United States Show Jumpers Finding Their Feet At Aachen

Aachen, Germany, Aug. 24, 2005 – United States Equestrian Team show jumpers were out of the ribbons at the World Equestrian Festival Wednesday, except in a challenge of the sexes in which the women’s team that included Laura Kraut and Allegiance beat a top male squad.

The only U.S. rider in the money was McLain Ward, who placed 11th on the 14-year-old mare Goldika, owned by Double H Farm, out of 42 entries in the Preis des Kreises Aachen. Ward is still recovering from a broken collarbone sustained almost four weeks ago at the Samsung Super League competition in Hickstead, England, and rode for the first time Tuesday in hopes of being ready for the team Samsung Super League competition on Friday.

Kimberly Prince of Hume, Va. on her 10-year-old gelding, Couletto K James, placed 36th.

In the Waysteiner-Preis, Preis von Europa, Jeffery Welles of Ridgefield, Conn. rode Armani, the 11-year-old gelding that has achieved several major victories so far this year both in the U.S. and Europe. They finished in 29th place. Beezie Madden of Cazenovia, N.Y. on Authentic was 33rd, McLain Ward of Brewster, N.Y. on Sapphire was 35th, and Laura Kraut on Miss Independent was 39th.

With the sun shining for the first time in several days, the newly completed stadium was filled almost to its capacity of 44,000. Show jumpers are competing for a total of $1.2 million in prize money over six days.

The Baltic Horse Show Challenge of the Sexes saw a team comprised of Laura Kraut of the United States, Ellen Whitaker of Britain, Katharina Offel of the Ukraine, Helena Weinberg of Germany and Eugenie Angot of France beat a team of male riders that included Ludger Beerbaum and Marco Kutscher of Germany, Rodrigo Pessoa of Brazil, Markus Fuchs of Switzerland and Dermott Lennon of Ireland.

The United States riders are competing in Aachen with the help of grants from the United States Equestrian Team Foundation.

Your contributions to the United States Equestrian Team Foundation support America’s High Performance athletes at international competitions. Please contribute online at www.uset.org.

Visit the official website of the World Equestrian Festival in Aachen, Germany at: http://www.chioaachen.de or for unique and up to the minute coverage visit Towerheads at: www.towerheads.com

PHOTO CREDIT: Laura Kraut of Oconomowoc, Wis. and Allegiance, part of the winning women’s rider team at Aachen’s World Equestrian Festival. Photo by Ken Braddick-HorseSport USA