Para

Para-Equestrian

The U.S. Para-Equestrian Dressage Team for the 2014 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games The following horse-and-athlete combinations have been named to the U.S. Para-Equestrian Dressage Team for the 2014 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games and are in alphabetical order.

Combinations will be named as Team members or Individuals no later than the Horse Inspection on August 24, 2014.

The para-equestrian dressage competition at the 2014 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games will take place August 25-29, 2014 at La Prairie Racecourse in Caen, France.

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Para-Equestrian - Team treatment failed, she had three brain surgeries in 2009.

During one of the surgeries, Sydney suffered a stroke causing her left side to have hemiparesis.

Collier has competed throughout the United States in the last two years gaining valuable experience.

In June, she finished in fourth place with NTEC Cuplee at the USEF Para-Equestrian Dressage National Championship, as well as finished seventh with Willi Wesley.

Photo Credit: SusanJStickle.com

Sydney Collier

Born: November 26, 1997 Residence: Ann Arbor, Mich.

Grade 1b Willi Wesley- 2000 Hessen gelding owned by Victoria Dugan At just 16-years-old, Sydney Collier has already made a big impact on para-equestrian dressage. Collier has always had a love for horses and began riding at seven-years-old. The following year she was diagnosed with an extremely rare, life-threatening medical condition called Wyburn-Mason Syndrome, a syndrome which causes vascular malformations deep within one hemisphere of the brain that are inoperable, and cause many side-effects on the body.

One of the side-effects for Collier was losing vision in the right eye and having strength and coordination issues on the left side of the body.

In 2007, Sydney underwent multiple staged cyberknife radiation treatment to get rid of the AVM’s. After the first

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Para-Equestrian - Team In 2006, Hart was the National Champion at the USEF National Para-Equestrian Championships. With Norteassa, Hart won the 2008 National Para-Equestrian Championships and was named to the 2008 Paralympic Equestrian Team. Hart represented the U.S. at the 2008 Paralympics in Hong Kong, where she placed fourth individually.

Hart also had a strong 2009 season, once again claiming the National Para-Equestrian Championship.

In 2010, Hart not only defended her National Championship title, but also claimed Reserve Champion honors as well. Hart won first prize with the Dutch Warmblood gelding Kazan and reserve honors with her 2008 and 2009 National Champion and 2008 Paralympic partner, Norteassa.

Hart and Norteassa represented the U.S. again at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games in Lexington, Ky. In 2011, Hart had a great year, winning almost every class she entered with Lord Ludger. At the Great American InsurPhoto Credit: SusanJStickle.com

Rebecca Hart

Born: October 26, 1984 Residence: Unionville, Pa. Grade II Schroeter’s Romani- 2003 Danish Warmblood mare owned by Rebecca Hart Rebecca Hart was born with familial spastic paraplegia, a genetic disease that causes muscle wasting and lack of control from the waist down. Hart got involved with the Paralympic movement in 1998 at a regional competition in Atlanta, Georgia, that served as the selection trials for the 2000 Sydney Paralympic Games. It was at that competition that Hart decided she wanted to aim for international competition herself.

Hart soon purchased her first horse and began to seriously start training for national and international competition. Over the years, she has represented the U.S. at several international events, including the 2003 and 2007 Para-Equestrian World Championships.

ance Group/USDF Region 8 Dressage Championship, Hart and Lord Ludger won the Grade II Freestyle, placed second in the Grade II Individual Test, and third in the Grade II Team Test. Hart finished out the year by winning both the Grade II Individual Test and Grade II Team Test at the CPEDI3* Werribee.

Hart started out 2012 with two wins aboard Lord Ludger at the Ocala Winter Dressage Show. The pair took home top honors in two more classes at CDCTA Dressage at Morven Park. At Dressage at Saratoga, Hart and Lord Ludger won the Para-Equestrian Freestyle and two other classes.

Hart had a stellar showing at the 2012 USEF National Para-Equestrian Championships and Paralympic Selection Trials in New Jersey on both her horses. Hart and Lord Ludger dominated the Grade II class, winning with a combined total of 73.501%. Hart also took third on Carlingford’s Taldi. Her score on Lord Ludger placed her first in the Overall competition, allowing her to win her fifth USEF National Para-Equestrian Championship title. She also placed eighth on Carlingford’s Taldi in the Overall results. Her accomplishment earned her a place on the U.S. Team for the 2012 London Paralympic Games.

In 2014, Hart has paired up with the talented Schroeter’s Romani, competing over the winter in Wellington, Fla., before heading to Europe to contest CPEDI competi2014 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games

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Para-Equestrian - Team tions. In June, the pair claimed the USEF Para-Equestrian Dressage National Championship, earning Hart the sixth National Title of her career.

