Articles: Horse News
Olympic Eventing Set to Begin at Greenwich Park; Five U.S. Horses Accepted
at the First Horse Inspection
Boyd Martin and Otis Barbotiere at the first horse inspection (Shannon Brinkman)
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NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 27, 2012
Greenwich, UK - The first of the three Olympic Equestrian Disciplines is set
to begin on Saturday, July 28 after 74 horses were presented for the first
horse inspection. The team from the United States drew second (behind
Ecuador's individual) and were first to present their horses before the
Ground Jury of President Anne Mette Binder, Nick Burton, and Gillian Rolton.
The stunning Greenwich arena hosted horses from 22 nations, all of which
were accepted.
All five American horses looked fantastic, a testament to their grooms, the
veterinarians, physio, farrier, and entire team. Dr. Brendan Furlong is
serving the U.S. in his fifth Olympic Games. He is supported by farrier
Steve Teichman, Dr. Wendy Leich, and physio Angie Cooney - they had the
horses looking their very best.
Boyd Martin (Cochranville, PA) will ride the Otis Barbotiere Syndicate's
Otis Barbotiere in the lead-off position for the team. The 10-year-old Selle
Francais gelding looked sharp at this morning's jog. Otis survived a fire
last May and has returned to fighting form under the care of his groom
Lindsey Taylor.
Karen O'Connor is the most senior Olympian in the entire
U.S. delegation. She rides the 14-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding
Mr. Medicott in the second position. A five-time Olympian, O'Connor (Ocala,
FL) rode in her first Olympic Games in 1988. Mr. Medicott was an acquisition
from Germany in 2011 by the Mr. Medicott Syndicate with the Olympic Games in
mind. Max Corcoran is grooming at her second Olympic Games, having made the
trip in 2008 as well.
At the other end of the experience spectrum from O'Connor is Tiana Coudray
(Ojai, CA), but the 24-year-old Californian handled the first step of the
Olympic experience with ease presenting her flashy grey gelding, Jatial,
Inc.'s Ringwood Magister. This pair relocated to the UK last year, and have
taken up residency at Nick Gauntlett's. Gauntlett was kind enough to supply
his very experienced groom, Annabelle James, to assist Coudray at her first
International Championship.
Will Coleman (Charlottesville, VA) is also competing in his first
International Championship, he will ride Jim Wildasin's classy veteran
Twizzel. The 16-year-old Westphalian/Australian Thoroughbred cross has
thrived during his time in England. Twizzel's favorite person and groom,
Sara McKenna, had him looking very well as he jogged in the main arena.
"The jog was great this morning," said Coleman. "The U.S. team looked in
great order, my horse jogged really well and I think we're all really happy
with the condition of these horses. It's a great testament to the team
behind us and the great training facility we've been lucky enough to use at
Lavender Hill. I think we all feel really good about our status. We still
have a couple days before he goes so I am trying not to do too much with
him. He feels settled and relaxed. He feels good."
Phillip Dutton (West Grove, PA) rounds out the American team of five. Dutton
has ridden last in every championship in which he has represented the USA
(beginning in 2007 at the Pan American Games). Previously he was a two-time
Gold medalist for Australia. He and Jim and Arden Wildasin's Mystery
Whisper, an 11-year-old Australian Warmblood, have won three of the five
events they've contested together in 2012. Emma Ford, who has worked for
Dutton since 2005, is responsible for the care of Mystery Whisper.
"It's somewhat of a relief, but also really exciting to finally get
started," said Dutton. "Up until this stage you realize something can go
wrong and you won't get to start. But it is great to finally jog as a team
and get the team through. I am pleased with Mystery Whisper and how he's
going - I still have two days to go as he is last of the Americans. I'm just
trying to get him used to the conditions here and to the atmosphere and will
try to get him to do the test of his life on Sunday."
Dressage kicks off tomorrow, Martin and Otis Barbotiere are the first pair
in the ring at 10 AM GMT on Saturday; O'Connor and Mr. Medicott at 12:08 and
Coudray and Ringwood Magister at 3:18. Sunday continues with Coleman and
Twizzel at 11:20 and Dutton and Mystery Whisper finish it off for the USA at
2:38.
For coverage of the U.S. Team in London, please visit:
http://usefnetwork.com/featured/Olympics2012/
To view the Media Guide for the U.S. Team, click here.
ENDS
The vision of the United States Equestrian Federation is to provide
leadership
for equestrian sport in the United States of America by promoting the
pursuit
of excellence from the grassroots to the Olympic Games, based on a
foundation of fair, safe competition and the welfare
of its human and equine athletes.
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