The third annual Blue Grass Open was truly an international gathering of friends with teams from Australia, Canada and the United States. It was also a hard-fought event with evenly-matched riders from Georgia, Maryland, Virginia, Michigan, South Carolina, Indiana and Illinois ,(and even a rider from England) battling it out for division honors in the largest USMGA competition ever held. More than 170 riders competed and the skill level of all riders has improved vastly from the first competition three years ago. Teams which competed in the D-Final this year were at a level with the A final teams of three years ago. This improvement in our riders is in no small part due to the almost year-round schedule of competitions and training camps available in USMGA.  For the first time ever the weather at the Blue Grass Open was not only livable but actually perfect with sunny days in the 60's and 70's. 

     Three teams, Australia, U.S. Stripes and the Cowboys, a Canadian team,  ran a tie-breaker to determine which team competed in the A-final.  The hard-luck team of the competition however, was the Zebras who fought their way into the B-final with two Georgia riders, a Maryland rider and pony who were both competing for the first time after injuries, and a rider on a borrowed pony who had not ridden games in two years.  When one rider was not able to return on Sunday and one pony on the team was unable to continue, a new rider (Susie Warne from England on a borrowed pony) was added to the team and the team's points went to zero.   It was decided that they compete hors concours in the D final.  In future all four-man teams will be assigned a fifth (ghost) rider so that they can continue if a rider or pony is unable to continue.  In this case, the team had been assigned a fifth rider who canceled at the last minute so they started the competition with only four declared riders.

 The Novice (for the first time) and 4-Ever Young divisions were international as well with teams from Canada.   It is also the first time that a U.S. team went home with the halters in the A Final.  This year a very special trophy was presented by Leigh Harthog and the Australian team (the Kangaroo Cup) to U.S. Blue, the winning team in the A final. Hopefully, this will become a new international tradition.  

Photos of the competition were taken by Kid-N-Motion and can be viewed at their website (click here to visit their website).  Thanks to Debbie Bush, Chelsea Bush, Paul Greiling and Liz Englert for all their work organizing and planning.  Thanks to Bob and Deb Vit for taping the world's candidate teams (Videos available).  Thanks to Janey Lawrence for starting and Kathy Taylor for refereeing.  Thanks to Shelly Hoke and Sharon Brown for scoring and Liz Englert and Cary and Pam Rumba who shared announcing chores and to MacKenzie Taylor who took over running scores when the communication system blanked out..  Thanks to Marion Simon, Amy Bertilson, Sara Greiling and Alex and Megan Lough for lending ponies to our Aussie guests.  Thanks to Paul Greiling, Chelsea Bush, Gene Berg, Serge Sequen, Leigh Harthog, Terry Vieweg, the McVittes and and many others, including riders, who spent hours of their weekend setting up equipment. (Please forgive us for not naming all the wonderful people who helped make the competition a success) A special thanks is also owed to Donna York and Cindy Miller who did and incredible job of feeding volunteers and the folks at the pizza party.   Thanks also to Beth Lough and Carol Bertilson who ran the Novice and 4-Ever Young ring.

            Without you all and the riders, assistant referees and set up crews, memorable competitions like this would be impossible.     

Masters Division

A Session 1 Heat 1

1st Road Runners (37 pts.): (A. Fields, C. Mulks, H. Textor, K. Trudgeon, M. Trudgeon, Coach: J. Foreman)

2nd Canada Black (30 pts.): (M. Bodnar, K. Durward, R. Kern)

3rd USA Stripes (27 pts.): (M. Clay, T. Leonard, T. Malm, R. Vit, K. Wilson)

4th  Hot Pursuit (26 pts.): (K. Cabaniss, S. Kickbush, A. Kunst, K. Nicopoulos, D. Sargent)

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Session 1 Heat 2

1st USA White (39 pts.): (K. Caddel, J. Hoke, M. Lough, L. Montgomery, J. Straub)

2nd Zebras (30 pts.): (H. Burnett, J. Emblin, B. York, K. York)

3rd Team Australia  (29 pts.): (K. Hartog, K. McCallum, S. McCallum, C., Mosey, S. Thompson Coach: R. Bennet)

