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Articles: Press Release
Beezie Madden Tops Class Of Nations' Cup Veterans To Win $25,000 Equus
Medal
Contact:
Mason Phelps, Jr. of Phelps Media Group, Inc. at (561)753-3389 or at
info@phelpsmediagroup.com
WELLINGTON, FL - March 11, 2004 - Beezie Madden, 40, of Cazenovia, New
York, topped a class of 24 veterans of Nations' Cup competitions to win
the 2nd Annual $25,000 Wellington Equus Medal on Monday, March 8, 2004,
at the Palm Beach Polo Equestrian Club in Wellington, Florida. The
two-round night class was held under the lights in the Internationale
Arena as a benefit for the Wellington Equestrian Alliance. Only riders
who had represented their country in a Nations' Cup were eligible to
compete. "It's judged on the style of the rider and the performance that
night," explained Madden. "It was fun. I had a great horse both rounds."
Madden's mounts were borrowed from Frank and Stacia Madden's Beacon
Hill, and their young 'staff' attired in the stable's navy blue T-shirts
were Beezie's ground crew. "All the kids helped. We held a practice
session in the afternoon and they helped us get ready for tonight," said
Madden. "We all just had fun with it. It was a great night."
Demonstrating their equitation skills over a First Round course designed
by Philip De Vita, riders jumped a course of 13 fences, the tallest
being 3' 6", and were required to hand gallop to the final fence.
Officiating were Norman Dello Joio, Ellen Lordi and Leo Conroy who
individually scored the rider's performance over each fence and then
averaged the marks for a total score. Madden received the highest score,
92.00, for her trip. "The hardest part was the middle line - fences 6,
7, 8," said Madden, who rode Whimsey owned by Maria Schaub. "It was
quite a forward four (stride) distance between the two oxers and then
you had a very steady five to the next fence, so you had to switch gears
pretty good down that line." Madden also noted that the liverpools
caused problems for some of the horses. "It's particularly difficult at
night because the lights reflect off of them. Horses that aren't spooky
about liverpools can surprise you at night under the lights because the
light glares up into their eyes off the water."
The judges selected their top six riders from the First Round to return
for a Second Round. Going in reverse order were Shane Carey of Ireland
(85.50); Kim Frey of Hume, VA (86.50); Molly Ashe of Wellington, FL
(88.75); Eric Navet of France (89.75); Hap Hansen of Encinitas, CA
(90.50); and Madden (92.00). The riders were asked to bring a groom with
them, as they switched horses and changed tack (places one and two,
three and four, and five and six switched). The Second Round challenged
the riders' skills with nine fences, plus a trot jump followed by a
counter canter to the last fence.
Numerical scores were not given for the Second Round, but the judges'
commentary and assessments produced the final placements. Beezie Madden,
aboard Cino (whose regular rider is Sloane Cole) maintained her first
place slot for the victory earning $7,500. Molly Ashe moved up from
fourth to second place, taking home $5,500. Shane Carey shot up from
sixth to finish third, pocketing $3,500. Hap Hansen dropped from second
to fourth, which paid $2,000. Kim Frey remained in fifth place, also
receiving $2,000. Eric Navet dropped from third to sixth, giving him
$1,500. The class paid to eighth place, and Schuyler Riley of Hobe
Sound, FL, along with Patty Stovel of Wellington, FL, each earned
$1,500.
Madden pointed out the difficulties of the work-off. "Mostly the trot
jump and the counter canter because it was different. Most of our
equitation horses practice it a lot, but again you have the added
atmosphere of the lights and the crowd, so when they're a little excited
it's harder to trot the jump." Madden rode in equitation finals the last
two of her junior years but noted that her best placing was eighth in
the Medal Maclay, though she won many USET classes during that era. And
while Madden had practiced for the class on Whimsey, she'd never been on
Cino before tonight. "It's a difficulty for sure, but I've ridden a lot
of different horses in my career, so it helps."
