Sunday, June 9, 2002

Week Two Of USET Dressage Selection Trials

Guenter Seidel Closer to Another USET Team Spot- page 3

Guenter Seidel, 42, of Del Mar, California, who has been competing two of Dick and Jane Brown’s horses each day of the Trials, is in close rivalry to be selected as one of the top six who will go on to vie for the final team of four to represent the United States in Jerez. Seidel remains in seventh place with his 2000 Olympic mount, the 15-year-old Dutch gelding Foltaire, while his obvious contender is Nikolaus 7, a 17.1-hand, 13-year-old Westphalian gelding.

In overall percentages, with the lead that McDonald has (60.086%) and Blinks close behind her (59.626%), it will be extremely competitive for a berth on the team between Seidel (59.530%), Traurig (58.230%), Stephen Peters and Grandeur (56.856%), and Betsy Steiner and Rainier (56.466%), factoring in that German-based Lisa Wilcox is likely to take one of the six slots on the short list.

“I’m not that concerned [about close scores],” Seidel said about his ride today. “I just wanted to have a good ride more than anything.” Seidel blamed himself for his third place finish and drop in the rankings, calling his ride “disappointing.”

“It was me, my bad riding,” he said. “I needed to push it and I didn’t do it. He was sleeping through the test.” Seidel said he didn’t know how to account for that, but noted, “I’m not that familiar with him. I’m used to just giving him a little spur or a cluck and he’d do it, but it didn’t happen today.”