May 14, 2024 
US Equestrian has named the eight horse-and-rider pairs selected to the U.S. Dressage Team Olympic Short List ahead of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games this summer.
The Magnificent Eight, as they shall be known from here out, are the pool from which the team will be selected. Each is required to compete in a minimum of two CDIs between May 8 and June 25, 2024, including at least one of three Observation Events in Le Mans CDI4*, Hagen CDI3*, and Rotterdam CDIO5*.
Let’s breakdown the contenders:
The Veterans
Steffen Peters & Suppenkasper
Based in California, Steffen Peters (60) is by far the most seasoned championship rider on the short list. He’s contested five Olympic games prior, taking home team silver in 2021 (with Suppenkasper) and team bronze medals in 2016 and 1996. His highest individual finish was fourth at the 2008 Beijing Games.
Steffens is also a four time World Equestrian Games veteran, six-time World Cup Finalist and two-time double gold medalist at the Pan American Games. In short, he’s been there and won that.
Related: Steffen Peters on Mopsie, Meditation and Letting Go
With Suppenkasper (Spielberg x Upanoeska), aka Mopsie, he’s won 59 international classes since 2018, including multiple 5* classes in Wellington, FL. Their overall average of 72.883% puts this pair at the top of the U.S. Dressage Grand Prix 12-Month Ranking and into the lead for Paris 2024 contention.
Adrienne Lyle with Helix & Lars van de Hoenderheide
Adrienne Lyle is the only other rider with Olympic experience on the short list. She’s also the only rider with two mounts.
Twelve-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding Helix and 13-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding Lars van de Hoenderheide, both owned by Zen Elite Equestrian Center, are new to the new mother’s string (Lyle had daughter Bailey last fall). But they’ve wasted no time climbing the ranks.
In 13 international appearances since March, they’ve only missed one podium. In that short time, she’s climbed into second with Helix (72.418%) and fourth with Lars van de Hoenderheide (71.753%) on the U.S. Dressage Grand Prix 12-Month Ranking.
Related: Adrienne Lyle Is Putting in the Work, Work, Work
Lyle was part of the silver medal winning team in Tokyo with longtime mount Salvino. She’s a World Equestrian Games team silver medalist (2018) and World Championship and World Cup veteran with experience, if not long-time partnerships, on her side.
The Contenders
Anna Marek & Fire Fly
Anna Marek’s star is on the rise. Making her championship debut at the 2024 Pan American Games in Santiago, Marek and Fire Fly (Briar Junior x Arieka) were the highest placed American pair, helping USA to team gold and individual silver.
They went on to ride for USA at the 2024 World Cup Final in Riyadh in April, finishing ninth individually. The 14-year-old KWPN gelding, owned by Janet Simile, has been under Marek’s saddle since 2022.
Katherine Bateson-Chandler & Haute Couture
It’s been 14 years since Katherine Bateson Chandler was part of the U.S. team with Nartan at the 2010 World Equestrian Games in Lexington, KY, where the team finished fourth.
This year, she’s back in team contention with a 12-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare Haute Couture (Connaisseur x Destiney) owned by herself and Jennifer Huber. This pair has grown steadily more consistent and higher scoring over the past three seasons.
In 2024, they’ve podiumed in five of 10 international appearances and only twice finished below the top five. She’s currently fifth on the U.S. National ranking with an average score of 71.415%.
Anna Buffini & Fiontini
Anna Buffini has been coming into her own these past three seasons.
Buffini made her championship debut in 2022 at the FEI World Cup Final in Leipzig and qualified again for 2023 in Omaha, NE, where she finished sixth in the Freestyle. Both championships were contested on FRH Davinia la Douce.
For Paris 2024, she’s shortlisted on with 14-year-old Danish Warmblood mare, Fiontini (Fassbinder x Rapitala). Previously campaigned by disgraced Danish team rider Andreas Helgstrand and Patrik Kittel, the Danish warmblood has competed in three CDIs to date with Buffini, all at Del Mar, CA.
This pair averages 71.025% to slot into seventh on the U.S. Dressage Grand Prix 12-Month Ranking.
The Rookies
Endel Ots & Zen Elite’s Bohemian
Endel Ots may not have championship experience, but his mount more than makes up for it.
Developed by Denmark’s Cathrine Laurdrup-Dufour, Zen Elite’s Bohemian (Bordeaux x Sunshine) finished fourth individually at the Tokyo Games and took home three medals at the 2021 European championships. The 14-year-old Westphalian gelding, (Bordeaux x Sunshine), now owned by Zen Elite Equestrian Center, is among the elite few horses to have achieved a 90% or better in a Grand Prix freestyle.
The gelding was originally purchased as an Olympic hopeful for Dong Seon Kim. When the Korean rider stepped back from top sport, the gelding went back on the market, landing with Ots just before the Olympic ownership cut off date in mid January.
While the partnership is new, it’s gelling quickly. Ots and Zen Elite’s Bohemian have yet to finish off a podium, winning the Grand Prix Freestyle in their last appearance at TerraNova Equestrian. They are currently ranked third, with an average score of 71.789, on the U.S. Dressage Grand Prix 12-Month Ranking.
Fun fact: Ots routinely uses hypnosis the night before his tests.
Marcus Orlob & Jane
Jane was developed by owner Alice Tarjan since age three and with great success. The pair has won every international Intermediate class they’ve ever entered. When Tarjan decided to take a step back from FEI competition, she handed the reins of the 10-year-old KWPN Dutch Warmblood mare (Desperado x Zandra) over to her coach Marcus Orlob.
Orlob and Jane made their Grand Prix debut in March and went on to win the CDI3* Grand Prix Special at TerraNova Equestrian Center in Myakka City, FL in April. In 13 appearances together they’ve only once finished outside the top 6, earning an average score of 69.650.
Final team selection will be announced by June 25.
