Phillip Dutton and the now retired Mr Medicott were the best of the American riders at Kentucky 2017, finishing in fourth place
“The immediate focus of the Eventing High Performance Program is qualification, preparation, and execution of a successful World Equestrian Games (WEG)” says Erik Duvander, United States Equestrian Federation Eventing Performance Director
Speaking at the High Performance Program at the United States Eventing Association Annual Meeting in December, Erik outlined plans for the coming year leading up to the WEG at Tryon in September and the four-year performance plan aiming at the 2019 Pan American Games in Lima, the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo and beyond
Previously the High Performance coach for the New Zealand eventing team, Erik joined the US programme in October 2017 and has spent the past few months strategising the approach of the athletes and horses aiming to be part of the US team at WEG
“In preparation for the WEG, the majority of our horses will target a spring CCI4*, and we look forward to a strong showing at the Land Rover Kentucky CCI4*, in addition to some horses representing the U.S. at Badminton and Luhmühlen and spring CCI3*s. We will then utilise the FEI Nations Cups™ at Great Meadow and our hope is to secure an invitation to Aachen to practice and prepare in a team environment twice in July”
"We will train and prepare every day to select and field a team with a serious chance of winning a medal,” said Duvander. “However, if strategic decisions have to be made on the field of play, we will take into consideration that our USOC-approved target is Olympic qualification”
Five riders are currently on the 2018 Elite Training List, which will be reviewed in June. They are;
US 2018 Elite Training List
Matt Brown (Kennett Square, Pa.) and Super Socks BCF, Blossom Creek Foundation’s 11-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding
Will Coleman (Charlottesville, Va.) and Tight Lines, The Conair Syndicate’s 10-year-old French Thoroughbred gelding
Phillip Dutton (West Grove, Pa.) and
Z, a nine-year-old Zangersheide gelding owned by Thomas Tierney, Simon Roosevelt, Suzanne Lacy, Ann Jones, and Caroline Moran
Mighty Nice, HND Group’s 13-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding
Fernhill Cubalawn, a 13-year-old Holsteiner gelding owned by Thomas Tierney, Simon Roosevelt, and Caroline Moran
Fernhill Revelation, Revelation Group’s 11-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding
I’m Sew Ready, Kristine and John Norton’s 13-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding
Boyd Martin (Cochranville, Pa.) and
Steady Eddie, Gretchen and George Wintersteen, Pierre Colin, and Denise Lahey’s 14-year-old New Zealand-bred Thoroughbred gelding
Blackfoot Mystery, Blackfoot Mystery Syndicate LLC’s 13-year-old Thoroughbred gelding
Lynn Symansky (Middleburg, Va.) and Donner, The Donner Syndicate, LLC’s 14-year-old Thoroughbred gelding
