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Babington
Shows Olympian Mettle In Sunshine State
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US-based
Kevin Babington, shortlisted for the Irish Olympic show jumping
squad, drew first blood of 2004 at Wellington, Florida tonight (Sunday)
with a $22,500 win on the Irish-bred <Carling King>.
Competing
in the hotly-contested $75,000 PDP Capital Masters Cup Grand Prix
against America's top riders and horses, the Carrick-on-Suir man
was one of just two riders from a field of 50 to go through to the
jump-off.
He
said immediately after the win: < I was second to go in the jump-off,
and when Kimberley Frey ran up 16 faults I knew all I had to do
was be careful and I would take first place. I was so careful that
I incurred three time faults, but had just one fence down on what
was a very difficult track. That was enough to do the job. I am
delighted
with Carling King, and am really looking forward to getting a chance
to show our form at Athens.>
Babington
is one of five riders short-listed by the Irish International Selectors
for the Olympic team, the others being Billy Twomey, Cian O'Connor,
Robert Splaine and Peter Charles.
SHOW JUMPING RESULT: CSI** WELLINGTON FLORIDA, USA
PDP
Capital Masters Cup
$75,000 Grand Prix
Sunday February 29, 2004
1)
CARLING KING: Kevin Babington (IRL) Faults 0/7 Time 62.09
2) MARLOU: Kimberley Frey (USA) Faults 0/16 Time 67.45
3) SUN GOD; Anne Kursinkski (USA) Faults 1/-
50
starters
http://www.horsesport.ie
.
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