The mounted games competition season started off with a bang. More than 100 riders turned out for the second annual Blue Grass Open.  Riders came from New Jersey, Maryland, Virginia, Tennessee, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky Canada (whose riders had to fight raging snow storms. One Canadian party spent 20 hours on the road with a horse trailer and ponies and another had to lay up in Toledo when a kind farmer noticed their predicament).  Riding on the Canadian Black team was the incomparable Bettina Pratt, of Luxemburg.  Even though many feared that the weather might be a sequel to the last Blue Grass Open, it wasn't.  By Sunday many competitors found themselves in shirtsleeves.

     The A Final was won by the Canadian Black team, who took home the champion halters.  The surprising upset came from the Commandos in the B Final.  They tied for a place in the A final with the Eastern Stars.  After a runoff for the A final, they won the B final.  This will be the first time that a U.S. team has left with a set of halters. Receiving championship belts for their victory in the C Final were the Zebras, a team from Georgia.  One of the best parts of this competition was the incredible positive attitude of the riders toward riders on other teams.  This friendship between competitors is what makes mounted games so different from other sports.             

   The karaoke contest proves that mounted games riders are just as competitive off the field as they are on the field.  The teams winning the USEGA/USMGA bumper stickers were the Commandos with their rendition of "Lean on Me" and Jon's M&Ms singing "I've got Friends in Low Places".  Not only were Jon's M & M's good singers they also supplied fellow competitors with M & M's at the end of the competition.  The team with the youngest combined age at the Blue Grass Open was the Munchkins, making their first appearance in the Master's division.        

   But the Bluegrass Open could not have happened without the work of many wonderfully generous people. A special thank you to Robert Taylor, our Referee who briefed riders on the rules, started and judged.   Thanks to Sharon Brown for manning the show office, Debbie Bush for fielding t-shirt orders, scoring, organizing and managing stalls and countless other tasks, Linda Caddel for serving as show secretary, Beth Lough for taking pictures of the teams, scoring and organizing the mock rally and clinic, Rose Dunn for announcing and Liz Englert and Paul Greiling for various organizing chores. Thanks to Laura Adams, Cindy and Emily Steele for the use of their games ponies.  Thanks to Donna York for arranging for food for the competitors and crew and for the fantastic pizza party.

      Our gratitude also goes to Ground Crew organizers Chelsea Bush and to Ken  and Tyra Malm, to Gene Berg who judged the line when he would much rather have been watching Tori ride, to the brave Canadians who set up props even when they were exhausted and faced a 20 hour trip home.  Janie Lawrence and Kathy Taylor did an excellent job scoring (and providing humorous updates on the scoring to the announcer). In addition to these folks we thank countless other riders, parents, spouses and friends who stepped in to fill the void and do what needed doing. 

 Thanks to Jim Dunn and the Canadian team, Kathy Taylor and Robert Taylor for conducting clinics and team tune-ups.    Thanks also goes to the many parents who set up the field (Chelsey Bush, Paul Greiling, Carol Bertilson, to name a few).  Without their hard work the Bluegrass Open would not have been possible.    

Ground Session 1

Heat 1A

1st Jon's M & M's (35 pts.): ( M. Bertilson, M. Clay, J. Hoke, M. Lough, J. Straub) 

2cnd Eastern Stars (29 pts.): (A. Menghetti, M. Washburn, K. Wilson, K. Wilson) 

3rd Party Ponies (22 pts.): (C. Cook, B. Davidson, S. Kickbush, T. Radcliff, J. Voss)

4th Canada Red (20pts.): (M. Durward, J. Lalonde, E. Macintyre, C. Radcliffe, S. Townsend, Coach: Jim Dunn)

Heat 1B

1st Stars and Stripes(35 pts.): (V. Brown, C. Greiling, S. Greiling, J. Kisiel, M. Lawrence, Coach Jamie Dunn) 

2cnd Canada Black( 32 pts.): ( A. Dunn, K. Durward, M. Gilbert, B. Pratt, J. Sheffield Coach Jim Dunn) 

3rd Zebras ( 26 pts.): (M. Adams, S. Sims, B. York, K. York)

4th Wild Things( 19 pts.): (A. Adams, J.Brandt, A. Schmitt, K. Schmitt, N. Schmitt)

Heat 1C

1st  Commandos (32 pts.): (S. Bush, K. Goncharoff, H. Griffin. L. Montgomery Coach Emily Steele)

2nd Hot Ice (30 pts.): (T. Berg, A.Clay, T. Malm, T. Rumba Coach Jon Straub)

3rd The Munchkins (25 pts.): (M. Clements, H. Dunham, L. Griffin, D. Johnson)             

4th Star Blazers(22 pts.): ( C. Foreman, J. Fuller, M. Mcllhany, K.C. Mullin, E. Welch)

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Ground Session 2\

Heat 2A

1st Jon's M & M's (38 pts.): ( M. Bertilson, M. Clay, J. Hoke, M. Lough, J. Straub) 

2cnd Party Ponies (30 pts.): (C. Cook, B. Davidson, S. Kickbush, T. Radcliff, J. Voss) 

3rd Commandos (26 pts.): (S. Bush, K. Goncharoff, H. Griffin. L. Montgomery Coach Emily Steele)

4th Zebras (14 pts.): (M. Adams, S. Sims, B. York, K. York)

Heat 2B

1st Stars and Stripes( 36 pts.): (V. Brown, C. Greiling, S. Greiling, J. Kisiel, M. Lawrence, Coach Jamie Dunn) 

2nd Canada Red(34 pts.): (M. Durward, J. Lalonde, E. Macintyre, C. Radcliffe, S. Townsend, Coach: Jim Dunn)

