July 24, 2023 
The 2023 Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile are just around the corner, and US Equestrian and acting chef d’equipe George Williams have just named the shortlist roster of horses and riders for consideration.
On the list are a mix names both new and familiar. The combinations will duke it out for a spot at the upcoming observation event at the U.S. Dressage Festival of Champions at HITS Chicago in August, and at other CDI events taking place before the final team announcement in mid-September.
Here’s a quick look at this year’s Pan Am hopefuls!
Susie Dutta & Don Design DC
The Pan Am Games would be the first major championship for 54-year-old Susie Dutta, a regular fixture on U.S. Nations Cup teams in Wellington, CHIO Aachen, and beyond. Aboard the 13-year-old Hanoverian gelding Don Design DC—who she produced from his five-year-old year—Dutta won a CDI3* Grand Prix Special this winter in Wellington, and was also shortlisted for the Tokyo Olympics Games back in 2020.
Codi Harrison & Katholt’s Bossco
One of just two riders under 30 years of age on the shortlist, 27-year-old Harrison and her longtime partner, Katholt’s Bossco, a 16-year-old Danish gelding, are veterans of the North American Youth Championship (NAYC) program. They also won the USEF Young Adult Brentina Cup National Championship back in 2018.
Charlotte Jorst & Zhaplin Langholt
Danish-born Jorst, 59, began to focus on her riding at 35 after selling her family-owned Skagen watch company. She quickly rose in the amateur and then international ranks, and was part of the gold medal-winning team at the 2019 FEI Dressage Nations Cup USA with Kastel’s Nintendo. The 10-year-old Danish warmblood, Zhaplin Langholt, has so far earned consistent placings with Jorst, but is still relatively new to the top level of the sport.
Kevin Kohmann & Duenensee
Paired together since March of this year, German-born Kohmann, 35, and Diamante Farms’ Duenensee earned top placings in CDI3* competitions this winter in Wellington and Ocala. Kohmann and the 14-year-old Hanoverian gelding also represented the U.S. at the Nations Cup at CDIO4* CHIO Rotterdam in June.
Anna Marek & Fire Fly
After a standout winter in CSI3* competition at WEC Ocala—including a personal best in both the Grand Prix and Grand Prix Special—Marek, 34, and Jane Simile’s 13-year-old KWPN gelding Fire Fly have come a long way since they partnered in 2022. But Marek is no stranger to the spotlight, having placed second with Dee Clair at the USEF Grand Prix Dressage National Championship in 2019; she represented the U.S. in Nations Cup competition in Wellington, Florida with the same horse the following year.
Christian Simonson & Son of a Lady & Zeaball Diawind
At just 20 years old, Simonson is the youngest rider on the list. But he’s certainly well-horsed aboard the 12-year-old Danish Warmblood, Son of a Lady (owned by Christina Morgan and Clifton Simonson), and 11-year-old Zeaball Diawind (also owned by Christina Morgan), who he’s produced for the last three years. The West Coast-based Simonson is another veteran of the NAYC program, where he and Zeaball Diawind won individual and team gold at the 2021 Youth Championships in Traverse City, Michigan.
Sarah Tubman & First Apple
Former eventer Sarah Tubman is a USDF Bronze, Silver, and Gold medalist based out of Summit Farm in Murrieta, California. One of the more experienced partnerships on the list, Tubman and the 13-year-old KWPN stallion, First Apple, were part of the silver medal-winning Pan American squad in Lima, Peru in 2019. They also represented the U.S. in Nations Cup competition at CHIO Aachen this summer.
Jennifer Williams & Joppe K
With her now-retired Grand Prix mount, Millione, 43-year-old Jennifer Williams won the USEF Grand Prix Dressage National Championship, made her senior team debut at the FEI Dressage Nations Cup CDIO3* USA, and was short-listed for the Pam Am Games in Lima. Although her new partner of three years—the 9-year-old KWPN gelding, Joppe K—is relatively new to the scene (he made his CDI Grand Prix debut just this year), don’t count him out. The pair showed signs of promise this winter in Wellington, and just kicked off their spring with big wins in the Grand Prix and Grand Prix Special at the Touch of Class CDI3* at Thunderbird Show Park.
The Pan American Games will take place October 20 through November 5, 2023 in Santiago, Chile. For more information, visit the website.
