Shelburne, VT - Team Morgan 2012 is the proud gold medal winner at this year's international equitation competition, which took place July 4-7 at the Bluegrass Morgan Classic Horse Show in Lexington, Kentucky. Team USA competed against an equestrian team from South Africa. 

This year's competition was different than in years past in that it consisted of three disciplines: saddle seat, hunter seat, and driving. Amanda DuPont, Gerry Rushton, and Karen Homer Brown comprised the three-member judging panel.

Representing Team Morgan 2012 were Lauren Bruss of Columbus, Ohio; Gaetana D'Alesio-Spina of Mendon, Massachusetts; Lauren Foy of Kingston, New Hampshire; Sascha Mills of Goldsby, Oklahoma; Kendra Peeples of Oxford, New Jersey; and Ellery Walker of Marshall, Michigan. Suzanne Habarek of Broadalbin, New York, served as the Team coach, and Carolyn Sebring of Richmond, Massachusetts, was assistant coach.

The top three individual awards in each discipline are as follows:

 

Hunter Seat on the Flat: 1. Lauren Bruss, USA; 2. Kendra Peeples, USA; 3. Sascha Mills, USA

Saddle Seat: 1. Linda Meintjes, SA; 2. Sascha Mills, USA; 3. Lauren Bruss, USA

Pleasure Driving: 1. Gaetana D'Alesio-Spina, USA; 2. Linda Meintjes, SA; 3. Dedre Cloete, SA

Overall Individual Awards: 1. Lauren Bruss, USA; 2. Sascha Mills, USA

 

Before presenting the team awards, each team has selected one member of the opposing team that exhibited outstanding sportsmanship and ambassadorship. Team South Africa recognized on USA Team, Sascha Mills; and Team USA recognized Johannes Schutte on Team SA. 

AMHA would like to thank those who donated horses as well as the many sponsors and supported this event and made it possible.