Gilroy, Calif. – The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF)/American Vaulting Association (AVA) Vaulting National Championships will host the best vaulters in the country this week at Gilroy Gaits in Gilroy, Calif., on August 2-5, 2018. More than 175 vaulters and 50 horses, along with coaches and lungers, will meet to compete for championships in 10 divisions. Awards include team champions in A, B, and C divisions, while male and female individuals compete for Gold, Silver, and Bronze division titles. One pair will capture the Open Pas de Deux National Championship.
Seven-time national champion Mary McCormick (Cañon City, Colo.) is expected to contest the Female Gold Division. McCormick will have tough competition as she competes against fellow FEI World Equestrian Games™ (WEG) Tryon 2018 short-listed athletes Mikalah Bowman (Littleton, Colo.), Rachel Herrera (La Crescenta, Calif.), Margaret “Maggie” Long (Seattle, Wash.), Elizabeth Osborn (Menlo Park, Calif.), Kimberly Palmer (Half Moon Bay, Calif.), and Emily Rose (Santa Cruz, Calif.).
Kristian Roberts (Moss Beach, Calif.), will look for his sixth national title as he and fellow WEG short-listed athlete Daniel Janes (Moss Beach, Calif.) compete in the Male Gold division. Roberts and Janes will also compete as part of the Pacific Coast Vaulting Club squad, alongside Cameron Brown (Santa Cruz, Calif.), Audrey Kiernan (San Mateo, Calif.), Long, Rose, and Haley Smith (Parker, Colo.).
Janes will contest the Open Pas de Deux with Smith, alongside fellow WEG short-listed Pas de Deux partners Kathryn “Katie” Keville (Cotati, Calif.) and Florence Rubinger (Santa Rosa, Calif.).
The first classes begin on Friday with compulsories, and competition continues on Saturday with freestyles and additional compulsories. Additional classes and all awards will be presented on Sunday.
Tune into the USEF Network beginning on Friday, August 3 to watch the live stream of the Blue Arena.
For more about the USEF/AVA Vaulting National Championships, visit americanvaulting.org.
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