RIDERS WITH DISABILITIES SHINE AT BAYER/USET FESTIVAL OF CHAMPIONS

First place in the second annual Bradshaw Challenge of Champions at the USET/Bayer Festival of Champions in Gladstone NJ on June 26 was taken by Team West with a tie-breaking ride by Margo O'Callaghan of Seattle, Washington.

The Bradshaw Challenge consists of four teams made up of an athlete from each of the six USET (United States Equestrian Team) disciplines (dressage, driving, endurance, eventing, reining and show jumping) and a disabled rider (dressage musical freestyle). Each athlete competes in their own discipline throughout the Festival of Champions and the team scores depend on the ranking of each ride.

Competing for Team West were Lynn Little (show jumping), David O'Connor (eventing), Michael Barisone (dressage), Shawn Flarida (reining), Lizzie Chesson (driving), Wendy Meredeni (endurance), and Margo O'Callaghan (musical freestyle). After all the results were in, the North and West teams were tied at 21 points each. O'Callaghan's score of 69.047% was just a fraction of a point over Janie Zukas, giving the victory to Team West.

Riders with disabilities representing ACORD were Barbara Grassmyer (California), Rob Keller (Pennsylvania), Margo O'Callaghan (Washington), Jane Zukas (New York) and Mary Green (Michigan). They performed in front of an enormous audience in the Dick & Jane Brown Dressage Arena.

The 1999 Bradshaw Challenge of Champions was organized as a joint venture by ACORD (American Competition Opportunities for Riders with Disbilities, Inc.), USCPAA (United Cerebral Palsy Athletic Association) and the USET. ACORD is a non-profit corporation promoting quality equestrian competition for athletes with any disability and USCPAA is the national governing body for riders with disabilities. Competition for a position on TeamUSA for the 2000 Australian Paralympics is fierce.

Chef d'Equipe Sandy Dota stated "I was so proud of everyone and thrilled to be part of an event that acknowledges our riders for who they are - equestrians first and individuals with a disability second - respected for their talents and efforts on the same level as their able-bodied peers. You had to be there."

For more information on ACORD events for riders with disabilities, please call Judy Serie Nagy at 408 261- 8292. The next ACORD event, the FinishLine Team Challenge, takes place at the North American Young Riders' Championships held August 14 at Tempel Farms in Wadsworth, Illinois.