Foltaire, a 13-year-old, Dutch Warmblood gelding owned by Dick and Jane Brown and ridden by Guenter Seidel of Del Mar, CA, colicked midweek. When the option of surgery was considered, there were concerns about his participation in the Games. USET veterinarian Midge Leitch recommended against surgery and Foltaire recovered strongly on Friday eliminating concerns as to his participation in the Games.

Seidel rode Foltaire to the Reserve Championship in the 2000 State Line Tack USET Dressage Championship that served as the USET's final selection trials for the Sydney Games.

The Olympic dressage competition is held late in the Games with the Grand Prix team competition scheduled for September 26-7 and the individual competition on September 29-30.

Raine Could Not Compete, Even If Needed

Meanwhile it has been determined that reserve rider Kathleen Raine and Fidelia, could not compete in the Olympic Games even if it became necessary for one of the top horses to withdraw. The IOC rule for Equestrian sports states that each team may have a reserve horse, that can be ridden by the selected four team members should a horse become unable to compete. Apparently a long standing IOC rule was not known to the Americans and it was just discovered after Raine has made the trip to Australia, to be on hand as the reserve.