Danish rider Lars Petersen and Canadian rider Ashley Holzer have both become U.S. citizens recently, as was first reported by Dressage-news.com.
Petersen, 50, spent three years in the United States in the 1980s before going back to Denmark to work at Blue Hors Stud. He returned 15 years ago to work at Sugar Hill Farm in Virginia and eventually settled in Loxahatchee, Fla., where he now runs Legacy Farms with his wife, Melissa Taylor.
“We have worked on it a while. It takes a while,” said Petersen, who was sworn in on Feb. 3 in Royal Palm Beach, Fla. “I always wanted to switch because I live here, and I’m married to Melissa, who is an American. We just got it done. It feels good. They made a nice ceremony. I live here, and I feel American.”
Petersen said he’s going to ride for Denmark through this season with Mariett, an 18-year-old Danish Warmblood mare (Come Back II—Zendi, Sidney) he owns with Marcia Pepper. He rode for Denmark at the 2014 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games (France) and numerous other championships.
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At the end of the year, when Mariett will likely be retired, Petersen said he plans to officially file his citizenship change with the Fédération Equestre Internationale and will have to wait one year before he can represent the United States in any World Cup qualifiers or championships.
Holzer, 52, is a popular Canadian trainer and rider who’s also represented her country at multiple championships, including the 2012 London Olympic Games. She’s lived in New York City with her husband, U.S. show jumper Rusty Holzer, for many years.
“I just became an American citizen, and I’m so excited,” said Ashley, who became a citizen in early February. “I’ve lived here for a very, very long time, and my children were always saying to me, ‘Mom, it’s crazy you’re not American!’ I love this country; I love all of the opportunities it has given me. I’m very thrilled to be a citizen.”
Holzer has not yet announced which country she’ll ride for in the future.
