
scores, with Chelsea Allen taking the blue for First Level (the tie was
broken on the technical score of the freestyle); Gabriel Armando was the
top scorer at Intermediaire I; and Cynthia Payne was the high score at
Grand Prix.
"What I loved about my performance was that Laredo really rises to
occasions like this," said Payne. "He really enjoys the spotlight and I
love that. He gives 200% every time out and tonight was another 200%
night. I'm very proud of him." The duo has been together for four years
and come up through the ranks from Fourth Level. They trained with Dutch
Olympian Anky Van Grunsven and later with Bert Rutten, the coach of the
Dutch Olympic Team. This was Payne's first experience with the National
Horse Show. "This has been a real treat. It's a privilege to do this for
a living and a privilege to be in such a great horse show," she said.
Silke Rembacz was competing in her second Continental Cup, and this year
rode two horses, filling in at the last moment for injured rider
Courtney King. "I enjoy coming because it is a very old, prestigious
competition," said Silke. "I enjoy the fact that this is something that
jumpers and dressage can do together a little bit. I also enjoy coming
in to Manhattan. The audience is really great. It's fun that we're
invited to come here and show a little bit of what we do."
"It's good to come back to the city and show," enthused Gabriel Armand,
a former Manhattan banker who is now a professional rider and competed
for Argentina in the 2003 Pan American Games. "I think the public of New
York need to get closer to dressage and when they do, I think they will
enjoy it. This is a show that people can come to and enjoy. I brought 20
people who were there clapping for me. Next year I'll bring more!"
The Dressage Night competition was by invitation only. The riders were
selected and teamed up by two-time Olympian Lendon Gray who also acted
as announcer for the night's freestyles. The judges were Margaret
Freeman of Mt. Kisco, New York, and Heather Mason of Lebanon, New
Jersey.
The Metropolitan National Horse Show
More than 80 hunter and jumper events will be contested and $310,000 in
prize money is at stake. The Metropolitan National Horse Show features
five days and five nights of action, November 3-7, 2004, at Pier 94 and
the Show Piers on the Hudson in New York City. Tickets and passes are
available in a variety of packages and can be reserved by calling
866-NHS-SHOW or on the web at www.nhs.org
Directions
Pier 94 and The Show Piers is located at Twelfth Avenue (West Side
Highway) and 54th Street. Use any access point to New York City,
including the Lincoln, Holland, or Queens Midtown tunnels, or the George
Washington Bridge, and proceed to the West Side Highway in Manhattan at
54th Street. Ample parking is available at Ship Terminal, Pier 92.
Public Transportation
Subway: A, C, E, to 50th Street, Manhattan
Bus: M31, M11, M50, Manhattan
Livery Cars: On standby at Pier 94 Entrance during show hours
Information
For further information on the Metropolitan National Horse Show, contact
the National Horse Show Association of America, Ltd., PO Box 386,
Greenvale, NY 11548. E-mail: NationalHS@aol.com; Phone: (516)
484-1865;
Fax: (516) 484-1982. Or on the web, visit: www.nhs.org
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