4th Wild Things (26 pts.): (M. Carr, K. Homra, A. Schmitt, K. Schmitt, N. Schmitt)

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Session 1 Heat 3

1st Cowboys (35 pts.): (M. Durwood, J. Couch, A. Pascoe, L. Pascoe, J. McVitte)

2nd USA Blue (34 pts.): (A. Bertilson, C. Greiling, S. Greiling, A. Lough, M. St. Angelo)

3rd Punk Rock Ponies (27 pts.): (B. Calhoun, B. Calhoun, R. Horn, S. Lowe, R. Whitehair)  

4th Commandos (19 pts.): (S. Bush, K. Goncharoff, H. Griffin, J. Miller, E. Steele)

5th Psychos (18 pts.): (C. Foreman, J. Porter, C. Reed, B. Reed, J. Reed)

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Session 1 Heat 4

1st USA Red (33 pts.): (V. Brown, K. Edwards, J. McCready, E. Schmitt, A. Wildfong)

2nd  Security (32 pts.): (M. Clements, S. Gholson, L. Griffin, J. Hamrick, L. Harmon) 

3rd Hot Ice  (31 pts.): (L. Beckwith, T. Berg, A. Clay, T. Rumba, J. Voss) 

4th Stars (26 pts.): (J. Kissiel, K. Kuhl, N. Persinger, C. Reilly, K. Wilson)

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Session 2 Heat 1

1st USA White (45 pts.): (K. Caddel, J. Hoke, M. Lough, L. Montgomery, J. Straub)

2nd USA Red (38 pts.): (V. Brown, K. Edwards, J. McCready, E. Schmitt, A. Wildfong)

3rd Stars (25 pts.): (J. Kissiel, K. Kuhl, N. Persinger, C. Reilly, K. Wilson)

4th  Psychos (20 pts.): (C. Foreman, J. Porter, C. Reed, B. Reed, J. Reed)

5th Canada Black (20 pts.): (M. Bodnar, K. Durward, R. Kern)

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Session 2 Heat 2

1st Team Australia (41 pts.): (K. Hartog, K. McCallum, S. McCallum, C. Mosey, S. Thompson, Coach: R. Bennet)

2nd Road Runners (39 pts.): (A. Feilds, C. Mulks, H. Textor, K. Trudgeon, M. Trudgeon, Coach: J. Foreman)

3rd Security (31 pts.): (M. Clements, S. Gholson, L. Griffin, J. Hamrick, L. Harmon) 

4th Hot Pursuit (25 pts.): (K. Cabaniss, S. Kickbush, A. Kunst, K. Nicopoulos, D. Sargent)

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Session 2 Heat 3

1st USA Stripes (43 pts.): (M. Clay, T. Leonard, T. Malm, R. Vit, K. Wilson)

2nd Cowboys (35 pts.): (M. Durwood, J. Couch, A. Pascoe, L. Pascoe, J. McVitte)

3rd Hot Ice  (33 pts.): (L. Beckwith, T. Berg, A. Clay, T. Rumba, J. Voss) 

4th Wild Things (25 pts.): (M. Carr, K. Homra, A. Schmitt, K. Schmitt, N. Schmitt)

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Session 2 Heat 4

1st USA Blue (49 pts.): (A. Bertilson, C. Greiling, S. Greiling, A. Lough, M. St. Angelo)

2nd Punk Rock Ponies (36 pts.): (B. Calhoun, B. Calhoun, R. Horn, S. Lowe, R. Whitehair)  

3rd Zebras (34 pts.): (H. Burnett, J. Emblin, B. York, K. York)

4th Commandos (21 pts.): (S. Bush, K. Goncharoff, H. Griffin, J. Miller, E. Steele)

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A Final

1st USA Blue (59 pts.): (A. Bertilson, C. Greiling, S. Greiling, A. Lough, M. St. Angelo)

2nd USA White (49 pts.): (K. Caddel, J. Hoke, M. Lough, L. Montgomery, J. Straub)

3rd Australia  (48 pts.): (K. Hartog, S. MaCallum, K. MaCallum, C. Mosey, S, Thompson Coach: R. Bennet)

