U.S. Selects Team for 2016 Rio Olympic Games

Steffen Peters, pictured en route to team and individual gold medals at the 2015 Pan American Games, will compete in his fourth Olympic Games aboard Legolas 92

Lexington, Ky. – June 27, 2016 – The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) has announced the team of four athlete-horse combinations who will represent the United States at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

The team was chosen after the conclusion of a European tour for seven athletes and nine horses. Each athlete-horse combination competed in at least two of the three observation events on the tour, which included stops in Compiègne, France; Roosendaal, Netherlands; and Rotterdam, Netherlands.

Dressage competition in Rio kicks off Aug. 10 and concludes Aug. 15 at the Olympic Equestrian Centre in Deodoro.

The 2016 U.S. Olympic dressage team is as follows:

Allison Brock (Loxahatchee, Florida) with Claudine and Fritz Kundrun’s Rosevelt, a 14-year-old Hanoverian stallion (Rotspon-Lore, Lauries Crusador xx)

Laura Graves (Geneva, Florida) with Laura Graves and Curt Maes’ Verdades, a 14-year-old KWPN gelding (Florett AS-Liwilarda, Goya)

Kasey Perry-Glass (Orangevale, California) with Diane Perry’s Goerklintgaards Dublet, a 13-year-old Danish Warmblood gelding (Diamond Hit-La Costa, Ferro)

Steffen Peters (San Diego, California) with Four Winds Farm’s Legolas 92, a 14-year-old Westphalian gelding (Laomedon-Furstin, Florestan II)

The direct reserve is Four Winds Farm’s Rosamunde, a 9-year-old Rheinlander mare (Rock Forever-First Lady, Fidermark), who would be ridden by Steffen Peters.

The traveling reserve is Shelly Francis (Loxahatchee, Florida) with Patricia Stempel’s Doktor, a 13-year-old Oldenburg gelding (Diamond Hit-Gurena, Renoir I).


Laura Graves and Verdades, pictured at the 2015 Reem Acra World Cup Final in Las Vegas, will make their Olympic debut after representing the U.S. at the 2014 World Equestrian Games and 2015 Pan American Games

The team includes a diverse group of riders. Peters, 51, is the most decorated member and will be competing in his fourth Olympic Games, having previously represented the U.S. in Atlanta (1996), Hong Kong/Beijing (2008), and London (2012). He won team bronze in 1996 on Udon, and his best individual finish was a fourth place – just off the podium – in 2008 on Ravel.

Graves, 28, while much newer to the American dressage scene, is rapidly accumulating an impressive list of accomplishments with Verdades, whom she raised from a foal. The pair burst into the spotlight in 2014, earning a place on the World Equestrian Games team alongside Peters and going on to take fifth place in the Grand Prix Freestyle. She and Peters joined forces again as part of the Pan American Games team that won gold and secured the U.S. team’s place in the Rio Olympics. Peters won individual gold at the Pan Ams in Toronto, while Graves took individual silver.


Kasey Perry-Glass and Goerklintgaards Dublet will compete on their first championship team

Perry-Glass, also 28, seems to be following in Graves’ footsteps, moving up the ranks quickly on Goerklintgaards Dublet. The pair made their CDI Grand Prix debut just five months ago at the Adequan Global Dressage Festival in Wellington, Florida, debuting with a 72.32 percent and soon working their way into the upper 70s – and even an 81.325 percent for a freestyle performance. This will be the first major championship event for Perry-Glass.

Brock, 36, and Rosevelt had their breakout performance at Dressage at Devon in 2014, earning double wins that forecast their successes to come. Since then, they have compiled an impressive resume with numerous victories on the competitive Wellington winter circuit, and they distinguished themselves during the 2016 European tour with consistently strong performances. Like Perry-Glass, Brock will be competing on her first major championship team for the U.S., although both riders have Nations Cup team experience.


Allison Brock and Rosevelt, pictured at Devon, will also make their U.S. championship team debut



Shelly Francis and Doktor will serve as traveling reserves for the team


Rosamunde, ridden by Steffen Peters, will be the direct reserve for Peters’ top mount, Legolas 92

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