The United States Equestrian Federation has posted the final ranking of the small and big tour riders qualified to compete at the 2014 Festival of Champions, which are the U.S. Dressage Championships and selection trial for the 2014 World Equestrian Games US Dressage Team Short List. The 2014 Festival of Champions will be held 12 - 15 June in Gladstone, NJ.
The Grand Prix and WEG Selection Trial ranking is led by Steffen Peters and Akiko Yamazaki's Legolas (by Laomedon x Florestan II) with an average score of 74.892%, followed by Guenter Seidel and Coral Red Wylea (by Weinberg) with an average of 72.777. Jan Ebeling and Amy Ebeling and Ann Romney's Rafalca (by Argentinus) is in third place with 71.515%, closely followed by Adrienne Lyle on Perry Thomas' Wizard (by Weltmeyer) with 71.227%
Two riders dropped out of WEG contention this spring season though: 2012 U.S. Olympic alternate Heather Blitz and Guenter Seidel. Neither are up for WEG team Selection as Blitz wants to save her horse Paragon from the stress and strain to qualify and Seidel's ride Wylea got injured and is not fit to compete.
The horse-and-rider combinations that make the WEG short list at the Festival will travel to Europe after the show and train out of the U.S. Training Camp at De Begijnhoeve in Belgium until the horses move to the Games venue in Normandy, France on August 21.
The top 15 includes
- 1. Steffen Peters - Legolas - 74.892
- 2. Guenter Seidel - Wylea - 72.777
- 3. Jan Ebelin - Rafalca - 71.515
- 4. Adrienne Lyle - Wizard - 71.227
- 5. Shelly Francis - Doktor - 70.725
- 6. Tina Konyot - Calecto V - 70.384
- 7. Caroline Roffman - Her Highness O - 70.127
- 8. Kathleen Raine - Breanna - 69.542
- 9. Charlotte Jorst - Nintendo - 69.532
- 10. Katherine Bateson Chandler - Wellnetta - 69.370
- 11. Arlene Page - Alina - 69.362
- 12. Cesar Parra - Van the Man - 68.948
- 13. Catherine Haddad Staller - Hotmail - 68.600
- 14. Lisa Wilcox - Denzello - 68.513
- 15. Brian Hafner - Lombardo LHF - 67.429
The sixteenth placed rider, who could fill up Seidel's spot, is Michael Barison on Ellegria with an average of 67.339%.
For the Intermediaire I Championships, the following riders are placed in the top 15 and invited to compete at the National Championships
- 1. Steffen Peters - Rosamunde - 74.225
- 2. Steffen Peters - Apassionata - 71.815
- 3. Chris Hickey - Ronaldo- 71.382
- 4. Kimberly Herslow - Rosmarin - 71.151
- 4. Olivia Lagoy Weltz - Rassing's Lonoir - 71.151
- 6. Heather Mason - Zar - 70.546
- 7. Elizabeth Ball - Avanti - 70.011
- 8. Dawn White O Connor - Aristo - 69.846
- 9. Charlotte Jorst - Vitalis - 69.755
- 10. Nick Wagman - Zenith - 69.240
- 11. Silva Martin - Rosa Cha W - 68.444
- 12. Alix Szepesi - Majco Thunder's Hattrick - 68.427
- 13. Kasey Perry - Gorklintgaards Dublet - 67.427
- 14. Allison Nimmo Dechant - Rufus - 67.434
- 15. Melissa Jackson - Whirlpool - 67.003
Silva Martin is still recovering from her riding accident and will not compete in Gladstone. The sixteenth ranked rider is Justin Hardin on Wyatt Star with an average of 66.903%.
The complete rankings can be viewed here: Grand Prix - Intermediaire I
Photo © Astrid Appels
Related Links
Steffen Peters Leads 2014 U.S. WEG Selection Trial Ranking List
U.S. Team Holds Pre-WEG Training Camp at De Begijnhoeve in Belgium