Medal winners and rising stars in the running for US Olympic dressage places
US Equestrian has announced the 12-strong dressage shortlist for this summer’s Tokyo Olympics.
The list features a mix of experienced international senior championship riders and talented newcomers aiming for their first Games.
US dressage great, the four-time Olympian Steffen Peters, brings forwards his 2018 World Equestrian Games (WEG) team silver medal-winning ride, Suppenkasper. The 13-year-old KWPN gelding, owned by Four Winds Farm and Akiko Yamazaki, has won his last 20 starts, including topping the Wellington CDI5* grand prix freestyle with 81.4% in February.
The pair are joined on the shortlist by their 2018 WEG silver medal-winning teammates Adrienne Lyle and Salvino. The combination are also on an unbeaten streak, frequently topping the 80% barrier, and have an international grand prix freestyle personal best of 83.56%, which came at Aachen CDIO5* in 2019. Salvino, a 14-year-old stallion, is owned by Betsy Juliano LLC.
Adrienne also has the 13-year-old Harmony’s Duval, owned by Duval Partners LLC, with whom she has also enjoyed numerous international wins.
Katherine Bateson-Chandler, who represented the US as part of the team at WEG 2010, brings forward the 16-year-old Alcazar, owned by Jane Clark. The established partnership has successfully campaigned across Britain, Europe and the US in recent years.
Pan-Am Games 2015 team gold medallists Sabine Shut-Kery and Saneco, a 15-year-old stallion owned by Alice Womble, are among the other partnerships hoping to make their Olympic debut. The combination is also on an unbeaten run, with grand prix and freestyle wins at Wellington CDI5* in February and March.
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Riders aiming for their first senior championship start include Olivia LaGoy-Weltz and Rassing’s Lonoir, 17, who she co-owns with Mary Anne McPhail. The pair were travelling reserves at WEG 2018 and have a wealth of experience as part of Nations Cup sides.
Charlotte Jorst, who took up riding aged 35, some 21 years ago, and has gone on to enjoy a stellar top-level career alongside running her clothing business, is on the list with the Kastel Denmark-owned 18-year-old Kastel’s Nintendo. The stallion is the joint-eldest US dressage horse shortlisted for this year’s Games, along with Millione, the ride of Jennifer Schrader-Williams, owned by Millione Partners LLC.
Two riders aiming for their first senior championship start have multiple horses on the shortlist. Susan Dutta has two horses shortlisted, both of whom she co-owns with her husband Tim. These are 11-year-old Don Design DC and 12-year-old Figeac DC. Meanwhile Nick Wagman has both 13-year-old Don John, owned by Beverly Gepfer, and 11-year-old Ferano, owned by Elizabeth Keadle, in contention.
There are two mares on the shortlist. Jessica Howington features with her own 14-year-old Cavalia, while Alice Tarjan, who combines riding multiple horses at elite level with her career as a lawyer, is shortlisted aboard her own 11-year-old Candescent.
The youngest rider shortlisted is 21-year-old Ben Ebeling. The rising star of US dressage had much success at youth level and has made an impressive entrance into the senior ranks this year, with a number of international wins already under his belt.
Combinations will compete in a mandatory observation event at Palm Beach International Equestrian Centre in Wellington, Florida, from 8-12 June. The final team selection will be announced by 21 June.
The full list is as follows:
- Katherine Bateson-Chandler and Alcazar, 16, Dutch warmblood gelding owned by Jane Clark
- Susan Dutta and her own and Tim Dutta’s Don Design DC, 11, Hanoverian gelding, and her own and Tim Dutta’s Oldenburg gelding Figeac DC, 12,
- Ben Ebeling and Illuster Van De Kampert, 13, Belgian warmblood gelding owned by Sasha Cutter for Nuvolari Holdings and Amy Roberts Ebeling
- Jessica Howington and her own Cavalia, 14, KWPN mare
- Charlotte Jorst and Kastel’s Nintendo, 18, warmblood stallion owned by Kastel Denmark
- Olivia LaGoy-Weltz and Rassing’s Lonoir, 17, Danish warmblood gelding, co-owned with Mary Anne McPhail
- Adrienne Lyle and Salvino, 14, Hanoverian stallion owned by Betsy Juliano LLC, and Harmony’s Duval, 13, Dutch warmblood gelding owned by Duval Partners LLC
- Steffen Peters and Suppenkasper, 13, KWPN gelding owned by Four Winds Farm and Akiko Yamazaki
- Jennifer Schrader-Williams and Millione, 18, Danish warmblood gelding owned by Millione Partners, LLC
- Sabine Schut-Kery and Sanceo, 15, Hanoverian stallion owned by Alice Womble
- Alice Tarjan and her own Candescent, 11, Hanoverian mare
- Nick Wagman and Don John, 13, Dutch warmblood gelding owned by Beverly Gepfer, and Ferano, 11, Dutch warmblood gelding owned by Elizabeth Keadle
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Lucy is an experienced news journalist, reporter and presenter. Since joining the Horse & Hound team in 2015, Lucy has reported from major global sporting events including the Tokyo Paralympic Games and multiple European Championships, as well as Badminton, Burghley and London, to name a few. She has covered current affairs and sports news across the full spectrum of equestrian disciplines and racing, as well as human and equine welfare, industry news and court cases.