Just a stunning horse at VHT for no reason other than eye candy. Photo by Kristin Schmolze
Well obviously the big news of the week is the announcement of the US Eventing Team for Tokyo, and congratulations all around to the riders who made it, and those who were listed as alternates. While trepidation continues about the running of the games in the midst of the pandemic, plans continue towards the goal with the assumption that everything in Japan will be sorted out in time.
U.S. Weekend Preview:
Virginia International H.T. (Lexington, Va.): [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Volunteer] [Live Scores]
Spring Coconino H.T. (Flagstaff, Az.): [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times]
Equestrians’ Institute H.T. (Elum, Wa.): [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times] [Volunteer] [Live Scores]
May-Daze at the Park H.T. (Lexington, Ky.): [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times] [Volunteer] [Live Scores]
Mystic Valley Hunt Club H.T. (Gales Ferry, Ct.): [Website]
The Spring Event at Woodside (Woodside, Ca.): [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Volunteer] [Live Scores]
News From Around the Globe:
Speaking of the Olympic Games, there is still a lot of talk about if it should be held at all this year. In May, a 350,000-siganture petition calling for Olympic cancellation was submitted to organizers, as the Japanese government extended the COVID state of emergency until at least the end of that month and a poll showed 60 percent of the Japanese public wanted the Games called off. Only 3 percent of Japanese citizens had been vaccinated by mid-May and the head of online retailer Rakuten, Hiroshi Mikitani, believed holding the Games would be “a suicide mission.” [Summer Games: Is It a Go?]
When Liz Halliday-Sharp was the only elite event rider who also competed as a professional race car driver she had two goals: Make the podium at the 24 Hours of Le Mans and make the U.S. Olympic equestrian team. Halliday-Sharp, 42, just missed the podium at Le Mans in 2006, finishing fourth in the LMP2 Class and 19th overall with Intersport Racing in a Lola-AER. Now she’s accomplished her second goal by making the US Eventing Olympic Team. [Liz Halliday-Sharp Poised for Olympic Debut]
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Phillip Dutton is already taking home some records for the Olympics with his name added to the team list. At age 57, and attending his 7th Olympic Games, he’s the oldest U.S. Olympian since John Dane in the 2008 Olympics, and the second oldest U.S. Olympian since the 1952 Helsinki Games. [Phillip Dutton]
Cosby Green leads the charge for the USEA Intercollegiate Eventing Championships, scoring a 28.7 in the CCI3*-L at the Virginia Horse Trials yesterday. The 2021 USEA Intercollegiate Eventing Championships kicked off today, Thursday, May 27 at the Virginia Horse Park in Lexington, VA. This year’s event marks the fifth year of the Championships, which began in 2016. This year there are 105 entries, 29 teams, and 15 schools entered to compete for the 2021 Championship title. [USEA Intercollegiate Eventing Championships]
