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Canada's Sonya Crampton and Gorgeous George placed third after Dressage in Division I of the CCI*, moved up to first place on the strength of a double clear Cross Country, and Show Jumped clean to finish on their Dressage score of 53.9. Sonya and Gorgeous George are pictured at the right.)

Gorgeous George is a 7 year old, 17 hand thoroughbred, by War Secretary, who is by Secretariat, and is a chestnut, like his grandsire. He is owned and bred by Nancy Kilcrease/North Slope Division, of Ocala, Florida. Nancy originally had other dreams for him.

Sonya, who is 34 years old, got Gorgeous George a year ago January. She said, "He has the best disposition. He was very rideable Cross Country. He never got wound up. I thought the Cross Country Course (designed by Tremaine Cooper) was hard. The first skinny was off set (and down hill) after a drop - it was the terrain - there was a lot of terrain. He got educated as he went around the course," Sonya continued, "The Steeplechase really helped him."

" I am from British Columbia (Canada); but, I live in The Plains, VA, and ride with David (O'Connor). After the Dressage David said, 'You can win this, Now take it from the word go.' This is the hardest work I've ever done because I wanted it so badly!"

When asked if she had been nervous befor Show Jumping, Sonya answered, "I have Show Jumped a lot. I worked for Ann Kursinski." (Sonya and Gorgeous George's Victory Gallop is pictured at the left. Stephanie Swetzer, of Leesburg, VA, a member of the Loudon Hunt Pony Club, carries the Canadian flag.)

"I retired my two advanced horses, Smooth Sailing and Shindig II, so I've been rebuilding my stock. This year has been great!'

the CCI* Division I was particularly competitive as both the second place finisher Jane Murray, with Jack Sparrow, and the third place finisher, Tamara Todorovic, who rides Funshine Bear for Serbia, finished on their Dressage scores.

The Top 10 in CCI*, Division I were:

1. Sonya Crampton (CAN), Gorgeous George - 53.9 (FODS)
2. Jane Murray, Jack Sparrow - 57.9 (FODS)
3. Tamara Todorovic (SERBIA), Funshine Bear - 60.4 (FODS)
4. Doug Payne, The Alchemist - 64.4 (4 faults SJ)
5. Ciara Barr, Imperial Imp - 64.8 (4 faults SJ)
6. Craig Thompson, Sam Hooligan - 65.1 (4 faults SJ)
7. Ann Geoghegan, Black Ice - 68.1 (12 faults SJ)
8. Marty Morani, Test Drive - 68.3 (4 faults SJ)
9. Elizabeth Callahan, Leia - 68.9 (2 time SJ)
10. Fanny Lee, Paddy The Pooh, 73.4 (DCSJ)

* * * * *

CCI* - Division II

The CIC*, Division II was won by 28 year old Emily Beshear, who lives in Orange, VA. riding Acorn Hill's 11 year old Irish Sport Horse stallion Carrig View. "He was fantastic!" Emily enthused." I finished (the Cross Country) a lot faster than I had expected." In fact, Emily and Carrig View led from flag fall to that's all, as the race track expression goes. They ran a double clear Cross Country. This added to their first place Dressage test and finished off with a double clear Show Jumping round spelled CCI* honors for the pair.
(Emily and Carrig View are pictured at the right.)

Emily was asked if she had any difficulty in preparing for the CCI*, as it is very very dry, in Virginia. She answered, "The barn I am at now, in Orange, VA, built me a wood chip track up the hills." She had been nervous about the Dressage, "You never know when you get to this point. They are so fit. You don't know how they are going to react." In regards the Show Jumping, Emily said, "My only concern was that he was going to be tired."

Emily continued, "Jess and Sharon Sweely (the owners of Carrig View) need a big congratulations. They are a great group of people to have in the sport. They've given me all the time I've needed. They collect him (semen) fairly often. I have a weanling by him out of a thoroughbred mare."

Emily's husband, who is a veterinarian and acted as Emily's groom with the help of their two and a half year old son Nicholas, won the groom's prize for the best turned out horse. (the pair are pictured at the left with the prize for the Best Turned Out Horse.)

Fanny Lee, who rides with Bruce Davidson, in Unionville, PA, placed second with her own eight year old thoroughbred gelding Hadley Harbor. This pair also finished on their Dressage score.

The Top 10 in CCI*, Division II were:

1. Emily Beshear, Carrig View - 46.8 (FODS)
2. Fanny Lee, Hadley Harbor - 55.4 (FODS)
3. Bobby Costello, Foolish Games - 62.0 (8 faults SJ)
4. Alfred Rayne, Tonka Toyz - 62.5 ( 4 faults SJ)
5. Emilee Libby, Golden Malt - 68.4 (0 faults SJ)
6. Madeline Blackman, Scarva - 68.6 (4 Faults SJ)
7. Barry Thomason, The Irish Rogue - 73.1 (8 faults SJ)
8. Rebekah Calder, Grazie - 73.8 (4 faults SJ)
9. Will Faudree, Mr. Mcwhinney - 77.0 (12 faults SJ)
10. Elizabeth Ricklefs, Snap Decision - 77.1 (4 faults SJ)

* * * * *

Advanced Championship

Holly Hepp, of Vass, North Carolina (near Southern Pines) rode Mari and Roger Secrist's 13 year old gelding Damien to win the Championship Division of the Advanced Horse Trials. They were fifth after Dressage on a score of 32.2, and ran the fastest Cross Country of the Division for only 5.2 time faults, which moved them into first place. One rail down in the Show Jumping for a final score of 41.4 left them in the lead by 13 faults over the second and third place finishers Jennifer Libby and Draco (54.4) and Molly Hooper and Kiltartan
(also 54.4). (Holly and Damien are pictured at the right.)

