The United States Equestrian Team (USET) has named show jumper Peter Leone of Greenwich, CT as USET Athlete of the Month for November 1998. Shown here with Lionshare Farm's Crown Royal Legato where he competed for The United States at The 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games.

Leone won the award for riding Lionshare Farm's Crown Royal Legato to win the $50,000 Budweiser Grand Prix of New York at the 115th National Horse Show in Madison Square Garden. A World Cup Qualifying event, the class included an international field with riders from Canada, France, The Netherlands and the U.S.

Leone was one of three riders to make it to the jump-off after finishing the first round with no penalties. Leone was the last to ride and brought the crowd to its feet when he and Crown Royal Legato beat two fast rounds and edged the USET's Eric Hasbrouck of Bedford, NY and Trelawny Farm's Miss Fio out by six tenths of a second to win first prize. Jan Tops of The Netherlands was third on Operette La Silla.

Leone's win in New York followed his impressive performance in Washington, DC on October 25th where he won the prestigious $50,000 President's Cup Grand Prix. Outstanding successes like these have been part of Leone's life on the grand prix circuit for almost two decades. When only 20 years old, he won the International Jumping Derby in Newport, Rhode Island, then regarded as the most challenging show jumping event in the nation. Leone has represented the United States Equestrian Team in international competition many times including in 1982 when he helped the United States finish fourth in the World Championships in Dublin, Ireland and 1996 when he and Crown Royal Legato were part of the USET's Silver Medal team at the Centennial Olympic Games in Atlanta.

Peter is the middle of the three brothers who have ridden as Team Leone. A graduate of Drew University, Peter lives in Connecticut with his wife Marcella and their two children, Christina and Peter.

Each month, in an effort to recognize and reward stellar achievements, acts of enrichment, or meritorious participation by USET athletes, no matter which discipline (Driving, Show Jumping, Dressage, Eventing, Endurance or Cosequin/Reining) the USET has proudly instituted the Athlete of the Month program.