Dressage-News

LEXINGTON, Kentucky, June 3, 2019–The Dutta Corp. U.S. team for the Nations Cup in Geesteren, Netherlands was announced Monday and includes four-time Olympian Ashley Holzer to compete on her first American team outside the United States.

The team announced by the U.S. Equestrian Federation for Geesteren June 22-23 that is hosting the Nations Cup in place of Rotterdam that will stage the European Championships this year, is:

Shelly Francis, 60, of Loxahatchee, Florida and Danilo, 15-year-old Hanoverian gelding (De Niro x Andiamo) owned by Patricia A. Stempel

Ashley Holzer, 55 years old of Wellington, Florida and Havanna, 12-year-old Hanoverian mare (Hochadel x Rodgau) owned by Dianne Fellows

Charlotte Jorst, 54, of Reno, Nevada, and Kastel’s Nintendo, 16-year-old KWPN stallion (Negro 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

Ashley, married to an American with two grown children and living in the United States for most of her life, began riding under the Stars and Stripes two years ago after a career that included competing in four Olympics for her native Canada, starting with the bronze medal team in 1988. She also rode at three World Equestrian Games and the open European Championships in 2009.

She rode Havanna on the U.S. gold medal team at the 2018 Nations Cup in Florida and on Valentine at Small Tour on the 2018 team also at Wellington.

Ashley last week withdrew Valentine from the short list for the Pan American Games next month to focus on the Tokyo Olympics in 2020.

Nick Wagman and Don John competed in their first Nations Cup, taking team bronze at Compiègne, France.

Shelly Francis is a veteran team rider on different horses and the freestyle with Danilo has become a fan favorite on both sides of the Atlantic.

Charlotte and Nintendo have competed at four Nations Cups in Europe and one in Florida as well as the World Cup Final in Sweden in 2016.