On Friday, the USEF released partial short list for the WEGs, narrowing the list of potential horses to 11 names along with several that might be named after Luhmuhlen.
Buck Davidson and BallyNoe Castle RM (11th Burghley 09, 15th Rolex 09)
Buck Davidson and My Boy Bobby (3rd Rolex 09)
Phillip Dutton and The Foreman (2nd Rolex 05, 2nd Burghley 05, 6th Rolex 10)
Phillip Dutton and TruLuck (4th Burghley 09, 9th Rolex 07)
Phillip Dutton and Woodburn (12th Rolex 09, 9th Rolex 08, 2nd Rolex 10)
Will Faudree and Pawlow (15th Rolex 10)
Becky Holder and Courageous Comet (since ’07 – 2nd Rolex 08, 42nd Olympics 08, R Burghley 09, 3rd Rolex 10)
Boyd Martin and Neville Bardos (9th Rolex 08, 4th Rolex 10)
Boyd Martin and Remington XXV (12th Rolex 10)
Karen O’Connor and Mandiba (E Burghley, 44th Olympics, 7th Rolex 10)
Amy Tryon and Leyland (13th Rolex 09, 14th Burghley 09)
(1) If you have been reading Eventing Nation, there were no surprises with short list. After Rolex, I wrote that 13 horses had separated from the pack: Woodburn, The Foreman, TruLuck, Neville, Remington, Comet, Mandiba, Pawlow, Leyland, Bobby, Ballynoecastle, Twizzel, and Connaught. 11 of those horses made the short list, and Twizzel will be on the list with a good performance at Luhmuhlen. Phillip’s blog explained that Connaught was scratched from Jersey because he wasn’t quite right.
(2) The short list is very short. There are 11 horses but just 7 riders are on the list and the US will send 6 riders to the WEGs (4 team, 2 individual). This means that we already have a pretty clear picture of what the team will look like. It also means that the second and even third most impressive pair at Luhmuhlen has a legitimate shot to go to the WEGs, depending on how things shake out.
(3) The most important thing moving forward for short listed pairs is keeping the horse healthy. There’s a mentality among riders that the last sound horses standing are going to Kentucky, and that’s always the reality before major international competitions. From this point forward, more than anything, soundness will pick the team that represents the USA at the World Equestrian Games.
(4) Let’s just get this out in the open–Buck and Phillip are virtual locks to make the team. If we could send riders on multiple horses, we’d probably send Buck and Phillip on all 5 of their horses on the list.
(5) The team suggested how much they want Boyd by short listing Remington as well as Neville.
(6) If you put a gun to my head right now and forced me to pick six names, I’d go with BallyNoe Castle, Woodburn, Neville, Mandiba, Leyland, and Twizzel. We will have much more with the list later this week. Go eventing.
