The U.S. Equestrian Federation’s Ad Hoc Committee on Selection has approved naming Armani and Jeffery Welles to the show jumping short list for the 2008 Olympic Games in Hong Kong, Aug. 8-24, 2008.
 
As per the USEF selection procedure for the show jumping team, the selectors—Frank Chapot, Mike Endicott and Eric Hasbrouck–have the discretion to recommend up to four of the 10 horse/rider combinations to the short list regardless of their participation or placing in the selection trials. The remaining six combinations will be chosen according to their ranking at the conclusion of the selection trials, which run Feb. 27-March 9 in Wellington, Fla.
 
Armani and Welles led the standings after Rounds 1 and 2, with clear rounds in both.  They join Authentic and Beezie Madden and Sapphire and McLain Ward, who were named to the short list in February.  Welles and Armani, a 13-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding owned by Kimmel Yeagar Equine and Triton Ventures, were the alternates for the 2006 World Equestrian Games (Germany).

The 10 riders named to the short list will travel to Europe and compete at CSIO’s La Baule (France), Rome (Italy), St. Gallen (Switzerland) , Rotterdam (the Netherlands) and Aachen (Germany) before the team for the 2008 Olympic Games is finalized in early July.