Lexington, Ky.—June 4— The United States Equestrian Federation is pleased to announce the following athlete-and-horse combinations selected to represent the Defender U.S. Eventing Team at the CHIO Aachen CCIO4*-S in Aachen, Germany, held from July 1-7, 2024. The team will be led by Chef d’Equipe Bobby Costello and Team Leader Gemma Stobbs.
The following combinations have been selected to represent the Defender U.S. Eventing Team and are listed in alphabetical order.
James Alliston (San Ramon, California) and Karma, a 10-year-old Oldenburg mare (Escudo II x Lavita) owned by Alliston Equestrian and Ric Plummer and cared for by Sophie Hulme.
Jennie Brannigan (West Grove, Pennsylvannia) and FE Lifestyle, a 14-year-old Deutches Sportferd gelding (Leo von Faelz x Bradenburger) owned by Nina & Timothy Gardner and cared for by Alexa Lapp and Isabel Turner.
Elisabeth Halliday (Lexington, Kentucky) and Miks Master C, a 12-year-old Swedish Warmblood gelding (Mighty Magic x Flyinge Quite Easy 958) owned by Ocala Horse Properties and Deborah Palmer and cared for by Jordan Crabo.
Alyssa Phillips (Ft. Worth, Texas) and Oskar, a 15-year-old Holsteiner gelding (Coriando x Marlo) owned by Julie & Alyssa Phillips and cared for by Addi Mommsen.
The following combination has been selected to compete as individuals.
Elisabeth Halliday (Lexington, Kentucky) and Shanroe Cooley, a 9-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding (Dallas x Condios) owned by Ocala Horse Properties and cared for by Jordan Crabo.
The following combinations have been selected as team alternates and are listed in ranked order.
Hallie Coon (Ocala, Florida.) and Cute Girl, a 10-year-old Holsteiner mare (Coventry x Clearway) owned by Hallie Coon & Helen Coon.
Emily Hamel (Aiken, South Carolina) and Corvett, a 17-year-old Holsteiner gelding (Corrido x Clearway) owned by Black Flag Option, LLC.
Competition Information
CHIO Aachen is one of the most prestigious multi-discipline events in the world, hosted annually in Aachen, Germany. The CCIO4*-S will begin with dressage on the morning of July 5 at 8:30 a.m. GMT+2, followed by stadium later in the afternoon in the main grass arena at 5:50 p.m. GMT+2. Cross-country will start at 10:00 a.m. GMT+2 on Saturday, July 6, to determine the final team standings.
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Ride iQ’s popular “Ask An Expert” series features professional advice and tips from all areas of the horse industry. One of the most-downloaded episodes is an expert session with Peter Gray, an accomplished dressage judge and Olympic eventer. He has recently judged at events like the five-star at the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event, and he served on the ground jury at the 2022 FEI World Eventing Championships in Pratoni, Italy. His background as a competitor in the Olympic Games riding for Bermuda and as a coach and selector for the Canadian eventing team adds depth to his understanding of the sport.
With a total of 382 volunteer hours in 2024, Catherine “Cathy” Hale not only topped the USEA Area III VIP Volunteer leaderboard, but she also ranked fourth out of all eventing volunteers across the country. Hale (The Villages, Florida) has worked as a travel agent for over 30 years, a career that suits her love of travel nicely. At the time of being interviewed for this article, Hale was passing the equator on a cruise to Tahiti, New Zealand, and Australia.
The USEA office will close at 5:00 p.m. EST on Friday, Dec. 20, 2024, and will reopen again on Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025. The USEA staff will return emails and phone calls when the office re-opens on Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025 or at their earliest convenience.
After the success of the first annual USEA Intercollegiate & Interscholastic Eventing Championships at Stable View in Aiken, South Carolina, members are not going to want to miss the second edition in 2025! Barry and Cyndy Olliff, owners of Stable View, and their team are gearing up for an even bigger and better event in the coming year. If you are a current or prospective member of the Intercollegiate Eventing Program or the Interscholastic Eventing League, be sure to block off the weekend of May 3-4, 2025 to attend these exciting Championships.