U.S. Para-Driving Team Clinches Bronze at 2014 FEI World Para-Equestrian Driving Championships
Press Release by:United States Driving for the Disabled (USDFD) adapted by Lindsay Y. McCall for the USPEA
Photographs by: Marie de Ronde-Oudemans and Patricia Kastama. More at www.facebook/usdfd
Sandringham, England– June 30, 2014- The 2014 FEI World Para-Equestrian Driving Championships concluded on June 29 at The Royal Estate in Sandringham, England. Germany held on to their overnight lead to take Team Gold, The Netherlands captured Silver, and the USA clinched Bronze with a mere 3.29 penalties behind The
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Veteran Robert Giles with his Silver medal at the closing ceremony of the 2014 FEI World Para-Equestrian Driving Championships June 27-29. Photos by Marie de Ronde-Oudemans and Patricia Kastama. More at www.facebook/usdfd
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Netherlands. Finally, Great Britain finished in fourth place. Individually, Veteran Robert Giles (USA) and Solo, owned by Koos and Marie de Ronde, won the Grade 2 Silver medal with Virginia (Boo) Fitch (USA) and her own Kiko earning the Grade 2 fourth place finish. Diane Kastama earned an 11th place in Grade I and Mary Gray earned a 10th place in Grade 2. Marie De Ronde served as Chef d’Equipe for the USA Team and Sara Schmitt served as coach.
The U.S. Para-Driving Team for the 2014 FEI World Para-Equestrian Driving Championships occurred June 27-29, with the three U.S. team members including Diane Kastama with her own Rupert, Virginia Fitch with her own Kiko, and Vietnam Veteran Bob Giles driving Koos De Ronde’s Solo. The first day included driven dressage, followed by the marathon & obstacles course, and the final day concluded with cones and the awards presentation.
It was the first time that these championships were hosted in England. Para-equestrian drivers from eight nations competed in a fiercely fought contest for world supremacy. Four of the nations, including the USA, fielded a team of at least three competitors required for the team awards; the other countries were represented by individual competitors. Individual medals are awarded by “Grade” which is a classification by the FEI according to level of disability (with Grade I being more severely disabled than Grade II). Sixty percent of the competitors were Grade I.
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USA Para-Driving Team (Left to Right) Virginia Fitch, Diane Kastama and Veteran Robert Giles at the closing ceremony of the 2014 FEI World Para-Equestrian Driving Championships June 27-29. Photos by Marie de Ronde-Oudemans and Patricia Kastama. More at www.facebook/usdfd
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United States Driving for the Disabled acknowledged, ” A heartfelt thanks go to Coach Sara Schmitt and Chef d’Equipe Marie de Ronde- Oudemans who each went above and beyond in their help to the team. We would also like to extend our utmost appreciation to all of the individuals and groups over the past many months who have given us their encouragement, backing and support. They have truly been the ones who have made this possible. Thank you all for being a part of this wonderful accomplishment.”
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| USA Team, Individuals, Coaches and support staff at the 2014 FEI World Para-Equestrian Driving Championships June 27-29. Photos by Marie de Ronde-Oudemans and Patricia Kastama. More at www.facebook/usdfd |
Results from the 2014 FEI World Para Equestrian Driving Championships:
1st Germany 227.07
2nd Netherlands 244.74
3rd USA 248.03
4th Great Britain 264.91
Grade I:
1st Jacques Poppen (Ned) 107.18
2nd Heiner Lehrter (Ger) 118.46
3rd Markus Beerhues (Ger) 124.25
4th Lucy Barclay (GBR) 131 73
Grade II:
1st Alexandra Roeder 111.61
2nd Robert Giles (USA) 125.21
3rd Mick Ward (GBR) 127.25
4th Virginia Fitch (USA) 131.82
Team Members for the 2014 FEI World Para Equestrian Driving Championships:
Diane Kastama Grade 1
Virginia (Boo) Fitch Grade 2
Vietnam Veteran Bob Giles Grade 2
Alternates
1st Alternate: Theresa (Ginny) Leal Grade 2
2nd Alternate: Mary Gray Grade 2
Representing the U.S. as an Individual at the 2014 FEI World Para Equestrian Driving Championships for Singles:
Mary Gray (Brunswick, Maine) will drive Nick Hammond’s Leyeswick the Rooster. Leyeswick the Rooster is a 2006 Welsh gelding.
