USA Team Members

U.S. Endurance Embarks on Mission for Team Finish at FEI World Equestrian Games™ Tryon 2018

by US Equestrian Communications Department | Sep 11, 2018, 8:37 PM EST 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.

Meet USA Team Member Erin Champion

Erin Champion and and Kongtiki, who are the U.S. WEG squad's traveling reserve combination. If needed, they will be prepared to step in. Erin has been an AERC member since 2006. She will turn 26 a couple of weeks after the WEG. 
Residence: Clinton, Tennessee 

• Kongtiki (Kong) is Erin's 15-year-old Arabian stallion (AHR 611193) 
• Erin and Kong placed first in the 2017 Biltmore Challenge FEI 75 
• Erin was first Featherweight and second overall at the 2012 AERC National Championship 50, riding My Lords Solomon 
• Erin has 2,990 endurance miles and 505 LD miles 

Reserve rider/equine teams: Cameron Holzer and Kong, her 9-year-old Shagya Sporthorse gelding; Erin Innes and Tuscarora John, her 12-year-old Arabian gelding; Cheryl Van Deusen and Hoover the Moover, her 14-year-old Arabian gelding. 

Meet USA Team Member Kelsey Russell

Horse: Fireman Gold, an 8-year-old Arabian gelding owned by Wendy MacCoubrey and Valerie Kanavy 
Residence: Williston, Florida 
Age: 22 
Groom: Andres Ramirez Olivares  • Kelsey was selected for the U.S. Endurance Team for the 2014 FEI Alltech® World Equestrian Games™ in Normandy, France 
• She has two top-ten finishes at the FEI Junior and Young Rider Endurance World Championships (2011, 2013)
  • Kelsey won a team and individual gold medal at the 2011 Adequan/FEI North American Junior and young Rider Championships presented by Gotham North, riding My Wild Irish Gold 
• Kelsey has been competing in endurance since she was 13, and has 5,515 endurance and 790 limited distance miles, plus 250 foreign miles 
• She won the 2015 Kathy Brunjes Young Rider Award with 1,000 miles 
• Kelsey and Fireman Gold have 550 endurance miles together, including firsts and BCs at the 2018 Goethe
Gallivant 100 in January and the Fun In The Sun 100 in March 
• She finished in the top 20 at the CEI2* Test Event for the FEI World Equestrian Games™ Tryon 2018 on Fireman Gold 
• Kelsey has three top-five finishes in CEI3* events in 2017 and 2018 on Fireman Gold 

Kelsey is currently a third year pre-veteriny student at the University of Central Florida. This is Russell’s second time competing for the U.S. at the WEG. (Photo © Allen McMillan at LoonCreekEnterprises.com) 

Meet USA Team Member Danielle Crouse

Residence: Lexington, Ohio
Age: 47

Horse: AM Mysterious Mopsa, 11-year-old Arabian mare (AHA 631992)

Groom: Andres Ramirez Olivares

Career Highlights:

• AM Mysterious Mopsa has 1825 AERC endurance miles and 100 LD miles with only one DNF

• AM Mysterious Mopsa has been ridden by 13 riders

• Danielle (AERC #636) has 7725 endurance and 245 LD miles

• Danielle has competed twice previously on Mopit, with 2nd place finishes in the 2017 Goethe Gallivant 75 and the Fun In The Sun 100

Meet USA Team Member Gwen Hall

Let's meet AERC WEG team member Gwen Hall, DVM. (You will recognize these two–they were featured on the October 2017 EN cover.)
Residence: Woodland Park, Colorado
Age: 51
Horse: SizeDoesntMatter aka "Dakar," 12-year-old Arabian gelding, AHR #642006
Owner: Gwen Hall, DVM
Groom: Alex Shampoe

Career Highlights:
• Gwen and Dakar have completed 2000 endurance miles and 140 LD miles together since 2011
• Completed 32 of 35 endurance rides with 29 finishes in the top 5 and 5 best conditions
• First place, 2017 AERC National Championship 100 mile ride in La Veta, Colorado

Gwen Hall is a graduate of the University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine. She is a practicing small animal veterinarian and is married with two stepsons. A former ultramarathon runner, Hall held several women’s course records at the 50K and 50 mile distances in the states of Missouri and Kansas. In 2001, she held the eleventh fastest U.S. women’s 100-mile time. This will be Gwen’s first WEG.

Meet USA Team Member Rae Shumate-Tysor

Age: 22
Residence: Cumming, Georgia
Horse: DM Michaelangelo, 9-year-old Arabian gelding
Owner: Rae Shumate-Tysor
Groom: K. Leigh Knox

Career Highlights:
• Since 2013, she and DM Michaelangelo have 18 top-five finishes
• Three wins in CEI1* and CEI2* races in 2018 with DM Michaelangelo
• Second in the 2018 Broxton Bridge CEI3* ride with DM Michaelangelo

Rae is currently a student at Reinhardt University, earning her degree in business. Horses have been a part of Rae’s family for many generations and she currently competes in a variety of breeds and disciplines, including Arabians. Her first memory is that of sitting on a horse, however she credits her father, who was a professional motorcyclist, for her ‘racing gene.’ This will be her first time competing at the World Equestrian Games.