Severson and Chiacchia Prime Candidates for AthensLexington, KY Text and Photos by Amber Heintzberger

Darren Chiacchia and Windfall have been on a steady winning streak all year and they finished the spring with the ultimate win: The Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event. Competing in the Modified section, Windfall and Chiacchia were placed second going into show jumping but even with one rail down, they easily took the lead when Nathalie Bouckaert and West Farthing collected 12 jumping and six time penalties on course.

Bouckaert had an awe-inspiring cross-country ride yesterday, cruising around the course as if she hadn't a care in the world, despite the fact that at age 23 she was in the lead at the United States' most prestigious equestrian event. But today the pressure caught up with her and, trying her hardest, she held him back too much and in a heartbreaking moment, West Farthing refused at the first fence on course. Bouckaert took a deep breath and collected herself, but the rail fell at fence four. She overcompensated at the Liverpool and rode too forward, and the gelding's hind legs brought the rail down.

Third-placed Amy Tryon and My Beau had two rails down, as did Stephen Bradley and Froem, in fourth.

Phillip Dutton and Bruce Duchussois' Hannigan kept their cool for a double clear round that launched them from seventh after cross-country into a final second place. John Williams and Carrick, having moved up to fifth from sixth after cross-country, had one rails down but easily claimed third place with the other top competitors racked up the penalties.

The weather was unexpectedly clear with only intermittent showers, despite predictions for late afternoon thunderstorms. As the day went on even the sloppy footing began to dry out.

Midway through the day the crowd was entertained with a Pony Club presentation of the flags representing all of the countries competing at the event, a driving demonstration, and an emotional retirement ceremony for David O'Connor's longtime partner Custom Made.

In the afternoon the competition resumed with the prestigious CCI**** competition. Having placed second at Foxhall last weekend, Kim Severson was on form to claim first prize: $60,000 prize money, a new Rolex watch for her collection, and an extensive list of prizes.

Tension built in the stadium as the end of the competition grew near. Courting Danger and David O'Connor had a rail in hand and spent it at the second fence on course. Then the rails kept falling, and their 16 jumping penalties dropped them to ninth place. Julie Richards on Jacob Two Two moved into fifth (56.6).

William Fox-Pitt on Ballincoola (47.4) also had a rail in hand but the 35-year-old British rider had a smooth and fault-free round on 10-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding owned by Judith Skinner and Michael King, hanging on to the top ten placing that he worked so hard for yesterday. Fox-Pitt was the highest placing foreign rider. Polly Jackson on Limestone Rise was close behind in sixth. The highest placing Canadian rider was Stuart Black on Fleeceworks Blackout, a horse that was purchased only weeks ago from Kelli McMullen-Temple.

Lufkin wasn't about to let $25,000 prize money slip away and she and Kildonan Tug performed a foot perfect round to stay in third place. "What's so fabulous at three-day is the range of emotions," she later commented. "The nerves, the adrenaline, the disappointments and the happiness."

Phillip Dutton entered the ring for the final time this weekend on Shannon Stinson's Nova Top (43.0) and the little chestnut gelding jumped like dynamite proving to the Olympic Selectors visiting from Australia that he deserves a second look. For the second time today, Dutton collected a red ribbon to add to his ever-growing collection of awards, not to mention a check for $30,000 prize money.

"He's the kind of horse that you don't just fall in love with but if he keeps doing what he's doing he'll grow on me, I tell you," said Dutton with wry humor.

Kim Severson had been in this position before but it didn't lessen the pressure as she entered the ring in first place on Winsome Adante (37.0), not only a win at the event, but her qualification for Athens on the line. Splashing around the muddy course, Severson took all the corners as tight as safely could, wasting no time and jumping a clear and fast round on Linda Wachtmeister's English Thoroughbred gelding to finish impressively on her dressage score and claim her second Rolex CCI**** victory.

Winsome Adante, known as "Dan", has already represented the US at the 2002 World Equestrian Games and it looks like he may add the Olympic Games to his resume along with his 30-year-old rider. The pair has already won at Pine Top (GA) this year and was second at Over the Walls (MA) and their talent should keep them at the top.

Neither Severson nor Chiacchia would comment on their chances of going to Athens. The common approach is to keep on training and hope for the horse to stay fit and sound.

The voice of experience, Severson said, "I've been in this situation before and things didn't work out so it's way too soon to tell." Despite recent time off, Severson did say that she felt more connected with her horse than ever before.