Jennifer was declared the second place finisher as her Cross Country score with Draco of 11.2 time faults was .4 of a second closer to the Time Allowed than Molly and Kitartan's score of 11.6 time faults.

Holly commented about Tremaine Cooper's new Cross Country course, "It was a great course! It didn't ride as twisty as I thought it would. I actually liked the change. Damien is a Cross Country machine. I didn't go to make the time. He was 6th at Millbrook and 9th at the American Eventing Championships. They aerated all the landings."

Regarding the drop into the last water, Holly said, "It felt huge. It felt as big as the drop at Rolex (Kentucky). We all thought it was going to ride hard because the brush makes them jump even higher." Regarding Cooper's Show Jumping course Holly stated, "The turning line rode very tough."

The top 10 in the Advanced Championship were:

1. Holly Hepp, Damien - 41.4 (4 faults SJ)
2. Jennifer Libby, Draco - 54.4 (8 faults SJ)
3. Molly Hooper, Kiltartan - 54.4 (8 faults SJ)
4. Ursula Brush, Bru Maguire - 55.1 (8 faults SJ)
5. Stuart Black, Fleeceworks Starlight - 59.3 (4 faults SJ)
6. Schuyler Icke, Dillinger - 68.3 (4 faults SJ)
7. Lauren O'Brien, Dunrath Alto - 71.3 (12 jumping, 2 time SJ)
8. Corinne Ashton, Dobbin - 74.3 (8 jumping, 9 time SJ)
9. Clarissa Wilmerding, Mystery Man II - (4 jumping, 1 time SJ)
10. Emilee Libby, Cahir - 122.9 (DCSJ)

* * * *

Advanced Division I

Bobby Costello, of Southern Pines, North Carolina, rode Leila Clay's 10 year old thoroughbred gelding Wild Delight (by Wild Again), to victory in Advanced Division I, on a final score of 48.8. Wild Delight was tied for ninth after Dressage, moved up to first with the fastest Cross Country of the Division, adding 5.6 time faults, and had two rails in the Show Jumping to win by 5.6 faults over second place Emilee Libby and Special Excursion who Show Jumped double clear. (Bobby and Wild Delight are pictured at the left.)

Bobby commented, "I was very happy with him. I have been getting to know him. We are technically leasing him with an option to buy from Katie Foley. I find that staying out of the way and leaving him alone seems to work best. He was second in the Intermediate at the American Eventing Championships. This is my third Advanced with him. He was third at Millbrook and I fell off him at Poplar Place. I have learned a lot.

"John Zopatti, of Wellington, Florida works with me on Dressage He will be at Fair Hill. That will be a great help.

"Tremain (Cooper, the Course Designer) did a wonderful job aerovating before and after the fences."

The top 9 in Advanced Division I were:

1. Bobby Costello, Wild Delight - 48.8 (8 faults SJ)
2. Emilee Libby, Special Excursion - 54.4 (DCSJ)
3. Mara Dean, Nicki Henley - 60.0 (DCSJ)
4. Bonnie Mosser, Close The Deal - 62.6 (4 faults SJ)
5. Mogie Bearden-Muller, Select - 73.3 (16 jumping, 8 time SJ)
6. Jane Sleeper, U.N. - 74.7 (16 faults SJ)
7. Mary Schwentker, Q - 74.7 (16 faults SJ)
8. Craig Thompson, Merciful Judge - 102.2 (20 jumping, 2 time)
9. Adrienne Iorio-Borden, Better I Do It - 104.6 (16 jumping, 25 time)

Advanced Division II

Phillip Dutton, of West Grove, PA, rode Robyn Fisher's Le Samurai to win Division II of the Advanced. This pair was tied for twelfth after Dressage and moved up to fourth when they ran the fourth fastest Cross Country of the Division to add 7.6 time faults. Somehow Phillip finds a way to win. This time it was a clear Show Jumping round with only one time fault while the rails crashed for those who had been ahead of him. (Phillip and Le Samurai are pictured at the right.)

Robyn Fisher, who owns Le Samurai, said that she had been riding with Phillip and that Le Samurai had been getting very strong with her. She wanted phillip to feel how he was in an actual competition. Robyn plans to ride Le Samurai herself at the Fair Hill CCI***, in two weeks.

The top 10 in Advanced Division II Were:

1. Phillip Dutton (AUS), Le Samurai - 55.1 (1 time fault SJ)
2. Mikki Kapaun, Allstar - 57.2
3. Mark Nelson (CAN), Power of 2 - 57.3 (DCSJ)
4. Jessica Moore, Sea Smart - 62.7
5. Pascal Tremblay-Wagner, Fliper des Rolles - 63.2 (12 faults SJ)
6. Kristin Schmolze, Surprise Party - 65. 6 (DCSJ)
7. Melissa Hunsberger, Just Fun Stuff - 66.0 (4 faults SJ)
8. Leslie Chelstrom, Brio - 79.3 (4 faults SJ)
9. Clark Montgomery, Falcon Flight - 84.6 (12 jumping 3 time SJ)
10. Jane Sleeper, New Moon - 101.8 (8 faults SJ)