Tokyo Shortlist is Out!

[initiate1987]

From press release:

• Lucy Deslauriers (New York, N.Y.) and Hester , a 16-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding owned by Lisa Deslauriers

• Kent Farrington (Wellington, Fla.) with Austria 2 , a 13-year-old Holsteiner mare owned by Take The High Road LLC, and Gazelle , a 15-year-old Belgian Warmblood mare owned by Robin Cleary Parsky

• Bliss Heers (Las Vegas, Nev.) and Antidote de Mars , an 11-year-old Selle Français stallion owned by Bridgeside Farms LLC

• Laura Kraut (Royal Palm Beach, Fla.) with Baloutinue , an 11-year-old Hanoverian gelding owned by St. Bride’s Farm; Confu , a 14-year-old Holsteiner gelding owned by St. Bride’s Farm; and Goldwin , a 9-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding owned by Stars and Stripes

• Beezie Madden (Cazenovia, N.Y.) with Breitling LS , a 15-year-old Dutch Warmblood stallion owned by Abigail Wexner; Chic Hin D Hyrencourt , a 13-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding owned by Abigail Wexner; and Garant , a 10-year-old KWPN gelding owned by Abigail Wexner

• Brian Moggre (Flower Mound, Texas) with Balou du Reventon , a 15-year-old Oldenburg stallion owned by Ann Thompson, and MTM Vivre Le Reve , a 12-year-old Westphalian gelding owned by Major Wager LLC

• Devin Ryan (Long Valley, N.J.) and Eddie Blue , a 12-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding owned by LL Show Jumpers, LLC

• Jessica Springsteen (Los Angeles, Calif.) with Don Juan van de Donkhoeve , a 12-year-old Belgian Warmblood stallion owned by Stone Hill Farm, and RMF Zecilie , a 14-year-old Holsteiner mare owned by Rushy Marsh Farm LLC

• Adrienne Sternlicht (Greenwich, Conn.) with Bennys Legacy , a 13-year-old Oldenburg gelding owned by Starlight Farms 1 LLC; Cristalline , a 13-year-old Bavarian Warmblood mare owned by Starlight Farms 1 LLC; and Just a Gamble , a 12-year-old Belgian Warmblood mare owned by Starlight Farms 1 LLC

• McLain Ward (Brewster, N.Y.) with Contagious , a 12-year-old Deutsches Sportpferd gelding owned by Beechwood Stables LLC; HH Azur , a 15-year-old Belgian Warmblood mare owned by Double H Farm ; and Kasper van het Hellehof , an 11-year-old Belgian Warmblood stallion owned by Poden Farms

What a strong list!

[Darkwave]

I am not objecting to her inclusion at all, but I thought Beezie Madden said she was stepping away from international competition. Or was that to start AFTER the Olympics?

[173north]

Really good mix of team anchors (McLain, Beezie, Laura, Kent) and younger riders.

However, I honestly think it would be a shame if Devin Ryan was on the final team. We have plenty of top horses and riders, I see no need for our country to be represented at the Olympics by someone who was kicked out of the Hampton Classic and suspended for soring multiple horses less than five years ago.

[initiate1987]

I could be wrong, but I believe she said she still wants to do team stuff, but will mostly be focusing on young horses.

[initiate1987]

This article might explain it. https://www.chronofhorse.com/article/road-to-the-olympics-robert-ridland-on-what-it-takes-to-make-the-team

Devin Ryan made the April 9 Rolex/USEF Show Jumping Horse List, therefore has an automatic spot on the shortlist. Doesn’t mean they have to pick him.

[173north]

True enough and I hadn’t seen that interview, which is a good one - but since his suspension, he was on a (winning) WEG team, a World Cup team, and multiple Nation’s Cup teams. The powers that be clearly have no issues naming him to international teams, he has the same shot as anyone else on the list. Which I disagree with, but alas.

[Moneypitt]

Beezie is such a talented rider. I was hoping she had found new owners by now. I guess not?

Sigh…

[Renn_aissance]

As she intends to step back from international competition after Tokyo, I would imagine she’s not doing as much to solicit them, and perhaps they are more interested in working with another team.

What I think is remarkable is how many young riders are on this list. Jessica Springsteen and Adrienne Sternlicht have both been competing at this level for a while, but still are in their 30’s. Bliss is in her early 30’s. Lucy and Brian were juniors practically two days ago! Our show jumping pipeline is outstanding.

Devin Ryan does not bear mention nor does he deserve a horse so good as Eddie Blue.

[supershorty628]

Actually, even more remarkably - I’m pretty sure Jessie and Adrienne are both in their 20s! Adrienne is a few years younger than I am, and I think Jessie and I are the same age. We were doing ponies at the same time.

[Renn_aissance]

I checked their bios and you are right, they are both in their late 20’s.

[anon510129]

I was also very disappointed to see his name on the list. Regardless if he’s on the list by default, why are abusers never actually set down, unless they blatantly kill a horse?

I digress.

[Jenerationx]

Barney Ward did. Banned from the AHSA at the time, but still managed to have a career buying, selling, and training horses.

[Bobby7]

No Lillie Keenan? I was surprised by that but made she doesn’t have good enough horse.

[Willesdon]

Are any of those horses American bred?

[Tha_Ridge]

@Willesdon

Are any of those horses American bred?

Quick USEF searches say no.

[Moneypitt]

Facilitated sex trafficking. Great choice of owner there. Unreal.

[Darkwave]

The team is only 3 this year, right? Tough choices to make.

[173north]

@Jenerationx

Barney Ward did. Banned from the AHSA at the time, but still managed to have a career buying, selling, and training horses.

Paul Valliere, too. Still teaching on Long Island, from what I hear.

Anyway, very happy to see the rest of the list. Fingers crossed for Beezie to make one last Olympics! And in terms of the pipeline of younger riders, it’s really heartening. Even Kent is pretty young by the standards of the sport - he’s only 40 so could very easily have another 15 - 20 years of top sport. And McLain is 45, wouldn’t surprise me at all if he rode for another 15 years then transitioned to a chef d’equipe position.

[marginall]

I agree that Devin Ryan shouldn’t represent the country but understand how he automatically made the list.

I find it more appalling that the Maddens continue to campaign Wexner’s horses. At the very least, put the horses in an LLC name or something. It’s so offensive hearing their name whenever Beezie enters the ring. Without question, she should not be representing the team in any capacity.

Jessica Springsteen should go. She consistently has top placings.

[BAC]

@Darkwave

I am not objecting to her inclusion at all, but I thought Beezie Madden said she was stepping away from international competition. Or was that to start AFTER the Olympics?

IIRC she was planning to step away from international competition and concentrate on young prospects after the 2020 Olympics, but that announcement came before the pandemic. With the Olympics being pushed back to 2021 I think she extended her international career for another year in hopes of making one more Olympic team. I can’t imagine an Olympics without her.