By Kim MacMillan
All four US horses were accepted for competition by the FEI Para-Dressage Ground Jury here in Aachen during the first horse inspection on August 18. The US Team members are:
Rebecca Hart (Wellington, Fla.) and Floratina, a 2008 Hanoverian mare (Fidertanz 2 x Rubin Royal OLD), owned by Rowan O’Riley and cared for by Mackenzie Young
Fiona Howard (Boston, Mass.) and Diamond Dunes, a 2013 Hanoverian gelding (De L’Or x Wolkentanz), owned by Dressage Family LLC and Hof Kasselmann and cared for by Helen Claire McNulty (Currently #1 in the FEI Para-Dressage Rankings across all grades.)
Kate Shoemaker (Wellington, Fla.) and Vianne, her own 2016 Hanoverian mare (Vitalis x Ramiro’s Bube) cared for by Jessica Martin-Legg (Currently #2 in the FEI Para-Dressage Rankings across all grades.)
Marie Vonderheyden (Wellington, Fla.) and Fan Tastico H, a 2017 Oldenburg gelding (Furstenball OLD x Weltmeyer), owned by Karin Flint and cared for by Rafael Hernandez-Carillo.
Initially there were 93 para-dressage horse and rider combos set to start. However, Bridget Murphy from Australia withdrew for health reasons late in the day; she is reported to be in stable condition in the hospital. This leaves 92 to go down center line for their Para Grand Prix Test A tomorrow, Wednesday, August 19 (Grades I, II and III) and Thursday, August 20 (Grades IV and V). Individual medals are awarded in each para-dressage grade after the completion of Test A.
The classes on August 19 and 20 are also the first of two qualifier classes for the Para Grand Prix Freestyle competition on Sunday, August 23. Para-dressage competitors will then contest Para Grand Prix Test B (the second and final qualifier for the freestyle) on Friday, August 21 (Grades I, II and III), and Saturday, August 22 (Grades I, II and III). Test B also determines the Para-Dressage Team medals.
The US para-dressage team captured is first gold in Paris in at the 2024 Paralympic Games, and before that, team bronze at the 2022 FEI World Championships in Herning, Denmark.
For a schedule, orders of go, and results, go to www.usef.org.