4th Road Runners (41pts.): (A. Fields, C. Mulks, H. Textor, K. Trudgeon, M. Trudgeon Coach: J. Foreman)

5th USA Red (27 pts.): (V. Brown, K. Edwards, J. McCready, E. Schmitt, A. Wildfong)

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B Final

1st USA Stripes (62 pts.): (M. Clay, T. Leonard, T. Malm, R. Vit, K. Wilson)

2nd Punk Rock Ponies (51 pts.): (B. Calhoun, B. Calhoun, R. Horn, S. Lowe, R. Whitehair)

3rd Cowboys  (50 pts.): ( J. Couch, M. Durward, J. Mcvitte, A. Pascoe, L. Pascoe)

4th Hot Ice (37 pts.): (L. Beckwith, T. Berg, A. Clay, T. Rumba, J. Voss)

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C Final

1st Wild Things (61 pts.):  (M. Carr, K. Homra, A. Schmitt, K. Schmitt, N. Schmitt)

2nd Security (58 pts.): (M. Clements, S. Gholson, L. Griffin, J. Hamrick, L. Harmon)

3rd Hot Pursuit (43 pts.): (K.Cabaniss, S. Kickbush, A. Kunst, K. Nicopoulos, D. Sargent)

4th Stars (42 pts.): (J. Kissiel, K. Kuhl, N. Persinger, C. Reilly, K. Wilson)

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D Final

1st Canada Black (56 pts.): (M. Bodnar, K. Durward, R. Kern)

2nd Psychos (42 pts.): (C. Foreman, J. Porter, B. Reed, C. Reed, J. Reed)

3rd Commandos (41 pts.): (S. Bush, K. Goncharoff, H. Griffin, J. Miller, E. Steele)

Hors Concurs Zebras (67 pts.): (J. Emblin, S. Warne, B. York, K. York) 

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For-Ever Young Divsion

Session 1 Heat 1

1st Charlie's Angels (40 pts.): (C. Durward, C. Couch, M. Cruikshanks, B. Pascoe, B. Wray)

2nd Pinto Beans (23 pts.): (M. Boone, D. Meyer, R. Rapier, J. Straub)

3rd Mummies (21 pts.): (A. Brandt, J. Gholson, C. Homra, H. Schmitt, S. Walker)

4th Fall Off A Lots (9 pts.): (C. Edwards, K. Niblack, J. Simon, C. Stokes)

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Session 1 Heat 2

1st Nags (38 pts.): (M. Lalonde, G. McBride, M. McCulligh, T. Vieweg, B. Wilton)

2nd Devils (22 pts.): (R. Couch, D. Davis, P. Nauta, A. O'Handly, D. Pascoe)

3rd Zippy Chickies (22 pts.): (C. Bertilson, D. Bush, L. Goncharoff, D. McCready)

4th Lemmings (16 pts.): (E. Benson, S. Osborn, D. Phillips, L. Phillips)

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Session 2 Heat 1

1st Charlie's Angels (33 pts.): (C. Durward, C. Couch, M. Cruikshanks, B. Pascoe, B. Wray)

2nd Zippy Chickies (25 pts.): (C. Bertilson, D. Bush, L. Goncharoff, D. McCready)

3rd  Lemmings (20 pts.): (E. Benson, S. Osborn, D. Phillips, L. Phillips)

4th Pinto Beans (17 pts.): (M. Boone, D. Meyer, R. Rapier, J. Straub)

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Session 2 Heat 2

1st Nags (45 pts.): (M. Lalonde, G. McBride, M. McCulligh, T. Vieweg, B. Wilton)

2nd  Fall Off A Lots (36 pts.): (C. Edwards, K. Niblack, J. Simon, C. Stokes)

3rd Devils (33 pts.): (R. Couch, D. Davis, P. Nauta, A. O'Handly, D. Pascoe)

4th Mummies (21 pts.): (A. Brandt, J. Gholson, C. Homra, H. Schmitt, S. Walker)

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A Final

1st Charlie's Angels (34 pts.): (C. Durward, C. Couch, M. Cruikshanks, B. Pascoe, B. Wray)

