USA Olympic Team Selection Procedures
5 years ago StraightArrow Comments Off on USA Olympic Team Selection Procedures
LEXINGTON, Kentucky, Aug. 14, 2019–The United States dressage selection procedures for the Tokyo Olympics were published Monday, with the qualifying period starting Sept. 9.
The U.S. Equestrian Federation criteria for selection for Tokyo where three horse and rider combinations will make up teams for the Games July 24-Aug. 9:
–Initial qualifying period Sept. 9 to April 26.
–Combinations will be required during an initial qualifying period to complete three Grand Prix Specials in combinations with the Grand Prix, and one Grand Prix Freestyle. Four competitions would thus be required unless a combination competes in the CDIO Nations Cup at the Global Dressage Festival in Wellington, Florida that could cut the number required to three.
–Rankings during the initial qualifying period to be based on Grand Prix Special scores only, as the Special will decide the team medal at the Games.
–Mandatory outing is expected to be held in Wellington in February, details to be published in December. The CDI5* Feb. 19-23 is considered the most likely mandatory event as the two other Global competitions that month are both qualifiers for the World Cup Final. The mandatory outing will be required for the top 10 athletes on the USEF Grand Prix 12-month ranking list (current rankings below). Someone may be selected for the short list/team if they start competing late in the year and are not in the top 10 on the ranking list by the time invitations for the mandatory outing are issued. The USEF did not say so, but it is believed that this could include combinations such as Sarah Lockman on First Apple who competed at Small Tour but was the leading individual pair at the just concluded Pan American Games.
–The short list will be selected after April 26, with observation events to be required, possibly in Europe.
–Final entry date with the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee is currently June 16.
–Waivers can be granted for some of the requirements.
Current top 10 Grand Prix combinations with overall average scores:
1. Laura Graves/Verdades 80.126
2. Kasey Perry-Glass/Dublet 77.718
3. Adrienne Lyle/Salvino 75.963
4. Steffen Peters/Suppenkasper 75.622
5. Adrienne Lyle/Harmony’s Duval 74.073
6. Shelly Francis/Danilo 72.610
7. Charlotte Jorst/Kastel’s Nintendo 71.570
8. Katherine Bateson-Chandler/Alcazar 71.361
9. Nick Wagman/Don John 70.307
10. Ashley Holzer/Havanna 69.739.
