Friday July 21, 2006

The Countdown to Aachen Begins as USEF Announces Eventing Squad and Endurance Team

Lexington, KY—With just over four weeks to go until the kickoff of the 2006 FEI World Equestrian Games (WEG) in Aachen, Germany, the U.S. teams in all seven disciplines are nearly finalized and looking stronger than ever. The disciplines at the World Equestrian Games are dressage, vaulting, show jumping, reining, driving, endurance and eventing. The Games will begin August 20th and will run through September 3rd. Over 400,000 tickets have already been sold and nearly 1,000 athletes from 61 countries are polishing their tack and preparing for the greatest equestrian showdown in the world.

The United States is currently one of only seven countries that will be sending teams and individuals to compete in all seven disciplines. The U.S. is the current World Champion is eventing, defending the 2002 Team Gold medal, and the Team Silver in dressage. At the completion of the 2002 WEG in Jerez, Spain, the U.S. walked away with eight medals, including three in reining where packed arenas witnessed the discipline’s premier appearance.

Eventing: Defending Team Gold and a World Championship – Squad on Their Way to England

In 2002, the eventers were more than proud to take home Team Gold and intend to defend that title aggressively. In addition to the title of Gold medalists, they are also the defending World Champions for the first time since 1978. Two of the four 2002 team members are currently on the eventing short list, including 2004 Olympic Individual Silver medalist Kim Severson and her Athens’ teammate Amy Tryon. They earned Team Bronze in Athens. The list also includes some exciting new talent and those waiting for another chance to medal at a major international competition. From the final team of six, four will be chosen for the team and two to compete as individuals. The squad and alternates now travel to England to train with chef d’equipe, Captain Mark Phillips, where the remaining two spots on the squad will be filled from the current list of four alternates. The current eventing squad and alternates includes:

• Kim Severson of Keene, VA, riding Winsome Adante, a 13-year-old English Thoroughbred gelding, owned by Plain Dealing Farm, Inc.
• Amy Tryon of Duval, WA, riding Poggio II, a 14-year-old Thoroughbred gelding, owned by Tryon and Mark Hart
• Heidi White of Aiken, SC, riding Northern Spy, a 13-year-old English Thoroughbred gelding, owned by White
• Jan Byyny of Purcellville, VA, riding Task Force, a 15-year-old Thoroughbred gelding, owned by J.C. Chester

Alternates:

Will Faudree of Southern Pines, NC, riding Antigua, a 17-year-old Australian Thoroughbred gelding, owned by Faudree
Bonnie Mosser of Kennett Square, PA, riding Jenga, a 13-year-old English Thoroughbred gelding, owned by Mosser
Karen O’Connor of The Plains, VA, riding Upstage, a 15-year-old New Zealand Thoroughbred gelding, owned by Mr. and Mrs. Richard Thompson
Stephen Bradley of Leesburg, VA, riding Brandenburg’s Joshua, an 11-year-old Thoroughbred gelding, owned by Southern Edition Farm, LLC

Dressage: Defending Team Silver, Going For Gold – Final Team Announced August 14th

In 2002, the dressage team brought home a Team Silver with two individuals finishing fourth and fifth, the best the U.S. had ever finished at a WEG. This year’s team is confidently looking to break that record. Debbie McDonald, who finished fourth in a very tight race for third, is hungry for an individual medal. Two team members from 2002, McDonald and Guenter Seidel, are currently on the short list. The final dressage team will be chosen and announced on Monday, August 14. The team will consist of four horse-and-rider combinations and one alternate. Listed below is the short list that is currently competing in Europe under the expert eye of chef d’equipe Klaus Balkenhol.

• Steffen Peters of San Diego, CA, riding Floriano, a 16-year-old Westphalian gelding, owned by Stephen Browning and Laurelyn Browning
• Guenter Seidel of Cardiff, CA, riding Aragon, a 14-year-old Bavarian Warmblood gelding, owned by Richard and Jane Brown
• Debbie McDonald of Hailey, ID, riding Brentina, a 15-year-old Hanoverian mare, owned by Mr. and Mrs. Parry Thomas
• Leslie Morse of Beverly Hills, CA, riding Tip Top, a 12-year-old Swedish Warmblood stallion, owned by Morse
• Arlene “Tuny” Page of Wellington, FL, riding Wild One, a 10-year-old Hanoverian gelding, owned by Page
• Catherine Haddad based in Vecta, Germany, riding Maximus, a 12-year-old Danish Warmblood gelding, owned by the Janet Schneider Trust

Two alternate riders were also named to the short list:

Heather Blitz of Palm City, FL, riding Arabella, a 10-year-old Danish Warmblood mare, owned by Denise Arroyo
Suzanne Dansby Phelps of Atlanta, GA, riding Cooper, a 14-year-old Holsteiner gelding, owned by Suzanne Dansby Phelps

Jumping: Rivalry with Germany Still Running Hot

Half way though the 2006 Samsung Super League, the U.S. team, currently in second place behind Germany. The U.S. won the League in 2005, with Germany second, and was awarded the Olympic Team Gold after Germany was disqualified. The U.S. is hungry for the win and ready for the challenge to go eye-to-eye with not only Germany, but the world. Chef d’Equipe George Morris, who took charge of the team in 2005 and immediately led them to the Samsung Super League title, is focused on a medal of one color: Gold. The 2006 U.S. show jumping team includes:

• Beezie Madden, of Cazenovia, NY, riding Authentic, an 11-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding, owned by Abigail Wexner
• McLain Ward, of Brewster, NY, riding Sapphire, an 11-year-old Belgian Warmblood mare, owned by Ward
• Margie Engle, of Wellington, FL, riding Quervo Gold, a 13-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding, owned by Wyndhurst Stables, Inc.
• Laura Kraut, of Wellington, FL, riding Miss Independent, a nine-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare, owned by the Miss Independent Group

  Alternate: Jeffrey Welles, of Ridgefield, CT, riding Armani, an 11-year-old, Selle Francais/Dutch Warmblood gelding, owned by Kimmel Yeager Equine LLC and Triton Ventures Farm, Inc.

