U.S. Leads Eventing Dressage at the Pan American Games

The story coming out of Mexico and the Pan American Games might be that of mildly contained chaos surrounding the competition, but despite the logistics, the U.S. Eventing Team fared well in the first phase of their competition yesterday. Strong rides by team members Michael Pollard (2nd), Hannah Burnett (3rd), Buck Davidson (4th), Shannon Lilley (5th) and Lynn Symansky (10thT), added up to a leading team score of 138.6 penalties.

Canada sits second in the team competition, and rider Jessica Phoenix led the dressage on a score of 43.9 with Pavarotti. The team from Brazil is in third place. With both Canada and the United States presenting well prepared, strong teams of horses and riders, they are the heavy favorites to tackle today’s cross country phase with success.

The eventers may have the biggest logistical challenge at these Pan Am Games; their cross country course is being held on the golf course of the Santa Sofia Country Club – over an hour away from the official stabling. Rumor has it that the horses will be trailered to the course under a heavily armed convoy, complete with overhead helicopter, and back again after the day’s events. American rider Kyle Carter, who is in Mexico as a coach, may have said it best on his blog: “What will be interesting is the shipping to the XC in the morning. A country that has worse organization than a young rider at the first show without their parents and trying to organize riders who only know the word haste on XC. Yet they are thinking that they will be all loaded and shipped down the Mexican highway for an 11am start leaving at 8am.”

Godspeed to all the eventers for safe trips today, and that includes to and from the venue! There is no live broadcast of the eventing competition, but Eventing Nation has posted videos of the American dressage rides, as well as a fence by fence preview of the cross country course. In the meantime, enjoy these images from Friday’s dressage phase.