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Other American competitors:

9. Robert Dover (USA), Kennedy - 71.65
16. Gunther Siedel (USA), Aragon - 69.500
18. Lisa Wilcox (USA), Relevant 5 - 68.792

Sven Rothenberger (NED) rides a horse named Barclay II, in the Dressage competition. Barclay II is a full brother to Debbie McDonald's Brentina.

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ATHENS, 21 August - Comments from the dressage judges after the Team Final

Stephen CLARKE (GBR) - President of Ground Jury

On the different placings given by judges to various riders:

"We are a team of five. Each one sits in a different position around the arena, so they have a different angle to view the performance. Overall we achieve a balanced result for every rider."

Vincenzo TRUPPA (ITA) - dressage judge

On what was spectucular in Ulla SALZGEBER's ride, scoring 78 per cent:

"RUSTY was in top form and Ulla went full-on to go for a 10. I have seen many nervous horses and riders today but not those two. That is why I gave her a 10 for her riding".

Mariette WITHAGES (BEL) - judge

On the decision to go on with only three riders per nation into the Grand Prix Special:

"This is not an FEI rule but an IOC rule, defined in the Olympic Charter. It applies to every sport, not only to Equestrian. I personally don't know why this has been enforced only now."

On whether the standard of dressage has risen since the 2002 World Equestrian Games:

"Definitely. More horses achieved more than 70 per cent now. Eight to 10 years ago, a score of 70 was nearly impossible. We now have better riders, better trainers and better horses."

On how to improve the transparency of the scoring system:

"It is a matter of educating the spectators, the media, everyone. We hold workshops, explain over earphones, distribute brochures, but it is a process that takes time. And we need to make clear that dressage is a matter of adding scores. We have 48 movements and each one counts. Therefore often you get the same result but with different points to reach it. A score of 2 and an 8 make 10, but two scores of 5 make a score of 10 as well. That's why the total score seems hard to understand."

Team Dressage: Comments from a Team Gold Medallist - 21 Aug. 2004

ATHENS, 21 August- Comments from the Press Conference after the Team Dressage competition.

Ulla SALZGEBER (GER) - Team Gold Medallist

On the medal:

"We were sure we would get it. We came here, we said we will fight for it and we got it. We have a very good Team that worked and trained altogether. We rode well and I think all these are the reasons for our success."

On her performance:

"I don't think that I improved from previous Games. I only didn't make mistakes this time. I believe that the other thing that contributed to my success is that RUSTY likes the heat. I like the place here and we both feel like home."

On her horse RUSTY and on her future plans with him:

"For the moment I'm interested in the nearest future and this is the Individual competition here on Monday. After that, I hope we have a safe trip home and then we will see what we are going to do. I don't know if I will be in the World Cup, or what I will do with RUSTY. I want to finish with the Olympic Games here in Athens and then we will see."

On the Individual Competition on Monday:

"I will try to ride as I did today."

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United States Equestrian Federation, Inc.

4047 Iron Works Parkway, Lexington, KY 40511-8483 Tel: (859) 258-2472 Fax (859) 231-6662 Web site: www.usef.org

NEWS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 21, 2004

United States Team Wins Olympic Bronze Medal in Dressage

In what should be described as a Herculean effort, Team USA brought their best to Athens to bring home a medal – and they certainly did not disappoint anyone. The team composed of Debbie McDonald, of Hailey, Idaho, riding the mare Brentina; Robert Dover, of Lebanon, N.J., on FBW Kennedy; Guenter Seidel of Del Mar, Calif., on the young and promising Aragon; and Lisa Wilcox, a Los Angeles native residing in Germany on the stallion Relevant, stood on the medal podium and proudly received their Bronze Team medal.

It was a tough competition, with the powerhouse German Team and their undeniable national dressage heritage taking the Gold with an average score of 74.653; an ever-improving Spanish Team taking the Silver (72.917); and a determined U.S. Team bring home the Bronze (71.500).

“It’s been a tough year for everyone," observed Debbie McDonald. "You hope everyone stays healthy and sound and it’s been a tough year for the U.S. Team in that regard, trying to get our team strong and healthy to this point hasn’t been 100% easy. I think if we can come home with a medal, I think we’d feel really good about that this year,” said McDonald.

On his Bronze medal Team victory, six-time Olympic veteran Dover said, “We are always happy to have any medal. We’re excited to show that we are in the top three in the world. We are proud of our team.”

Dressage competition resumes Monday morning at 8:00 a.m. at the Markopoulo Equestrian Center. The athletes, both human and equine, will now continue to the next phase of competition for the individual medals in the Grand Prix Special.

ENDS

For more information, please contact Maria Partlow, Senior Vice President of Marketing and Communications on (859) 225-6941 or via email at mpartlow@usef.org. USEF press releases are available on our web site – www.usef.org.

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FEDERATION EQUESTRE INTERNATIONALE
OLYMPIC UPDATE 21 AUGUST 2004

DRESSAGE
Germany earns the Team Gold for the sixth consecutive time.

This is the 11th gold medal in Team Dressage Gold Medal for Germany.

Spain was in the lead before the fourth rider of each team rode their Grand Prix. It was left to Ulla Salzgeber with 17 year old Rusty to secure the win or Germany with a score of 78.208.

Spain won its first Olympic Dressage Medal with a score of 72.917, pushing the United States back to bronze.

"All four Spanish riders had the ride of their lives," said trainer Jean Bemelmans, who has worked with Spain since its Olympic debut with Spanish horses in 1996.

Top-scoring for the United States was Debbie McDonald with her mare Brentina, who worked together better than ever. "I was hoping for a better score," she said at the end of her performance, but I am quite happy with my performance. I felt very good out there and kept the energy going, but felt a lot of pressure."

Salzgeber leads the individual ranking ahead of Beatriz Ferrer Salat (ESP)
and Anky Van Grunsven (NED) heading into the second qualifier.

Muriel Faienza
Communication Manager
Federation Equestre Internationale
m.faienza@horsesport.org
www.horsesport.org
T +41 21 310 47 47

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