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Posted:
Monday, August 27, 2001
Heather Bergantz wins Gold at Pan American Endurance Championship
Gladstone, NJ -August 26, 2001- Three riders representing the United States won the individual medals at the 100-mile Pan American Endurance Championship on August 25, 2001 in South Woodstock, Vermont. Heather Bergantz, of San Jose, California won the individual Gold aboard Skip Lightfoot's Crystals Charm by a twenty-one minute margin in a ride time of 10 hours 39 minutes and 42 seconds. The Silver medal went to United States Equestrian Team (USET) veteran Melissa Crain of Franklin, TN riding her 15-year-old Arab Charbiel in a ride time of 11:00:50. Rita Swift of Worthington, WV riding Just Cass took the Bronze in a ride time of 11:48:13. The story of Bergantz and Crystals Charm reads like a fairy tale. The 9-year-old Arab gelding also known as "Big Red" was rescued from the slaughterhouse and purchased by Lightfoot for $600 over three years ago. After realizing Red's potential, Lightfoot called on Bergantz to take over training. Since then the pair has been making a name for themselves on the Endurance circuit winning the Haggin Cup in 1999 and now the Pan Ams. Bergantz feels they have much more to do.
"Red has really come into his own this year", said Bergantz. "As long as he is sound next year he is going to the World Championships. Next year he will be really tough, he's not at the top of his game yet."
With United States riders dominating the Championship, the team competition was fierce among the five squads represented. The Gold medal went to the USA East squad of Brenda Baird, Stagg Newman, Dina Rojek and Meg Sleeper. The USA Central team with Shelley Bridges, Roberta Harms, Tracy Webb-Hoskins and Janice Worthington took the Silver and Pacific North came in third for the Bronze with Marie Mallon, Dennis Summers, Karen Vilander and Jazon Wonders.
The Green Mountain Horse Center played host to nine nations with 88 competitors. The international competition had representatives from Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, Great Britain, Mexico, Romania and Venezuela in addition to the United States. The USET paid the entry fees and provided funding for uniforms for all U.S. riders in the Championship.
The United States Equestrian Team is a non-profit organization that selects, trains, equips and finances equestrians of the highest possible standard to represent our country in major international competition, including the Olympic Games and the World Championships. To accomplish this the USET seeks out and nurtures the development of talented athletes - riders, drivers and horses - and provides the support and guidance they need to help them attain their fullest potential. For more information on the USET, please call (908) 234-1251, or visit USET ONLINE at www.uset.org.
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