Buffalo, NY– May 6, 2003 - Darren Chiacchia of Buffalo, NY, earned the 2003 United States Equestrian Team (USET) Three-Star Spring Championship title with a fantastic finish at the CCI*** Fox Hall Three Day Event held April 17-20 outside of Atlanta, GA.

From a starting field of 90 horse-rider combinations, Chiacchia was the highest placed American competitor riding Windfall, an 11-year-old black Trakhener stallion owned by Dr. Timothy Holekamp. With a score of 48.8 penalty points following the opening phase of competition, dressage, Chiacchia was able to maintain his position after adding just 5.2 time penalties to his score following cross-country, and 11 penalty points during the third and final phase of stadium jumping.

“I had to fight for the Championship from beginning to end!” said Chiacchia. “There is always a certain amount of pressure when you are competing for a National Championship title, not to mention the fact that it was also the first U.S. qualifying event for the Olympic Games and the major selection trials for the Pan American Games. Add that to the fact that I am riding and competing with a stallion whose success in the competition arena is directly related to his success in the breeding world.”

The results from the CCI*** Fox Hall Three Day Event will be used to determine the United States representatives for the 2003 Pan American Championships, also held at the same level of difficulty. Chiacchia successfully represented the United States at the 2002 World Equestrian Games in Jerez, Spain, last September and was also the traveling alternate for the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia.

In preparatory events prior to the CCI*** Fox Hall Three Day Event, Chiacchia and Windfall experienced great success. In March, the pair won their advanced division at the Pine Top Farm Horse Trials in Thomson, GA, and placed second at the advanced level at the Poplar Place Farm Horse Trials in Hamilton, GA. At the CIC*** Red Hills Horse Trials held March 7-9 in Tallahassee, FL, Chiacchia and Windfall finished second.

“The USET Championship title is a great addition to his already stellar spring season,” said Chiacchia of the stallion who was imported from Germany in 2000. “Forging a partnership with a horse always takes time and when that horse is a stallion, you can times it by three! Mixing two jobs, competing and breeding, asks a lot of the horse, but our partnership has really developed. I am really looking forward to the Pan American Championships.”

Highlights of Chiacchia and Windfall’s 2002 season included a second place finish in the advanced division at the Rocking Horse Spring Horse Trials in Altoona, FL, followed by a strong fifth place finish from a 65-horse starting field at the CCI*** Fair Hill International Three Day Event in Elkton, MD. As a result, the United States Eventing Association (USEA) ranked Chiacchia the number five rider in the country while Windfall was ranked fifth overall in the Horse of the Year rankings.

A leading eventing sire, Windfall is by the sire, Habicht, and out of the Elite mare, Wundermädel xx. Dr. Holekamp who, along with his wife, Cheryl, owns and operates New Spring Farm in Columbia, MO, a leading producer of top German Trakehner bloodlines, imported the spectacular stallion to the United States in 2000. Prior to his purchase, Windfall trained and competed under well-known eventing and dressage competitor, Ingrid Klimke of Germany. While Windfall's former owner, the Hörstein stud, has been granted the rights to be the exclusive agent of frozen semen within Europe, New Spring Farm is the provider of frozen semen to North America, Great Britain and the rest of the world.

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, Antares custom saddles, Equiscreen flyspray, NowPac, and Buffalo Games.

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