Severson Continues to Dominate at 2003 Over the Walls Horse Trials

Hardwick, MA—August 2, 2003—Kimberly Severson of Scottsville, VA, continues to dominate the competition for the National Advanced Horse Trials Championship following cross-country on Saturday, August 2, at the Over the Walls Horse Trials at Great Meadowbrook Farm in Hardwick, MA.

Posting one of 18 clear jumping rounds over the cross-country course designed by Olympic Gold Medalist Torrance Watkins, Severson earned 4.0 time penalties aboard Royal Venture, a 12-year-old Thoroughbred gelding, owned by Plain Dealing Farm, Inc., giving her a two-phase total of 26.92 penalty points.

The 2003 Over the Walls Horse Trials also hosts seven other Advanced, Preliminary and Young Rider divisions. Following cross-country, Severson remains in first place with a score of 26.57 penalties in the Advanced Division 1 competition riding her 2002 World Equestrian Games team Gold Medal mount Winsome Adante. Australian Phillip Dutton and Dusky Moon, last year’s Advanced Division 2 winners, currently sit atop the standings in that Division with 30.42 penalties, and Olympic veteran Karen O’Connor leads the field in the Advanced Division 3 competition aboard Grand Slam with 41.95 penalty points.

2001 Over the Walls Champion Darren Chiacchia continues to top the competition in Preliminary Division 1. Charlotte Merle-Smith took over the lead in Preliminary Division 2, and Carol Kozlowski remains in first place in Preliminary Division 3. Andrina Calder and Herz Prinz also remain at the top of the standings in the Young Rider Division.

World-class equestrian competition at Over the Walls concludes Sunday, August 3. Exciting show jumping action on Sunday comprises the competition’s third and final phase and begins at 8:00 a.m.

In addition to witnessing top-level horses and riders galloping over green fields overlooking the pristine Central Massachusetts Town of Hardwick, spectators at the 2003 Over the Walls Horse Trials can enjoy shopping at the event’s trade fair. Vendors will be on hand, offering gifts for home, people, and pets, horse supplies, tack and equipment, and everything for the horse enthusiast.

The Over the Walls Horse Trials is open to the public with free admission and a parking charge of $5.00 per carload, which benefits Windrush Farm Therapeutic Riding, Inc. and includes a horse show program.

For more information, please visit the Over the Walls website at www.overthewalls.com.

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