2012 World Vaulting

Photo Credit: VaultingPhotos.com/Lynne Owen Photography

2012 FEI WORLD VAULTING CHAMPIONSHIP LE MANS, FRANCE AUGUST 16-19, 2012

The following vaulters have been named by the United States Equestrian Federation to represent the U.S. in the 2012 FEI World Vaulting Championships.

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Alicen “Ali” Divita Born: April 30, 1989 Residence: Redwood City, CA Individual Female Ali Divita started vaulting when she was 12-years-old.

She is a fierce competitor who doesn’t let much get in her way. In the summer of 2003, Divita broke her left arm and was unable to compete or practice until two weeks before Nationals when her cast came off. She won all of the events in which she competed and earned first place overall for the Bronze competition. In 2004, Divita was the USEF/AVA Women’s Silver National Champion.

Divita began the 2010 season by earning a second place finish at the CVI2* in Leipzig, Germany in January.

Photo Credit: Shannon Brinkman

She completed her season by representing the U.S. at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games where she vaulted to seventh place individually.

In 2012, Divita traveled out of the country for two successful CVI3* competitions, finishing third in the 2012 CVI Chilliwack competition in Canada. Only a week later, she went to Germany to compete in the CVI3* J2* Krumke event, placing fourth.

Divita is a student at the University of California, Berkeley. Additionally, she has served as the assistant coach for the Woodside trot and tiny tot classes for the last several years.

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Mary McCormick Born: January 7, 1983 Residence: Woodside, CA Individual Female Mary McCormick is one of America’s most decorated vaulters, having been named USEF Vaulter of the Year in 2007 and 2009. In addition, McCormick was the 2007 AVA/USEF National Champion.

McCormick discovered the sport when a schoolmate took her to watch vaulting in action. The 2002 USEF/ AVA Silver Women’s National Vaulting Champion enjoyed an excellent year in 2008. In international competition, McCormick placed second at the CVI2* Krumke, second at the CHIO CVI2* Aachen, and eighth at the CVI2* Saumur. One year earlier at the CVI2* Saratoga, she was the second place finisher. In 2009 she took home top honors at the Garrod’s Spring Classic in Saratoga, CA. Photo Credit: Shannon Brinkman

In 2010, McCormick once again won the USEF/AVA National Vaulting Championship vaulting on Sir Anthony Van Dyck. They completed the season by finishing fourth place individually at the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games.

June 2011 marked McCormick’s return to CVI competition and she made a spectacular showing by winning the CVI2* individual class. A few weeks later, McCormick traveled to Aachen, Germany where she finished third in the CVIO 2* Individual Female class.

McCormick won the CVI 3* Individual Senior Women class at the CVI Chilliwack in Canada in June 2012. In August at the USEF/AVA National Vaulting Championship, McCormick took top honors in the Gold Individual Female Championship.

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A member of the Mt. Eden Vaulting Club, home of one of the oldest and most successful vaulting programs in the U.S., and a student of 2007 USEF Coach of the Year Emma Garrod Seely, McCormick is also a coach herself at Mt. Eden, as well as for the Silver Star Vaulters in Springfield, TN. When she’s not vaulting, McCormick enjoys going on trail rides, dancing, yoga, and rock climbing.

Katharine Wick Born: February 16, 1993 Residence: Hillsborough, CA Individual Female Katharine Wick began vaulting over 10 years ago with Woodside Vaulters in Woodside, CA, one of the most accomplished vaulting clubs in the country. At Woodside, Wick competes in team as well as individual events, and has trained with the best coaches, longeurs, horses, and vaulters in the U.S. Wick has been competing internationally since 2005. In her first individual competition in Europe, she was the under-16 champion for the state of Sachsen-Anhalt, Germany. Wick was the AVA/USEF National Champion, Silver Level, in 2006. She was a member of the Woodside Vaulters A Team that won CVI Saratoga and the AVA / USEF National Championship in 2007.

Wick has risen quickly through the Vaulting High Performance ranks, finishing the 2009 competition season in third place. She placed fourth at the USEF/AVA National Championships, and was the Region II Reserve Champion in 2009.

Wick continued making her name on the national stage, placing second in the CVI2* Individual Women’s class at the CVI Chilliwack event in Canada in June 2010. She then took second in the CVI2* Individual at the CVI Saratoga in 2011.

Wick traveled to Europe in July 2011 for the CVIO2* in Aachen, Germany where she finished 16th and continued

Photo Credit: Primo Ponies Photography

before competing in Germany on June 15 in the CVI3* Senior Individual Female class at the 2012 CVI Krumke event, finishing 11th.

Wick was named to the 2012 U.S. Vaulting Team for the 2012 FEI World Vaulting Championships in Le Mans, France.

