Area women named Olympic alternates

Staff Report
Published: July 15, 2008

Gordonsville resident Bonnie Mosser and Fauquier County’s Karen O’Connor have been named alternates for the U.S. eventing team, which will compete in the equestrian competition at the Olympic Games in Hong Kong this summer.

Riding the 11-year-old New Zealand Thoroughbred gelding Merloch, Mosser, 45, had a strong dressage test and clear stadium and cross-country rounds in the final mandatory outing for riders that made the short list of Olympic hopefuls on July 11-13 at The Fork Stables in Norwood, N.C.

O’Connor, a 50-year-old from The Plains, is a two-time Olympic medallist and won gold in 2007 at the PanAm Games in Brazil.

The triathlon of equestrian sports, eventing consists of dressage, cross-country and show jumping competition, usually held over three days. All dressage and show jumping portions of the equestrian competition at the 2008 Olympic Games will take place at the Sha Tin racecourse in Hong Kong; the cross-country phase of the eventing competition will be held at the Beas River Country Club and Hong Kong Golf Club.

The horses and riders selected for the team include Amy Tryon, Duvall, Wash., on Poggio II; Heidi White-Carty, Aiken, S.C., on Northern Spy; Becky Holder, Mendota Heights, Minn., on Courageous Comet; Phillip Dutton, West Grove, Penn., on Connaught; and Gina Miles, Creston, Calif., on Kinlaigh.