There will be no Americans competing in the Under 25 competition held for the second consecutive year at the 2011 CDIO Aachen on 13 - 17 July 2011. The invited American, Caroline Roffman, withdrew because of health issues with her horse
and no other Americans fulfilled the selection criteria.
As FEI “Rising Star” of 2010 Caroline Roffman, from Wellington, FL, was invited by the organizers to compete in next month’s competition. However Dressage-News.com reported that Roffman was excited to show her 9-year old Danish warmblood Lux Stengsvang (by Lobster), but had to withdraw for health reasons. A pre-competition veterinary examination found issues that her vet said would not prevent the horse from competing at Aachen but recommended a break from competition for the sake of the long term development of Lux.
“I’m really, really disappointed,” Caroline told Dressage News. “I’ve been so excited about this ever since I received the invitation. The horse comes first, though, and we decided this was best for Lux.”
In anticipation of an invitation to Aachen, the USEF sought applications. Horse and rider combinations were required to submit three scores from FEI Grand Prix, FEI Young Rider Grand Prix 16-25, FEI Intermediaire II with an overall minimum average of 66 per cent. At least two of the scores had to be at the Young Rider Grand Prix or Grand Prix level and one Grand Prix score must be from a CDI. No riders qualified. And Caroline withdrew.
“The U-25 riders are getting a lot of attention in Europe,” U.S. Technical Advisor Anne Gribbons told Dressage-News, “and of course that group is the one to target to help them move on to the Senior Grand Prix division. And, as usual, they have greater numbers and lesser distances to travel than we do to get new programs started. We are very aware of this gap in our ranks in the Unites States, as well as the desperate need for more junior and pony riders to come up the ladder."
Source: Dressage-News
Related Links
Roffman Invited for 2011 Aachen Under 25 Competition
Eurodressage Coverage of the 2011 CDIO Aachen