United States of America
The US brings a 5 entrants to the 2005 HH Presidents Cup event. Each of these 5 are top competitors, having earned an invitation either directly from the Emirates International Endurance Committee or having been nominated for invitation by the United States Equestrian Federation.
Hal Hall |
Hal Hall is a legend of the Western States Trail Ride (Tevis Cup). He
has won the ride 3 times, 1975, 1977, and 1990. He has completed the
ride a record 24 times with 30 attempts. He has also won the Haggin
Cup for Best Condition three times. In the 36 years Hal has a career
competition record of 7238 miles which includes 39 100 mile (160km)
competitions! In 1976, he rode in the Great American Horse Race - an
endurance competition which started in New York City and finished in
Sacramento California, covering 3120 miles!
Hal will be riding this year in HH Presidents cup with Aleclipse, who finished second at the 2003 Pan American Championships carrying Heather Reynolds. That same year Aleclipse wone the 160km Fort Howes CEI*** event. In 2004, Aleclipse finished first in the American Endurance Rides Conference (AERC) 100 Mile National Championship Event. Aleclipse is owned by Becky Hard, the World Endurance Champion of 1988, 1990, and 1992. Becky Hart is crewing for Hal in this years President's Cup - A team of 2 of the greatest endurance riders of all time paired with one of the Greatest Endurance Horses now competing! |
Jeremy Reynolds |
Jeremy Reynolds is the co-winner of the 2004 Tevis Cup. He also
equaled his wife Heather's accomplishment of wining the Haggin Cup for
Best Condition at the Tevis with his horse CV Eli. Reynolds has only
been riding endurance since 2001, winning his first ride the following
year, the 80km Derby Ditch.
His Tevis triumph was his first win over 160km. In the President's Cup, he is riding Kann Sam Count, who in his early rides was ridden by both Salim and Jennifer Nice. Now owned by Barry Waitte, this Arabian gelding completed his last 160km ride in 2003 when he finished ninth in the Washoe Valley FEI CEI*** event. |
Dr. Meg Sleeper, DVM |
Meg Sleeper has been on the United States Equestrian Federation
National Endurance Team since 2003. She started competing in endurance
in 1987 and won her first ride over 80km in 2001. She was 7th and a
member of the Gold Medal team at the 2001 Pan American Championships.
Meg ended last year in 16th place on the FEI Emirates World Ranking. The horse she rides in the President's Cup is her homebred half Arabian, Shyrocco Troilus. Shyrocco was a reserve horse for the USA World Championship team in Dubai. He finished eighth in the 160km Fairhill International CEI*** event in October 2004. |
Becky Spencer |
Becky Spencer is the co-winner of the 2004 Tevis Cup that was
sponsored by the Emirates International Endurance Village. Spencer,
who grew up with horses has been riding endurance for 7 years. She is
also a top competitor in the the sport of Ride&Tie, having taken the
2001 and 2002 World Championships in that Sport.
Becky's Tevis win on Ortis Sonny, the horse she rides in the President's Cup, was the best of her endurance career. From five Tevis starts, this was her second completion. The previous was on the same horse the year before, finishing in 39th place. Almost two months prior to the Tevis, Ortis Sonny was awarded best condition and Becky/Ortis Sonny finished first, at the 80km Camp Far West ride. The owner and breeder of Ortis Sonny is Mr. Bob Edwards. Bob is also an avid Endurance and Ride&Tie competitor. Now at the age of 78, he has completed the Western States Trail both as an Equine competition and in the 160km ultra marathon event. He is here in Abu Dhabi as Bechy's crew. Spencer, who is a registered nurse, has five horses in training and still finds time to enjoy snow and water skiing. This fast desert ride is a sharp contrast to the slow hilly rides she and Ortis Sonny are more accustomed to. She is just out to finish and to survive! |
Susan Summers |
Sue Summers is an Endurance Icon in the Pacific Northwest of the
United States. She and her husband Dennis have competed actively in
endurance for the past 20 years. Sue does all of their shoeing and
training. Dennis competed for the US at the recent World Endurance
Championships - Sue was his crew. Now the roles are reversed and Sue
will ride Raymond Blur in the 2005 HH President's Cup!
Raymond Blur, a 17 year old Arabian gelding, has been competing in Endurance since 1993! Ridden by both Sue and Dennis, he in 1997 completed a tremendous season finishing in the top ten of all 9 160km events they entered. The lowest placingS were seventh and third and he was 1st 4 times. One of those times was at the Lost Wheelbarrow Mine (Managed by Steph Teeter of EnduranceNet!) where Ray not only won, but was awarded Best Condition. Ray was brought to a peak again in preparation for the 2004 World Endurance Championships. He and Sue were selected to the United States Equestrian Federation National Endurance Team in 2003. |
 |
|
 |
|
HH President's Cup
|
|||