LEXINGTON, Ky.--U.S. Equestrian announced the nomination of the following athlete-and-horse combinations to the U.S. Eventing Team, as well as the Reserves for the Lima 2019 Pan American Games.
The Pan Am Games are critical for this country, as the U.S. has to finish first or second in the team competiton to qualify for the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.
Three direct reserve horses have also been named, and a direct reserve horse would be an automatic replacement should the original horse on which an athlete was named need to be substituted.
The following rider and horse combinations have been selected for the U.S. Eventing Team (in alphabetical order):
BOYD MARTIN of Cochranville, Pa., with Tsetserleg, Christine Turner's 12-year-old Trakehner gelding
Direct Reserve
On Cue, Turner's 13-year-old English Sport Horse mare
Doug Payne of Aiken, S.C.) with Starr Witness, an 8-year-old KWPN mare owned by Payne, Laurie McRee, and Catherine Winter
Direct Reserve
Vandiver, a 15-year-old Trakehner gelding owned by Debi Crowley, Jessica Payne, and Doug Payne
Tamie Smith of Murrieta, Calif., with Fleeceworks Royal, Judith McSwain's 10-year-old Holsteiner mare
Direct Reserve
Mai Baum, a 13-year-old German Sport Horse gelding owned by Alexandra Ahearn, Ellen Ahearn, and Eric Markell
Lynn Symansky of Middleburg, Va., with RF Cool Play, The Donner Syndicate LLC's 11-year-old German Sport Horse gelding
The following rider-and-horse combination has been named as the Traveling Reserve to the U.S. Eventing Team:
Elisabeth Halliday-Sharp of Ocala, Fla., with Cooley Quicksilver, The Monster Partnership's eight-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding
The following rider-and-horse combinations have been named as Reserves to the U.S. Eventing Team (in alphabetical order):
Phillip Dutton of West Grove, Pa., with Sea of Clouds, Sea of Clouds Partnership's eight-year-old Thoroughbred gelding
Sydney Elliott of Bossier City, La., with QC Diamantaire, Carol Stephens's nine-year-old Oldenburg gelding
Will Faudree of Southern Pines, N.C., with Pfun, Jennifer Mosing and Sterling Silver Stables' 12-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding
Lauren Kieffer of The Plains, Va., with Vermiculus, Jacqueline Mars's 12-year-old Anglo-Arabian gelding
The 2019 U.S. Pan American Eventing Team is subject to approval by the United States Olympic Committee.
In preparation for the Pan American Games, members of the U.S. Eventing Team will compete at the Maryland International CCI3*-S, July 5-7, as well as The Barbury International Horse Trials CCI3*-S, July 4-7.
The Pan American Games eventing competition will take place Aug. 1-4 at the Equestrian Club Militar La Molina.
The 18th edition of the Pan American Games will gather around 6,700 athletes, who will participate in 39 sports and 61 disciplines, of which 22 disciplines are qualifying for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.
The U.S. Eventing Team must secure a team gold or silver medal-finish at the Pan American Games to earn qualification for Tokyo.