Reining Nation's Cup Canceled at the 2003 USET Festival of Champions

June 19, 2003 - In the first go in the draw for the USET Reining Championship, 2002 World Equestrian Games Team Gold Medallist, and individual Silver Medallist, Texan Tom McCutcheon on Terry S. Owens' Smartest Chick Olena were the leading scorers with a 222 as they go into the final championship round on Sunday.

The Nations Cup reining event, scheduled to start Thursday, was canceled when Great Britain dropped out at the last minute. That left only the U.S. and Canada, said Jamie Saults, USET's director of reining. Since FEI rules stipulate a minimum of three countries must compete, the USET tried to find another country to fill the slot. "But the other federations said it cost them more than they expected to compete at the World Equestrian Games and they didn't have enough money to send a team."