Dressage-News

LEXINGTON, Kentucky, May 30, 2019–Ashley Holzer has withdrawn Valentine from the United States team short list for the Pan American Games in two months to focus on developing the nine-year-old Hanoverian mare for the Olympics in Tokyo next year.

Ashley and Valentine were second on the U.S. Small Tour rankings and the Pan Ams in Lima, Peru at the end of July would have been her first international championship for the United States since she started riding as an American after competing in four Olympics for her native Canada.

Ashley said that after consulting with her team and U.S. Dressage Technical Advisor and Chef d’Equipe Debbie McDonald “we feel it is in Valentine’s best interest to not push for the Pan American Games and. instead, focus on building towards consideration for Tokyo.”

Ashley, 55, is based in Wellington, Florida and she owns Valentine (Sir Donnerhall x Ragazzo).

The Pan Ams, staged once every four years, will decide two team starting places at Tokyo. The U.S. has already qualified with its silver medal performance at the 2018 Tryon World Equestrian Games and will be looking to claim its sixth straight Pan Am championship.

The U.S. short list:

Big Tour
Charlotte Jorst, 54, of Reno, Nevada, and Kastel’s Nintendo, 16-year-old KWPN stallion (Negro x Monaco) owned by Kastel Denmark
Nick Wagman, 45, of San Diego, California and Don John, 11-year-old KWPN gelding (Johnson x Goodtimes) owned by Beverly Jean Gepfer

Small Tour
Nora Batchelder, 34, of Williston, Florida and Faro SQF, U.S.-bred 11-year-old Hanoverian gelding (Fidertanz 2 x Rotspot) owned by Andrea Whitcomb and Nora
Jennifer Baumert, 48, of Wellington and Handsome, 14-year-old Hanoverian gelding (Hochadel x Weltmeyer) owned by Betsy Juliano LLC
Sarah Lockman, 30 years old of Murrieta, California, and First Apple, nine-year-old KWPN stallion (Vivaldi x T.C.N. Partout) owned by Gerry Ibanez
Endel Ots, 33, of Wellington and Lucky Strike, nine-year-old Hanoverian gelding (Lord Laurie x His Highness) owned by Max Endel Ots