Heather Blitz
| Heather Blitz | ||||||||||||||||||
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||
| Nationality | American | |||||||||||||||||
| Discipline | Dressage | |||||||||||||||||
| Born | December 25, 1968 | |||||||||||||||||
| Horse(s) | Paragon | |||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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Heather Blitz (born December 25, 1968)[1] is an American dressage rider. Blitz won team gold and individual silver in the 2011 Pan American Games, and was an alternate for the U.S. Olympic team for the 2012 London Olympic Games. Blitz taught Annie Peavy, who competed in the 2016 Paralympic Games.
Career
[edit]Blitz began competing in dressage in 1994. She rode in Grand Prix competitions in Florida on the Danish horse Rambo, then moved to Denmark for several years. While living in Denmark, she competed across Europe on another Danish Warmblood, Otto.[1] She won team gold and individual silver in 2011 at the Pan American Games.[1] Blitz has periodically taken lessons from six-time Olympic rider Robert Dover.[2]
Blitz's competition horse at the Pan American Games was a Danish Warmblood gelding named Paragon, who stood18 hands (72 inches, 183 cm) and was estimated to weigh 1,600 pounds.[2] Blitz herself bred Paragon, attended his foaling, and began training him herself when he was three years old.[3][4] She initially got the idea to breed him after riding his dam on a farm in Louisiana and being impressed with her gaits and temperament. Blitz originally intended to sell Paragon when he reached maturity, but later decided to keep him and compete him herself.[3] Paragon was never been trained or ridden in competition by anyone but Blitz. Paragon has since retired and passed away in 2020. In 2012, Blitz was part of the United States Equestrian Team, and was an alternate for the US team in the London Olympics.[2]
Blitz trained paralympic dressage rider Annie Peavy, who competed in the 2016 Summer Paralympics with her Hanoverian, Reno's Lancelot Warrior.[5][6]
Blitz lives in Wellington, Florida.[2]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c "USEF Network". Archived from the original on 17 August 2016. Retrieved 8 July 2016.
- ^ a b c d "Heather Blitz Competes Stronger, Fitter Paragon in 1st Show in Seven Months". 14 January 2013. Retrieved 8 July 2016.
- ^ a b "Heather Blitz Designed Paragon Too Well to Sell, Now Pan Am & Olympic Hopeful". 18 February 2011. Retrieved 8 July 2016.
- ^ "Ringside Chat: Heather Blitz's Path For Paragon Is Clear". Retrieved 8 July 2016.
- ^ "Angela PEAVY". Retrieved 8 July 2016.
- ^ "USEF Names U.S. Paralympic Equestrian Team for the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games". 16 June 2016. Retrieved 8 July 2016.
- 1968 births
- Living people
- American dressage riders
- American female equestrians
- Equestrians at the 2011 Pan American Games
- Medalists at the 2011 Pan American Games
- Pan American Games gold medalists for the United States in equestrian
- Pan American Games silver medalists for the United States in equestrian
- 21st-century American sportswomen