(CNN) - Her husband, the presidential candidate, may be better known for his ties to the Olympics, but this year, Ann Romney will have some skin in the games.
Rafalca, the horse she co-owns, and trainer Jan Ebeling earned a spot on the U.S. Equestrian Team on Saturday in the sport of dressage and will advance to this summer's Olympic Games in London.
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The horse placed third in the Olympic Grand Prix Special Test, held Saturday in Gladstone, New Jersey. Rafalca scored an overall 73.169%, placing behind competitors Calecto V and Legolas, and ahead of nine others.
"It's great to be part of the Olympics again," Romney tweeted. "We are so proud of Jan and Team USA. Now let's bring home the gold!"
Dressage requires a combination of "the strength and agility of gymnastics with the elegance and beauty of ballet," according to the U.S. Equestrian Federation. The sport takes place in an arena and routines are judged on "accuracy of the transitions (changes of gait), obedience, suppleness of the horse, quality of the gaits, and the rider's use of aids."
Mitt Romney's presidential campaign did not respond to requests for comment.
– CNN's Rachel Streitfeld and Gregory Wallace contributed to this report
Also see:
No mention of Romney as Palin serves up anti-Obama red meat
Back in the spotlight, Cain invokes rabble-rousing routine
From CNN Politics
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Didn't Ann Romney say her life has been spent raising her kids and that was a full time job. I'm just saying.
Post the horse's picture please
I think that equestrian is the most boring of all the olympic sports.
That being said, how cool is that the a potential presidents wife is in the Olympics?
the only thing better would be if Obama would run the 100 yeard dash !
If you want to know how Mitt would be as leader/president, just ask the good people of Massachuetts how corrupt Mitt was as governor. Mitt even took all the computers so no one could trace his corrupt activities. They never found the computers
She'll lose just like her flip/flopping mate.
Ann–watch those side shots your age is showing.
Hmm Kinda Like in the GodFather Movies...Kinda...
Romney sends his Horse's Head to the Olymipics and a small note to the other jockeys.The note .says..." My Horse's Head had better win, or you will all have to talk to Grover NOquist"....and somehow Romney's Horse's Head mounted at the end of a long pole is pasted back and forth among the jockeys and the photo finish proofs Mitt's horse's head won...by a nose, and two really dead looking eyes, and a dead horse tongue bouncing in the wind...
Mitt's horse's head also seems to have won several main Olympic events...all the photo finishes prove it....
What is really funny is they do not even have horse racing at the Olympics..it's the U.S. Equestrian Team...but Mitt's note said what it said so they got do what they are told right?
Here's a picture of the candidate, and the power (ego), motivating him.
payed for with sombody else,s money the romney way
Ann Romney has something in common with First Lady Jackie Kennedy who was known for her love of horses, a fearless horsewoman who competed in horse shows. First Lady Kennedy was always horseback riding and fox-hunting.Good to see both ladies share a love of animals.
Just like your typical American family because most of us own expensive horses, mansions and $1,000 tee shirts right? You get what you vote for and if you think voting for the Romney's will suddenly make you rich – think again and face the reality that this family is ONLY in this for the prestige and history books.
Obama 2012 ALL the way.
And we care because......?
Civility is an inalienable right for anyone and dores not need to be earned.
I was always taught not to interrupt when someone else was speaking and
Never to speak when my mouth was full of food.
When a president chooses to make a statement you turn up and should expect just to listen.
If he chooses to make comments on various topics he can choose whether he will take questions or not.
There is no automatic media right to question either the president or Mitt Romney immediately after they make a speech or comments, unless and until they say open to questions and ask whoever they like to proffer a question.
If XYZ reporter gets left out tough. this guy is unlikely ever to get a question in to the president ever again.
Regards,
Hodgson
Ah, the Olympics, that event that was in great trouble until Mittens got it bailed out by federal tax dollars. You know, SOCIALISM.
Or, in the words of Ricky Sanitorium: “He [Mittens] heroically bailed out the Salt Lake City Olympic games by heroically going to Congress and asking them for tens of millions of dollars to bail out the Salt Lake Olympic games, in an earmark.” Does the word hypocrisy come to mind?”
Nothing like having your horse competing in dressage to keep you touch with the average American – NOT!
Sure Willard. Who's the out of touch elitist again???
Oh yeah – at last – a regular guy thing.
It's good to see that the Romneys haven't lost the common touch.
Dopey Ann and her horse ballet. Rafalca must be OK, or else Ann and her horse vet would have tried to scam-sell that horse, too. You "betcha" TEAM ROMNEY wants any horse comments or news stories to go away -they know when NO COMMENT WOULD BE THEIR BEST COMMENT.
Romney is a lier and a bully. Somebody better call his mama. Who is paying for the horse. I hope it not tax payers money.
Horse in the olympics? That's relating to the people. Maybe they should visit their money in Switzerland while they're in Europe. And, they can swing by where Mitt hid during the Vietnam war.
It's going to be a long flight to London strapped to the top of his private jet.
Really? This guy is into horse ballet? And yet he opposes marriahe equality. Mormons are weird
While Ann Romney has every right to feel proud, this could reflect on Mitt with regards to his reputation as an out-of-touch 1%er. Dressage is a completely legitimate event, but it is also about the most expensive event in the Olympics. The horse will get at least passing coverage during the competition, and we'll have to see how the common voters react.