Jerez de Frontera, Spain - September 14, 2002 - Devon Maitozo of Acton, CA won the Individual Bronze Medal in the Men's division of Vaulting with a score of 8.612, on Saturday at the 2002 World Equestrian Games in Jerez de la Frontera, Spain. Matthias Lang of France won the Gold Medal with a score of 8.973, and Germany's Gero Meyer took the Silver with a score of 8.771.

The U.S. team, Free Artists Creative Equestrians (FACE) of Moorpark, CA, finished in fifth place out of fourteen teams with a score of 7.599. Germany won the Gold Medal with a score of 8.199. The silver went to Switzerland with a score of 8.042 and Sweden put in a Bronze Medal performance with a score of 7.821.

The best U.S. finisher in the Women's division was Pamela Geisler of Diamond Bar, CA who finished in eighth position with a score of 8.209, after temporarily dropping down to tenth in the compulsories earlier in the day.

U.S. Chef d' Equipe Emma Drinker was extremely pleased with the performances of all the U.S. athletes.

"The team really stepped up to the plate," said Drinker. "Some of them were sick and still were able to perform well enough to keep them in fifth. This is a young team with not a lot of international experience, yet they did the United States Equestrian Team (USET) proud against the big guns."

Drinker also praised the individual competitors for their inspiring performances.

"Devon was fabulous," said Drinker. "He was such a showman and had so much creativity. Pam did so well in the Freestyle that she was able to move up a few places, which was very difficult to do."

Other U.S. placings included: Samantha Smith of Saratoga, CA who was fifteenth in the Individual Women's division, and Eric Martonovich of Golden, CO who also finished fifteenth in the Individual Men's Division.

For comprehensive coverage the 2002 World Equestrian Games, please visit the United States Equestrian Team's website at www.uset.org.

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.