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Burbank CA::Feb 24, 2002::by Marc Karzen/Saddletude
In a crowd-roaring show of approval in a packed house at the Los Angeles Equestrian Center's Equidome on Sunday, Debbie McDonald, one of the few American-born/American-based riders and her 11 y.o. Hanoverian mare Brentina, finished a 3-day dressage convergence by taking the US Freestyle Dressage Chamionship with a 75.640% combined score.
Asked why the crowd so heavily supports her, "I think that a lot of riders identify with me...I'm just this small rider up on this big horse," said McDonald.
In an eleventh hour turn of heart, Steffen Peters and owners of his 14 y.o. mare Grandeur changed their previous decision not to be considered for the World Cup finals in Holland if they performed well. They withdrew from the Sydney Olympics consideration in 2000 because of a colic and thought the added travel might be too much to endure as they campaigned to make the World Games team in Spain this coming September.
At the in-gate before reentering the ring for awards of the Freestyle, all 9 of the riders voted unanimously not to challenge Peters' flip-flop. Peters apologized to all of the riders and thanked them for their support.
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The noticeably shaken Cherri Reiber, who would have been the rider chosen to represent the US in Holland, kept a still upper lip, stating,"That's the way the cookie crumbles".
Guenter Seidel and Debbie McDonald have also decided in advance to pass on the trip to Holland and stay focused on the World Equestrian Games (WEG).
US Freestyle Dressage Championships LA Equestrian Center :: Feb 22-23, 2002
Place-Rider-Horse-Grand Prix-Kur-Total Score
1-Debbie McDonald-Brentina 74.049%-76.700%-75.640%
2-Steffen Peters-Grandeur 69.415%-74.050%-72.196%
3-Guenter Seidel-Nikolaus 7 67.902%-74.525%-71.876%
4-Cherri Reiber-GTudor 64.537%-70.750%-68.265%
5-Kamilla DuPont-Reveille 65.220%-68.825%-67.383%
6-Susan Dutta-GumshoesDC 62.488%-66.025%-64.610%
7-Tami Crawford-Dakota 60.390%-66.475%-64.041%
8-Leone "Button" Baker-Masterpiece 58.683%-67.400%-63.913%
9-Belinda Nairn-Wertman 60.488%-65.525%-63.510%
Reprinted with permission from
© Saddletude. Visit their site at
http://www.saddletude.com.
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