When Allison Brock left Hawaii in 1997, she was 17 and as crazy about horses as when she first started riding 10 years earlier. The goal was to become an International Grand Prix Dressage competitor and trainer, something she knew would require passion, hard work and, of course, the right horse.

Nearly 20 years later, everything has fallen into place for Brock, who has been named to the U.S. Olympic Equestrian Team that will compete next month in Rio de Janeiro. The 36-year-old Kailua High graduate and her closest companion of seven years — Rosevelt, a 14-year-old Hanoverian stallion — will continue their preparation in Belgium until flying to Brazil in a few weeks.

Getting to the Olympics was just part of her dream, Brock said in a telephone call from Belgium.

“It’s gone hand-in-hand with my goal of being an International Grand Prix Dressage competitor and trainer,” said Brock, part of the four-member dressage team. “I have basically dedicated my life to learning how to ride and train horses at this level.

“West Europe is the hotbed of the sport and I have lived off and on in Europe — Germany, Sweden and England — for the past 10 years, training with Olympic and World Equestrian Games competitors.

“It was a great moment when they told all of us (about making the Olympic team). I cried when I left the meeting.”

Brock is the second dressage rider from Hawaii to make the Olympics. The first was Sandy Pflueger, who competed in the 1984 Los Angeles Games, placing 16th aboard Marco Polo as the U.S. finished sixth.

The U.S. has never finished higher than third in either team or individual Olympic dressage competition. Will that change next month?

“We shall see,” Brock said. “We have a very strong team this year, much stronger than in past years.

“If things go the way we hope, we could medal, but above a bronze it’s too early to say. We’re excited to be making this journey.”