Thursday July 3, 2003

Meet the USET’s 2003 Pan American Games Dressage Squad

Carol Lavell

After some time out of the spotlight, 1992 Olympic Team Bronze Medalist, Carol Lavell of Loxahatchee, FL, has come back to into the limelight with a new horse, Much Ado. Lavell piloted Much Ado to a second place finish in the 2003 USET Intermediaire I Championship.

Earlier in 2003, Lavell and Much Ado took Championship honors at the Heidelberg Cup in Orlando, FL with a score of 71.75%. Lavell took the blue ribbon in both the Prix St. Georges and the Intermediaire I en route to the Championship. Aboard Much Ado, Lavell also took first place honors in the Open Prix St. Georges at the first weekend of the Palm Beach Dressage Derby Series.

Earlier in her illustrious career, Lavell and her horse Gifted were known as the most recognized United States dressage pair both at home and abroad. Along with her Olympic medal in 1992, Lavell earned a team Bronze Medal at the 1994 Dressage World Championships in Holland. Lavell is also a Pan American Games Silver Medalist and the 1991 and 1992 USET National Dressage Champion. In 1992, she was also named the U.S Olympic Committee Female Equestrian Athlete of the Year.

Aboard Gifted, Lavell gave strong performances in her quest for a spot of the 1992 Olympic Team. She had numerous first place finishes including the USET Grand Prix Qualifier in Wellington, FL and the Grand Prix at the Palm Beach Dressage Derby. She also won the Freestyle at both competitions.

In 1995, Lavell won the Grand Prix and Freestyle at the U.S League Final for the FEI Volvo World Cup in Maryland. She also won the Grand Prix and Freestyle at Dressage at Devon and the USET qualifier at the Los Angeles Mid Winter Dressage Show.

In 1991, she won the World Cup U.S League Final, and Gifted was named USDR Horse of the Year. In 1990, Lavell was the highest placed American rider (13th overall) at the World Dressage Championship in Stockholm, Sweden.