Buffalo, New York – October 29, 2003 - Darren Chiacchia of Buffalo, NY, claimed the Individual Gold Medal at the 2003 Pan American Eventing Championships held October 22-26, at Fair Hill, Maryland.

Riding Windfall 2, Chiacchia took the early lead in the opening day of competition by posting the top score in Friday’s dressage phase and followed up with a strong performance in the demanding cross-country phase held Saturday. On Sunday, Chiacchia was the only American rider and one of only two riders in the entire competition to enjoy a penalty-free stadium jumping phase. Chiacchia’s final three day total of 52.4 penalty points earned him the Individual Gold Medal.

“It is amazing, it hasn’t totally set in yet,” said Chiacchia, 39. “The importance of an individual medal for your country is huge.”

Chiacchia was riding Windfall 2, an 11-year-old black Trakhener stallion owned by Dr. Timothy Holekamp. The Individual Pan Am Gold Medal follows a victory in April where the pair topped a 90-horse starting field to win the 2003 United States Equestrian Team (USET) Three-Star Spring Championship title at the CCI*** Foxhall Three Day Event held outside of Atlanta, GA.

“The greatest thing is that this horse continues to prove his ability to compete on the international scene,” noted Chiacchia. “We had our sights set on an individual medal and focused on a plan of attack leading up to the Championships in terms of the training. It played out beautifully. You can’t write a better script than what reality can give you.”

With his Individual Gold Medal performance, Chiacchia has now qualified Windfall 2 for the 2004 Olympic Games to be held next August in Athens, Greece. In 2000, Chiacchia was the traveling alternate for the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia, before successfully representing the United States at the 2002 World Equestrian Games in Jerez, Spain.

Television coverage of the Pan American Eventing Championships at Fair Hill will air Sunday, November 2 at 5 p.m. EST on the Outdoor Life Network (OLN).

Similar to a triathlon, three day eventing is an equestrian sport where horse-rider combinations compete in three distinct phases – dressage, cross-country and stadium jumping, held over three consecutive days. As three day eventing was not included in the Pan American Games programme in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, the Pan American Championships were organized in conjunction with the annual CCI*** Fair Hill International Three Day Event in Fair Hill, Maryland. Twenty-six horse-rider combinations representing Argentina, Bermuda, Brazil, Canada, Mexico and the United States contested the Pan American Eventing Championships division.

Chiacchia, who operates Independence Farm, divides the year between his training facilities in Ocala, FL, and Springville, NY, just outside of Buffalo. In addition to operating one of the country’s top breeding, training and sales barns, Chiacchia is committed to the improvement of the sport and volunteers his expertise as the Chair of the USEA’s Events Rating Task Force, the USEA’s Area Rider Representative Committee and is also actively involved with the USEA’s Instructors Certification Program. As an instructor, Chaicchia has been extremely successful working with the next generation of three day eventing riders, coaching talented junior and young riders to numerous victories.

Chiacchia’s impressive international career has garnered him support from such major sponsors as Purina Mills, Merial (GastroGard), FarmVet.com, Sundowner horse trailers, Tally Ho Ltd. riding apparel, Charles Owen, Antares custom saddles, Equuskreen flyspray, NowPac, and Buffalo Games.

For further information on Chiacchia and Independence Farm, please visit www.eventrider.com.