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Articles: Press Release
USET Announces Show Jumping Team for
2000 Sydney Olympic Games
Contact:
Marty Bauman (508)698-6810, uset1994@aol.com
Joanna Morgan Smith (908)234-1251, jsmith@uset.org
GLADSTONE, NJ-AUGUST 6, 2000-The United States Equestrian Team (USET)
announced its four-rider show jumping squad for the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games
following the completion of the second phase of selection trials at
Oaks/Blenheim in San Juan Capistrano, CA and The Del Mar Horse Park in Del
Mar, CA.
Named to the team are Margie Goldstein-Engle of Wellington, FL with Hidden
Creek's Perin owned by Hidden Creek Farm; Nona Garson of Lebanon, NJ with
Rhythmical owned by Garson and the Kamine Family; Laura Kraut of Oconomowoc,
WI with Liberty owned by the Summit Group and Lauren Hough of Ocala, FL with
Clasiko owned by the Classiko Group.
This marks the first time that all four riders on a U.S. Olympic show jumping
squad are women. Hough is the youngest on the team and was a bit surprised
to make it. Entering the final day of competition, Hough was in sixth place
and was not really expecting to go to Sydney. She dropped her reins in
excitement when it was announced that she had jumped into fourth place.
"I saw the standings going into the second round, but I really didn't want to
think about it," she said. "I knew going into the last line that I had a
chance. It hasn't hit me yet. I'm in shock."
"What he lacks in experience he makes up for in heart," Engle, a 1999 Pan
American Games team Silver Medalist, said of Hidden Creek's Perin. "I never
feel like it's hard for him. Whatever the course, it never takes much out of
him."
"I owe everything to Katie (Prudent) and my horse," Kraut said. "Katie was
the one who convinced me to go to France; if it had not been for her, I would
not be here."
"I couldn't be more pleased with my horse," said Garson who was part of the
USET's Bronze Medal team at the 1995 Pan American Games. "He jumped
beautifully and I am so happy that he's given me a trip to the Olympic
Games."
The 11 finalists qualified for the final selection trials in California after
the first five trials held at the Bayer/USET Festival of Champions at the
USET Olympic Training Center in Gladstone, NJ in June. Trials six through
eight were held August 2nd and 4th at Oaks/Blenheim in San Juan Capistrano
with trials nine and ten at the Del Mar Horse Park on Sunday, August 6.
Full scores and selection trial standings are available on the USET website
at www.uset.org
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