Gladstone, NJ—June 28, 2002—Scott Monroe of Sharon CT, won the Advanced Single Horse Division at the Bayer/ USET Festival of Champions Presented by State Line Tack held at the United States Equestrian Team (USET) Olympic Training Center in Gladstone, NJ. The competition was the final event being used by the USET to select its three-driver squad for this year’s World Singles Championship in Conty, France in August.

Monroe and his Bethesda After Dark topped a field of 13 competitors with the best overall combined score from the three phases of competition--dressage, marathon, and cones--with a score of 103.9 penalties. Nancy Johnson of Lincoln, MA and her Canequin's Look took second place honors with a combined overall score of 105.2 penalties. Kimberly Stover of Middletown, DE, driving Doug and Virginia Kliever’s True Grit, received the ribbon for third place with a total of 109.2 penalties.

Lisa Singer of Chadds Ford, PA driving Mimi Thorington’s morgans, topped the field of three competitors with an overall combined score of 120.2 penalties to win the Advanced Pair Horse Division. Singer and horses Chance and Count won the dressage and cones phases of the competition and placed second in the marathon phase. Taking the second place award in the division with an overall combined score of 141.6 penalties was Larry Poulin and horses Camden and Conyer, owned by Natasha Grigg. Third place was awarded to Mary Hayes and horses Sir Jack and Lady Jill with their overall combined score of 216.5 penalties.

Jack Wetzel and his pony, Harry, teamed up to win the Advanced Single Pony Division. Wetzel topped a field of 11 competitors to emerge as the overall winner of the Advanced Single Pony Division. Wetzel was consistent throughout the weekend winning all three phases of the competition to finish the weekend with a combined total of 128.8 penalties. Second place was awarded to Nancy Rojo and her Sir Lance-A-Lect with their combined score of 142.0 penalties and the third award went to Susan Rogers and Noble Gesture with a final score of 144.8 penalties.

In the Advanced Pairs Pony Division, top honors went to Tracey Morgan with her ponies Lizwell Gambling Queen and Gaylen Romeo with an overall combined score from all three phases of 135.3 penalties. Following Morgan in the second position was AJ Meyer with her ponies Falcon and Stormy who had an overall combined score of 138.7 penalties. Michel Filiault and horses Mousquito and Abricot received third place in the division with an overall combined score of 164.7 penalties.

Further information and full results from the Bayer/USET Festival of Champions Presented by State Line Tack are available at the USET web-site at www.uset.org . Highlights from the Festival will be aired on the Outdoor Life Network on July 2 at 8:00 pm EDT.

The United States Equestrian Team is a non-profit organization that selects, trains, equips and finances equestrians of the highest possible standard to represent our country in major international competition, including the Olympic Games and the World Championships. To accomplish this the USET seeks out and nurtures the development of talented athletes - riders, drivers and horses - and provides the support and guidance they need to help them attain their fullest potential. For more information on the USET, please call (908) 234-1251, or visit USET ONLINE at www.uset.org.