Danish Olympian Lars Petersen has officially made the step and declared for the U.S.A. He will be competing in his first CDI under the American flag at the 2017 CDI Tryon in September.
Petersen represented his home country Denmark at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta (USA), the 1998 World Equestrian Games in Rome (ITA), 1999 and 2001 European Championships in Verden (GER), the 2014 World Equestrian Games in Caen (FRA), and at the 2001, 2002 and 2015 World Cup Finals.
Lars has been living in the U.S.A. since 2002. He took the oath of allegiance for naturalized citizens and was sworn in as a United States citizen on 4 February 2016. In December 2013 he married American FEI rider Melissa Taylor after a relationship of 10 years.
While already in 2014 plans were made to declare for the U.S.A, Lars did not take the step at the time as he was in the process of qualifying the American owned Grand Prix mare Mariett for Team Denmark for the 2014 WEG and later on also for the 2016 Olympics. Mariette made it to WEG, but was withdrawn from Olympic contention. She was officially retired from sport at the 2017 CDI 5* Wellington in February.
With new horses coming up the levels, the time was now right to declare for the U.S.A. Petersen is the second, established Grand Prix rider to delcare for the U.S. in a short period of time. Canadian Ashley Holzer is now also riding for the U.S.A, giving Team America more options to pick from with the 2018 World Equestrian Games in Tryon approaching. Petersen, however, is not sure if he'll be a candidate for WEG with his rising stars still being very green at that level.
"I decided to switch now because at the moment I have no Grand Prix horse," Petersen told Eurodressage. "We have a couple of new horses that I hope I will have ready for Grand Prix at the end of the year, but it would be a miracle if they would be ready for WEG."
Petersen will be eligible for U.S. team selection as of 5 March 2018 as per FEI Regulations.
"It wasn't the easiest decision for Lars. He will always be Danish," his American wife Melissa Taylor explained. "It is just logistics that play a major factor in his decision. And we will both proudly cheer on the Danish Team and wish them the best!"
Photo © Astrid Appels
Related Links
Lars Petersen's Mariett Honoured in Retirement Ceremony at 2017 CDI Wellington
Danish Olympic Race Begins at 2016 Danish Championships, Lars Petersen Withdraws
Lars Petersen to Train Blue Hors Stud Riders
Danish Olympian Lars Petersen Becomes a U.S. Citizen
Lars Petersen and Melissa Taylor Got Married
