| DUBAI,
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES-December 10, 1998-The United States Equestrian
Team's Valerie Kanavy of Fort Valley, VA won the World Championship
of Endurance Riding for the second time, riding High Winds Jedi
to the Gold Medal in the seventh World Endurance Championship
held December 10 in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates.
 Kanavy and High Winds Jedi, whom she
owns with her husband Larry, finished with a time of 9:00:07
which included 2 hours and 30 minutes of holding time at four
rest stops within the 100-mile race. Placing second was Fausto
Fiorucci of Italy with a time of 9:00:12 riding Faris Jabar.
Coming in third was Daisuke Yasunaga of Japan on Natsu with
a time of 9:05:09.
"I
had to gallop the last quarter-mile to be sure I kept Fausto
behind me," Kanavy said. "That made the finish exciting
and the crowd loved it. It reminded me of my gallop to the
finish at The Hague."
Kanavy,
52, won the World Championship at The Hague, Holland in 1994
on Pieraz and then took the Silver Medal in 1996 in Junction
City, Kansas when she lost the Championship by one second
to her daughter, Danielle. Kanavy's win this year continues
a streak in which the World Championship Gold Medal has been
won by a U.S. rider every time since the biennial championship
was first held in 1986.
The
World Championship of Endurance Riding is a 100-mile race
with five mandatory veterinary inspections to ensure that
horses' heart and respiratory rates and temperatures are maintained
within safe limits. Horses must pass a final veterinary inspection
after the finish before medals are awarded so as not to reward
riders who push their horses too hard. Horses which do not
pass this final inspection are disqualified.
Visit
the USET Web Site to learn more about the sport of endurance
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