Lexington, KY - The USEF is pleased to announce that the Woodside Horse Trials and the Jersey Fresh CCI**/CCI*** will host the selection divisions for this summer’s Pan American Games on consecutive weekends.

This year anyone vying for a spot on the US Eventing team will have to contest a selection division in Menlo Park, California at the Horse Park at Woodside (May 24-27) or at the Horse Park of New Jersey in Allentown, NJ (May 31-Jun 3). Both competitions will showcase the country’s best horses and riders.

The US will be aiming to send a strong team to defend the team gold and sweep of the individual medals garnered in 2003. Reigning individual gold and silver medalists Darren Chiacchia and Karen O’Connor will be at Jersey Fresh trying to earn a chance to defend their titles. This selection division will be held in conjunction with the annual CCI** and CCI*** which attract scores of horses and riders each spring.

Third at the World Equestrian Games last summer, Amy Tryon and Poggio II headline the list of stars at Woodside. Expect impressive performances from another pair of team veterans, Gina Miles and McKinlaigh and relative newcomers Sara Mittleider, 21, and El Primero. The Woodside Horse Trials will run Beginner Novice through Advanced levels of competition in conjunction with the selection division.

This is the first time since 1991 that the West Coast has hosted a selection division, thanks, in large part, to the rapid growth of eventing in the region. For more information regarding the California event, please see www.horsepark.org.

The selection division in New Jersey will also showcase some of the Canada’s best riders as they too prepare for this summer’s Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. For directions and ticketing information in New Jersey, see www.horseparkofnewjersey.com.