Gunner Wins Intervet/USET Reining Semi-Finals

Gladstone, New Jersey—Bryant Pace of Hasbrouck Heights, NJ and Gunner, owned by Debra Sloan of Newfoundland, NJ, won the 2002 Intervet/U.S. Equestrian Team (USET) Semi-Finals for the USET Reining Championship presented by Bayer.  The Semi-Finals were held during the National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) Derby.

The quintessential show horse, Gunner was “on” for an appreciative Oklahoma State Fairgrounds crowd. To the cheers of the crowd, the distinctive American Paint Horse stallion exhibited his trademark stops and spins and marked a 225.5 to win the event and $6,080.

Gunner was the 1996 NRHA Futurity Reserve Champion, the 1998 National Reining Breeders Classic Reserve Champion and the 2001 USET Reining Champion.  With over $165,000 in winnings, he is the second highest money earner in NRHA history.  He was selected by the USET as the 2002 USET Breyer model horse.

According to Pace, the popular stallion was brought back from an intended retirement in order to compete in the qualifying events and a chance to ride on the USET World Championship squad at the World Equestrian Games in Jerez, Spain.

The Reserve Championship of the Intervet Semi-Finals ended in a tie between Pete Kyle on Chexys Doctor Pepper, owned by Art and Carol Hurt and Darren Stancik on Chocolate Chic Olena owned by Carter Smith. Both scored 224.5 to win $4,864.

The top twenty riders in the Intervet Semi-Finals advance to the $75,000 added USET Reining Championship, Presented by Bayer at the 2002 Bayer/USET Festival of Champions, presented by State Line Tack, June 20-23, in Gladstone, NJ.

The United States Equestrian Team is a non-profit organization that selects, trains, equips and finances equestrians of the highest possible standard to represent our country in major international competition, including the Olympic Games and the World Championships. To accomplish this, the USET seeks out and nurtures the development of talented athletes - riders, drivers, vaulters and horses - and provides the support and guidance they need to help them attain their fullest potential.  For more information on the USET, please call (908) 234-1251, or visit USET ONLINE at www.uset.org.

 

 

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USET semifinals winner Gunner with owners Kim & Debra Sloan & rider Bryant Pace