DressageDaily: Sue Blinks Leads USET WEG Dressage Selection Trials

Saturday June 1, 2002

Sue Blinks Leads the USET WEG Dressage Selection Trials

Sue Blinks Sue Blinks is the leader of the United States Equestrian Team (USET) World Equestrian Games (WEG) Dressage Selection Trials after the first day of competition at the USET Headquarters and Olympic Training Center in Gladstone, NJ. Blinks and Flim Flam, owned by Fritz Kundrun and Dressage Sponsor Corporation, won the Grand Prix class with a score of 1798 and 71.920% to edge out Guenter Seidel and Nikolaus 7, owned by Dick and Jane Brown, for second with 1761 and 70.440%. Third place went to Christine Traurig with Etienne, owned by Kelly Trierweiler with a score of 1711 and 68.440%. Blinks was 11th in the order out of 13, but the wait seemed to benefit the pair.

"I am really, really pleased with our test," said Blinks. "He was totally with me in the ring, more than ever." It's a remarkable thing, he knows his job and still likes his job."

The Trials, which also serve as the 2002 USET Grand Prix Championship, continues on Sunday, June 2nd and concludes the following weekend. The first day of competition consisted of a Grand Prix to count for 30% of riders' overall selection trial and Grand Prix Championship scores. On June 2 the Grand Prix Special is scheduled and will count for 25%. There will be a second Grand Prix on June 8, again to count for 30%. The final competition, on June 9, will be the Grand Prix Freestyle, which will count for the remaining 15% of riders' scores.

Lisa Wilcox, on Relevant, who qualified for the Selection Trials with an average score of 73.145% currently lives and trains in Germany, has elected not to come to the trials and has chosen to qualify at events in Europe, consistent with the selection procedures.

Following the trials, up to six horse-and-rider combinations will then travel to Europe for further selection trials to determine the final team for the WEG. The final team will consist of four riders and one alternate.