September 23, 2002 — Peter Wylde of the
United States won the Bronze Medal in the individual Show Jumping World
Championship on Sunday, the final day of the 2002 World Equestrian Games
in Jerez de la Frontera, Spain.
Lennon Dermott of Ireland was crowned the new World Champion and gave
Ireland its first World Championship medal. Eric Navet of France could
not repeat his World Champion performance of the 1990 WEG in Stockholm,
Sweden and took home the Silver Medal. Fourth place went to Helena
Lundback of Sweden.
All four riders started with a clean slate in the Final Four and started
the initial round on their own horse. The first to go was Lennon Dermott
who went clean on Liscalgot. Helea Lundback was next won Utfors Mynta
and incurred the first rail of the day. Eric Navet was third in the
line-up and also went clear on Dollar du Murier HTS de Seine.
Wylde, who currently resides in Maastricht, Holland, was aboard Fein
Cera, owned by the Fein Cera Group and went clean. The twelve-year-old
mare went on to win ?”Best Horse?” of the competition.
In the second round Lundback rode the Irish horse this time and had a
rough go with twelve faults. Navet had a rail on the Swedish entry
Utfors Mynta. Wylde was third on the French horse and also had a rail.
Dermott had the only clear round on Fein Cera.
Navet rode Liscalgot to start the third round and had another rail to
post for a total of eight going into the final round. Wylde was next on
Utfors Mynta and also posted a rail to tie Navet. Dermott kept his
fault-free performance with a clean go on Dollar du Merier HTS de Seine
and the best placing going into the final round. Lundback kept all the
rails up, but went too slow for three faults on Fein Cera.
Wylde was the first to go in the final round on Liscalgot. If he were
to have any chance at the Gold, he needed to go clear. Unfortunately,
Wylde received another four faults for a final total of twelve, but it
guaranteed him the Bronze. Dermott was next to go on Utfors Mynta and
had one rail, but was able to clinch the Gold. Navet rode last and
clear on Fein Cera to capture the Silver.
The United States Equestrian Teams won eight medals in six of the seven
disciplines. The final tally for the U.S. is three Gold, three Silver
and two Bronze, the best U.S. performance at any World Equestrian Games.
Only Germany, with nine medals, topped the U.S. performance.
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, vaulters 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.
