Pace, who rode Gunner, owned by Debra Sloan, posted the high score of 233.0 points and earned a purse of $7,405.00. Pace topped the field of 37 entries to head the list of 20 reiners who qualified to compete at the $100,000 Added Cosequin/USET Reining Championship, presented by Bayer, at the Bayer/USET Festival of Champions, presented by State Line Tack, June 21-24 at USET Olympic Training Center in Gladstone, NJ.
Following Pace in the standings was the Dell Hendricks of Scottsdale AZ riding Mr. Boomerjac, owned by Pat F. Warren, with a score of 228.5 points. Hendricks, who won the Semi Final in 1999, has competed at the Festival since the inaugural Championship class was held in 1999 and was also a member of the 2000 Nations Cup Champion team. His second place earnings were $6,294.25.
Tied for third place with a score of 226.5 points were Tim McQuay of Tioga, TX riding Miss Tinseltown, owned by David Silva and Todd Bergen of Eagle Point, OR onboard Skeets Peppy owned by Vaughn Zimmerman. Their third place purse totaled $4,998.38.
Jeff Fox, USET Director of Reining Activities commented, "I am very excited about the quality of reining I witnessed at the Semi-Final. The final twenty reiners have proven themselves by finishing at the top of this field of competitors. It bodes well for the level of competition that the USET will host during the Championship class at the Festival this year."
The top reiners are eligible to compete in the $100,000 Added Cosequin/USET Reining Championship. The results from the 2001 Intervet/USET Semi Finals are:
PLACE RIDER HORSE SCORE
1 Bryant L. Pace Gunner 233.0
2 Dell J. Hendricks Mr. Boomerjac 228.5
3/4T Tim McQuay Miss Tinseltown 226.5
3/4T Todd Bergen Skeets Peppy 226.5
5/6T Rocky Dare Cowboy 225.0
5/6T Clint Haverty Mark This Spot 225.0
7/8T Craig Schmersal Pooque 224.0
7/8T Darren Stancik Chocolate Chic Olena 224.0
9 Kimberlky Horn BH Backsplash 223.0
10 Shawn Flarida Talk About This 222.5
11/12T Lance P. Shockley Shiners Vintage 221.0
11/12T Roberta McCarty Shine On 221.0
13/14T Brian Bell Big Stop 220.5
13/14T Todd Sommers Cattitude 220.5
15/16T Clint Haverty Bueno Fritzi Nic 220.0
15/16T Michael Boyle Jodies Wheels 220.0
17 Don Boyd Tari Sanlena 219.5
18 Mike Flarida Dox Lucky Starlight 219.0
19/20T Tom McCutcheon Smart Starbuck 218.5
19/20T Guy Vernon Endeavor Doc 218.5