ATLANTA, GA--May 4, 2000--Tiffani Loudon of Middleburg, Va. has taken the lead over Australian Phillip Dutton and many of the United States' top Olympic hopefuls in the opening dressage phase of the MBNA Foxhall Cup three-day event, a U.S. Equestrian Team Olympic selection trial.

At stake is $205,000 in prize money, with a record $55,000 going to the winner. The MBNA Foxhall Cup CCI*** is designated by the American Horse Shows Association (AHSA) as the National Championship of Eventing and is also the USET's Spring Three-Star Championship.

Loudon, 24, and her horse, Makabi, moved to the front of the field with a score of 42.6 penalty points. Dutton, a 1996 Olympic team Gold Medalist, is close behind with 44.4 points on his mount, House Doctor. Sitting in third place is David O'Connor of The Plains, Va., who received a score of 49.8 penalties on Giltedge, the 14-year-old, Irish Thoroughbred gelding he rode to a team Silver Medal at the 1996 Olympic Games.

Abigail Lufkin of Middleburg, Va., O'Connor's teammate on the U.S. Equestrian Team's Gold Medal team at the 1999 Pan American Games, is standing in fourth place with a score of 50.4 penalties on Hannigan, a 9-year-old, Irish Thoroughbred gelding.

"Makabi had a minor injury last week which prevented me from competing him at the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event," Loudon said of her 13 year-old Thoroughbred gelding. "I'm thrilled he was able to bounce back so quickly and perform here."

The MBNA Foxhall Cup continues through Sunday with the exciting cross-country competition on Saturday and the culminating show jumping phase on Sunday.

"It's been a phenomenal first two days of competition," said Jim Richards, MBNA Foxhall Cup Chairman. "The top scores are extremely close and we look forward to fierce cross-country competition on Saturday."

For further information and tickets, please call (404)572-7220.

Related Links
www.foxhallcup.com
Horse Inspection at The Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event Presented by Bayer®