US Equestrian has announced the horse-and-athlete combinations selected to compete at the 2020 Adequan USEF Futures Team Challenge – West Coast held at Galway Downs in Temecula, California, from October 29-November 1. The format of the Adequan USEF Futures Team Challenge provides an opportunity for eventing athletes to gain valuable team competition experience in an unofficial team scenario on home soil at the CCI3* and CCI4* levels.
The teams will be coached by Erik Duvander, U.S. Performance Director for Eventing, and Leslie Law, USEF Eventing Development and Emerging Coach, both serving as Chef d’Equipe for their respective teams.
Erik Duvander's Team
Team Captain: Liz Halliday-Sharp (Lexington, Ky.) and Cooley Quicksilver (Womanizer x Kylemore Crystal), a nine-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding owned by The Monster Partnership
Emilee Libby (Temecula, Calif.) and her own and Linda Libby's Jakobi (Ustinov x Expression), an 11-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding
Sophie Click (Snoqualmie, Wash.) and Quidproquo (Quidado x Waleila), her own and Amy Click's nine-year-old Holsteiner gelding.
Leslie Law’s Team
Team Captain: Tamie Smith (Murrieta, Calif.) and Passepartout (Pasco x Preschel), an 11-year-old German Sport Horse gelding owned by Kaylawna Smith-Cook
Rebecca Brown (Seagoville, Texas) and Dassett Choice (Caricello x Vilja), an 11-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding owned by Team Junior Syndicate
Charlotte Babbitt (South Lake Tahoe, Calif.) and her own 2 A.M. (Sheraton x Regina K), an eight-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding
"Both Leslie and I are really looking forward to running our first Futures Team Challenge on the West Coast," said Duvander. "The Futures Team Challenge program is a new program and still under development. This year we are running three-horse teams for Galway Downs, but hoping to grow this number next year. We are also going to trial for the first time having senior riders as team captains, with Liz Halliday-Sharp captaining my team and Tamie Smith captaining Leslie’s team. The purpose in naming captains is for these athletes to develop leadership skills, while simultaneously gaining more team experience."
"Our aim is to continuously drive and grow eventing on the West Coast, and we hope the Futures Team Challenge will aid in inspiring the next generation of riders and providing a pathway toward senior teams," Duvander added. "It would not have been possible to run the Futures Team Challenge this year without Adequan stepping up as a sponsor, and we are grateful for their support of this successful program.”
Applications were submitted to the USEF Performance Advisory Team and selected based off of results, potential, willingness to learn, and commitment to developing as future team athletes, following the FEI Nations Cup selection criteria as guidance.
Selection to a team under the Adequan USEF Futures Team Challenge does not represent selection to a recognized U.S. team.
Welcome back to one of the most exciting weeks in eventing in the U.S.—Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event week! The Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Kentucky, is going to be full to the brim with eventing lovers from all over the world.
The USEA Intercollegiate Eventing Championship has always been a fan-favorite amongst USEA staff and members alike, but this year the year-end showdown which was dubbed the "happiest horse trial on earth" by a USEA staff member is getting bigger and better with the addition of the inaugural USEA Interscholastic Eventing League Championship.
It's one of the biggest weeks in eventing, and while thousands of eventing enthusiasts have flocked to the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Kentucky, for the 2024 Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event, thousands more will be tuning in from across the globe will be watching from home. Are you one of those who will be watching from afar? We've got the all the info you need to watch the livestream
Ema Klugman completed a fairy tale story in 2021 at the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event when she made her five-star debut with the Thoroughbred/Saddlebred Bendigo, who she came up the levels with from Pony Club to Advanced. As Ben was heading into the later years of his career with Klugman, she purchased Bronte Beach, a Zangersheide mare (Verdi TN x Dalphine), in 2017 as a 5-year-old to follow in his footsteps.