Australian Olympic eventer Clayton Fredericks announced Aug. 28 that he plans to expand the Team Fredericks business to the United States.

Fredericks will be opening a new training facility in the Ocala, Fla., area as the North American branch of Team Fredericks and Southern Stars Saddlery, which is currently based in Perth, Western Australia, and operated by Fredericks’ brother, Kelvin Fredericks.

“We have been looking at opportunities to expand Team Fredericks and Southern Stars Saddlery for some time now and several different options in America have been presented to us. We have spent a lot of time there and have always felt really welcomed. We also recognize that the sheer size of the market means we cannot do it justice without having a base from which to operate,” said Clayton.

He plans to commute frequently between the United States and Great Britain, where his wife, fellow eventer Lucinda Fredericks, will continue the European operation out of their stables in Wiltshire, England. They plan to use this approach to provide more clinics and coaching, participate in more competitions and explore other equestrian-related business ventures.

“I have carried out research in the U.S. market, and the statistics prove to me that this truly is a great opportunity,” added Clayton. “Southern Stars Saddlery has been a vendor in Kentucky, and we have a small network of U.S.-based agents, but the time has come to take it to the next level. So for both Team Fredericks and Southern Stars the time is right, and I’m excited to be able to make a significant break into a dynamic market.”

Both Clayton and Lucinda have been frequent visitors to the U.S. competition arena with wins at the Rolex Kentucky CCI****. Clayton plans to bring three horses to the Dansko Fair Hill International CCI*** event (Md.) in October before moving some horses to Ocala.