U.S. Olympic Dressage Team Finalized

More than a month after the U.S. Olympic dressage trials wrapped up in Southern California, the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) has finalized its Olympic dressage team. While the top finishers from the dressage trials will represent the United States during Olympic competition, Leslie Morse and her stallion Kingston won’t be traveling with the team after all. Morse, who was a top finisher during the Olympic trials and was expected to be the traveling replacement on the U.S. dressage team, has withdrawn Kingston from the team for veterinary reasons. Following the selection procedures, the USEF named replacement horse/rider combination Michael Barisone and Neruda to stand in for Morse and Kingston.

The following horse/rider combinations have been named to the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team in Dressage:

Rider/Age/Hometown/Horse/Age/Breed/Sex/Owner (in alphabetical order):

Steffen Peters/44/San Diego, CA/Ravel/10/Dutch Warmblood/G/Akiko Yamazaki

Debbie McDonald/54/Hailey, ID/Brentina/17/Hanoverian/M/Peggy and Parry Thomas

Courtney King-Dye/31/New Milford, CT/Harmony’s Mythilus/14/Dutch Warmblood/G/Harmony Amateur Sports Foundation

Traveling replacement:

Michael Barisone/44/Califon, NJ/Neruda/13/Dutch Warmblood/G/Jane Suwalsky

The horses shipped to Hong Kong for the Olympic Games on July 30, the dressage competition begins on August 13.