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Veteran Robert Giles at the closing ceremony of the 2014 FEI World Para-Equestrian Driving Championships June 27-29. Photos by Marie de Ronde-Oudemans and Patricia Kastama. More at www.facebook/usdfd
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Team USA at the closing ceremony of the 2014 FEI World Para-Equestrian Driving Championships June 27-29. Photos by Marie de Ronde-Oudemans and Patricia Kastama. More at www.facebook/usdfd
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Team USA at the closing ceremony of the 2014 FEI World Para-Equestrian Driving Championships June 27-29. Photos by Marie de Ronde-Oudemans and Patricia Kastama. More at www.facebook/usdfd
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For further detailed scores see:
Additional news is at:
Germany holds overnight lead to take Team Gold at the 2014 Para-Equestrian World Championships
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2012 FEI Para-Equestrian Driving World Championships in Breda, the Netherlands. Driver is Diane Kastama, Horse is Ruby KWPN , Groom is Jody Cutler Picture taken by Marie de Ronde.
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About Diane Kastama: Diane Kastama, Arroyo Grande, CA Grade I. In 1991 a car crash left Diane paralyzed from the waist down. Although a lifelong horse person and dressage enthusiast, riding without the use of her legs was not much fun and she soon turned to driven dressage and then the exciting sport of combined driving. Her relatives and friends thought she was crazy for taking on a sport that involves sitting atop a tall carriage, pulled by a horse going “hell-bent” for speed.
Diane started competing with her home bred Appaloosa’s but now Diane competes with a pair of Section D Welsh Cobs, Rupert and George. She drives them single, pair and tandem. She competes against able-bodied drivers all over the Western United States and occasionally on the East Coast at the Intermediate and Advanced level. Diane has also demonstrated her skills at Rolex, KY, Horse Expo in Sacramento, the “Night of the Horse” in Del Mar. The Equine Affair and various therapeutic horse programs throughout California. She has also participated in the closing ceremonies at the 2006 World Equestrian Games in Aachen, Germany. Diane is always willing to share her skills and knowledge and bring driving to the forefront of equine sports. Diane has been very succesful in international Para-Equestrian competition, coming home with an Individual Silver and Team Bronze driving a borrowed Welsh Cob Stallion in 2002 Greven, Germany. 2004 she place 5th with a borrowed Welsh cob in Endinburg, Scotland. In 2006 she came home with Individual Gold driving her own Welsh cob gelding Jasper. In 2008 Diane earned Individual Bronze and Team Silver driving Jasper once again. Kastama will drive Rupert at the Championships who is a 1996 Welsh Cob gelding.
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Vietnam War Veteran and Purple Heart recipient Bob Giles. Photo courtesy of Brenda Giles
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About Bob Giles: Bob Giles (Morriston, Fla.) is a well known driving horse trainer and clinician who has dedicated his life to the sport of driving. His selection to the USEF Para-Equestrian Driving Team is a dream come true for this accomplished competitor, Vietnam War veteran, and Purple Heart recipient.
Giles was in combat within the the Vietnam War resulting  in the loss of 90% of his hearing, a fused elbow and only partial use of his right hand. As a combat-wounded Purple Heart recipient, Bob is dedicating his drive to the memory of the 58,000 + men and women who lost their lives in the Vietnam War.
Giles enthusiasm and determination for the thrilling sport of Combined Driving has driven him to the 2014 World Driving Championships in Sandringham, England, June 27-29, 2014. Giles will drive Koos De Ronde’s Solo and Olando.
About Virgina (Boo) Fitch: Virginia (Boo) Fitch is from Pennhook, Va. Fitch grew up fox hunting and showing hunters. She attended Lynchburg College and rode on their intercollegiate riding team as well as the Old Dominion Athletic Conference Team. After graduating, she rode jumpers
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| Virginia (Boo) Fitch |
for a prominent family in Quebec Canada. It was during this time that Fitch developed Rheumatoid Arthritis. It came on suddenly and strongly. Within two years she had a hip replacement at the age of 26. By the year 2000, she was having considerable problems with her feet and ankles and it just so happened that she owned a school horse that drove and had a good friend that competed in Combined Driving. Between the safe horse and her friend she started driving and loved it. After five surgeries and three joint replacements over the course of 10 years from 2000 to 2010, teaching children just became too difficult and she was finding herself competing in Combined driving more often. Fitch has become a prominent competitor in the para-equestrian driving world and she looks forward to her recent appointment as a member of the 2014 Team. Fitch will drive Kiko, a 2003 Irish Sport Horse Mare at the Championships.
For more information about United States Driving for the Disabled please go to www.USDFD.org.
USDFD facebook site https://www.facebook.com/USDFD
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