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Photo by Diana DeRosa

Show Jumping 2nd Qualifier & Team Final Round 1 Proves A Challenge at the 2004 Olympics

Today the show jumpers will take part in what will be the longest day of equestrian competition at the 2004 Athens Olympics. Beginning with the Individual 2nd Qualifier and Team Round 1 (run concurrently as one class) and ending in the wee early hours on Wednesday with the awarding of the Team medal. The show jumpers must be prepared to put in as many as three rounds before it is all over. Along with the Team medal, today will provide the cut for those competing on Friday’s final day of the sport at Markopoulo Center – the Individual Show Jumping medal, where all previous scores are gone and the top 20 riders making the cut start anew in their bid for the Individual Gold, Silver and Bronze medals.

For the full story, click here.

Photo by Diana DeRosa

Going clear in today’s 2nd Individual Qualifier (and the first of two Team rounds), Chris Kappler and Royal Kaliber went clear and within the time limit. The pair is poised to be included in the final day of show jumping on Friday. Kappler was the 2003 USEF Equestrian of the Year.

Photo by Diana DeRosa

Aboard Fein Cera (pronounced Fine Sarah), Peter Wylde posted a score of 12 faults for the pair's work during the Tuesday qualifier. Their score was dropped in the tabulation of the team standings.

Photo by Diana DeRosa

McLain Ward and Sapphire encountered a bit of difficulty at the water, but finished the course on only eight faults. They have a total of nine faults after today’s 2nd Individual Qualifier.

Photo by Diana DeRosa

The U.S. show jumpers were not in short supply of support at Markopoulo Center during the second day of competition.

Support Our American International Equestrian Athletes

You can help our athletes win GOLD at the 2004 Athens Olympics with a donation to the USET Foundation. Send checks to: PO Box 355 Pottersville Road, Gladstone, NJ 07934. Mastercard or Visa Donations accepted by phone (908) 234-1251.

To donate online, visit www.uset.org.

USEF Members Can Now Order Nextel Phones, Accessories and Nextel Service Online

USEF members are eligible to receive a 5% discount on Nextel monthly service plans and a 27% discount on National promotional price of phones. To learn more, please visit www.nextel.com/usef or contact USEF Purchasing toll-free at (877) 576-6872.

The United States Equestrian Federation, Inc. (USEF), as the National Equestrian Federation of the U.S., is the regulatory body for the Olympic and World Championship sports of dressage, driving, endurance, eventing, reining, show jumping, and vaulting, as well as 20 other breeds and disciplines of equestrian competition. As the country's largest multi-breed organization, the Federation has over 80,000 members and recognizes more than 2,800 competitions nationwide each year. It governs all aspects of competition, including educating and licensing all judges, stewards, and technical delegates who officiate at these shows.

VISION STATEMENT

The vision of U.S. Equestrian is to provide leadership for equestrian sport in the United States of America, promoting the pursuit of excellence from the grass roots to the Olympic Games, based on a foundation of fair, safe competition and the welfare of its horses, and embracing this vision, to be the best national equestrian federation in the world.

August 23, 2004