They handled the trip and the transfer to Club Hippica easily. Club Hippica is currently hosting Modern Pentathalon so there is a temporary pool in the covered arena. That ends today and then it’s all eventing out there.
The U.S. horses are a variety of shapes, sizes and colors.
Little Absolute Liberty is a nippy little bay mare by Aberjack that Buck Davidson thinks has a big future. She settled in happily and was very confident on her first plane trip.
Hanni (grey) Towers Over Libby
Big, rangy and grey, German import Schoensgreen Hanni is the antithesis of 'Libby'. Just as sweet, 'Hanni' settled right in to Mexico as well. She is owned by her rider, Michael Pollard's wife, Nathalie. Nathalie is an accomplished CCI4* rider in her own right, but she is currently pregnant with the couple's fourth child.
Harbour Pilot is out of a brilliant mare named Shannon that eventing historians will remember Karen O'Connor having great success with in the 90s. 'William' is a homebred of Jacqueline Mars' and is carrying on his mother's successful ways. He wins consistently for Hannah Sue Burnett. A serious Houdini, great lengths were taken to ensure that William would not be able to escape.
Ballingowan Pizazz is the token chestnut of the group (and the token Californian) and both he and Shannon Lilley are making their first team appearance. 'Mango' seems unfazed by most things and seems to have taken to Mexico.
Donner is no bigger than Libby, and at 8 years old has had a meteoric rise to the Team in the three years since he began competing. He was a late addition to the team which lost Jonathan Holling's Downtown Harrison (withdrawn for veterinary reasons) after the last gallop. But Lynn Symansky rode at the PAG in 2003 when they were held at Fair Hill, she was only 20. Donner looks like a kid in the stables, but he jumps way beyond his years.
Dougie Hannum of course had everything organized in the lovely center aisle barns. Team USA is down on one end and has a nice shady area with a picnic table and a pop-up tent. The Canadians are down the hall as is Lauren Billys. She lives in California but rides for Puerto Rico.
Two immaculate American sections at two separate venues is no small feat.
More Eventing Photos Manana...