Palo Alto, CA—August 13, 2003—Mari Inouye of Palo Alto, CA placed fourth in the Female Individual Finals at the European Vaulting Championships in Saumur, France.

Inouye competed on Scarletto Sun, a 14-year-old Trakehner gelding owned by Phoebe Hearst Cooke of Woodside, CA. Inouye’s coach, Martin Vavacek, served as her longeur. The only U.S. vaulter in the competition, Inouye received an impressive score of 8.307.

Earlier this year, Inouye, the 2001 American Vaulting Association (AVA) Women’s National Champion, won the women’s division at the CVI** in Nitra, Slovakia, where Scarletto Sun won the competition’s best horse award.

“This is a fabulous finish for an American vaulter against the best that Europe has to offer,” said U.S. Equestrian Team (USET) Chairman of the Board Frank Lloyd. “With World Championships coming up in 2004, this performance gives us lots of reason for optimism.”