9/28/10

Dressage Team USA

The Mr. and I attended the World Equestrian Games on Sunday and it was just beautiful. I am talking 70 degrees and sunny! We were able to sit along side some of the USA dressage coaches during morning exercises.

Lisa Porter

This is where we came to admire the grace & charm of one particular member of the team.

Lisa Porter

Katherine Bateson-Chandler atop Nartan, her 15-year-old Dutch Warm blood gelding.

Lisa Porter

I hear that it took this shy, horse-crazy girl a while to work up enough nerve to go to Olympian Robert Dover’s New Jersey farm in hopes of getting a job with him. She was 16-years-old then and willing to do anything—anything at all—to work for the famous dressage rider. With determination, she arrived at the barn and left her phone number on the message board.

Lisa Porter When no one called her, she went back again, and again, until finally, her phone rang. The farm needed some weekend help mucking stalls and turning out horses. Knowing this was the chance of a lifetime, she agreed and the job was hers. Lisa Porter

Through finding a mentor, and through her dedication to the sport, Katherine Bateson-Chandler has gone from a horse-crazy teen to an esteemed athlete riding Olympic veteran horses.

Lisa Porter

Here she warms up under the watchful eye of coaches and her husband, Carl Chandler.

Lisa Porter

Meet all the members of the 2010 WEG U.S. Dressage Team.

Katherine Bateson-Chandler and Nartan.

Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games

Todd Flettrich and Otto

Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games

Tina Konyot and Calecto V.

Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games

Steffen Peters and Ravel.

Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games

Our team represented the U.S. beautifully.Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games

Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games   Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games

The rain certainly did not dampen Katherine's style.

Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games

   I will be posting more inspiring stories over the next couple of weeks so I thought I would give you a few interesting facts.

The Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) World Equestrian Games are the world championships for equestrianism.

Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games

Lexington, Kentucky is very proud the be hosting the first WEG held outside of Europe!

The world's top riders and most skilled horses competing at WEG go through a rigorous selection process during the 4 years preceding each competition.

Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games

Each participating country sends teams composed of the very best equestrians in their discipline. Some 57 countries are represented by 800 athletes.

We wish them all the very best!

I will soon be posting about an endurance rider who stole the MR.'s heart

Information and photos courtesy of  Lisa Porter, Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games & Equestrian Magazine.