The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) announced that two athletes that will represent the U.S. at the 2016 World Cup Dressage Final, held in Gothenburg, Sweden at the Gothenburg Horse Show on 23 - 27 March 2016. Guenter Seidel and Charlotte Jorst have been nominated as North American representatives after the highest ranked rider declined.
The North American League Final Standings updated on 7 March 2016 revealed that Steffen Peters and Akiko Yamazaki's Legolas (by Laomedon x Florestan II) were the highest ranked paid with an average qualification score of 82.687%. They have however declined from competing in Gothenburg in order to focus on his preparation for U.S. Olympic team selection.
Two next two riders in the NAL standing are the U.S. based Danish riders Mikala Gundersen (My Lady) and Lars Petersen (Mariett). They produced average scores of 78.887% and 77.212% but both are also declining to go to Sweden with Rio in mind.
The next ranked rider is Guenter Seidel of Cardiff, CA on James and Charlotte Mashburn’s Zero Gravity, a 2004 Dutch warmblood gelding. Seidel has accepted to go to Sweden. His average score is 75.500%.
Seidel wil joined by Charlotte Jorst from Reno, NA on her 13-year old Dutch warmblood stallion Nintendo. Jorst scored an average of 74.462% and ranked behind Laura Graves on Verdades (average 75.125%), who had also declined to compete at the World Cup Finals.
View the North American League final standing here.
Photo © Terri Miller
Related Link
Eurodressage Coverage of the 2015-2016 World Cup circuit