Harvard Equestrian Bauer Has Title, Eyes Olympics

Harvard's student body contains a little bit of everything. including a national equestrian champion. Sophomore Fred Bauer currently holds the Maclay Trophy signifying his supremacy in the under-18 age group in his specialty, stadium jumping.

Bauer, who hails from South Norwalk, Conn.. won the title at the National Horse Show held in Madison Square Garden last November S. "I was the favorite, which is a very tough position. A million little things can go wrong, and there is so much pressure," Bauer said last week.

But Bauer impressed the judges, as well as the 12,000 equestrian fans who paid $10 to $15 for their seats. Near the end of the competition- after the field of 80 had been narrowed down to two finalists- the judges requested that Bauer and his rival trade horses and show their skill at maneuvering a strange animal. Said Bauer, "The other guy did very badly in the final ride. I was lucky."

Bauer, who began riding "in pony competition at the age of eight," spent a lot of time this Fall practicing on his brother-in-law's farm in Connecfient. "The fall schedule was really a burden. I had to ride every weekend."

An advanced standing sophomore majoring in Social Studies. Bauer says there's not much for a horseback rider to do during the school year, except play a little polo for Harvard and go on an occasional fox hunt. "In the summer season. I travel to contests in a 200 to 300 mile radius, but in the fall and winter I just don't have the time." he said.

Bauer's next goal is to be a member of the 1976 U.S. Olympic Equestrian Team. "I probably won't be able to make the team this year, but I've received an invitation to attend summer training with them."

A frequent winner of contests in the Northeast, Bauer feels his second most prestigious victory came in 1968 at the National Horse Shows Association competition in Harrisburg, Pa.