The U.S. Vaulting Team (Susie Bors)

Caen, France – The vaulting portion of the 2014 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games is underway in Normandy with the Horse Inspection taking place on Monday. All U.S. horses passed and vaulters in the Individual Female, Individual Male, Pas de Deux, and Squad championships are ready to begin the competition and represent their country.

FEI World Squad Vaulting Championship

Having a fantastic year in 2014, the Woodside Vaulters will represent their country in Normandy in the FEI World Squad Vaulting Championship. The Woodside Vaulters Squad consists of Tessa Divita (Emerald Hills, Calif.), Audrey Kiernan (San Mateo, Calif.), Siddartha Kreaden (Sunnyvale, Calif.), Kristen Kuhn (San Mateo, Calif.), Rachel Polati (Emerald Hills, Calif.), and Miki Yang (Los Altos Hills, Calif.). At the Pacific Cup CVI3* the group finished in second place before claiming the USEF/AVA National Vaulting A Team Championship title. The squad will vault on Stanford, a 1998 Hanoverian gelding owned by Julie Divita and Woodside Vaulters, and be lunged by Julie Divita.

FEI World Female Individual Vaulting Championship

Mary Garrett (Mountain View, Calif.) will take on her first World Championship as an Individual, after winning a Squad Gold medal with the FACE Team in 2010 edition of the Games. She has had solid performances in 2014, winning at CVI3* Chilliwack and receiving Reserve Champion honors at the USEF/AVA National Vaulting Championship. Garrett hopes to continue her success in Normandy, vaulting on Sydney Susan Frankel’s Palatine, a 1998 Westphalian gelding, lunged by Carolyn Bland.

Elizabeth Ioannou (Saratoga, Calif.) won at almost every turn in 2013 and is still performing strongly this year. She was second in the Pacific Cup CVI3* and CVI3* Chilliwack before finishing third in the USEF/AVA National Vaulting Championship. Ioannou will vault on Jarl, Lasse Kristensen and Emma Seely’s 1998 Dutch Warmblood gelding, and be lunged by Lasse Kristensen.

Vaulting veteran Mary McCormick (Woodside, Calif.) returns for her third FEI World Equestrian Games appearance. In the 2010 Games, she had a strong fourth-place finish and hopes to improve upon her placing here in Normandy. This year McCormick has claimed top honors at the Pacific Cup CVI3* and the USEF/AVA National Vaulting Championship. She will vault on Palatine and be lunged by Carolyn Bland.

FEI World Male Individual Vaulting Championship

Gabe Aniello (Austin, Texas) will make his World Championship debut in Normandy, though he has already found success on the world stage. In 2013, he was the first male vaulter to represent the U.S. in the FEI World Cup Vaulting Final. This year Aniello scored a third-place finish in the Pacific Cup CVI3*. He will vault on RVC Gilching e.V.’s Ferdinand 194, a 2000 Hanoverian gelding, and be lunged by Bettina Gross.

Making his second FEI World Equestrian Games appearance, Kristian Roberts (Moss Beach, Calif.) seems to be in top form, scoring numerous wins this year. He won at the Pacific Cup CVI3* and CVI3* Chilliwack and received his third consecutive USEF/AVA National Vaulting Title earlier this year. Roberts will vault on Diva 506, a 2003 Oldenburg mare owned by RVC Gilching e.V., and be lunged by Carolyn Bland.

Patrick Stevens (Martinez, Calif.) has had a solid year leading up to the 2014 Games. He was second in the Pacific Cup CVI3* and received Reserve Champion honors in the USEF/AVA National Vaulting Championship this year. He will vault on Stanford and be lunged by Julie Divita.

FEI World Pas de Deux Vaulting Championship

Sisters Kimberly Palmer (Half Moon Bay, Calif.) and Cassidy Palmer (Half Moon Bay, Calif.) have found great success as a Pas de Deux pair. At the end of 2013, they won the Pas de Deux division at the Stuttgart German Masters. This year they won the Pacific Cup CVI3* and were fourth in the FEI World Cup Vaulting Final. They will vault on Leon 364, Wolfgang Renz and Maren Illig’s 1998 Wurttemberger gelding.

Kristian Roberts (Moss Beach, Calif.) and Mary Garrett (Mountain View, Calif.) have had performed well as Individuals, but have joined forces this year to have additional success in the Pas de Deux division. At the CVI3* Chilliwack Roberts and Garrett claimed top honors in their first competition together, also winning the Pas de Deux Championship title at the USEF/AVA National Vaulting Championship. The pair will vault on Diva 506 and will be lunged by Bland.

FEI World Squad Vaulting Championship

Having a fantastic year in 2014, the Woodside Vaulters will represent their country in Normandy in the FEI World Squad Vaulting Championship. The Woodside Vaulters Squad consists of Tessa Divita (Emerald Hills, Calif.), Audrey Kiernan (San Mateo, Calif.), Siddartha Kreaden (Sunnyvale, Calif.), Kristen Kuhn (San Mateo, Calif.), Rachel Polati (Emerald Hills, Calif.), and Miki Yang (Los Altos Hills, Calif.). At the Pacific Cup CVI3* the group finished in second place before claiming the USEF/AVA National Vaulting A Team Championship title. The squad will vault on Stanford, a 1998 Hanoverian gelding owned by Julie Divita and Woodside Vaulters, and be lunged by Julie Divita.

Competition begins on Tuesday with the Squad First Round Compulsory Test starting at 9:30am local time. Individual Female First Round Compulsory Test will kick off at 2:00pm followed by Individual Male First Round Compulsory Test at 5:30pm.

By Kathleen Landwehr

To learn more about the FEI World Vaulting Championships at the 2014 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, visit: http://www.normandy2014.com/2014-games/the-disciplines/6/vaulting.

Follow the U.S. Vaulting Team here.