Wellington, Fla. - The Dutta Corp. U.S. Dressage Team will make their 2019 FEI Dressage Nations Cup™ debut in front of a home crowd when the FEI Dressage Nations Cup USA gets underway on Wednesday, March 13, in Wellington, Fla. In addition, the U.S. will compete in the CDIO-U25 Nations Cup, running alongside the FEI Dressage Nations Cup USA on Wednesday.
Newly appointed Technical Advisor and Chef d’Equipe Debbie McDonald will lead The Dutta Corp. U.S. Dressage Team of Jennifer Baumert, Shelly Francis, Ashley Holzer, and Charlotte Jorst as they pursue a top finish in week 10 of the 12-week 2019 Adequan® Global Dressage Festival (AGDF) and generate positive momentum moving towards the 2019 Pan American Games in Lima, Peru.
The top three scores from each team earned during Wednesday’s FEI Grand Prix and FEI Prix St. Georges and Thursday’s FEI Grand Prix Special and FEI Intermediate I will account for the overall team score, whereas the FEI Grand Prix Freestyle and FEI Intermediate I Freestyle on Friday will determine overall individual honors. The U.S. has drawn fourth in the order.
Meet the Team
Jennifer Baumert (Wellington, Fla.) and Handsome, Betsy Juliano LLC’s 14-year-old Hanoverian gelding. Follow Baumert on Facebook (@cloverleadressage).
Shelly Francis (Loxahatchee, Fla.) and Danilo, Patricia Stempel’s 15-year-old Hanoverian gelding. Follow Francis on Facebook (@shellyfrancisdressage).
Ashley Holzer (Wellington, Fla.) and Valentine, her nine-year-old Hanoverian mare.
Charlotte Jorst (Reno, Nev.) and Kastel’s Nintendo, Kastel Denmark’s 16-year-old Dutch Warmblood stallion. Follow Jorst on Facebook (@charlottejorst), Twitter (@charlotte_jorst), and Instagram (@charlottejorst).
Last Time Out
Baumert and Handsome won the Prix St. Georges and Intermediate 1 CDI1* during the AGDF 7 and the Prix St. Georges and Intermediate I CDI3*, along with a second place finish in the Intermediate I Freestyle CDI3* during AGDF 3.
Francis and Danilo placed fourth in the Grand Prix and Grand Prix Freestyle CDI-W during AGDF 8 and third in the Grand Prix and Grand Prix Freestyle CDI-W during AGDF 7.
Holzer and Valentine have had 10 wins during the 2019 AGDF season, including most recently winning the Intermediate I CDI3* and the Intermediate I Freestyle CDI3* during AGDF 8.
Jorst and Kastel’s Nintendo won the Grand Prix and Grand Prix Special CDI3* during AGDF 8, along with a win in the Grand Prix and a second place in the Grand Prix Special CDI3* during AGDF 7.
Career Highlights
Baumert: 2018 USEF Intermediaire I Reserve National Champion at the USEF Dressage Festival of Champions
Francis: 2018 FEI World Cup Dressage Final competitor; two-time traveling reserve for the U.S. Olympic Dressage Team (Rio 2016, Atlanta 1996); traveling reserve for the Rome 1998 FEI World Equestrian Games™ (WEG) U.S. Dressage Team
Holzer: Three-time Canadian Olympian (London 2012, Beijing 2008, and Athens 2004); three-time Canadian WEG competitor (Lexington, Ky., 2010; Aachen, Germany, 2006; and Jerez de la Frontera, Spain, 2002); second time riding on a U.S. team after her sport nationality change was approved in early 2017
Jorst: 2016 FEI World Cup Dressage Final competitor; U.S. representative at the FEI World Breeding Dressage Championships for Young Horses in 2013
U25 Athletes Teaming Up for FEI Nations Cup CDIO-U25
The U.S. will compete against two Canadian teams in the FEI Nations Cup CDIO-U25 competition and drew last in the order of go. Chef d’Equipe Charlotte Bredahl will guide the team of Lauren Asher, Kerrigan Gluch, and Natalie Pai as they look to defend the podium after a gold-medal finish in the U.S.’s debut U25 team competition in 2017 and a silver-medal finish in 2018. Bringing international competition experience, these three talented U25 athletes will perform the FEI Intermediate II test on Wednesday, with the top two scores counting for the team score.
Asher (Wellington, Fla.), a USEF Dressage Development Program athlete and individual silver medalist at the 2017 Adequan® FEI North American Youth Championships (NAYC) presented by Gotham North, will ride Select Equine International’s West Side. She and the 16-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding most recently won the CDIU25 Grand Prix Freestyle during AGDF 7.
Gluch (Wellington, Fla.), a Discover Dressage™ USEF/USDF Emerging Athlete Program participant and member of the 2017 gold-medal winning and 2018 silver-medal winning CDIOU25 Nations Cup team, will ride Bolero XCLVII. The 2016 U.S. Young Rider European Tour participant and Hampton Green Farm’s 14-year-old P.R.E. stallion most recently won the Intermediate II and placed second in the Grand Prix CDIU25 during AGDF 5.
Pai (Wellington, Fla.), a 2015 NAYC individual gold medalist, brings Unlimited, Melanie Pai’s 17-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding. The Discover Dressage™ USEF/USDF Emerging Athlete Program participant and 2017 USEF Young Adult ‘Brentina Cup’ Dressage Reserve National Champion recently won the Grand Prix and Grand Prix Freestyle CDIU25 during AGDF 8.
Competition Information
The FEI Dressage Nations Cup USA and FEI Nations Cup CDIO-U25 are part of the week 10 festivities closing out the 2019 AGDF. Competition begins on Wednesday, March 13, beginning with the Nations Cup CDIO-U25 FEI Intermediate II test at 1:10 p.m. EST.
USEF Network will stream the FEI Dressage Nations Cup USA, beginning March 13 at 1:10 p.m. with the CDIOU25 Intermediate II. Not a US Equestrian member yet? Use promo code GLOBALDRESSAGE19 for access. Visit the USEF Network to watch.
Follow US Equestrian
Stay up to date on The Dutta Corp. U.S. Dressage Team by following US Equestrian on Instagram, Twitter, and the USA Dressage Facebook page. Use #JoinTheJoy, #BeProud, and #USADressage.
The USEF International High Performance Programs are generously supported by the USET Foundation, USOC, and USEF Sponsors and Members.
Headshots by Taylor Pence/US Equestrian