September 23, 2002 — Peter Wylde and the 11-year-old Holsteiner mare, Fein Cera (Landadel x Cera,
by Cor de la Bryere), became the first U.S. participants to win a medal in
jumping at the World Equestrian Games when they took the Bronze Medal with
12 total faults accumulated in the individual competition held Sunday,
September 22, in Jerez de la Frontera, Spain.
The top four riders of the jumping competition came back on Sunday to go
head-to-head for the Gold, Silver and Bronze Medals. The riders switched
mounts until each rider had ridden all four horses. Wylde’s Fein Cera
topped the other horses, receiving only 3 total faults in the four rounds of
competition. Lennon Dermott of Ireland ended the day with 4 faults to take
the Gold Medal and Navet Eric of France had 8 faults for the Silver Medal.
In the debut of Reining at the World Equestrian Games, it came as no
surprise that the U.S. team brought home the Gold Medal with a total score
of 657.5. The team was made up of Tom McCutcheon riding George Shifrin’s
Conquistador Whiz (Quarter Horse: Topsail Whiz x Sugarita Chex, by Bueno
Chex), Scott McCutcheon riding the Inwhizable Partners owned, Inwhizable
(Quarter Horse: Topsail Whiz x Angels Rosie, by Mr Gold), Shawn Flarida
riding Mike Harper’s San Jo Freckles (Quarter Horse: San Jo Lena – Colonel
Lil Pistol, by Colonel Freckles), and Craig Schmersal riding Tidal Wave Jack
(Quarter Horse: Hollywood Macho Jac x Tidal Mist Cody, by Lance Cody) owned
by the BS Syndicate. Canada won the Silver Medal with a score of 650 and
Italy took the Bronze Medal with a total of 646.
The surprise of the Reining competition came when Flarida and San Jo
Freckles bested teammate Tom McCutcheon and Conquistador Whiz with a score
of 221.5 to take the Gold Medal. McCutcheon scored 219, leaving him in a
tie with Canada’s Shawna Sapergia. A run-off was held to determine the
Silver and Bronze Medals and McCutcheon came out on top with a score of 219
to take the Silver. Sapergia’s run was worth 216.5, sending the Bronze
Medal to Canada.
The U.S. Driving Team of James Fairclough, S. Tucker Johnson, and Chester
Weber, went clean in the cones phase of the driving competition to end with
a total score of 286.52 penalties, giving them the Silver Medal. This is
the best finish for a U.S. Four-In-Hand team at a World Championship
competition. The Gold Medal went to The Netherlands with an accumulative
score of 275.01 and the Bronze went to Germany with 291.54.
Fairclough’s team included Baccarate (Dutch Warmblood), Calemera (Swedish
Warmblood: Falleur x Cara Mia), Charmeur (Swedish Warmblood: Falleur x
Charisma), Cooper (German Warmblood: Coronat x Hanka), Crabat (Swedish
Warmblood: Magritte x Camilla) and Markurel (Swedish Warmblood: Maraton x
Excella). Johnson’s team was made up of Aberdann (Hannoverian: Acapulco x
Suna), Arivano (Holsteiner: Anthony’s Dream xx x Jeja), Black Magic 13
(Oldenburg: Lortzing x Alpha), Circuit Hero (Holsteiner: Caletto I x Rena),
Espry (Hessen: Einsatz LDB x Harmonie) and Guido 9. Weber’s team included
Adrian W (Dutch Warmblood: Adaarts x Nicolientje), Jamaica (Dutch Warmblood:
Cambridge Cole x Welkom), Maximo W (Holsteiner: Alcatraz x Radona), Rolex W
(Dutch Warmblood: Larix x Dorena), Palle (Danish Warmblood) and Goofy (Dutch
Warmblood).
The United States ended with 8 medals overall, second only to Germany who
finished with 9.
