Ashley Holzer Long Time International Competitor "Has No Problem With The Heat"

Holzer, who has represented Canada in two previous Olympics, winning the Bronze Team Medal Seoul in 1988 and competing at Athens in 2004. As well as the 2002 World Equestrian Games in Jerez Spain, all hot climates.

Holzer said that she would love to participate in the Olympic Games and would do so if able to skip Europe and go directly to Hong Kong, but the requirement of making a stop in Europe to compete this summer is just too hard. Some international riders have expressed concerns about the heat in Hong Kong, but that is not the issue with Holzer.

“I don’t have a problem with the weather in Hong Kong. I know people say it’s hot. People said Athens would be terrible, but it was fine there. I don’t see the heat as the issue, the issue is stress of added travel and shows,” Holzer said. “You can’t say that you’ll go to Rotterdam and Aachen and not push it. You’re going to push it like crazy because you want to do well at those shows. I just weighed it all out and I had a long talk with my husband. It’s a long time away for the family from June 10 onward. I don’t think I’ll have my horse back until September by the time the quarantine is over. It just doesn’t seem feasible for my horse or my family. I just want my horse to be around for a long time. He has a huge career ahead of him.”

Earlier this month, Swiss rider Silvia Ikle also announced her intention to skip the Hong Kong Olympics saying the travel to Hong Kong would be too much for her horses Salieri CH and Romario. As she was the anchor to the Swiss team, the Swiss Equestrian Federation decided that no riders would be sent to Hong Kong. Swiss team trainer Jurgen Koschel, of Germany, then resigned as team trainer in opposition to the decision by riders saying that “the flight time as well as the climate in Hong Kong were known as soon as it was announced that the Games were going to be held there and they were accepted by all international riders, who also competed at the Olympics in Seoul, Atlanta or Los Angeles, which were successfully held under the same circumstances."

In defense of Ikle’s decision, Holzer said that most riders do make such decisions based on what they feel is in the best interest of their horses. “I loved Imperioso so much and after you lose a horse like that, you are very careful. I’m sure Silvia made her decision based on what’s right for her horses.”

Holzer said she has not completely closed the door on the 2008 Olympics. If Canada changes the criteria so that its riders can skip the European shows and travel directly to Hong Kong, riders might rethink their positions. She certainly will. “I’d love to go to Hong Kong, I’ve worked very hard to get this horse ready.” The Olympics, Holzer said, are still very special to her. “No matter who you speak to, whether a two-year-old or an 80-year-old man, the Olympics is the Olympics and it means something. And, I must say that it also really means something to sponsors. Sponsors like to back an Olympian.”