US Team Announced for CHIO Aachen in September

A return to the buzz and camaraderie of a pre-COVID world is Aachen’s biggest hope for their new dates – and if all goes according to plan, the venue will be back to providing a full championship experience for competing teams. Photo courtesy of CHIO Aachen/Andreas Steindl.

US Equestrian has announced the exciting line-up of athlete-and-horse combinations selected to represent the Land Rover U.S. Eventing Team at the rescheduled CHIO Aachen CCIO4*-S in Germany, set to take place from September 15-19.

“Simultaneously as we are out in Tokyo in our last preparation before the Olympic Games, our eyes have consistently been looking forward to the FEI Eventing World Championship in Pratoni, Italy, next year,” said Erik Duvander, U.S. Performance Director of Eventing. “This year’s CHIO Aachen is an opportunity for our riders to get a proper team experience in a unique environment that simulates a championship. I believe we have a high-quality group of athletes and horses that are tracking in this direction.”

The following athlete-and-horse combinations have been selected to represent the Land Rover U.S. Eventing Team at the CHIO Aachen CCIO4*-S and are listed in alphabetical order:

Will Coleman and Off The Record. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

  • Will Coleman (Gordonsville, Va.) and Off The Record, a 2009 Irish Sport Horse gelding owned by the Off the Record Syndicate

Sydney Elliott and QC Diamantaire. Photo by Shelby Allen.

  • Sydney Elliott (Bossier, La.) and QC Diamantaire, a 2010 Oldenburg gelding owned by Carol Stephens

Ariel Grald and Leamore Master Plan at the 2019 Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event. Photo by Shannon Brinkman.

  • Ariel Grald (Southern Pines, N.C.) and Leamore Master Plan, a 2009 Irish Sport Horse gelding owned by Annie Eldridge

Tamie Smith and Mai Baum. Photo by Sherry Stewart.

  • Tamie Smith (Murrieta, Calif.) and Mai Baum, a 2006 German Sport Horse gelding owned by Alexandra Ahearn, Ellen Ahearn, and Eric Markell

The following combination has been selected as the alternate for the CHIO Aachen CCIO4*-S:

Lauren Kieffer and Vermiculus. Photo by Nico Morgan Media.

  • Lauren Nicholson (The Plains, Va.) and Vermiculus, a 2007 Anglo-Arabian gelding owned by Jacqueline Mars