USET Foundation Awards Buck Davidson with Pinnacle Cup Trophy at Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event CCI****
Equestrian News Release

Lexington, KY - April 30, 2009 - The USET Foundation is pleased to announce that this year's recipient of the Pinnacle Cup Trophy at the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event CCI**** is Buck Davidson (33) of Riegelsville, PA, and Ocala, FL. Davidson rode My Boy Bobby to a third place finish at the top event and was the highest placed American rider, which earned him the trophy.

My Boy Bobby is owned by Carl and Cassandra Segal. This was his first CCI****, and the 13-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding was near perfect with Davidson. They scored a 39 in their dressage round and had only 1.2 time faults in the cross-country phase. They were clear in the show jumping, which gave Davidson his best ever finish at Rolex. The pair also won the Rolex/USEF National CCI**** Championship.

Davidson has only been riding My Boy Bobby since last year, but they have accumulated an impressive list of accomplishments. In their first event, they won the Intermediate division at Millbrook. Just this year, they won at Rocking Horse Advanced Trials, the Southern Pines Advanced Horse Trials, and the CIC*** at The Fork.

Leading the Americans was a great feeling for Davidson, who noted that, "Kentucky is the place where we all want to go. It's our biggest event and one of the biggest in the world."

Following in his father's footsteps is yet another positive aspect of his participation in the sport. Buck's father, Bruce O. Davidson, Sr., has won Rolex Kentucky five times (1993, 1989, 1988, 1984, and 1983) and has his name inscribed on the Gladstone Challenge Trophy. When the event achieved four star status, the Pinnacle Cup was introduced to honor the highest placed American rider. Buck Davidson won the Pinnacle Cup in 2003 on Mystic Mike when the pair placed fourth at Rolex. He has also been named the Leading Young Rider numerous times.

"As I get older and do more things, it's cooler and cooler to win what he's won," Buck Davidson said. "There are probably not too many fathers and sons that have won that trophy," he laughed. "I'm starting to do things now that he did. Now I just have to win (at Rolex)!"

The United States Equestrian Team Foundation (http://www.uset.org) is the non-profit organization that supports the competition, training, coaching, travel and educational needs of America's elite and developing international, high-performance horses and athletes in partnership with the United States Equestrian Federation.

For more information on the USET Foundation, please call (908) 234-1251, or visit USET ONLINE at http://www.uset.org.

Previous Pinnacle Cup Trophy Winners:

2008: Phillip Dutton and Connaught

2007: Phillip Dutton and Connaught

2006: Heidi White Carty and Northern Spy

2005: Kim Severson and Winsome Adante

2004: Kim Severson and Winsome Adante

2003: Bruce O. Davidson, Jr. and Mystic Mike

2002: Kim Vinoski (Severson) and Winsome Adante

2001: David O'Connor and Giltedge

2000: David O'Connor and Rattle N Hum

1999: Karen O'Connor and Prince Panache

1998: Dorothy Crowell and Molokai

Previous to this date, the top American finisher was awarded the Gladstone Challenge Trophy.



Photo Credit: Buck Davidson was awarded the USET Foundation's Pinnacle Cup Trophy presented by Board of Trustees member R. Bruce Duchossois, as the highest placed American rider at the 2009 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event CCI****. Photo © 2009 Michelle Dunn. This photo may be used free of charge only in relation to this press release.