Though much younger and with fewer championship titles than the other top competitors, 19-year-old Wick is a strong, seasoned, and proven competitor.

her international competition in April 2012, finishing fifth in the CVI3* Individual Female class at the 2012 CVI Ch Conscio di Casale sul Sile in Italy.

In 2012, Wick returned to Chilliwack, placing fourth in the CVI3* Individual Senior Women class on June 8

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Elizabeth Ioannou Born: February 22, 1996 Residence: Saratoga, CA

Individual Female Substitute At just 16-years-old Elizabeth Ioannou competes both individually and as part of the Mt. Eden A Team. Ioannou began vaulting at age seven, gaining many accolades in the short time since.

As a nine-year-old Ioannou was the flyer on Mt. Eden’s National Champion A Team. At age 10 she was a member of the National Champion F.A.M.E. team that won the Silver medal at the 2006 FEI World Equestrian Games in Aachen, Germany.

As a member of the Mt. Eden team, Ioannou was also on the 2009 National Champion A Team.

Ioannou has also enjoyed a great deal of success vaulting individually. She was the AVA National High Point Champion at Copper (2005), Bronze (2006), and Silver (2007). Also in 2007 she was the AVA/USEF National Champion at the Silver level.

She was ranked among the top 10 U.S. female vaulters the in 2008 and 2009.

Ioannou competed in her first individual international competition in April 2010, at the CVI Ermelo finishing in eighth place.

In 2011, Ioannou finished fifth in the CVI 2* Individual class at the 2011 CVI Saratoga event in California. She also finished second in the CVI 3* Individual Senior Women class at the 2012 CVI Chilliwack event in Canada in June of 2012. Ioannou was named as a substitute for the 2012 U.S. Vaulting Team.

When she is not training or doing schoolwork, she en

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Photo Credit: Primo Ponies Photography

joys shopping, scary movies, “Glee” and the occasional donut.

Gabe Aniello

Born: May 1, 1991 Residence: Redwood City, CA Individual Male Gabe Aniello has only been vaulting at the CVI level for a short time but has quickly made an impact on the sport.

Aniello made his first CVI level appearance at the 2009 Kentucky Vaulting Cup, finishing fifth in the Gold Men Overall CVI 2* event.

At the 2012 CVI Chilliwack event in Canada, Aniello competed against other vaulters at an international event for the first time, winning the CVI3* Individual Senior Men class.

Photo Credit: Kate Revell/VaultingPhotos.com

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Kristian Roberts Born: March 17, 1993 Residence: Moss Beach, CA Individual Male Kristian Roberts began vaulting just six years ago at age 13. Roberts accepted an invitation from the Palmer family of the Half Moon Bay Vaulting Club to give the sport a try, and he has been hooked ever since. He spent his first year competing in the trot and copper divisions and has since made an impressive move up the ranks.

In 2008, Roberts was the Silver Men Overall Champion at the USEF/AVA National Championships. In 2009, he began competing in the gold division and put in consistent performances all year, taking third at the CVI2* Kentucky Cup and winning at Vaulting in Vegas II. Roberts has had continued success in 2010, placing fifth at the USEF/AVA National Vaulting Championships, which also served as the USEF Selection Trials for the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games.

Photo Credit: Shannon Brinkman

In October of 2010, Roberts represented the U.S. for the first time at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games.

In June of 2012, Roberts finished second in the CVI3* Individual Senior Men class at the 2012 CVI Chilliwack event in Canada. In August at the USEF/AVA National Vaulting Championship, Roberts won the Gold Individual Male Championship.

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Patrick Stevens Born: August 9, 1991 Residence: Martinez, CA Individual Male Patrick Stevens is a member of the Woodside Vaulting Club in Woodside, CA. In 2007 he was the USEF/AVA National Vaulting Champion in the Silver Men’s division.

Following the success of 2007, Stevens moved up to the gold division and won in his second outing of 2008 at the Garrod’s Spring Classic.

At the 2009 USEF/AVA National Vaulting Championships, Stevens finished second. He followed that up a month later with a win at the AVA Region II Championships.

Stevens had consistent performances in 2010, finishing third at the Face-Off Challenge and sixth at the USEF/ AVA National Vaulting Championships.

In June 2011, Stevens won the CVI 2* Individual class at the 2011 CVI Saratoga event out of 22 vaulters.

Photo Credit: Lynne Owen/VaultingPhotos.com

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George Joseph Gadd Born: February 23, 1995 Residence: Saratoga, CA

Individual Male Substitute George Joseph Gadd first burst onto the scene in June 2008 when he won the Bronze Men Overall class at the 2008 AVA Region II Championships. Only a month later, the 13-year-old won the Bronze Men Overall class at the 2008 USEF/AVA National Vaulting Championship, starting an adventure that would see him all around North America.

