A four-in-hand team of black Morgan geldings owned by Alan and Maureen Aulson are one step closer to their bid of making a team to represent the United States at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games (WEG), a first in the Morgan breed.

The combined driving four-in-hand team of Nordby Coalie's Duke, Nordby Coalie's Coal Dust, and the full brothers Nordby Shadow's Sam Spade and Nordby Shadow's Rocky have put in solid performances at three driving events in Florida this year, which were all selection trials for WEG. The team is expertly driven by David Saunders. At the first competition of the year, Little Everglades International, Saunders finished in fourth place and was the third-place American. At the Sunshine State Combined Driving Event in February, he was third overall, and at the Live Oak International in March, he was fifth overall, out of 14 competitors. Currently, the team is sixth in the four-in-hand rankings, dated March 30. The WEG will take place in Lexington, KY, September 25-October 10, and is the first time they will be held in the United States.

While only three drivers will make the United States Team, there is a possibility an additional six drivers may be able to compete at WEG as individuals. This is dependant on the number of European teams that will participate. The U.S. team is slated to be announced by the first week in September.

For more information on Saunders and the Morgan pairs or to make a contribution to support their efforts, please contact [email protected] and visit www.blackprong.com/team. You can also become a fan of the Team on Facebook by visiting their fanpages: Morgans to the WEG and USA Morgan Driving Team.

Founded in 1909, the American Morgan Horse Association is a non-profit organization serving more than 50,000 Morgan horse owners, breeders, exhibitors, and enthusiasts throughout the United States. AMHA serves as a parent organization to more than 90 recognized Morgan horse clubs and national service organizations.

For more information on America’s original horse breed, contact the American Morgan Horse Association, Inc., 122 Bostwick Road, Shelburne, Vermont 05482; (802) 985-4944; www.morganhorse.com.