Budapest, Hungary – The U.S. Vaulting Team finished an incredible week of competition at the 2021 FEI Vaulting World Championships for Seniors in Budapest, Hungary, securing two bronze medals, one in the Squad competition and another in the Pas-des-Deux, earned by Haley Smith and Daniel Janes. The results over the weeklong competition are some of the best finishes for the team in several years at the championship level. The team was led by Chef d’Equipe Jennifer Arntsen, with U.S. athletes contesting Squad, Pas-des-Deux, and Individual competition.
The U.S. Squad of Daniel Janes (Moss Beach, Calif.), Emily Rose (Santa Cruz, Calif.), Haley Smith (Woodside, Calif.), Hannah Wildermuth (Pottsville, Pa.), Geoffrey Woolson (Tujunga, Calif.), and Emi Yang (Los Altos Hills, Calif.) with longeur Carolyn Bland and Diva 506, an 18-year-old Oldenburg mare owned by Bland, earned a first round score of 7.745, which they improved upon in the second round of competition to earn an 8.417 from the judges. Their final total of 7.914 bested the team from Denmark to earn the bronze medal. In the Nations Team Event competition, the U.S. Team finished in fourth, with a final score of 7.951.
“The feeling at these championships was different than competitions past. I believe the comradery between all of the countries and competitors was on another level following the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Chef d’Equipe Jennifer Arntsen. “The vaulting community is relatively small compared to some of the other disciplines and it was an amazing atmosphere getting to see our friends after all this time. The medals we earned were a labor of love and commitment from the vaulters since 2017. It was amazing to be behind the scenes supporting them while they stepped into the world stage and showed everyone we came to compete.”
Haley Smith (Wooside, Calif.) and Daniel Janes (Moss Beach, Calif.) collected the first bronze medal for the U.S. Vaulting Team, impressing in Pas-des-Deux competition with longeur Carolyn Bland and Diva 506. The duo earned a score of 8.093 in the round one free test and an 8.845 in the round two free test for a combined average score of 8.469, which earned them a position on the podium. This is the first Pas-de-Deux medal for both Smith and Janes, while their teammates Calle Davis (Spanish Fork, Utah) and Todd Griffiths (Elk Ridge, Utah) with longue Libuse Hablovicova and Condor, a 14-year-old Czech Warmblood stallion owned by Zemsky Hrebcinec Tlumacov s.p., finished in seventh place overall on a final two round score of 7.662. Janika Derks and Johannes Kay of Germany earned the gold with a final score of 8.936, while Chiara Congia and Justin van Gerven of Germany took the silver with an 8.646.
“The U.S. contingent stepped their games up from the end of our qualifying season to the moment they stepped into the competition arena. Knowing they trained harder and improved between our selections to the competition confirms the selector choices. The venue was fantastic. It was beautiful and the footing was great and the organizing committee and show staff were extremely helpful. It was an incredible championship and one that we will remember for a long time,” concluded Arntsen.
The U.S. Vaulting Team also included several individual vaulters competing in the championships. Kayln Noah (Newbury Park, Calif.) finished as the highest U.S. athlete, taking 14th place in the Women’s Individual competition, and finished just head of teammate Emily Rose (Santa Cruz, Calif.), who collected 15th place. Kimberly Palmer (Half Moon Bay, Calif.) finished in 28th place as the team’s third individual vaulter.
Results
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