Thursday, February 2, 2006

Wellington Dressage to Feature Large Contingent of International Grand Prix Riders Aiming for FEI World Equestrian Games

Large American Contingent Vying for a Spot of the WEG Team

A strong contingency of American riders will also be competing at the Grand Prix level at Wellington Dressage, as the show serves as a qualifier for both the U.S. WEG Selection Trials and the 2006 USEF National Grand Prix Championship, which will be held June 15-18 at the USET Foundation headquarters in Gladstone, New Jersey. Super stars of the U.S. dressage world participating in the show include: Katherine Bateson-Chandler riding FBW Kennedy, the 2004 Athens Olympic mount for six-time Olympian Robert Dover; Pierre St. Jacques and Lucky Tiger, a duo that competed on the 2003 Pan American Games team; Charlotte Bredahl Baker, a member of the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Team, aboard Komo; George Williams with Rocher, a pair that competed on the 2005 CDIO Aachen team; and the 2005 USEF National Reserve Grand Prix Champion Arlene ‘Tuny’ Page with Wild One.

Silcox also noted that the two full sections of Grand Prix horses illustrates that many horses shown in the small tour (Prix St. Georges/Intermediaire) in previous years have now moved up to the Grand Prix level. “It’s wonderful to see that so many of the horses have advanced,” Silcox said. “We have lots of really nice riders. It shouldn’t be a hardship for the USEF to pick a team for the WEG.” Silcox added that some of the U.S. riders entered in the show are competing as part of their strategy to accumulate enough scores to be Long-Listed or Short-Listed for the USEF High Performance Dressage Team. “Also, you’re allowed to drop a score if you have more than the amount necessary, which can boost a rider’s chances of getting on the Short List,” Silcox pointed out.