Molly Rosin and Havarah's Charly (Shannon Brinkman) Elkton, MD – Run concurrently for the first time, two USEF National Eventing Championships got underway as the first half of both the CCI*** and the CCI** performed their dressage tests at the 2008 Dansko Fair Hill International. Amy Tryon was having a stellar test on Coal Creek (an 8-year-old Thoroughbred gelding owned by Tim and Kathryn Sullivan) when the loudspeaker malfunction causing a loud noise during the third to last movement in...

Rebecca Hart (John Stevenson) By Joanie Morris Hong Kong, China – The venue was lively today as the freestyles got underway in the main arena at Sha Tin. All kinds of music were showcased in two sessions. Two US riders went to task in the morning sessions on the penultimate day of competition at the 2008 Paralympic Games in Equestrian. In the Grade II Individual Freestyle, Rebecca Hart (Erie, PA) finally had the performance she knew she was capable with Norteassa at these Games. The...

Authentic (Shannon Brinkman) Hong Kong, China – Under the unsettled skies of the impending typhoon the individual medals were decided by not one but two jump-offs. America’s Beezie Madden and Authentic out ran six other combinations to be the fastest of the four faulters to win her first Indivdual medal. “In the Olympics there is usually a jump off for medals,” said Madden. “So we expected it. When it ended up being seven to jump off for the bronze it made for a...

Hong Kong, China – Coming into the Games, Peters was pinned as the best individual medal hope for the US in recent memory. Riding Akiko Yamazaki’s formerly undefeated Steffen Peters and Ravel (Shannon Brinkman) 10-year-old KWPN gelding Ravel, Peters put in a masterful performance in the horse’s first effort outside the US. Anky van Grunsven and Salinero won on the strength of their freestyle (82.4%), winning her third consecutive Individual gold medal for The Netherlands on a...

Will Simpson and Carlsson vom Dach (Shannon Brinkman) Hong Kong, China – The US show jumpers looked happy to stretch their legs tonight in the first Individual Qualifier. The main arena was turned over from a dressage ring to Grand Prix course tonight at Sha Tin as the jumping horses finally got a chance to play. 73 horses went to task over a beautiful course designed by Leopoldo Palacios and Steve Stephens. The US was the only nation with three double clear rounds. McLain Ward was the...

Hong Kong, China – Steffen Peters, the anchor rider for the US Team, did everything he could to coax a brilliant performance out of Ravel to secure the team bronze medal. Courtney King-Dye and Mythilus (Shannon Brinkman) Peters really went for broke and finished the first Individual Qualifier in 10th place individually on a 70.00%, which wasn’t quite good enough for a team medal after teammate Debbie McDonald had a completely uncharacteristic performance on Brentina. Ravel, who is...

Hong Kong, China – Gina Miles waved the flag for the US tonight at Sha Tin, winning an Individual Silver medal with McKinlaigh. The duo jumped two textbook clean rounds, adding nothing to their two-day score o Gina Miles and McKinlaigh (Shannon Brinkman) f 56.1. “I always knew he was the best event horse in the world,” said Miles. “He had his day to shine at the Olympic Games.” The 14-year-old Irish Sport Horse owned by Thom Schulz and Laura Coats stepped around...

Phillip Dutton and Connaught in Hong Kong (Ken Braddick) Hong Kong, China – The second day of dressage got underway bright and early at Sha Tin and the overnight leaders, the Australians, never looked in danger of having their lead threatened. The same three scores the team used yesterday (out of the five riders) held their lead on a total mark of 102.80. The U.S. continued to well orchestrated plans, and their two most experienced riders put in very solid performances to leave the U.S....

Lexington, KY - Pending U.S. Olympic Committee approval, the USEF has named the following horse/rider combinations to the 2008 U.S. Olympic team in eventing. These five combinations will represent the United States at the 2008 Olympic Games, the equestrian portion of which will be held in Hong Kong, beginning on Northern Spy and Heidi White (Mike McNally) August 8. Rider/Age/Hometown/Horse/Age/Breed/Sex/Owner (in alphabetical order): Phillip Dutton/44/West Grove, PA/Connaught/15/Irish Sport...

Norwood, NC - Ten event horses from the USEF Short List for Eventing made the trip to Jim Cogdell's The Fork Stables in Norwood, NC for the final mandatory outing for the 2008 Olympic Games. Five horse/rider Bonnie Mosser and Merloch (Mike McNally) combinations from the Short List competed at the Barbury Castle CIC*** last weekend in England and per the selection procedures riders were allowed to choose which one to contest. The outing began with the dressage test designed specifically for...