Gladstone, NJ-June 2, 1998

The United States Equestrian Team (USET) has named event rider Bruce Davidson of Unionville, PA as USET Athlete of the Month for May 1998.

A two-time World Champion and five-time U.S. Olympic veteran, Davidson won the award for placing third at the 49th Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials CCI****, the world's most prestigious eventing competition. Davidson rode George Strawbridge's Eagle Lion, the same horse on which he won the Championship at Badminton in 1995.

Davidson was 11th out of 79 starters in the dressage phase. Davidson's 13-year-old, Irish-bred gelding fairly flew around the cross-country course, jumping with confidence and an economy of effort, to produce a clear round and move up to fourth place. Eagle Lion then jumped clear within the time allowed in the show jumping and moved up to third when Tina Gifford of Great Britain, daughter of the well- known steeplechase trainer, Josh Gifford, had a rail down to drop to 6th place. Eagle Lion was the winner of the Special Prize and Rosette for the highest placed horse sired by a National Light Horse Breeding Society stallion.

Davidson said of Eagle Lion, "He was a good boy. He couldn't have gone any better. It truly is a privilege for me to ride this horse. He keeps getting greater and greater." Each month in an effort to recognize and reward stellar achievements, acts of enrichment, or meritorious participation by USET athletes, the USET proudly honors its athletes with the USET Athlete of the Month program.