Gadd made a big splash on CVI competition in the summer of 2009 when the California native traveled to Kentucky for the Kentucky Vaulting Cup. The 14-year-old old won his class at the show, the Silver Men Overall CSI 1* event. It was a fitting entrance to top level competition for the young vaulter.

In 2010, Gadd won another class at the USEF/AVA National Vaulting Championship, this time winning the Silver Individual.

In 2011, Gadd returned to the CVI level, placing second in the CVI2* Individual at the June CVI Saratoga event.

He stepped up to the 2* level in 2012, placing second in his debut at the 2012 Woodside Vaulters Spring Fest in May against four others in the CVI2* Men’s Individual class. The following month, Gadd traveled to Chilliwack, Canada where he won the CVIJ2* Men’s class.

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Photo Credit: MacMillan Photography

Blake Dahlgren

Born: May 15, 1984 Residence: Santa Clarita, CA

Megan Benjamin Born: January 20, 1988 Residence: Saratoga, CA Pas de Deux Blake Dahlgren has found much success in the sport of vaulting. 2007 was a banner year for Dahlgren with him winning the Gold Men’s Overall division at the CVI Saratoga event and finishing second in the same division at the Garrod’s 2007 Spring Classic.

In June 2008, Dahlgren won the Gold Men’s Overall division at the Wood side Vaulters Spring Fest. In August 2008 at the USEF/AVA National Vaulting Championship, Dahlgren finished second in the Gold Individual Male Championship. In July 2010 at the USEF/AVA National Vaulting Championship, Dahlgren finished fourth in the Gold Individual Male Championship. Later in the fall, Dahlgren was a member of the Gold Medal winning U.S. team at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games.

Megan Benjamin discovered vaulting at the age of 8 and quickly became hooked on the sport. Benjamin headed into the 2006 season with two consecutive U.S. Gold Women’s National Championships, three A-Team National Championships and a CVI2* Saratoga win under her belt. That year, Aachen, Germany, at the FEI World Equestrian Games, Benjamin was a member of the U.S. F.A.M.E. team that won the Team Silver medal. She also clinched the Women’s Vaulting World Championship, becoming the first non-German woman in WEG’s history to win the Gold.

Photo Credit: Lynne Owen/VaultingPhotos.com

After her win in 2006 Benjamin retired from vaulting, but her retirement didn’t last long. In the summer of 2008, Benjamin returned to join the F.A.M.E. Dark Side of the Moon team. The team won both CVIs it entered that summer, and took the Team Bronze at the World Championships in Brno, Czech Republic, vaulting on Benjamin’s horse Leonardo with lungeur Lasse Kristensen.

In the summer of 2010, Benjamin once again found individual success in vaulting, placing second at the 2010 USEF/AVA National Vaulting Championships with Sunny Boy. In the fall at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games in Lexington, KY, Benjamin represented the U.S. and finished fifth individually.

Dahlgren and Benjamin together have found success as a Pas de Deux pair. In August 2012 at the USEF/AVA National Vaulting Championship, Dahlgren and Benjamin took top honors in the Pas de Deux Championship.

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Devon Maitozo Born: July 11, 1975 Residence: Palmdale, CA

Rosalind Ross Born: July 5, 1990 Residence: Venice, CA Pas de Deux Devon Maitozo has an extensive resume in the sport of vaulting. He currently serves as the head coach and founder of the FACE vaulting club. His accomplishments

Photo Credit: Lynne Owen/VaultingPhotos.com

as an individual vaulter are vast, the highlights including

winning Coast Line team that represented the U.S. at the

9 National Championship titles, a bronze medal from the

World Vaulting Championships in Stadl Paura, Austria. In

World Championships in 1996, a gold medal from the FEI

2005, she was a member of the Mt. Eden Vaulting Club’s

World Equestrian Games in 1998, a bronze medal from

national championship team.

the World Championships in 2000, and a bronze medal from the FEI World Equestrian Games in 2002.

2006 marked one of Ross’ biggest success to date, where as a member of the FAME team she helped bring

In 2006, Maitozo both co-coached and vaulted on the

home a silver medal for the U.S. at the FEI World Eques-

team that qualified to compete at the FEI World Eques-

trian Games in Aachen, Germany.

trian Games in Aachen, Germany. This team, a composite team from FACE and Mt. Eden vaulting clubs that we referred to as “FAME”, won a silver medal and high accolades from the vaulting world for its innovative artistry. At the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, Maitozo and his FACE team claimed the gold medal on home turf.

