Lauren Hough has withdrawn from consideration for the 2018 FEI World Equestrian Games NetJets U.S. Show Jumping Team. Hough announced on June 8 that The Ohlala Group’s 14-year-old Swedish Warmblood mare, Ohlala, has sustained an injury that will take her out of competition for the remainder of the year.
“Her prognosis is very good, and we expect that, with time and good rehabilitation, she will be back to the top sport next season,” Hough said on her Facebook page. “I would like to take this opportunity to thank my fantastic owners for their support and understanding. We will be back.”
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“I was obviously disappointed to learn of Ohlala’s injury, as Lauren and Ohlala have formed an outstanding partnership that has seen them achieve great results on the world stage,” said U.S. Show Jumping Chef d’Equipe Robert Ridland. “They have contributed much to the U.S. team’s success over the past few years, and we wish Ohlala a speedy recovery and look forward to her return to the U.S. Show Jumping Team in the future.”
Due to logistical constraints, and the short timeframe between now and the first WEG Observation Events at CSIO’s Sopot (Poland) and Rotterdam (the Netherlands) the U.S. Equestrian Federation will not be naming an athlete to replace Hough on the WEG U.S. Show Jumping Short List at this time. Therefore, reserve athletes named to the FEI Jumping Nations Cup Poland and FEI Jumping Nations Cup Netherlands teams should not be assumed to be U.S. jumping WEG short-listed athletes and horses.
