USEF Names Squad and Alternates for U.S. Endurance Team

USEF.org
RELEASE: July 11, 2012

AUTHOR/ADMINISTRATOR: USEF Communications Department

Lexington, KY - Following the approval of the USEF High Performance Working Group and the USEF Executive Committee, the squad and alternates for the U.S. Endurance Team for the 2012 World Endurance Championship is as follows.

Squad (In Alphabetical Order)

John Crandell III on John Crandell Jr's Heraldic
Becky Hart on her own No Repeat
Valerie Kanavy on her own Reach For The Gold
Nicki Meuten on her own Not Tonight
Heather Reynolds on her own and Jeremy Reynolds' Riverwatch
Jeremy Reynolds on his own and Heather Reynolds' A Kutt Above

Alternates in Ranked Order

1. Margaret Sleeper on her own Syrocco Reveille 
2. Melody Blittersdorf on her own Synthetic 
3. Kim Tilson Orr on Nicki Meuten's FYF Dutch
4. Jan Worthington on her own Golden Lightening
5. Ellen Olson on Jeremy Olson's SA Belshazzar
6. Cody Boysen on Roxi Welling's Viktory Banner
7. Jennifer Stevens on Meg Sleeper's Syrocco Cadence
8. Kelsey Kimbler on Kirsten Kimbler's Cody Canuck

The four athlete/horse combinations comprising the team and two combinations competing as individuals will travel to England to compete in the 2012 World Endurance Championship.

Chef d'Equipe Emmett Ross commented: "As Chef I am very pleased with our choices--much went into the decision and it was extremely difficult to rank a great group.  Helping in the selection were three selectors, Dr Dwight Hooton ( team Vet), and myself.  The three selectors were Carol Giles, Linda Howard and Susan Kasemeyer.
 
The travelling squad is made up of multiple time World Champion awards---5 times individual gold medal winners  between Becky Hart and Val Kanavy.  Multiple times Tevis Cup winners---John Crandell and Jeremy Reynolds.  Multiple time Tevis horse winners---Heraldic and Riverwatch.  And just a great group of strong competitors committed to focus on a team result.
 
The Organizing Committee has invited countries to have 6 starting horses---2 individuals and 4 team members.  I plan for the horses to travel from LA and New Jersey9 # each0 on or before August 13.  It is anticipated that there will 40 countries and 160 horses starting.
 
Our team veterinarian, Dr Dwight Hooton, is preparing to have the horses travel as free of stress as possible.  We will be stabled in the UK merely 15 minutes from the main venue in Thetford, Englnad and adjacent to two loops of the trail."