Ambassadors Represent Brooke USA at 2016 Rio Olympic Games, Riding to Remarkable Results

Lexington Ky. – October 2, 2016 – Brooke USA, the American fundraising arm of the world’s largest international equine welfare charity, Brooke, Action for Working Horses and Donkeys, is incredibly proud of the performance of its official ambassadors at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Brooke USA Ambassador Allison Brock and Rosevelt, a 13-year-old Hanoverian stallion owned by long-time Brooke USA patrons Fritz and Claudine Kundrun had an outstanding Olympic competition as part of the bronze medal winning Dressage team. This was the first medal for the United States in Dressage since 2004.

Allison Brock and Rosevelt Photo By: Cealy Tetley

“We are so excited and proud for all of our Brooke USA Ambassadors,” Executive Director of Brooke USA, Emily Dulin, said. “We are honored to have such talented and dedicated ambassadors representing Brooke USA, both domestically and abroad. They put in excellent rides while in Rio, and we are overjoyed at their success.”

Brock put in two excellent tests for the team competition scoring a 72.686 percent in the Grand Prix and a 73.824 in the Grand Prix Special. Brock scored a personal best of 76.160 in the Grand Prix Freestyle ranking 15th overall in the individual competition.

Of her Grand Prix Special test Brock said “I was really happy with him. He was really good, better than the Grand Prix, and a clean test. It was what we needed to do to set the stage for the rest of my teammates.”

“We were so thrilled to get the team bronze,” Brock said. “It’s so important for us to have America back in the spotlight, I hope we are going to harness this momentum and carry it forward.

It’s exciting how many ambassadors were at the Olympics,” Brock said. “That was a wonderful opportunity for Brooke USA to raise awareness of the important work that they do. Driving back and forth to the venues we saw working animals and it was a good reminder of why we need an organization like Brooke USA. Everywhere that there is poverty there are animals that are suffering.”

Brooke’s Global Ambassador Charlotte Dujardin had an outstanding games, finishing with a team silver for Great Britain and successfully defending her 2012 Olympic individual gold medal performance with an astounding 93.857 percent in the Grand Prix Freestyle.

Boyd Martin and Blackfoot Mystery Photo By: Cealy Tetley

Boyd Martin and Blackfoot Mystery Syndicate, LLC’s Blackfoot Mystery, a 2004 Thoroughbred gelding were a part of the United State Three-Day Eventing squad. The pair finished in 16th place overall but were one of only two U.S. riders to complete the cross-country phase. Brooke USA donor Lauren Kieffer and Team Rebecca LLC’s Veronica, a 14-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare had an unfortunate fall at fence 24 but both horse and rider were uninjured.

Lauren Kieffer and Team Rebecca LLC’s Veronica Photo By: Cealy Tetley

Martin and Blackfoot Mystery scored a personal best of 47.7 in the Dressage phase which left team USA sitting in 6th place going into cross-country day. The pair finished the cross-country phase with only 3.20 time penalties giving them a 50.90 heading into showjumping. Unfortunately, with only two completed cross-country rides the United States was not in contention for a team medal. However, Martin sat in 6th place individually heading into the showjumping phase. Two rails in the jumping left the pair in 16th overall.

Brooke USA ambassador Margaret Duprey’s horse, Schroeter’s Romani, a 14-year-old Danish Warmblood mare, competed in the para-dressage competition, Grade II, with rider Rebecca Hart. Schroeter’s Romani is owned jointly by Rebecca Hart, Margaret Duprey, Cherry Knoll Farm, Barbara Summer, along with William and Sandy Kimmel. In the Grade II Team Test, Hart rode to the USA’s highest placing of 5th with a score of 69.91 percent. Hart placed 7th in the Freestyle competition scoring a 67.650 percent.

Rebecca Hart and Schroeter’s Romani Photo By: Jon Stroud

ABOUT BROOKE USA

Brooke USA is the American-based fundraising arm of Brooke, the world’s largest international equine welfare charity, dedicated to improving the lives of working horses, donkeys and mules in developing countries. For more than 80 years, the Brooke has been alleviating the suffering of equines who work in some of the poorest communities on earth. The Brooke’s scientifically proven, practical and sustainable solutions to enormous equine welfare challenges actively improve the lives of equine animals and the people who depend on them across Africa, Asia and Central America.  Last year alone, the Brooke reached 1.8 million equines, benefiting 10 million people in the developing world.