LEXINGTON, Ky.--A number of Delaware Valley competitors are on the U.S. Equestrian's Eventing and Dressage Elite and Pre-Elite lists, which are aimed at supporting and giving additional resources to rider and horse combinations that have proved to be competitive internationally.

Phillip Dutton on ZPhillip Dutton, Boyd Martin and Lynn Symansky are on the Eventing lists and Olivia LaGoy-Weltz and Ashley Holzer are on the Dressage lists.

US Equestrian recently announced a newly reinvented U.S. Eventing Pathway Program that starts this year, spearheaded by U.S. Eventing Performance Director Erik Duvander.

The program looks to create a “culture of competitiveness” and provide a more clearly defined pathway for eventing athletes in the United States.

One change to the program was the reorganization into the Elite, Development Pre-Elite, Development Potential, and Emerging Athlete training lists.

 

THE FOLLOWING U.S. athletes have been approved by an Ad Hoc Group of the Eventing Sport Committee on the recommendation of Duvander, with input from his Performance Advisory Team for the 2019 Eventing Elite, Development Pre-Elite, and Development Potential training lists.

The Elite Program looks to support athlete and horse combinations demonstrating the ability to contribute to medal-winning potential Lynn Symansky.( photo by Allen MacMillan)at the World Championship level, measured against world-leading performances and looking to compete at the next Olympic or World Championship.

2019 Elite Training List:

Phillip Dutton of West Grove, Pa., and Z, Thomas Tierney, Simon Roosevelt, Suzanne Lacy, Caroline Moran, and Ann Jones’s 10-year-old Zangersheide gelding

Lynn Symansky of Middleburg, Va., and Donner, The Donner Syndicate, LLC’s 15-year-old Thoroughbred gelding

The Development Pre-Elite Program aims to identify and support athlete and horse combinations that have the perceived potential to meet Elite status within the next two to four years, with the target of competing on a championship team in the next four to six years.

2019 Development Pre-Elite Training List:

Liz Halliday Sharp of Ocala, Fla., and Deniro Z, The Deniro Syndicate and Ocala Horse Properties’ 10-year-old KWPN gelding

Caroline Martin of Miami Beach, Fla., and Islandwood Captain Jack, her and Sherrie Martin’s 9-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding

Boyd Martin Long Island TBoyd Martin of Cochranville, Pa., and Long Island T, Long Island T Syndicate’s 12-year-old Oldenburg/Thoroughbred gelding

Doug Payne of Aiken, S.C., and Getaway, Lisa Wall’s 11-year-old Oldenburg gelding

Tamie Smith of Murrieta, Calif., and Fleeceworks Royal, Judith McSwain’s 9-year-old Holsteiner mare

Lynn Symansky and RF Cool Play, The Donner Syndicate, LLC’s 10-year-old German Sporthorse gelding

Lynn Symansky and Under Suspection, Mary Ann Ghadban’s 14-year-old Holsteiner mare

Frankie Thieriot Stutes of Occidental, Calif., and Chatwin, The Chatwin Group’s 10-year-old Oldenburg gelding

The Development Potential Program looks to focus athletes on education aimed at equipping them with the necessary tools and skills to have the perceived talent to reach Elite status in the next four to eight years, with the goal of pre-elite targets by the age of 30.

2019 Developing Potential Training List:

Maya Black of Clinton, Wash., Jenny Caras of Cartersville, Ga., Katherine Coleman of New Orleans, La., Hallie Coon of Ocala, Fla., Sydney Elliott of Bossier City, La., Ariel Grald of Vass, N.C., and Alex O’Neal of Reddick, Fla.

 

US EQUESTRIAN also announced the updated U.S. Dressage Elite and Pre-Elite Lists for 2019.

“In my first three weeks on the job, we have conducted home visits with our Elite and Pre-Elite combinations,” said U.S. Dressage Technical Advisor and Chef d’Equipe Debbie McDonald. “The home visits have provided me the opportunity to see their horses, discuss plans, and set targets. The horses are looking great and 2019 should serve as a great building year as we approach Tokyo 2020.”

The Elite Program was established to provide support and resources to athlete/horse combinations that have proven they are internationally competitive.

Combinations qualify for the program based on scores received at CDI3*/CDIO3* or above competitions in the last 12 months.

Membership is reviewed twice annually and new members may be added on a rolling basis.

In alphabetical order, the following athlete/horse combinations meet the criteria for Elite Program membership:

Shelly Francis of Loxahatchee, Fla., and Danilo, Patricia Stempel’s 14-year-old Hanoverian gelding

Laura Graves of Geneva, Fla.. and Verdades, her and Curt Maes’s 16-year-old KWPN gelding

Olivia LaGoy Weltz on LonoirOlivia LaGoy-Weltz of Haymarket, Va., and Lonoir, her and Mary Anne McPhail’s 14-year-old Danish Warmblood gelding

Adrienne Lyle of Ketchum, Idaho and Salvino, Betsy Juliano LLC’s 11-year-old Hanoverian stallion

Kasey Perry-Glass of Wellington, Fla., and Goerklintgaards Dublet, Diane Perry’s 15-year-old Danish Warmblood gelding

Steffen Peters of San Diego, Calif., and Suppenkasper, Four Winds Farm’s 10-year-old KWPN gelding

Sabine Schut-Kery of Thousand Oaks, Calif., and Sanceo, Alice Womble’s 12-year-old Hanoverian stallion

The Dressage Pre-Elite List underpins the Elite Program and seeks to provide support and guidance to those combinations in the 69-73% Grand Prix score range so they are able to succeed in reaching Elite Member status (consistent 73%+ score range).

In alphabetical order, the following athlete/horse combinations meet the criteria for Pre-Elite Program membership:

Katherine Bateson-Chandler of Wellington, Fla., and Alcazar, Jane Clark’s 13-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding

Ashley Holzer of New York, N.Y., and Havanna 145, Diane Fellows’s 11-year-old Hanoverian mare

Charlotte Jorst of Reno, Nev., and Kastel’s Nintendo, Kastel Denmark’s 15-year-old Dutch Warmblood stallion