| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 25,
2004 Short List Announced for 2004 U.S. Olympic Show Jumping
Team The United States Equestrian Federation today announced the Short
List for the 2004 Olympic Show Jumping Team. The four horse/rider combinations
and two substitutes are as follows: Rider, Age, Hometown, Horse,
Age, Breed, Sex:
1. Beezie Madden, 41, Cazenovia, NY - Authentic,
Age 9, Dutch Warmblood, gelding
2. Peter Wylde, 39, Maastricht, Netherlands
- Fein Cera, Age 13, Holsteiner, mare
3. McLain Ward, 29, Brewster,
NY - Sapphire, Age 9, Selle Francais, mare
4. Chris Kappler,
37, Pittstown, NJ - Royal Kaliber, Age 12, Dutch Warmblood, stallion
Two alternate/substitute combinations have been named:
Rider, Age, Hometown,
Horse, Age, Breed, Sex:
1. Alison Firestone, 28, Upperville, VA - Casanova,
Age 14, Swedish Warmblood, gelding
2. Lauren Hough, 27, Wellington,
FL - Clasiko, Age 13, Holsteiner, gelding
Madden, Wylde
and Ward qualified for the Short List by finishing first, second and third
respectively in the six Olympic Selection Trials held May 14th and 15th in Del
Mar, California, and May 22nd and 23rd in San Juan Capistrano, California. Based
on his exceptional record and performances on Royal Kaliber, Chris Kappler,
2003 Equestrian of the Year, was named as a discretionary selection to the Short
List on April 29th and did not have to compete in the Trials. Firestone
and Hough finished 4th and 5th in the Trials series.
“We have
a superb team of talented and experienced riders who know how to win at the international
level and world class horses capable of winning an Olympic medal,” said Frank
Chapot, Coach of the United States Show Jumping Team. “Leopoldo Palacios’
courses for the Trials not only tested the horses and riders to the Olympic
standard, but prepared them for the challenges they’ll meet in Athens.” Madden,
Wylde, Ward, Kappler, and Firestone will compete at CSI*** Hachenburg,
July 1-4 and CSIO***** Aachen, Germany, July 13 - 18 as their final
preparation for the Olympic Games, August 13 – 29. Short List selections
are subject to approval by the United States Olympic Committee. ENDS For
more information, please contact Maria Partlow, Senior Vice President of Marketing
and Communications on (859) 225-6941 or via email at mpartlow@usef.org. USEF press
releases are available on our web site – www.usef.org. Editor's
Note: The
Selectors decided against using their second subjective choice permitted under
the Show Jumping Selection Criteria. They had used the first to give Chris Kapler
a bye with Royal Kaliber, which kept him from having to compete at the Selection
Trials. Margie
Goldstein, who broke her femur in a freak fall on February 13th, bravely competed
in the first Trial with Hidden Creek's Perin, though her recovery was not complete.
The pair jumped clean in the fastest time of that trial. She suffered some soft
tissue injury in that effort. Margie then asked the Selectors for a bye. This
bye was never granted and Margie and Perin were not named to the Short List. The
entire rest of the Short List was chosen objectively, on the competitor's standings
after the final trial. |
