Jerez de la Frontera – September 21, 2002 – With a total score of 657.5, Team USA took the Gold Medal in the Reining Competition held for the first time in the history of the World Equestrian Games.

The team of Tom McCutheon, Shawn Flarida, Scott McCutcheon, Craig Schmersal and Craig Johnson was heavily favored throughout, and swept both rounds of competition. The Silver Medal went to Team Canada with a total score of 650. Rounding out the Medal winners was Team Italy, scoring 646.

Shawn Flarida rode San Jo Freckles, a 6-year-old American Quarter Horse Association sorrel stallion owned by Mike Harper to score 221.5, the top marking of the event, earning the individual Gold Medal.

It took a run off to determine the Silver and Bronze individual medal winners. Tom McCutcheon rode George Shifrin’s Conquistador Whiz to a score of 219 to tie with Team Canada's Shawna Sapergia on Pretty Much Eagle. In the run off McCutcheon repeated his 219 and took home the individual Silver Medal. Sapergia scored a 216 and earned the Bronze.

The breathtaking awards presentation saw HRH La Infanta Doña Pilar de Borbon presenting the Gold Medals to the winners and the special plaques to the grooms and was assisted in the presentation by Antonio Ortiz, Director of Jerez 2002. The medal winners will attend the WEG Press Conference at 4 pm this afternoon.

The reining competition held during the WEG was made possible thanks to the sponsorship of Classic S Ranch, Germany, and was managed by the American Quarter Horse Association and the National Reining Horse Association.

The National Reining Horse Association is the worldwide governing body of reining, responsible for promoting the sport, working to insure the highest standards of competition. With corporate support from Cinch, Sundowner Trailers, Saddlesmith, Profile Nutrition, Horse & Rider magazine, Markel Insurance, Pfizer Animal Health, Quarter Horse News, Kiser Arena Specialists, State Line Tack, nrha.reiningnet.com and Classic Equine the NRHA continues to educate its members and the public about reining. For information on the NRHA visit the web site at www.nrha.com or call 405-946-7400.