The U.S. Equestrian Federation (USEF) has announced the team that will represent the U.S.A. at the 2021 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan, on 23 - 28 July 2021.
Following the U.S. Mandatory Observation Event in Wellington, Florida, at the beginning of June, the US selectors nominated the four riders on the team.
The team will be led by Chef d’Equipe Debbie McDonald and Team Leader Hallye Griffin. The first horse inspection will take place on July 23, and competition is set to begin on July 24 and continue through July 28, 2021, at the Equestrian Park in Tokyo, Japan. Three combinations will compete as a team with one traveling reserve.
“The team selected to represent us in Tokyo is incredibly strong and I’m looking forward to working with these combinations in the coming weeks to ensure we deliver performances our country will be proud of this summer,” said Chef d’Equipe Debbie McDonald. “We’ve worked tremendously hard over the past year to adjust and prepare for these Games and it’s exciting to see all of the hard work begin to pay off. These combinations are up for the challenge that will be presented to us in Tokyo, and we are incredibly grateful for the continued support of our family, friends, and fans around the country.”
The American team includes:
- Adrienne Lyle (Wellington, Fla.) and Salvino, a 14-year-old Hanoverian stallion owned by Betsy Juliano, LLC
- Steffen Peters (San Diego, Calif.) and Suppenkasper, a 13-year-old KWPN gelding owned by Four Winds Farm and Akiko Yamazaki
- Sabine Schut-Kery (Napa, Calif.) and Sanceo, a 15-year-old Hanoverian stallion owned by Alice Womble
The traveling reserve is:
- Nick Wagman (San Diego, Calif.) and Don John, a 13-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding owned by Beverly Gepfer
The team alternates are:
- Olivia LaGoy-Weltz (Haymarket, Va.) and Rassing’s Lonoir, a 17-year-old Danish Warmblood gelding owned by Mary Anne McPhail and Olivia LaGoy-Weltz
- Ben Ebeling (Moorpark, Calif.) and Illuster van de Kampert, a 13-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding owned by Sasha Cutter for Nuvolari Holdings and Amy Roberts Ebeling
All team nominations are subject to United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee approval.
Photo © Astrid Appels
Related Link
Eurodressage Coverage of the 2021 Olympic Games