Tag Archives: Saumur CAIO4*

Driving, USEF

Weber Wins at Saumur CAIO4*, U.S. Team Finishes Third

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Saumur, France – Chester Weber took an early lead in Saumur on Friday, and when the cones phase of the CAIO4* ended on Sunday he’d turned that lead into a dominant victory. Weber (Ocala, Fla.) earned the individual Four-in-Hand win over 32 other drivers and was nearly eighteen points better than his closest competitor. That wide margin of victory helped lead the U.S. team to a third place finish in Nations Cup competition.

The U.S. team of Allison Stroud, Weber, and Misdee Wrigley-Miller, earned a Bronze placing and trailed only the Dutch team in first-place and the French team in second.

In the individual competition, Weber held a nine point lead when Sunday’s rides through the cones began. With only a single ball down on the course, for three additional penalty points and eighth-place in the phase, he more than guaranteed himself the overall win. When the final scores were tallied Weber finished with an impressive 129.25 and ended up well ahead of runner-up Theo Timmerman from The Netherlands. Timmerman’s 147.06 left him out of reach of Weber, but fractions of a point ahead of compatriot Koos de Ronde who finished in third with 147.99.

Weber has now won the 4* at Saumur two years in a row. In 2013 he won the CAI-A4* with an overall score of 128.5.

Stroud (West Grove, Pa.) finished 20th overall in the individual competition with a score of 199.28 and Wrigley-Miller (Lakewood Ranch, Fla.) ended the weekend in 26th with a 217.19.

In the Four-in-Hand Pony division, American Laurie Astegiano finished strong Sunday by winning the cones phase. She and her pony team were clear through the obstacles and amassed only 2.44 time penalties. Astegiano, who lives and trains in France, finished 4th overall with a 158.57 total score. Belgium’s Nathan Nijs won the division with a 144.40.

Get full results and learn more about the Saumur CAIO4* here: http://www.saumur.org/cai/accueil-gb.html.

Follow the U.S. Driving Team here.

Competitions, Driving

US Driving Team Still in Second, Weber Increases Individual Lead, after Marathon at Saumur CAIO4*

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Saumur, France – Saturday’s runs on the marathon course at the Saumur CAIO4* have helped the U.S. team hold onto second place and stay in position to earn a top finish in Nations Cup competition. Led by Chester Weber (Ocala, Fla.), who finished second in the Four-In-Hand division with a 93.34 score, the U.S. team has a total score of 307.6.

In the individual competition, Weber’s marathon performance has him one step closer to a repeat of his 2013 win. On a total score of 126.25, he now has a nearly nine point lead over second-placed Koos de Ronde of The Netherlands.

Weber’s compatriots and American team members Allison Stroud (West Grove, Pa) and Misdee Wrigley-Miller (Lakewood Ranch, Fla.) are in 21st and 22nd place, respectively, after the marathon. Stroud finished Saturday with a 133.16 score and Wrigley-Miller with 134.73.

The Netherlands leads the Nations Cup competition with a 279.1 score, and France is in third with 309.7.

In the Pony Team division American expat Laurie Astegiano (Roussac, France) holds steady in fourth place after a fourth-place finish in the marathon. Her overall score is now 156.13.

France’s Olivier Thiriez leads the pony team division two-thirds of the way through competition with a 134.38 score.

Get full results and learn more about the Saumur CAIO4* here: http://www.saumur.org/cai/accueil-gb.html.

Follow the U.S. Driving Team here.

Competitions, Dressage, Driving

US Second in Nations Cup Competition at Saumur CAIO4* Following Dressage

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All U.S. Competitors Drive into Top Six Individually

Saumur, France – The United States got off to a strong start at the Saumur CAIO4* driving to a second-place finish in the dressage in Nations Cup competition on a team score of 83.05. They stand 7/10s of a point behind the Dutch team heading into Saturday’s marathon. Additionally, all four American competitors drove into the top six individually following the dressage in their respective divisions. Posting the best score in the first phase in any division was 11-time National Champion Chester Weber on a score of 32.91.

Weber (Ocala, Fla.) holds more than a five point lead over second-placed Theo Timmerman of The Netherlands in Four-in-Hand competition heading into the marathon following his exemplary effort in the dressage. The 2012 FEI Four-in-Hand Driving World Championships Team Bronze and Silver Individual medalist is looking to score a repeat of his 2013 Saumur victory this weekend.

Lying fifth in the Four-in-Hand division after the first phase is the United States’ Misdee Wrigley-Miller (Lakewood Ranch, Fla.) on a score of 50.14. The 2014 Reserve National Champion is in her first year of driving a Four-in-Hand team and looks to impress this weekend in France.

Standing right behind Wrigley-Miller in sixth place is nine-time Pony Team National Champion Lisa Stroud of West Grove, Pa.  The driver, who is also competing in the Four-in-Hand Horse ranks for the first time in 2014, heads onto the marathon with a score of 50.26.

Laurie Astegiano (Roussac, France) is the sole U.S. representative in the Pony Team division and drove to a fourth-place finish on Thursday with a score of 58.24. The two-time World Championship Team Bronze medalist was the winner in Saumur in 2013 and is looking to claim back-to-back victories at the prestigious French competition.

Olivier Thiriez of France leads Pony Team competition following the dressage on a score of 47.79.

Learn more about the Saumur CAIO4* here: http://www.saumur.org/cai/accueil-gb.html.

Follow the U.S. Driving Team here.

Driving, USEF

US Eyes Victory at the Saumur CAIO4*

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Chester Weber on his way to a win in Saumur last year (Photo Courtesy of Chester Weber)

Saumur, France – The United States has fielded an exciting team for this week’s Saumur CAIO4*, which will run June 5-9, in Saumur, France. Chester Weber, Lisa Stroud, and Misdee Wrigley-Miller have their sights set on top Team and Individual placings in Four-in-Hand competition, while Laurie Astegiano will represent the U.S. as an Individual in the Pony Team division.

Weber (Ocala, Fla.) heads to Saumur on strong form after claiming victory at the Royal Windsor Horse Show two weeks ago. He will look to display the form that has earned him 11 National Four-in-Hand Titles, as well as multiple World Championship Team and Individual medals, over the weekend.

Stroud (West Grove, Penn.) has vast experience in the Pony Team ranks, having garnered nine National Titles and Team and Individual World Championship medals. In 2014, she has stepped up to the Four-in-Hand ranks and spent the last few months competing in Europe, contesting the Horst CAI3* and the Windsor CAI3*.

Wrigley-Miller (Lakewood Ranch, Fla.), the 2014 Four-in-Hand Reserve National Champion and 2012 USEF National Pairs Champion, also began driving in Four-in-Hand competition this year, having joined Weber and Stroud in Windsor two weeks ago.

Rounding out the U.S. effort in Saumur is Astegiano (Roussac, France), who was the winner of the Pony Team division at last year’s premier French driving competition. As she tries to earn a repeat victory, she will look to display the form that has earned her two Team Bronze medals at the World Championships.

Learn more about the Saumur CAIO4* here: http://www.saumur.org/cai/accueil-gb.html.

Follow the U.S. Driving Team here.