Rosalind Ross has an extensive resume in the sport of vaulting despite only being 22 years old. Ross has been a member of three out of the five medal-winning U.S. teams in vaulting history. Her experience with international vaulting dates back to 1999 when she first competed in Europe with the Sundance Vaulting Club.

In 2004, Ross was a member of the bronze-medal

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In 2008, Ross was a member of FACE’s bronze-medal winning team at the World Championships in the Czech Republic.

Once again vaulting as part of the FACE team, Ross’ strong performance at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games helped the U.S. win the Team Gold Medal.

Woodside Vaulters Squad

Founded in 1990, the Woodside Vaulters are some of the most successful in the U.S. They have won National Championship titles in individual and team competition at every level; international championships in Europe, Canada, and the U.S. The Woodside Vaulters also have represented the U.S. at every FEI World Equestrian Games since 1998. The club’s accolades include multiple USEF and AVA Coach of the Year, Trainer of the Year, and Horse of the Year Awards.

In 2010, the Woodside Vaulters won the Chilliwack CVI2* held in Canada. The previous year, they finished second in the CVI2* at the Kentucky Cup Vaulting Event, which was used as a test event for the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games.

Woodside Members:

Photo Credit: Kate Revell/VaultingPhotos.com

Tessa Divita/Emerald Hills, CA/15 Kalyn Geisler/Redwood City, CA/24 Kathryn Jaggers/Portola Valley, CA/18 Siddartha Kreaden/Sunnyvale, CA/14 Samantha Matson/Los Gatos, CA/27 Katherine Salisbury/Atherton, CA/11 Substitute Emily Addison Hogye/Ben Lomond, CA/16 Substitute Gabe Aniello/Redwood City, CA/21

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Suzanne Detol Born: November 24, 1952 Residence: Cornelius, OR Chef d’Equipe Suzanne Detol is a former vaulter and a serial founder of vaulting clubs—two in the 1980s and yet another, DevonWood Vaulting Club, started in 2002. She has been a mentor to vaulters, coaches, longeurs, and judges for the past 20 years. Detol won the AVA Mentor of the Year award in 1998. An AVA judge since 1990, Detol became an FEI O judge in 2001, and is well respected in the international judging arena. She has worn many hats in the AVA—having served on the board of directors as general secretary, executive VP, Region II supervisor, Region III supervisor, medal test secretary, and technical committee chair.

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Sally Ike

a Director of the Show Jumping Hall of Fame. She is a USEF “R” Eventing Judge and Technical Delegate and “r”

Born: September 6, 1944 Residence: Oldwick, NJ Team Leader Sally Ike uses her considerable experience to direct all aspects of show jumping for the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF), both from a national and high-performance perspective. Ike competed internationally for the United States Equestrian Team (USET) in Three-Day Eventing. She was named the USET’s Director of Three-Day Eventing and Show Jumping Activities in 1989.

Beginning in August 1993, Ike devoted her energy to overseeing and planning all aspects of USET Show Jumping activities, adding responsibilities for Vaulting from 2001-2004. Ike was Chef de Mission at the 1994 World Equestrian Games in The Hague, Holland,

Photo Credit: USEF Archives

and Co-Chef de Mission at the 1998 World Equestri-

Jumper Judge, as well as an FEI Chief Steward for Show

an Games in Rome, Italy. She has also served as Show

Jumping and Eventing and Author/Panelist for the USEF

Jumping Team Leader at the 1990 World Equestrian

Eventing Training and Continuing Education Programs

Games (Stockholm), 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games,

for Licensed Eventing Officials.

1995 Pan American Games (Buenos Aires), 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games, 1999 Pan American Games (Winnipeg), 2000 Sydney Olympic Games, 2002 World Equestrian Games (Jerez de la Frontera, Spain), 2003 Pan American Games (Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic), 2004 Athens Olympic Games, 2006 World Equestrian Games (Aachen, Germany), and the 2007 Pan American Games.

She has been the Team Leader for the FEI Show Jumping World Cup Final team since 1990, and served as the Chef d’Equipe for the Show Jumping teams at the National Horse Show in 1990 and 1991.

A Pony Club graduate A, Sally was also a member of the 1968 Three Day Event squad for the Olympic Games. In addition, she has designed Show Jumping courses primarily for Eventing since the mid ‘70s, including the Fair Hill CCI***, Radnor CCI**, Jersey Fresh CCI**, Red Hills CIC-W***, the 1996 and 2004 Olympic Games Eventing Final Selection Trials, the 1995 and 1999 Pan American Games Eventing Selection Trials, the 2002 and 2006 World Equestrian Games Eventing Final Selection Trials, the North American Young Riders’ Championship and the Essex Horse Trials.

Ike is a past member of the USEF Eventing Committee, a non-voting advisor to Jumper Committee, a current member of their Drugs and Medications Committee, and

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