Historically there have been all-U.S. bred Olympic teams but they existed only in the early days of equestrian sports, when all team riders were military officers. By the 2012 London Olympics, our U.S. riders in all three disciplines were mounted on horses that were a result of breeding in other countries.

Eventing was the final stronghold for North American-bred Olympic horses, with the 2004 and 2008 U.S. teams each having some: Poggio II (Thoroughbred by Polynesian Flyer) in 2004 and 2008; Jacob Two Two (Thoroughbred, pedigree unknown) in 2008; Carrick (Canadian Sport Horse by Cozy’s Commander) in 2004, and Courageous Comet (Thoroughbred by Comet Shine), in 2008.

New Spring Farm, Tim & Cheryl Holekamp

Since 1983, Timothy and Cheryl Holekamp have produced about 100 foals by various stallions at their 160-acre New Spring Farm in Columbia, Missouri. So far their most successful progenitor is the German Trakehner stallion Windfall (by Habicht – Madruzzo xx) which they imported in 2000. Ridden by Darren Chiacchia, Windfall won the individual Pan Am Championship and was USEA Horse of the Year in 2003. The following year he won Rolex Kentucky and was a member of the Athens Olympics bronze-medal winning U.S. event team. From him, the Holekamps have bred no fewer than four USEA Young Event Horse champions or reserve champions. Most successful to date is Hanno (Windfall – Caprimond) who was national champion in 2006 as a four-year-old and in 2007 as a five-year-old.

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