By: Eleanor R. Brimmer

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil – September 12, 2016 –

The largest class of 26 athletes from 19 nations in the 2016 Paralympic Equestrian Games contested the 1A division on September 12, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Margaret “Gigi” McIntosh from Reading, PA, made her Paralympic Team and major championship debut at Deodoro Olympic Equestrian Center with her aptly named mare Rio Rio. The pair acquitted themselves well, finishing on a 68.087% for 19th place.

Roxanne Trunnell of Rowlett, Texas, also made her Paralympic debut representing the United States as an Individual with Rachel Zent and Julia Handt’s Royal Dancer. The 2014 World Equestrian Games team member scored a 69.348% for 14th place. Roxanne commented,  “Royal felt amazing during the test. I couldn’t help but smile during it; He was so forward and marching in his walk and I was thrilled with his freewalk. I’ve been working on letting the reins go more which is a weird feeling for me since with my previous mount Touché you always had to keep hold of her, but I’m getting better about it. Overall it was a fantastic first Paralympic showing. I couldn’t bring cookies with me but I snagged him some apples and I was sure to give him one after that lovely test.”

Winning the Grade 1A Individual Test was Great Britain’s Sophie Christiansen riding Athene Lindebjerg to a 77.522%, her teammate Anne Dunham followed her into second place with Ljt Lucas Normark with a score of 73.975%.

Also competing this morning, September 12, was the Grade IV division, which did not have any representation from the United States. Belgium’s Michele George won the class with her 2012 Paralympic Gold Medal partner Fbw Rainman on a score of 75.286%. Second place finisher for Grade IV was Great Britain team member Sophie Wells riding Valerius to a 74.405%.

Tuesday, September 13, we will see Rebecca Hart and Margaret Duprey and Cherry Knoll Farm’s Schroeter’s Romani compete in the Grade II Team Test at 11:20 AM local time. Entering the Equestrian Center for her second day is Annie Peavy aboard Becky Reno and Heather Blitz’s Lancelot Warrior to contest the Grade III Individual Test for a possible medal at 4:06 PM local time.

The 2016 Paralympic Equestrian Games run from September 11-16, 2016, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, at the Deodoro Olympic Equestrian Center.
Full results and live scoring can be found here: http://rio2016.live.fei.org/

Roxanne Trunnell and Royal Dancer Photo by Lindsay Y. McCall

Timeline of Events at the Paralympic Games:

September 13 
10:00 AM      Grade II Team – Rebecca Hart (11:20 AM)
2:00 PM        Grade III Individual – Annie Peavy (4:06 PM)
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 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.
For more information about the USPEA please visit www.USPEA.org or contact USPEA President: Hope Hand by e-mail: hope@uspea.org or by phone: (610)356-6481.

To view an online version of this press release please visit: https://uspea.org/category/recent-uspea-press-news/

If you have received this e-mail and no longer wish to receive any e-mails regarding the USPEA please click on the Unsubscribe link below.  USPEA will only send e-mails that are news related to the USPEA.