Steffen Peters on Ravel
PrintThe third team member, Courtney King-Dye, will be making her first appearance on an Olympic squad, but this young talent more than proved she was ready by placing third and fourth in the Olympic selection trials with Harmony’s Mythilus and Idocus, respectively.
King-Dye first represented the United States in an international championship at the 2007 FEI World Cup Final (Nev.). She finished in an impressive seventh place there with Idocus. She also took home the National Grand Prix reserve championship that year with Idocus.
Both of King-Dye’s mounts showed in Europe in 2007, and she returned to the World Cup with Idocus in 2008. But “Myth,” who showed in his first Grand Prix in September of 2007, began to emerge as a strong contender, beating his stablemate whenever they went head-to-head in Grand Prix competition.
“This is the culmination of 21 years of work,” said King-Dye. “I feel really grateful. You can work as hard as you possibly can. You can be a great rider and never get the chance. The fact that it’s happened in my life and this early, I just feel really thankful for all the stars out there working in my favor and all the people along the way who have given me the opportunity to do this. My biggest thrill is that I have the opportunity to be on a team with Debbie and Steffen. I’ve admired them from afar for years.”
**Michael Barisone and Neruda were named as last-minute substitutions for Leslie Morse and Kingston, who withdrew from their position as traveling reserves because of veterinary reasons.
The United States
HARMONY'S MYTHILUS: dk. b. g., 14, Dutch Warmblood by Ferro—Flemiena, Purisso, owned by Harmony Amateur Sports Foundation and Leslie Malone.
COURTNEY KING-DYE: age 30, New Milford, Conn.
BRENTINA: ch. m., 17, Hanoverian by Brentano II—Lieselotte, Langau, owned by Peggy and Parry Thomas.
DEBBIE MCDONALD: age 54, Hailey, Idaho.
RAVEL: dk. b. g., 10, Dutch Warmblood by Contango—Hautain, Democraat, owned by Akiko Yamazaki.
STEFFEN PETERS: age 43, San Diego, Calif.
NERUDA: dk. b. g., 13, Dutch Warmblood by Haarlem—Gdadermie, Ladalco, owned by Jane Suwalsky.
MICHAEL BARISONE: age 44, Califon, N.J.
