Eighty-nine riders from 21 nations will compete at the FEI World Championships for eventing in Pratoni del Vivaro, Italy, after one horse was withdrawn at the first horse inspection.
Three horses were held by the vets and the ground jury - Christina Klingspor (SWE), Peter Gray (CAN) and Christian Steiner (AUT) - Joystick, ridden by Aminda Ingulfson for Sweden, Cecelia, the 19-year-old mare ridden for Mexico by Daniela Moguel, and Brazil’s Ballypatrick SRS (Ruy Fonseca). Both Joystick and Ballypatrick SRA were passed on reinspection, but Cecelia was withdrawn from the holding box and will not take part in the competition.
All five American horses breezed through the trot-up, which took place in a small area between the main dressage arena and the practice arenas. The three female US riders - Ariel Grald, Tamra Smith and Lauren Nicholson wore belted pink tweed skirts, knee-length boots, dark blue poloneck tops and Panama hats, while the men - Boyd Martin and Will Coleman - wore cream chinos and US team jackets.
The British squad wore black armbands to mark the recent passing of Her Majesty the Queen, as did the Australian team.
Will Coleman and Off The Record will be the first US partnership to go at the FEI World Championships They will be 11th into the dressage arena tomorrow (Thursday, 15 September) at 11:05 a.m. Italian time.
Lauren Nicholson and Vermiculous will follow them as number 33, and will perform their test at 15:35 p.m. Italian time.
The individual rider for Team USA, Ariel Grald (Leamore Master Plan) will be second to go on Friday morning as number 47 at 9:38 a.m. Italian time.
Tamie Smith and Mai Baum, number 61, are scheduled to do their dressage test at 12:00 p.m. Italian time on Friday.
Boyd Martin (Tsetserleg TSF, number 86) are the final pairing to represent the USA at 4:38 p.m. Italian time on Friday. They are part of the last rotation of riders, which also includes world number one and Tokyo team gold medallist Oliver Townend from Great Britain, Australian individual bronze medallists from the Tokyo Olympics Andrew Hoy and Vassily De Lassos, Pau CCI5* winners for New Zealand Tim Price and Falco, and the Japanese combination who were fourth at Tokyo, Kazuma Tomoto and Vinci De La Vigne.
Badminton CCI5* winners Laura Collett and London 52 are drawn third for the British team at 15:51 p.m. Italian time on Thursday. Britain’s individual competitor is team rookie Yasmin Ingham, who will ride her 2022 Kentucky CCI5* runner-up Banzai Du Loir at 12:00 p.m. Italian time on Thursday.
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The United States Eventing Association (USEA) is pleased to announce the addition of the Modified Rider division beginning at the 2023 USEA American Eventing Championships (AEC), presented by Nutrena Feeds. The USEA AEC will move back to the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Kentucky August 29–September 3, 2023.
Are you interested in competing in the sport of eventing but aren’t quite sure how to get started? Do you have a horse that is looking for a new career? Consider participating in a USEA New Event Horse (NEH) competition in 2023! The USEA NEH Program was created to be an introduction to the sport of eventing for both horse and rider, and the 2023 NEH Calendar is now available here.
Will Coleman had a huge 2022 with his string of horses, including a team silver medal at the FEI World Eventing Championship in Italy on Off The Record and top four-star placings with Chin Tonic HS, but it was Dondante whose consistency paid off to earn the Standlee Premium Western Forage USEA Horse of the Year title.
Julie Murray has loved horses since she could breathe, so when her daughters showed an interest in Pony Club and then eventing, she was thrilled to go along for the ride.
Murray started volunteering at the Fallbrook Pony Club near her home in Fallbrook, California, serving as an intermediate district commissioner.