Mill Spring, N.C. – The U.S. Endurance Team will use the home atmosphere and familiar terrain to their advantage when they mount up in quest for a team finish at the FEI World Equestrian Games (WEG) Tryon 2018. Led by Chef d’Equipe Mark Dial, the team of Gwen Hall, Cameron Holzer, Kelsey Russell, and Cheryl Van Deusen will set out on the five-loop, 100-mile test on Wednesday, September 12, at 6:30 a.m. EDT. The course will start and finish on the Tryon International Equestrian Center main property and will include mandatory veterinarian checks and rest periods to ensure horse and rider safety. The competition will also determine individual medalists.
Meet the Team
Gwen Hall (Woodland Park, Colo.) and SizeDoesntMatter, her 12-year-old Arabian gelding.
Cameron Holzer (Houston, Texas) and Kong, her nine-year-old Shagya Sporthorse gelding.
Kelsey Russell (Williston, Fla.) and Fireman Gold, Wendy MacCoubrey and Valerie Kanavy’s eight-year-old Arabian gelding. Follow Russell on Facebook (@GoldMedalFarmEnduranceTeam).
Cheryl Van Deusen (New Smyrna Beach, Fla.) and Hoover the Mover, her 14-year-old Arabian gelding.
Van Deusen and Hoover the Mover as well as Holzer and Kong step in as U.S. Endurance Team substitute combinations for Danielle Crouse (Lexington, Ohio) and AM Mysterious Mopsa, Wendy MacCoubrey’s 11-year-old Arabian mare, and Rae Shumate-Tysor (Cumming, Ga.) and DM Michaelangelo, her nine-year-old Arabian gelding.
Under the consultation of the U.S. Endurance Team veterinary staff, and in the best interest of their horses, Crouse and U.S. Endurance Squad reserve combination Erin Champion (Clinton, Tenn.), with Kongtiki, her own 15-year-old Arabian stallion, chose to withdraw their horses prior to the veterinary inspection, due to medical concerns.
Shumate-Tysor’s mount DM Michaelangelo did not pass the veterinary inspection.
Last Time Out
Hall and SizeDoesntMatter won the 2018 Fire Up 100 CEI3* in April.
Holzer and Kong won the 2017 Fort Howes Endurance Rides CEI3*.
Russell and Fireman Gold placed 17th in the 2018 Tryon Cup – WEG Test Event CEI2* in April. Prior to this, they won the 2018 Goethe Gallivant FEI Endurance Rides CEI3* in January and the 2018 Fun in the Sun CEI3* in March.
Van Deusen and Hoover the Mover placed second in the 2018 Fort Howes Endurance Riders CEI3* in June.
Career Highlights
Van Deusen: Completed 20 career races with Hoover the Mover, which included 12 top-five placings; Santo Domino 2011 Pan American Games competitor and member of the silver medal-winning U.S. team at the Costa Azul 2009 Pan American Games; 2007 FEI European Endurance Championship Open competitor, and 2005 FEI North American Endurance Championship competitor.
Hall: Completed 11 of 13 races with SizeDoesntMatter, always placing in the top five. They won the 2017 Ft. Howes CEI2* and the 2017 Lone Star Express CEI1*.
Holzer: Finished six of eight races with Kong, always placing in the top three.
Russell: Member of the U.S. Endurance Team for the Alltech WEG Normandy 2014; two top-10 finishes at the FEI Junior and Young Rider Endurance World Championships (2011, 2013); team and individual gold medalist at the 2011 Adequan/FEI North American Junior and Young Rider Championships presented by Gotham North; won three of five CEI3* events in 2017 and 2018.
Competition Information
The endurance competition begins at 6:30 a.m. EDT on Wednesday, September 12. Watch it live via FEI TV. A subscription is required.
Find out more about the endurance discipline and the FEI World Equestrian Games Tryon 2018.
Follow US Equestrian
Stay up to date on the U.S. Endurance Team at WEG by following USA Endurance on Facebook and US Equestrian on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, featuring a daily Instagram Story. Use #USAEndurance and #Tryon2018.
The USEF International High Performance Programs are generously supported by the USET Foundation, USOC, and USEF Sponsors and Members.