July 10, 2014 — A strong group of U.S. vaulters have traveled to Germany to represent their country at the prestigious CHIO Aachen. With the World Equestrian Festival running from July 11-20, the CVIO3* takes place July 11-13 in the Albert-Vahle-Arena in Aachen, Germany. Kristian Roberts and Colton Palmer will compete in the Individual Male competition, with Mary McCormick, Mary Garrett, and Elizabeth Ioannou representing the U.S. in the Individual Female division. Sisters Cassidy and Kimberly Palmer will vie for Pas de Deux honors, along with Garrett and Roberts, who will join as a pair for the division. Rounding out the U.S. effort are the Woodside Vaulters in the squad competition.
In the Individual Male division, Roberts (Moss Beach, Calif.) comes to Aachen in top form after winning the Men’s Gold division at the Woodside Spring Fest. He will partner with Bram, a 13-year-old KWPN gelding owned by RVC Gilching e.V. and Philipp Langmann, and lunged by Carolyn Bland. Colton Palmer was close behind Roberts at the Woodside Spring Fest, earning third-place honors. The Half Moon Bay, Calif., native will vault on Leon 364, a 16-year-old Wurttemberger gelding owned and lunged by Wolfgang Renz, in his first appearance at the prestigious event.
McCormick (Woodside, Calif.) leads the U.S. contingent in the Individual Female division, having won every competition she has entered this year, and most recently claiming top honors in the Women’s Gold division at the Woodside Spring Fest. She will vault on longtime partner Palatine, a 16-year-old Westphalian gelding owned by Sydney Frankel, and will be lunged by Bland. Garrett (Mountain View, Calif.) is peaking at just the right time, coming to Aachen having finished second behind McCormick at the Woodside Spring Fest. She will also partner with Palatine and be lunged by Bland. Ioannou (Saratoga, Calif.) earned a second-place finish in Individual Female division of the Pacific Cup CVI3* earlier this year. She hopes to have another strong performance in Aachen, partnering with Jarl, a 16-year-old gelding owned by Lasse Kristensen and Emma Seely, and lunged by Kristensen.
In the Pas de Deux division, the Palmer sisters hope to find success at the CVIO3* after finishing fourth last year. The pair has been on a roll this year, finishing fourth in the 2014 FEI World Cup Vaulting Final in the Pas de Deux Championship in February, and just recently winning the Pas de Deux division at Woodside Spring Fest. They will partner with Leon 364 and Renz as their horse and lunger, respectively. Garrett and Roberts will also compete in the Pas de Deux division, partnering for the first time as a pair this year. They will vault on Diva 506, an 11-year-old Oldenburg mare owned by RVC Gilching e.V., and will be lunged by Bland.
The Woodside Vaulters are the sole representative in the Squad competition. The squad, consisting of Tessa Divita (Emerald Hills, Calif.), Audrey Kiernan (San Mateo, Calif.), Siddartha Kreaden (Sunnyvale, Calif.), Kristen Kuhn (San Mateo, Calif.), Rachel Polati (Emerald Hills, Calif.), and Miki Yang (Los Altos Hills, Calif.), received top honors in the A Team division at the Woodside Spring Fest, and is prepared for a solid performance in Aachen. They will vault on Stanford, a 16-year-old Hanoverian gelding owned by Julie Divita and Woodside Vaulters, and will be lunged by Julie Divita.
CVIO3* competition begins Friday at 8:30am local time with the Compulsory Test for the Individual Female division.
To find out more about the competition visit http://www.chioaachen.de/en/.
Follow the U.S. Vaulting Team here.