While Hap Hansen dropped from second to fourth in the work-off, he was
still pleased with the night's outcome. He flew in from California just
for the class and was headed for the airport in the morning. "I came
last year and the horse I got to ride was a little spooky. I only got as
far as fence three," explained Hansen. He had a pre-paid ticket to
Florida, and decided to use it to come back and try again. Was he
looking to redeem himself? "Yes!" he grinned, acknowledging that he did
well in the class this time. "Yes, it was great fun."
Molly Ashe, who benefited from the work-off, jumping from fourth to a
second place finish, said she practiced for the class on her first
horse, Renzo, loaned to her by the Fairfield County Hunt Club, but had
never ridden her second mount, Super Cruise, from Beacon Hill. "He felt
a little bit disconnected for me, just getting on, cantering straight to
the jumps, and not getting a chance to know him at all. But he was such
a good guy. He's got a huge stride and huge jump," said Ashe. "The fact
that he was so slick about the counter canter to the last jump was
probably what helped me out."
Ashe noted that she had an extensive background as a junior in the
equitation division. "My last four junior years I was pretty serious
about it." The last two years as a junior Ashe moved from her home in
Tennessee to Beacon Hill in New Jersey. She trained with Bill Cooney.
Her highest placing in the USET Finals was second in 1988, a year when
she also earned fifth in the Maclay and fourth in the Medal Finals.
"It's dusting off the cobwebs," Ashe noted about tonight's Equus Medal.
"Believe it or not, it's very different from what we do day in and day
out - to go in there and jump a course like that and think about your
position. It's something from way back in our past." Most inspiring
about tonight's class for Ashe was the fun she had in a role-reversal
situation with her client, Jane Clarke, who helped her prepare for two
weeks. "We had some really good laughs. It's good fun," said Ashe. And
how did she feel about her second place finish? "Great. Thrilled! I was
hoping to do well."
The $25,000 Wellington Equus Medal class was created by Mason Phelps,
Jr. as a fundraiser for the Wellington Equestrian Alliance, an
organization established by principals within the equestrian community
to protect the equestrian preserve in Wellington. An effective lobbying
group, the Wellington Equestrian Alliance tracks the political climate
and decisions of town leaders as they relate to development.
2004 WINTER EQUESTRIAN FESTIVAL TICKET INFORMATION
Show days for the 2004 Winter Equestrian Festival are Wednesday through
Sunday. Gates open at 8:00 am. Ticket Prices: Wednesdays are free to
everyone; Children 12 and under are admitted free every day; Young
Adults 13 to 18 and Seniors are $5 on Thursday through Sunday; Adults
are $5 on Thursday and Friday, $10 on Saturday, and $15 on Sunday. The
Palm Beach Polo Equestrian Club is located on Pierson Road off South
Shore Boulevard. For additional information, visit
www.stadiumjumping.com or call
561-793-5867.
2004 WEF SCHEDULE OF COMPETITIONS
March 10 - 14 CSIO United States Cosequin Finale CSIO***
March 18 - 21 Zada Enterprises WEF Dressage Classic
CDI***/Y
(Qualifier for Olympic Selection
Trials)
March 24 - 28 Tampa Bay Classic CSI-W (Bob Thomas
Equestrian Center)
March 30 - April 3 Tournament of Champions CSI-W (Bob Thomas
Equestrian Center)
April 3 Budweiser American Invitational
(Raymond James Stadium)
WEF 2004 MILLION DOLLAR GRAND PRIX SERIES
March 12 $50,000 Samsung Nations' Cup, presented by CN, CSIO****
March 14 $100,000 Cosequin U.S. Open Jumper Championship,
CSIO****
March 28 $75,000 Grand Prix of Tampa, presented by Kilkenny/ICH,
CSI-W
April 3 $200,000 Budweiser American Invitational, Presented
by Publix and The Tampa Tribune
CHARLOTTE JUMPER CLASSIC CSI****, Charlotte Coliseum, Charlotte, NC
April 9 -11 Charlotte Jumper Classic CSI****
April 11 $150,000 Grand Prix of Charlotte For the Charlotte
Bobcat Cup
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