US Approves Bye For Steffen & Ravel From WEG Team Selection Trials
15 years ago StraightArrow Comments Off on US Approves Bye For Steffen & Ravel From WEG Team Selection Trials
LEXINGTON, Kentucky, July 30–The U.S. Equestrian Federation has given approval for Steffen Peters and Ravel to skip the selection trials for the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games but remain under consideration for the American team.
The request from Steffen of San Diego, California, to receive a bye from the trials–provided for in the procedures and utilized frequently for contenders for U.S. jumper teams–was made after the procedure was announced for the selection trials that begin in Gladstone, New Jersey, next week.
If they had not received the bye, the pair would have had to fly across country from California to New Jersey, compete in the selection trials over two weekends, then either remain on the East Coast for three weeks after the trials until mandatory training beginning Sept. 4, or return to California for that time before going back to Gladstone.
By requesting and receiving a bye, there is considerably less strain on the horse of extensive travel or of Steffen having to largely forsake his business to remain in Gladstone training Ravel for about two months.
Steffen and Ravel are the top ranked American combination. In 2009, they won the World Cup Final in Las Vegas and became the first American pair ever to sweep the three CDIO classes at the World Equestrian Festival in Aachen, Germany.
They have maintained a light competition schedule In 2010–traveling out of California only to Palm Beach for the Exquis World Dressage Masters in January.
The USEF statement said: “The United States Equestrian Federation, Inc. (USEF) announced today that Steffen Peters has requested to not attend the USEF Selection Trial for the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games Dressage Team held at the Collecting Gaits Farm/USEF Festival of Champions for logistical reasons.
“The USEF Selectors met on July 27 to approve his request to be considered for the Short List/Nominated Entry and Fourth position on the team without attending the USEF Selection Trials for the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games Dressage Team held at the Collecting Gaits Farm/USEF Festival of Champions in accordance with USEF World Equestrian Games Dressage Criteria.
“If named to the Short List/Nominated Entry Steffen plans to attend the mandatory training session which begins on September 4. The Short List/Nominated Entry will be announced following the Selection Trial which ends August 15. The Definite Entries/Team will be announced on or about August 21, 2010.”