Reining: Newcomers and Legends

In 2002, when reining made its WEG competitive debut, the U.S. walked away with a Team Gold and Individual Gold and Silver medal. The 2006 team includes newcomers to the WEG, two dynamic, young up-and-comers and two well-known legends. Alternate Tom McCutcheon was a member of the inaugural 2002 reining team and winner of the Individual Silver medal. The U.S. team is again expecting to earn multiple medals. The 2006 U.S. reining team includes:

• Matt Mills, of Scottsdale, AZ, riding Easy Otie Whiz, a seven-year-old Quarter Horse stallion, owned by Out West Stallion Station and Bobbie Cook
• Aaron Ralston, of Silt, CO, riding Smart Paul Olena, a 12-year-old Quarter Horse stallion, owned by Meg Griffith-Ralston
• Tim McQuay, of Tioga, TX, riding Mister Nicadual, a six-year-old Quarter Horse stallion, owned by Jerry Kimmel
• Dell Hendricks, of Tioga, TX, riding Starbucks Sidekick, a six-year-old Quarter Horse stallion, owned by Adair Reiners, LLC

  Alternate: Tom McCutcheon of Aubrey, TX, riding Ruf Hearted Jac, a seven-year-old Quarter Horse stallion, owned by Sarah Willeman

Vaulting: At 10 Years of Age, Youngest Member in U.S Equestrian Team History Debuts

It was at the 2002 Jerez WEG that the U.S. vaulters were first represented in the Team competition, and they return with an impressive group to go for Gold in 2006. In 2002, the U.S. team brought home a Men’s Individual Bronze medal. The Bronze medalist, 30-year-old Devon Maitozo, returns as a member of the vaulting team, along with 10-year-old flyer Elizabeth Ioannou, who will make her WEG debut with experienced partner Blake Dahlgren, age 22. There is genuine medal buzz about this dynamic and exciting pair. The vaulters have had a solid year and despite the fact they will be vaulting on borrowed horses with borrowed longuers, they are in peak condition and ready for the tough competition that will inevitably come from the Europeans.

Women’s Individual vaulters include:

Megan Benjamin, 18, of Saratoga, CA
Elizabeth Osborn, 16, of Menlo Park, CA
Mary McCormick, 23, of Woodside, CA
Alternate: Alicen Divita, 17, of Redwood City, CA

Men’s Individual vaulters include:

Kenny Geisler, 25, of Diamond Bar, CA
Todd Griffiths, 27, of Pullman, WA
Chris Littmann, 22, of Agoura, CA

The F.A.M.E. Team members are as follows:

Blake Dahlgren, 22, of Sun Valley, CA
Devon Maitozo, 30, of Simi Valley, CA
Rosalind Ross, 15, of Woodside, CA
Megan Benjamin, 18, of Saratoga, CA
Annalise Vanvranken, 14, of Mays Landing, NJ
Elizabeth Ioannou, 10, of Saratoga, CA
Alternate: Katie Ritchie, 19, of Santa Cruz, CA

Driving: Defending Team Silver, Going for Gold – Team Announced August 8th

Going into the 2002 WEG, the U.S. driving team had never brought home a medal, but after stellar performances they left Spain with their heads held high wearing their Silver medals. Individually, they placed fourth, fifth and 26th. All three 2002 team members are on the current short list of four, and all are ready to prove that they are serious contenders for not only another Team medal, but an Individual medal or two. The driving team of three will be announced on August 8. The current driving short list includes:

Tucker Johnson, of Oldwick, NJ
Chester Weber, of Ocala, FL
Jim Richards, of Atlanta, GA
James Fairclough, of Newton, NJ

Endurance: Hunting for a Medal and Clear Skies – Newly Named Team

The U.S. endurance team was dealt some bad luck in 2002 when an unexpected deluge wreaked havoc on their plans for a medal. They were the only U.S. team to come home empty-handed so they are eager to turn the tide on “Lady Luck.” The team will benefit from the leadership of Valerie Kanavy, legend of international level endurance riding, as their chef d’equipe. The team of five horse-and-rider combinations and one alternate horse includes:

• Kathryn Downs of Somerville, ME, riding Pygmalion, a 10-year-old Arabian gelding, owned by Downs
• Joseph Mattingley of Scales Mound, IL, riding SA Laribou, an 11-year-old Arabian gelding, owned by Michelle and Joseph Mattingley
• Stephen Rojek of South Woodstock, VT, riding Finch, a 10-year-old Arabian gelding, owned by Rojek
• Christoph Schork of Moab, UT, and Taj Rai Hasan, a seven-year-old Arabian gelding, owned by Schork
• Margaret Sleeper, DVM, of Frenchtown, NJ, riding Shyrocco Troilus, a 14-year-old half Arabian gelding, owned by Sleeper

  Alternate: Cheyenne XII, a 14-year-old Arabian gelding, owned by Ruth Waltenspiel and ridden by Jennifer Niehaus of Cloverdale, CA