Weirsdale, FL –  August 31, 2016 – In preparation for the 2016 Rio Paralympic Games, the United States Paralympic Equestrian squad has headed to the Grand Oaks Resort and Museum located in Weirsdale, FL, for a mock competition. The Team includes Chef d’Equipe Kai Handt; Sydney Collier (Ann Arbor, Mich.), Grade Ib, and Wesley Dunham’s Western Rose, a 2003 Oldenburg mare; Rebecca Hart (Wellington, Fla.), Grade II, and her own Schroeters Romani, a 2002 Danish Warmblood mare; Margaret McIntosh (Reading, Pa.), Grade Ia, and her own Rio Rio, a 2006 Rheinland Pfalz-Saar mare; Angela Peavy (Avon, Conn. and Wellington, Fla.), Grade III, and Heather Blitz and Rebecca Reno’s Lancelot Warrior, a 2002 Hanoverian gelding; and competing as an individual, Grade Ia rider Roxanne Trunnell (Rowlett, Texas) and Julia Handt’s 2005 Westphalian gelding Royal Dancer. These five outstanding athletes will showcase their talented horses on September 1, with their Test of Choice, beginning at 10 AM in front of 5* Judge Natalie Lamping. This event is free and is open to the public.

Following the mock competition, riders and their team of veterinarians, grooms, parents, volunteers, and supporters will prepare to fly to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, for the 2016 Paralympics. Equestrian will make their way to the Deodoro Olympic Equestrian Center where they will compete September 11-16.

2016 U.S. Paralympic Equestrian Athletes  Left to Right (Rebecca Hart, Chef d’Equipe Kai Handt, Sydney Collier, Margaret McIntosh, Annie Peavy, and Roxanne Trunnell. Photo courtesy Tina Wentz

Timeline of Events at the Paralympic Games:

September 10    10:00 AM    Jog

September 11    9:00 AM        Grade II Team – Rebecca Hart
10:00 AM    Grade III Team – Annie Peavy
2:00 PM        Grade Ib Team – Sydney Collier

September 12    10:00 AM    Grade IV Team
2:00 PM    Grade Ia Team – Margaret McIntosh, Roxanne Trunnell

September 13    2:00 PM        Grade III Individual – Annie Peavy
5:05 PM        Grade III – Victory Ceremony

September 14    10:00 AM    Grade IV Ind.
12:20 PM    Grade IV Ind. – Victory Ceremony
2:00 PM        Grade Ib Ind. – Sydney Collier
5:05 PM        Grade Ib Ind.  – Victory Ceremony

September 15    10:00 AM    Grade II Ind. – Rebecca Hart
1:00 PM        Grade II Ind. – Victory Ceremony
2:00 PM        Grade Ia Ind. – Margaret McIntosh, Roxanne Trunnell
4:55 PM        Grade Ia Ind. – Victory Ceremony

September 16     9:00  AM    Grade III FS – Annie Peavy
10:10 AM    Grade IV FS
11:16 AM    Grade III FS – Victory Ceremony
11:31 AM    Grade IV FS – Victory Ceremony
1:00 PM        Grade Ib FS – Sydney Collier
2:10 PM        Grade Ia FS – Margaret McIntosh, Roxanne Trunnell
3:10 PM        Grade II FS – Rebecca Hart
4:16 PM        Grade Ia FS – Victory Ceremony
4:31 PM        Grade II FS – Victory Ceremony
4:46 PM        Grade Ib FS – Victory Ceremony
5:01 PM        Team – Victory Ceremony

For more information about the Grand Oaks Resort and Museum please visit http://thegrandoaks.com.

For more information about the U.S. Paralympic Equestrian Team please visit United States Equestrian Federation at www.USEF.org, the United States Equestrian Team Foundation at www.USET.org, or Team USA at http://www.teamusa.org/US-Paralympics/Sports/Equestrian.

For more information about the 2016 Paralympic Equestrian competition please visit https://www.rio2016.com/en/paralympics/equestrian

The United States Para-Equestrian Association (USPEA) includes every recognized equestrian discipline that is practiced by athletes with an eligible physical impairment with a focus on Paralympic Equestrian Sports. . The USPEA is a network of current and past athletes, owners, officials, event organizers, and equestrian enthusiasts. The Association assists athletes to get involved and expand their knowledge and experience in the Disciplines of Para-Equestrian.

USPEA was created to fill a need to assist Para Equestrian disciplines when they came under the governance of the FEI.  While Para Equestrian disciplines were originally segregated, they now are integrated in international sport.  As each individual Para Equestrian discipline develops, it is USPEA’s mission to always serve as an advisory resource with the ultimate goal that the established able-bodied discipline affiliate will integrate within their organization.

In 2010, the USPEA earned its 501 (c)(3) status and became a recognized International affiliate association of the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) working together to grow the FEI recognized disciplines by helping to provide press, educational information, symposiums and competition opportunities for athletes with eligible physical impairments.