Gladstone, NJ – September 6, 2006 –

“Both our athletes and our supporters came through with flying colors for this year’s World Equestrian Games and the USET Foundation is grateful to all of them for their superior performances,” stated Bonnie Jenkins, executive director of the USET Foundation. “Our supporters are simply the best and their support allowed our athletes to focus on the competition and deliver the medals!”

The 2006 World Equestrian Games (WEG) were held August 20 through September 3 in Aachen, Germany, and featured seven disciplines supported by the United States Equestrian Team (USET) Foundation – dressage, driving, endurance, eventing, reining, show jumping, and vaulting. This fifth edition of the quadrennial WEG hosted over 60 nations with more than 800 human athletes and 900 equine athletes competing. The United States was one of only seven nations to field teams and individuals in all seven disciplines. The U.S. athletes earned individual and/or team medals in five of the seven disciplines and brought home a total of nine medals – the most ever won by the U.S. at a World Equestrian Games.

With nearly 50 horses to be shipped to Germany, fielding seven full teams for each of the international disciplines, the World Equestrian Games is the most expensive championship this country competes in every four years. “It is only through our supporters’ generosity that we are able to provide the funding to realize these incredible achievements,” noted Jenkins. “I can’t thank our supporters enough for their vision, passion, and generosity.”

“We are proud of all of our athletes that competed and represented our country so well,” Jenkins continued. “The WEG is truly a celebration of the relationship between horses and humans and what they can accomplish together. I congratulate our Gold, Silver, and Bronze medalists and all of our athletes and owners who are true champions.”

Team USA athletes in parade of countries during Opening Ceremonies of 2006 World Equestrian Games.
Photo: Peter Llewellyn/PMG Pictures

U.S. Medals Earned at the 2006 WEG

During Week I, WEG competition featured endurance, dressage, eventing, and vaulting and the U.S. was off to a highly successful start, earning four medals. Week II showcased driving, reining, and show jumping and U.S. athletes tallied up another five medals for a grand total of nine medals, second only to Germany’s 11.

U.S. Gold Medals, World Champions

• Women’s Individual Gold – Vaulting: Megan Benjamin (Leonardo owned by Megan and Lasse Kristensen)
• Team Gold - Reining – Dell Hendricks (Starbucks Sidekick owned by Adair Reiners LLC), Tim McQuay (Mister Nicadual owned by Jerry Kimmel), Matt Mills (Easy Otie Whiz owned by Outwest Stallion Station and Bobbie Cook), and Aaron Ralston (Smart Paul Olena owned by Meg Ralston)

U.S. Silver Medals

• Individual Silver – Reining: Tim McQuay (Mister Nicadual owned by Jerry Kimmel)
• Individual Silver – Show Jumping: Beezie Madden (Authentic owned by Abigail Wexner)
• Team Silver – Show Jumping: Margie Engle (Hidden Creek's Quervo Gold owned by Michael Polaski/Hidden Creek Farms), Laura Kraut (Miss Independent owned by the Miss Independent Group), Beezie Madden (Authentic owned by Abigail Wexner), and McLain Ward (Sapphire owned by McLain Ward and Thomas Grossman)
• Team Silver – Vaulting: Blake Dahlgren, Elizabeth Ioannou, Devon Maitozo, Katie Ritchie, Rosalind Ross, and Annalise Vanvranken (Grand Guadino owned by Dr. Silke Bartel)

U.S. Bronze Medals

• Individual Bronze – Reining: Aaron Ralston (Smart Paul Olena owned by Meg Ralston)
• Individual Bronze – Eventing: Amy Tryon (Poggio II owned by Amy and Greg Tryon and Mark Hart)
• Team Bronze – Dressage: Debbie McDonald (Brentina owned by Parry and Peggy Thomas), Leslie Morse (Tip Top owned by Leslie Morse); Steffen Peters (Floriano owned by Stephen and Laurelyn Browning), and Guenter Seidel (Aragon owned by Richard and Jane Brown)

The non-profit United States Equestrian Team Foundation supports the competition, training, coaching, travel and educational needs of America’s elite and developing international, high-performance athletes and horses in partnership with the United States Equestrian Federation. For more information about the USET Foundation or to make a donation, please call (908) 234-1251 or visit its website at www.uset.org