Photo via Wikimedia Commons
The USEF has just named the U.S. Eventing Team for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The announcement reads as follows:
The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) has named four athlete-and-horse combinations to the U.S. Olympic Eventing Team and one traveling reserve for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. Four direct reserve horses have also been named. A direct reserve horse would be an automatic replacement should the original horse on which an athlete was named need to be substituted. Eventing competition at the Olympic Games will take place August 5-9, 2016, at the Deodoro Olympic Equestrian Center in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
The following athlete-and-horse combinations will compose the Team (in alphabetical order):
Phillip Dutton (West Grove, Pa.) and Caroline Moran, Simon Roosevelt, and Thomas Tierney’s Fernhill Cubalawn, a 2003 Holsteiner gelding
Direct Reserves
HND Group’s Mighty Nice, a 2004 Irish Sport Horse gelding
Ann Jones and Thomas Tierney’s Fernhill Fugitive, a 2005 Irish Sport Horse gelding
Lauren Kieffer (Middleburg, Va.) and Team Rebecca, LLC’s Veronica, a 2002 KWPN mare
Direct Reserve
Marie Le Menestrel’s Meadowbrook’s Scarlett, a 2007 Thoroughbred cross mare
Boyd Martin (Cochranville, Pa.) and Blackfoot Mystery Syndicate, LLC’s Blackfoot Mystery, a 2004 Thoroughbred gelding
Direct Reserve
Gloria Callen’s Welcome Shadow, a 2005 Thoroughbred cross mare
Clark Montgomery (Tetbury, England) and Holly and William Becker, Kathryn Kraft, and Jessica Montgomery’s Loughan Glen, a 2003 Irish Sport Horse gelding
Team USA! From top left clockwise: Phillip Dutton and Fernhill Cubalawn (photo by Jenni Autry); Boyd Martin and Blackfoot Mystery (photo by Jenni Autry); Lauren Kieffer and Veronica (photo by Jenni Autry); Clark Montgomery and Loughan Glen (photo by Libby Law Photography).
The following combination has been named as the traveling reserve:
Maya Black (Clinton, Wash.) and Dawn and Jonathan Dofelmier’s Doesn’t Play Fair, a 2005 Holsteiner gelding
The following athlete-and-horse combinations have been named as reserves (in alphabetical order):
Matthew Brown (Cochranville, Pa.) and Blossom Creek Foundation’s Super Socks BCF, a 2006 Irish Sport Horse gelding
Sinead Halpin (Oldwick, N.J.) and the Manoir de Carneville Syndicate, LLC’s Manoir de Carneville, a 2000 Selle Francais gelding
Lynn Symansky (Middleburg, Va.) and the Donner Syndicate, LLC’s Donner, a 2003 Thoroughbred gelding
Elisa Wallace (Jasper, Ga.) and the Simply Priceless Syndication, LLC’s Simply Priceless, a 2001 Thoroughbred gelding
Congrats to everyone who made the team!
To recap the selection process: Olympic hopefuls had the opportunity to qualify at one of the 22 events that served as selection trials. The selection period started at Rolex in 2015 and ended earlier this month with Bromont and Bramham. Horses were vetted after competitions throughout the selection period, and the final team vet evaluations were held last weekend, June 18 and 19, in Virginia.
The mandatory team outing will take place at Great Meadow International on July 8-10.
The final team, which includes one traveling reserve combination, will be confirmed on July 18.
Go Team USA, and Go Eventing.
