Lexington, KY – Eight horse and rider teams have their sights set on a medal this month, as they get ready to represent the United States at the 2005 Pan American Endurance Championship in Pinamar, Argentina, April 14.

The eight pairs, in alphabetical order are as follows:

Deborah DeShon of South Paris, ME, riding AF Stogie (Gray Arabian gelding, age 9)

Valerie Kanavy of Fort Valley, VA, and Williston, FL, riding Emphatic (Chestnut Arabian gelding, age 11)

Danielle Kanavy McGunigal of Front Royal, VA, riding Flash Flame (Grey Arabian mare, age 7)

Cia Reis of Pennsdale, PA and Williston, FL, riding Catch-A-Wave (Grey Arabian gelding, age 16)

Dinah Rojek of South Woodstock, VT and Kingsland, GA, riding Phoenix (Bay Arabian gelding, age 12)

Steve Rojek of South Woodstock, VT and Kingsland, GA, riding Finally (Grey Arabian gelding, age 12)

Margaret Sleeper, VDM, of Frenchtown, NJ, riding a locally leased horse (Grey Arabian, age 10)

Stephanie Teeter of Oreana, ID, also riding a locally leased horse, Mora Afamada (Grey Arabian mare; age 8)

Also traveling to Argentina will be Jan Worthington from Scales Mound, IL, riding in the Open 120 km ride on a locally leased horse, and Peter Franklin of Maryland, riding in the Open 80 km ride on a locally leased horse.

The United States Equestrian Federation will send Ann Stuart, DVM, acting as Chef d’Equipe, and Julie Bullock, DVM, acting as Team Veterinarian, to accompany the riders to South America. Following the initial vet inspection, Ann and Julie will make the final determination of which four U.S. riders will make up the team representing the United States in the 160 km Pan American Endurance Championship and which four riders will ride as individuals. Ann and Julie have both acted as chefs d’equipe and/or team veterinarians at the last several Pan American and World Endurance Championships.

As funding was limited for this Championship, specific selection procedures were not developed. Notification was made that any interested rider should indicate to the USEF Director of Endurance their interest in participating in the championship. Riders would be chosen by having the USEF Endurance Credentials Committee apply the existing Criteria to Compete Abroad to determine who would receive first preference to represent the United States at the Championship and which of the riders would receive the four grants of $5,000 each, budgeted by USEF, to defray the cost of shipping their horses to South America. As the Organizing Committee is very generously allowing all participating countries to enter eight horse/rider combinations in the championship and as they are also running several open rides in conjunction with the Championship, virtually every U.S. rider who was interested in competing will be going to Argentina. The four riders who will receive the Horse Shipping Grants are as follows:

Deb DeShon, Valerie Kanavy, Danielle Kanavy McGunigal and Cia Reis.

This is the first time the Pan American Endurance Championship will take place on the South American continent – all previously held Pan American Endurance Championships have been hosted in North America. The Pan American Endurance Championships take place every two years, in the odd numbered years.

~~~For more information, please contact Sarah Lane, Public Relations Manager at (859) 225-6974 or via email at [email protected]. USEF press releases are available on our web site – www.usef.org.