Thoroughbreds Headline U.S. Eventing Training List

Meghan O'Donoghue and Pirate, seen here galloping at Fair Hill in 2013, were named to the 2014 U.S. Eventing Winter and Spring Training lists (Photos courtesy of Eclipse Sportswire).
When the United States Equestrian Team put out its 2014 Eventing High Performance Winter and Spring Training List on Nov. 13, Thoroughbreds and Thoroughbred crosses dominated the list.
Of the 29 horses on the training list, eight of the horses are listed as Thoroughbreds while five others are officially listed as being a Thoroughbred cross of some kind.
While none of the Thoroughbreds or Thoroughbred crosses made the top ranking of “Global Talent” on the list (only Phillip Dutton on Irish Sport Horse gelding Mr. Medicott was named to that list), five Thoroughbreds are on the “World Class” list. World Class combinations are defined as “combinations that currently possess the ability to be competitive anywhere in the world.”
At least two of the Thoroughbreds on that list, Meghan O’Donoghue’s Pirate and Lynn Symansky’s Donner, raced before moving on to their new career.
LYNN SYMANSKY AND DONNER FINISHED IN THE TOP FIVE AT THE 2013 ROLEX EVENT

Three other horses listed as Thoroughbreds were also placed on the National list. Those on the national list are believed to have the potential to be competitive on the international stage with training. Overall, the Thoroughbreds and Thoroughbred crosses are found in every division of the list except for the “Global Talent” division.
The horses and riders named to the “High Performance” training list will participate in training sessions with United States Eventing Team Coach David O’Connor. 
Both of the 2013 training lists also had multiple Thoroughbreds listed with eight on both the 2013 summer/fall and spring training lists.
This follows on the heels of a strong 2013 for Thoroughbreds in the eventing world as New Zealand rider Jock Paget won both Badminton and Burghley on a Thoroughbred earlier this year. Both events are considered to be some of the most prestigious in eventing and set Paget up to go for the “Triple Crown” next April in Kentucky.
Five Thoroughbreds also finished in the top 25 at the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event in May at the Kentucky Horse Park with two, including training list participant Donner, finishing in the top five.
The winter and spring training lists are especially important this year as they have the potential to affect the U.S. Eventing team for the 2014 World Equestrian Games, which will be held in Normandy, France, next summer.
The United States is looking to improve upon the fourth-place finish it took at the 2010 World Equestrian Games and the seventh-place finish it took at the 2012 London Olympic Games. Three Thoroughbreds were named to the United States’ team in 2010 with one other named to compete as an individual at the event.
BUCK DAVIDSON AND BAYLLNOE CASTLE RM WERE ALSO NAMED TO THE TRAINING LIST