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Photo by Diana DeRosa

First Day of Dressage Grand Prix Sees Two Team USA Members in Top Ten

Let the dressage tests begin! Hungry fans of the sport descended on a steamy early morning Markopoulo Equestrian Center, anxious to see their favorites take to the challenge of battling it out for the Gold, Silver and Bronze Team and Individual medals. There are 52 horses from 18 countries competing in the two-day Grand Prix Team test. Ten countries will be competing in the Team medal. The German contingent appears as strong competition to U.S. hopes for Gold, having only lost it one time since the 1976 Montreal Olympic Games to the riders from Russia (at the boycotted 1980 Moscow Olympics). German rider Ulla Salzgeber and Dutch team member Anky van Grunsven are sure to prove formidable competition at these Games. They both compete on Saturday.

For the full story, click here.

Photo by Diana DeRosa

The Stars and Stripes were flying high at Markopoulo Equestrian Center. It was a long trip to Greece for many supporters of the U.S. Team, but well worth the effort.

Photo by Diana DeRosa

Lisa Wilcox and her Oldenburg stallion, Relevant, scored a 68.792 during their early morning start. The pairing entered the dressage ring first among 26 riders of the day.

Photo by Diana DeRosa

The British and Dutch fans made themselves known during the Friday morning Day 1 of the two-day Team Grand Prix test. At the and of Day 1, Britain is in Team Bronze medal position; the Dutch Team is currently in a surprising sixth place, with the highly anticipated ride of teammate Anky van Grunsven to come mid-morning on Saturday.

Photo by Diana DeRosa

A smiling Guenter Seidel and his Bavarian gelding, Aragon, just finishing his work on the first day of Olympic competition.

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You can help our athletes win GOLD at the 2004 Athens Olympics with a donation to the USET Foundation. Send checks to: PO Box 355 Pottersville Road, Gladstone, NJ 07934. Mastercard or Visa Donations accepted by phone (908) 234-1251.

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The United States Equestrian Federation, Inc. (USEF), as the National Equestrian Federation of the U.S., is the regulatory body for the Olympic and World Championship sports of dressage, driving, endurance, eventing, reining, show jumping, and vaulting, as well as 20 other breeds and disciplines of equestrian competition. As the country's largest multi-breed organization, the Federation has over 80,000 members and recognizes more than 2,800 competitions nationwide each year. It governs all aspects of competition, including educating and licensing all judges, stewards, and technical delegates who officiate at these shows.

VISION STATEMENT

The vision of U.S. Equestrian is to provide leadership for equestrian sport in the United States of America, promoting the pursuit of excellence from the grass roots to the Olympic Games, based on a foundation of fair, safe competition and the welfare of its horses, and embracing this vision, to be the best national equestrian federation in the world.

August 20, 2004