ATLANTA, GEORGIA--May 6, 2000-- -Tiffani Loudon of Blythewood, SC rode penalty-free over the cross country course Saturday to maintain her lead in the MBNA Foxhall Cup three-day event, a U.S. Equestrian Team selection trial for the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games.

Loudon, 24, and her mount, Makabi, finished the challenging cross-country phase without penalty to maintain their score of 42.6 penalties which they carried in from the opening dressage phase. That allowed them to hold their edge over 1996 Olympic team Gold Medalist Phillip Dutton of Australia and many of the United States' top hopefuls for this year's Sydney Olympic Games. Dutton also finished without penalty and is close behind with 44.4 points on his horse, House Doctor. Sitting in third place is David O'Connor of The Plains, VA, who also rode penalty-free to maintain his 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.

"I really felt the pressure after Phillip and David rode clean (penalty-free)," said Loudon who was the second-to-last competitor of the day. "But I couldn't have asked any more of my horse. At 14, he gave me a great performance."

Riding Hannigan, 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 tied for fourth place with Michael Godfrey of Pottersville, NJ. Godfrey is partnered with Allegro, an 11 year-old Hanoverian/Thoroughbred cross.

"Jim (Richards) has always had a vision to showcase the sport of eventing," said Olympic team Silver Medalist O'Connor of MBNA Foxhall Cup Chairman Jim Richards. "He's done an exceptional job and has set a standard of excellence."

The MBNA Foxhall Cup continues through Sunday with the culminating show jumping phase. 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.

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

Related Links
www.foxhallcup.com