3rd The Munchkins (21 pts.): (M. Clements, H. Dunham, L. Griffin, D. Johnson)                

3rd Hot Ice (21 pts.): (T. Berg, A. Clay, T. Malm, T. Rumba Coach Jon Straub)

Heat 2C

1st Canada Black( 34 pts.): (A. Dunn, K. Durward, M. Gilbert, B. Pratt, J. Sheffield Coach Jim Dunn) 

2cnd Eastern Stars (29 pts.): (A. Menghetti, M. Washburn, K. Wilson, K. Wilson) 

3rd Wild Things( 23 pts.): (A. Adams, J.Brandt, A. Schmitt, K. Schmitt, N. Schmitt)

4th Star Blazers(19 pts.): ( C. Foreman, J. Fuller, M. Mcllhany, K.C. Mullin, E. Welch) 

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FinaL Results

A Final

1st Canada Black( 51 pts.): ( A. Dunn, K. Durward, M. Gilbert, B. Pratt, J. Sheffield Coach Jim Dunn) 

2nd Stars and Stripes( 40 pts.): (V. Brown, C. Greiling, S. Greiling, J. Kisiel, M. Lawrence, Coach Jamie Dunn) 

3rd Jon's M and M's (37 pts.): (M. Bertilson, M. Clay, J. Hoke, M. Lough, J. Straub) 

4th Eastern Stars (35 pts): (A. Menghetti, M. Washburn, K. Wilson, K. Wilson) 

B Final

1st Commandos (46 pts.): (S. Bush, K. Goncharoff, H. Griffin. L. Montgomery and Coach E. Steele)

2nd Canada Red(43 pts.): (M. Durward, J. Lalonde, E. Macintyre, C. Radcliffe, S. Townsend, Coach: Jim Dunn)

3rd Party Ponies (39 pts.): (C. Cook, B. Davidson, S. Kickbush, T. Radcliff, J. Voss )

4th Hot Ice (27 pts.): (T. Berg, A. Clay, T. Malm, T. Rumba Coach Jon Straub) 

C Final

1st Zebras (52 pts.): (M. Adams, C. Carmen, S. Sims, B. York, K. York)

2cnd Star Blazers(45 pts.): ( C. Foreman, J. Fuller, M. Mcllhany, K.C. Mullin, E. Welch)

3rd Wild Things( 42 pts.): (  A. Adams, J.Brandt, A. Schmitt, K. Schmitt, N. Schmitt) 

4th The Munchkins (25 pts.): (M. Clements, H. Dunham, L. Griffin, D. Johnson)      

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4-ever-young 

Ground Session 1

1st The Nags (53 pts.): (M. LaLonde, C. Nelson, E. Martin, G. Mcbride, M. McCulligh) 

2cnd Charlie's Angels (42 pts.): (C. Durward, C. Couch, M. Cruikshank, B. Pascoe, B. Wray)

3rd The Zippy Chickies (36 pts.): (D. Bush, L. Caddel, L. Englert, C. Steele)  

4th The Mummies (26 pts.):(A. Brandt, J. Brandt, L. French, H. Schmitt, S. Walker) 

5th Broads Abroad (22 pts.): (C. Bertilson, M. Dunham, D. McCready, A. Mueller) 

Ground Session 2

1st The Nags (47 pts.): (M. LaLonde, C. Nelson, E. Martin, G. Mcbride, M. McCulligh) 

2nd Charlie's Angels (41 pts.): (C. Durward, C. Couch, M. Cruikshank, B. Pascoe, B. Wray)

3rd The Zippy Chickies (26 pts.): (D. Bush, L. Caddel, L. Englert, C. Steele)  

4th The Mummies (24 pts.): (A. Brandt, J. Brandt, L. French, H. Schmitt, S. Walker) 

5th Broads Abroad (19 pts.): (C. Bertilson, M. Dunham, D. McCready,  A. Mueller) 

4-ever-young Final

1st The Nags (62 pts.): (M. LaLonde, C. Nelson, E. Martin, G. Mcbride, M. McCulligh) 

2cnd Charlie's Angels (51 pts.): (C. Durward, C. Couch, M. Cruikshank, B. Pascoe, B. Wray)

3rd The Zippy Chickies (49 pts.): (D. Bush, L. Caddel, L. Englert, C. Steele)  

4th The Mummies (40 pts.): (A. Brandt, J. Brandt, L. French, H. Schmitt, S. Walker) 

5th Broads Abroad (34 pts.): (C. Bertilson, M. Dunham,  D. McCready, A. Mueller) 

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Mock Rally

Advanced

1st Bits and Blazes P.C. Star Blazers (34 pts.): (C. Foreman, J. Fuller, M. Mcllhany, K. C. Mullin, E. Welch)

2cnd Wilderness Trace P.C. Pegasus Ponies (27 pts.): (A. Adams, K. Barbato, B. Baierlein, S. Schultz) 

3rd Wilderness Trace P.C. Hillbillies (20 pts.): (K. Bailey, H. Barbato, J. DiBiasie, L. Morris)

Intermediate 

1st Stones River P.C. Midnight Riders (30 pts.): (H. Bailey, S. Pouge, H. Rhoades, C. Sullivan)

2cnd Keenland P.C. Rocket Riders (26 pts.): (K. Elswick, L. Griffin, M. Griffin, S. Holmes)

3rd Keenland x Wilderness Trace P.C. Unicorns (16 pts.) (J. Caddel, M. Cooper,  M. Nolan, R. Roark, J. Royster)

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United States Equestrian Games Association/United States Mounted Games Association            
For problems or questions regarding this web contact: pgreili@bellsouth.net
Last updated: January 23, 2003.