The Pan American Games kick off this week in Santiago, Chile, and the U.S. Eventing Team has sent four strong horse and rider combinations plus a traveling reserve. We caught up with all four team riders to learn more about them.
Sydney Elliott
Age: 38
Hometown: Bossier City, Louisiana
QC Diamantaire
Barn Name: Q
Age: 13
Breed: Oldenburg gelding (Diarado x Latana)
Owner: Carol Stephens
Personality: “We have such history together,” said Elliott. “We’ve been together since he was 5. We’re like an old married couple. I know his bad habits, he knows mine, and all the good qualities and everything in between.
“He is an amateur’s dream, family horse through and through,” Elliott added. “Everyone can ride him. But having said that, he is 99 percent perfect, except when he decides he doesn’t want a towel to the face, and nothing will go in his mouth with a syringe. He is interesting. Yesterday we couldn’t get near him with a hoof pick. Couldn’t pick his feet out. But yet, a kid could hang all over him. He’s odd and quirky, but safe. He tells on people. If they’ve mishandled him in any way or looked at him wrong, he lets me know!”
Groom: Elizabeth Crowder
Favorite Treat: Carrots and apples
Liz Halliday
Age: 44
Hometown: Lexington, Kentucky
Miks Master C
Barn Name: Mikki
Age: 11
Breed: U.S.-bred Swedish Warmblood gelding (Mighty Magic x Qui Luma CBF)
Owner: Ocala Horse Properties and Deborah Palmer
Personality: “Mikki is a lovely, kind horse. He’s very generous, he’s very kind, he’s very cuddly and sweet. He’s desperate to do the right thing all the time, which means he nearly offers too much sometimes. He’s so keen to get on with the job and wants to do the best all the time, you sort of have to bring him down a notch, especially on the flat,” said Halliday.
“He can be a handful to bring in from the field,” she added. “He lives out at night, which he loves. He can be a lot to bring, and he is a lot at a show for the same reason, especially when we have him and Deniro Z together. That can be an exciting handful. I can’t have someone lead him to cross-country to get on him.”
Groom: Mia Braundel
Favorite Treat: “He likes all the treats. He has no treats he doesn’t like!” said Halliday.
Sharon White
Age: 49
Hometown: Summit Point, West Virginia
Claus 63
Barn Name: Claus
Age: 11
Breed: Holsteiner gelding (Catoo x Tina II)
Owner: Sharon White
Personality: “He’s a very emotional horse,” said White. “Trying to get him to focus is always my big goal. He manipulates me really easily! All he has to do is look at me. He loves his treats. I can stop him dead in his tracks with a little sugar and a crinkle, crinkle if he gets emotional. It will immediately get his attention. He’s quite an athlete and quite a performer, and a pain in the ass sometimes!”
Groom: Lea Adams-Blackmore
Favorite Treat: Sugar
Caroline Pamukcu
Age: 28
Hometown: Riegelsville, Pennsylvania
HSH Blake
Barn Name: Blake
Age: 8
Breed: Irish Sport Horse gelding (Tolan R x Doughiska Lass)
Owner: Mollie Hoff, Sherrie Martin, Caroline and Deniz Pamukcu
Personality: “We nickname him Princess. He loves being the center of attention,” said Pamukcu. “He needs attention 24/7. If he could live in my living room, he would appreciate it. We jokingly say he’s a house cat. When he was a young horse, I always pull their shoes for a holiday, and every day he would jump out of the field and be in my front lawn sleeping right next to the enclosed pool. Then we’d keep him in a stall, and he’s jump out of his stall to go to the front lawn.”
Groom: Lee Maher
Favorite Treat: Carrots and apples
“Test the best without hurting the rest,” said show jumping course designer Chris Barnard as he and fellow designer Marc Donovan led a lively discussion for nearly 50 participants at the Show Jumping Seminar on the first day of the USEA Annual Meeting & Convention.
This afternoon, USEA President Louise “Lou” Leslie welcomed U.S. Eventing Association (USEA) Board of Governors members, USEA staff, and USEA Annual Meeting & Convention attendees to the first of two Board meetings which will take place during this year’s Convention in St. Louis, Missouri, with the teaser that 2024 is going to be full of initiatives for more opportunities to access the eventing experience, some of which attendees might get first wind of during this year’s gathering. The 2023 USEA Annual Meeting & Convention takes place Dec. 7-10 at the Marriott St. Louis Grand Hotel.
Welcome to the Show Me state and to Area IV USEA members! The 2023 USEA Annual Meeting & Convention kicks of tomorrow and features four full days of educational seminars, committee meetings, and social gatherings all with one aim—to bring the eventing community together to continue to improve upon and celebrate the sport that we all love. This year’s Convention takes place in St. Louis, Missouri, at the Marriott St. Louis Grand in downtown St. Louis from Dec. 7-10, and we have rounded up everything you need to know to make the most of your time in the heartland.
To accompany the 2023 USEA Annual Meeting & Convention, USEA Educational Partner STRIDER has prepared Digital Resources to Maximize Education & Access for the Eventing Community. In keeping with the USEA’s mission to expand the sport of eventing, this webinar outlines ways in which digital tools can be leveraged to increase access and education across equestrian opportunities. As part of STRIDER’s popular Professional Development Webinar Series, this presentation aims to provide a quick overview of best practices and digital tools used across the equestrian industry to boost growth.