Denver, CO – In a crowd-capturing performance, vaulting’s revered Devon Maitozo, of Simi Valley, California, once again claimed the right to the golden title, as Men’s National Champion, at the 2005 USEF/AVA National Vaulting Championships in Denver, Colorado, August 11-14. Vaulting atop Mozart, a Warmblood gelding, longed by Carolyn Bland and owned by FACE Vaulters, Maitozo performed his technical test to John Lennon’s “Imagine,” followed by a flawless freestyle performance that left the panel of five judges with no choice but to reward the pair for the obvious win.

“My first Nationals win was in 1990,” Maitozo recalled fondly. “Being National Champion again, 15 years later, is a satisfying pinnacle to a long career. It was great to vault on Mozart; he’s my teammate and partner in this sport.”

In the women’s Gold Division, Megan Benjamin took the spotlight with Faronia (Dutch Warmblood gelding, longed by Emma Drinker, owned by Megan Benjamin) or “Ronin” as he is affectionately known, marking a second win for the 16-year-old native of Saratoga, California.

“Ronin and I have an amazing partnership,” Benjamin said. “When it works, it really works. I couldn’t have done it without him.”

In the A Team Division, Mt. Eden Fire, a California based team of six vaulters: Megan Benjamin, Stephanie Freeman, Alexis Garrod, Elizabeth Ioannou, Mari Inouye and Rosey Ross, took the win on Comet, owned and longed by Erik Martonovich.

Results from the 2005 USEF/AVA National Vaulting Championship are as follows:

Gold Men Overall

1. Devon Maitozo, 29, of Simi Valley, California, Team: FACE, Score: 8.617
2. Blake Dahlgren, 20, of Sun Valley, California, Team: FACE, Score: 8.018
3. Kenny Geisler, 23, of Diamond Bar, California, Team: Diamond Bar, Score: 7.805

Gold Women Overall

1. Megan Benjamin, 16, of Saratoga, California, Team: Mt. Eden, Score: 8.735
2. Mari Inouye, 21, Palo Alto, California, Team: Mt. Eden, Score: 8.498
3. Samantha Smith, 18, Saratoga, California, Team: Creekside, Score: 8.393

Silver Men Overall

1. Morgan Homan, 14, Salem, Utah, Team: Oak Hills, Score: 6.510
2. Ted Ezell, 18, Petaluma, California, Team: Tambourine, Score: 5.984

Silver Women Overall

1. Katie Haynie, 13, Oak Hill, Virginia, Team: Virginia Vaulters, Score: 7.228
2. Kalyn Noah, 16, Paso Robles, California, Team: Pacific Coast, Score: 7.102
3. Cassidy Palmer, 11, Half Moon Bay, California, Team: Half Moon Bay, Score: 7.042

Open Pas de Deux Overall

1. Alethea Shelton, 25, Las Vegas, Nevada, Team: Desert Wind, and Erik Martonovich, 26, Golden, Colorado, Team: Golden Gate, Overall Score: 8.787

A Team Overall

1. Mt. Eden Fire: Megan Benjamin, Stephanie Freeman, Alexis Garrod, Elizabeth Ioannou, Mari Inouye and Rosey Ross, Score: 7.652
2. Oak Hills-Cambry’s Friends and Dream, Score: 7.368
3. Tambourine, Score: 7.365

Photo Credits:

Devon Maitozo, 2005 Men’s National Champion Credit: Sara Ike, USEF

Megan Benjamin (right), 2005 Women’s National Champion, with coach, Emma Drinker (left) and Faronia. Credit: Sara Ike, USEF