In the wake of the U.S. Equestrian Federation’s National Grand Prix Dressage Championship that wrapped up over the weekend, a group of seven riders and eight horses was named to the short list for August’s world championships at Aachen.
They will travel to Germany to prepare for selection of the U.S. team that is going to ride in the global title meet. Not included in the group was the winner of the championship, Ellesse Gundersen and her homebred Quintessential 4. Ellesse, feeling her horse needed more experience, did not apply for the championships and therefore could not be considered, for the tour, according to the chef d’equipe Christine Traurig.
Some of those selected were no surprise, such as the 2025 national Grand Prix champion, Christian Simonson, with both his freestyle winner Fleau de Baian and Indian Rock, the horse on which he was second in the World Cup finals last month, but who was scratched from the Freestyle at the championships. Christian is the highest-ranked U.S. rider on the international dressage standings, in seventh place. He was fourth overall in the title meet at the World Equestrian Center in Ocala, Fla.
Also selected were Olympic medalist Ashley Holzer, second in the championship with Hawtins San Floriana, and Meagan Davis, third in the championship with Toronto Lightfoot. Ashley and Meagan were the only riders selected for the tour who had an average score over 70 percent. Fifth-place Jordan LaPlaca and Gold Play, who were on the winning Nations Cup team in Wellington, also got a nod.
Ashley Holzer and Hawtins San Floriana.
Then came the surprises. Kasey Perry-Glass , an Olympic and world championships medalist, was named with Heartbeat WP, who scratched from the Freestyle at the championships, was thirteenth in both the Grand Prix and the Special.
Anna Marek, who did not appear at the championship, was selected with Fayvel. Also going to Europe are Geñay Vaughn and Gino, whose best finish in Ocala was tenth in the Grand Prix. That combination was fourteenth in the Special and scratched the Freestyle, but was the top qualifier on the list of those eligible to enter the championship.