United States Equestrian Team Foundation Salutes and Honors 2008 National Championship Trophy Winners
RELEASE: January 15, 2009
AUTHOR/ADMINISTRATOR: By Jennifer Wood
The United States Equestrian Team (USET) Foundation would like to recognize and honor their 2008 award winners. The following horses and riders have been awarded trophies for their excellence in competition for the 2008 show year.
Wellington, FL's, Margie Engle took home the John H. Fritz Cup after she won the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) National Show Jumping Championship this fall. Engle rode Hidden Creek's Quervo Gold and Hidden Creek's Pamina L to the win in the two-phase class.
The Markham Memorial Perpetual Trophy, donated by Mr. & Mrs. Charles D. Plumb, is given every year to the top young rider under the age of 21 competing in the USEF National Eventing Championship or who places highest in the USET Spring/Fall events. The highest-placed rider in the spring and fall events this year was 18-year-old Madeline Blackman of Ringoes, NJ, with Gordonstown.
There were three other three-day eventing trophies awarded this year as well. The winner of the Pinnacle Cup was Phillip Dutton, who was the highest-placed U.S. rider at the Rolex Kentucky CCI****. Dutton, of West Grove, PA. He won the event on Connaught, owned by Bruce Duchossois. This is the second year in a row that the Pinnacle Cup has gone to Dutton.
Fellow Olympic team member Amy Tryon of Duvall, WA, was a double winner. She won the Gladstone Challenge Trophy at the National Open Spring Championship with Leyland, who is owned by the Nicholson family. She also won the Fall Three-Day Championship with Coal Creek, co-owned by Tryon and Katherine Sullivan.
The USEF Show Jumping Talent Search Finals are held every year for riders on the East Coast and West Coast. The winner of the West Coast Finals was Hannah Selleck of Thousand Oaks, CA. She was awarded the Denali Memorial Perpetual Trophy, which was donated by Mrs. Maya Z. Hamburger. Her trainer, Karen Healey, was given the Leading Trainer Award, donated by Hugh Cassidy III.
Sophie Benjamin of Rancho Santa Fe, CA, made the trip to Gladstone to win the East Coast Finals and took home the French Leave Perpetual Trophy, donated by the Gerald A. Nielsen family. Her trainer, Stacia Madden, also won the Leading Trainer Award.
The win and trophy for the National Intermediaire I Championship for dressage went to Michelle Gibson of Wellington, FL, and Don Angelo, owned by Diamante Farms. The trophy was donated by Ivan Bezugloff, Jr. Kassandra Barteau of Gilberts, IL, notched her second win in a row on Gabriella at the USEF Dressage Young Rider Championship. For her win, Barteau was awarded the Riders' Cup/Terry Koenig Memorial Trophy.
The Moore Memorial Trophy is presented every year to the National Champion Pairs Driver. This year's winner was Lisa Singer of Chadds Ford, PA. Fellow driver Chester C. Weber of Ocala, FL, won the USEF National Driving Championship for Four-in-Hand Teams for the sixth year in a row and took home the Reginald C. Vanderbilt Cup, which was donated by Georgiana and Noel F. Bowers.
The Margo O'Callaghan Trophy, which was originally called the Contenders' Cup, was presented to Rebecca Hart of Erie, PA. Hart and Norteassa won the USEF National Para-Equestrian Championship this year.
Craig Schmersal of Overbrook, OK, piloted Mr. Dual Rey to the USEF National Open Reining Championship this year and took home the reining trophy to round out a year of top competition.
The USET Foundation would like to congratulate all of the equestrian athletes who competed this year and wish the best for everyone in 2009.
The United States Equestrian Team Foundation is the non-profit organization that supports the competition, training, coaching, travel and educational needs of America's elite and developing international, high-performance horses and athletes in partnership with the United States Equestrian Federation.
For more information on the USET Foundation, please call (908) 2