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Para-Equestrian - Team

Photo Credit: SusanJStickle.com

Angela Peavy Born: August 12, 1996 Residence: Avon, Conn.

Grade III Ozzy Cooper- 2006 Trakehner gelding owned by Rebecca Reno Grade III rider Angela Peavy has had a lifelong interest in horses. Peavy was born with Cerebral Palsy, which has affected her coordination and strength on the left side of her body, but she has continued to ride.

Peavy began competing in para-equestrian dressage competitions in 2012, quickly rising to be one of the top competitors in the United States.

At the USEF Para-Equestrian Dressage National Championship, she rode Lancelot Warrior to a sixth-place finish, as well as guided Ozzy Cooper to an eighth-place finish.

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Para-Equestrian - Team the U.S. Para-Equestrian Team for the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games held in June, Treabess and Moneypenny claimed fifth-place honors.

The pair finished their 2010 season by competing on the U.S. team at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games.

In 2012, Treabess returned to the ring on Fugitivo XII where the two finished second and third, respectively, in the CPEDI FEI Grade IV KUR and Grade IV Individual Championship Test.

At the 2014 USEF Para-Equestrian Dressage National Championship, Treabess finished in fifth place with the PRE stallion Kamiakin.

Photo Credit: SusanJStickle.com

Susan Treabess Born: July 1, 1977 Residence: Winters, Calif.

Grade IV Kamiakin- 2005 PRE stallion owned by Kathryn Hill Susan Treabess was born without her left hand, but has ridden horses her whole life. She has been competitive in dressage since she was 16, and became involved in international para-equestrian dressage in 2006.

Treabess began riding the KWPN mare, Moneypenny, in 2008. They swept each of their divisions at the 2010 Dressage Affaire FEI CPEDI3* and won the overall highpoint award.

Treabess and Moneypenny also competed at the Prix St. Georges level in able-bodied dressage shows during the 2010 season. They have already been successful at Fourth and Third levels, ranking nationally at both for the past two years.

At the USEF Selection Trial/National Championship for

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Para-Equestrian - Team In November of 2012, she was classified as a Grade 1a and

by May 2013, she rode in her first CPEDI, receiving qualifying scores at the Golden State Dressage Show in Rancho Murieta, Calif. Trunnell is now based in Dallas, Texas, training with Kai Handt.

In June of 2013, Trunnell and Nice Touch earned a thirdplace finish at the USEF Para-Equestrian Dressage National Championship.

Photo Credit: SusanJStickle.com

Roxanne Trunnell Born: April 26, 1985 Residence: Rowlett, Texas

Grade 1a Nice Touch- 1995 Dutch Warmblood gelding owned by Sidney Trunell Roxanne Trunnell rode as an able-bodied rider in dressage, having earned her USDF Bronze medal and being very close to her Silver medal until contracting a virus in 2009 that caused swelling in her brain and changed her life forever.

After a long recovery, Trunnell slowly began to learn to ride again, as well as completed a Masters program in Psychology with a focus in Equine Assisted Psychotherapy, graduating in September of 2013. As graduation neared, she was ready to begin preparation for competitive dressage, and became interested in para-equestrian dressage, learning about the program in the summer of 2012 and proceeded to apply for classification.

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Para-Equestrian - Staff

Photo Credit: USEF Archive

Kai Handt

Born: August 19, 1960 Residence: Wylie, Texas Chef d’Equipe Kai Handt has a great depth of experience in the equestrian world as a competitor, trainer, and coach. Since August of 1985, Handt has owned and managed the North Texas Equestrian Center, which hosts lessons and boarding programs in addition to training equestrians of all levels in the dressage, jumping, and para-equestrian dressage disciplines. Handt has had one or more of his students compete at the USEF Para-Equestrian Dressage National Championship since 2009. Riders he has coached and trained have also competed at the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games and the 2012 Paralympic Games.

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Para-Equestrian - Staff

Photo Credit: USEF Archive

Hallye Griffin

Born: July 4, 1986 Residence: Lexington, Ky. Team Leader Hallye Griffin grew up riding in the United States Pony Club and competing in the discipline of eventing in Kentucky. She attended Transylvania University in Lexington, Ky., and majored in Political Science. Following her graduation she worked for the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games Organizing Committee in the Competition Department. In 2011, Griffin joined the USEF as the Director of Dressage National Programs. For the 2014 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, she is stepping into the role of Team Leader for the U.S. Para-Equestrian Dressage and Vaulting teams.

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