USEF Jumps to Olympics

By June 17, 2012
You can see the whites of their eyeballs, showing grace under pressure: Rich Fellers and Flexible

Rich Fellers and Flexible compete at the Spruce Meadows Continental (Photo by StockImageServices.com)

Today’s USEF ranked list for the U.S. Olympic reveals who got their tickets punched for London 2012:  Rich Fellers, Beezie Madden, Reed Kessler, McLain Ward and Charlie Jayne are poised to ship out as the U.S. Show Jumping Team. Sitting at No.’s 4 Ward and Antares F have  Jayne and Chill RZ breathing down their backs as alternates, ranked No. 5 and the team and traveling reserves will be “identified definitively” on July 6.

A wealth of talented riders and horses indicates it will be a stellar team, no matter where the straws land. Madden and Kessler slotted No. 6 and 7, respectively, on their secondary mounts,  Simon and Mika, providing a luxury of depth.

This 2012 show jumping team represents the last under legendary coach George Morris, who brought home back-to-back gold: Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008. Morris, who will be 75 when he retires at the end of the year, has set a high bar for the incoming chef, Southern California’s own Robert Ridland.

As per the official release issued by the United States Equestrian Federation on June 17, “the USEF has approved the Show Jumping FEI-Nominated Entries for the 2012 Olympic Games. From the Nominated Entries, the team of four and a traveling reserve will be entered on the Definite Entry on July 6th.”

The ranked order of the athlete/horse combinations for the FEI Nominated Entries is as follows:

1. Rich Fellers and Mollie and Harry Chapman’s Flexible

2. Beezie Madden and Coral Reef Ranch’s Coral Reef Via Volo

3. Reed Kessler on her own Cylana

4. McLain Ward and Grant Road Partners’ Antares F

5. Charlie Jayne and Pony Lane Farm’s Chill RZ

6. Beezie Madden and Abigail Wexner’s Simon

7. Reed Kessler and her own Mika

8. Laura Kraut and Cherry Knoll Farm’s Cedric

9. Margie Engle and Greise, Garber, Gladewinds and Hidden Creek’s Indigo

10. Kent Farrington and RCG Farm’s Uceko

11. Christine McCrea and Windsor Show Stables’ Romantovich Take One

12. Lucy Davis and Old Oak Farm’s Nemo 119

13. Mario Deslauriers and Jane Forbes Clark’s Cella

14. Katie Dinan and Grant Road Partners’ Nougat du Vallet

Ranked Alternates to the FEI Nominated Entries:

1. Saer Coulter and Copernicus Stables’ Springtime

2. Beezie Madden and Abigail Wexner’s Cortes ‘C’

3. Jessica Springsteen and Stone Hill Farm’s Voranado van de Hoendrik

The 2012 Olympic Games take place in Greenwich Park, London, July 27 – August 9th 2012.

Follow the U.S. Show Jumping Team: http://www.usefnetwork.com/featured/2012Jumping/

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