Photo: Taylor Pence/US Equestrian.
Gladstone, N.J. – July 30, 2019 – The prestigious Pan American Games, held among athletes from nations of the Americas every four years in the year before the summer Olympic Games as part of the qualifying process, are currently underway in Lima, Peru and our U.S. dressage athletes are already on the podium winning the silver medal in the team competition.
The 18th edition of the Pan American Games will gather approximately 6,700 athletes participating in 39 sports and 61 disciplines, of which 22 disciplines are qualifying for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games. Both the U.S. Dressage and Jumping Teams secured qualification for Tokyo as a result of their team silver and gold medal finishes, respectively, at the 2018 FEI World Equestrian Games™ in Tryon, North Carolina. However, the U.S. Eventing Team will be competing in Lima with a bit more pressure as they seek to earn their qualification for Tokyo at this year’s Pan American Games and must secure a team gold or silver medal to do so.
The United States Equestrian Team (USET) Foundation invites you to show your support for our U.S. equestrian teams as they compete at the 2019 Pan American Games by joining the Pathway to the Podium Participation Challenge. The Pathway to the Podium Participation Challenge is one that rallies support from all members of the USET Foundation community from the $10 first-time donor to the invested and dedicated trustee. From now through Aug. 11, the more people who participate by making a gift, of any amount, the closer we get to unlocking $100,000 of additional support, which will help elevate athletes and provide valuable opportunities on their journey to equestrian excellence.
“The USET Foundation is always looking for innovative ways to get people involved and feel like part of the team,” said two-time Olympic team gold medalist and 2015 Pan American Games individual gold medalist McLain Ward. “Support is the key to future success. Without people behind you at every level, we’re not going to continue to win on the world stage.”
The U.S. Dressage Team is a three-member squad and consists of Nora Batchelder and her own and Andrea Whitcomb’s Faro SQF, Jennifer Baumert and Betsy Juliano LLC’s Handsome, and Sarah Lockman and Gerry Ibanez’s First Apple.
The U.S. Eventing Team includes Tamie Smith and Alexandra Ahearn, Ellen Ahearn, and Eric Markell’s Mai Baum; Boyd Martin and Christine Turner’s Tsetserleg; Doug Payne and his own and Laurie McRee and Catherine Winter’s Starr Witness; and Lynn Symansky and The Donner Syndicate LLC’s RF Cool Play.
Finally, the members of the U.S. Jumping Team will consist of Lucy Deslauriers and Lisa Deslauriers’ Hester, Alex Granato and Paige Tredennick’s Carlchen W, Eve Jobs and her own Venue D’Fees Des Hazalles, and Beezie Madden and Abigail Wexner’s Breitling LS, Coach or Darry Lou.
Be a part of history and show support for Team USA during these pivotal weeks and beyond. Participate in the Pathway to the Podium Participation Challenge at USET.org and spread the word on social media. Current supporters of the Foundation can participate in the challenge and move the USET Foundation one donor closer by giving again now.
For more information on the USET Foundation, visit www.uset.org.