2nd Nags (28 pts.): (M. Lalonde, G. McBride, M. McCulligh, T. Vieweg, B. Wilton)

3rd Zippy Chickies (23 pts.): (C. Bertilson, D. Bush, L. Goncharoff, D. McCready)

4th Devils (22 pts.): (R. Couch, D. Davis, P. Nauta, A. O'Handly, D. Pascoe)

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B Final

1st Pinto Beans (35 pts.): (M. Boone, D. Meyer, R. Rapier, J. Straub)

2nd Mummies (33 pts.): (A. Brandt, J. Gholson, C. Homra, H. Schmitt, S. Walker)

3rd Lemmings (20 pts.): (E. Benson, S. Osborn, D. Phillips, L. Phillips)

4th Fall Off A Lots (16 pts.): (C. Edwards, K. Niblack, J. Simon, C. Stokes)

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Novice A

Session 1

1st Harry Potters (23 pts.): (A. Boone, A. Benson, D. Textor, H. Turnbull)

2nd Groovy Girls and Funky Ponies (18 pts.): (B. Alrich, C. Edwards, M. Niblack, L. Simon, E. Stokes)

3rd Central Ontario Rascals (15 pts.): (J. Cruikshanks, K. Nauta, M. Nauta, J. Stephanson)

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Session 2

1st Groovy Girls (14 pts.): (B. Alrich, C. Edwards, M. Niblack, L. Simon, E. Stokes)

2nd Harry Potters (13 pts.): (A. Boone, A. Benson, D. Textor, H. Turnbull)

3rd Central Ontario Rascals (11 pts.): (J. Cruikshanks, K. Nauta, M. Nauta, J. Stephanson)

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Final

1st  Central Ontario Rascals (18 pts.): (J. Cruikshanks, K. Nauta, M. Nauta, J. Stephanson)

2nd Harry Potters (14 pts.): (A. Boone, A. Benson, D. Textor, H. Turnbull)

3rd Groovy Girls (13 pts.): (B. Alrich, C. Edwards, M. Niblack, L. Simon, E. Stokes)

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Novice B

Session 1

1st Midnight Riders (35 pts.): (H. Bailey, C. Gilman, S. Pogue, H. Rhoades, C. Sullivan)

2nd Side Winders (35 pts.): (G. Bebensee, G. Briand, M. Cooper, M. Crikshanks, S. Cruikshanks)

3rd Baby Beepers (34 pts.): (C. Benson, K. Osborne, S. Redmond, N. Simon)

4th Leaping Lizards (33 pts.): (C. Boone, H. Dunham, B. Goncharoff, S. Holmes, D. Johnson)

5th Piranha Ponies (11pts.): (K. Elswick, L. Griffin, M. Griffin, B. Sanderson)

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Session 2

1st Side Winders (37 pts.): (G. Bebensee, G. Briand, M. Cooper, M. Crikshanks, S. Cruikshanks)

2nd Leaping Lizards (37 pts.): (C. Boone, H. Dunham, B. Goncharoff, S. Holmes, D. Johnson)

3rd (33 pts.): (H. Bailey, C. Gilman, S. Pogue, H. Rhoades, C. Sullivan)

4th Baby Beepers (29 pts.): (C. Benson, K. Osborne, S. Redmond, N. Simon)

5th Piranha Ponies (13 pts.): (K. Elswick, L. Griffin, M. Griffin, B. Sanderson)

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Final

1st Side Winders (44 pts.): (G. Bebensee, G. Briand, M. Cooper, M. Crikshanks, S. Cruikshanks)

2nd Leaping Lizards (40 pts.): (C. Boone, H. Dunham, B. Goncharoff, S. Holmes, D. Johnson)

3rd Midnight Riders (33 pts.): (H. Bailey, C. Gilman, S. Pogue, H. Rhoades, C. Sullivan)

4th Baby Beepers (33 pts.): (C. Benson, K. Osborne, S. Redmond, N. Simon)

5th Piranha Ponies (12 pts.): (K. Elswick, L. Griffin, M. Griffin, B. Sanderson)

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United States Equestrian Games Association/United States Mounted Games Association            
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Last updated: January 23, 2003.