20 SIDELINES JANUARY 2012
FOR HORSE PEOPLE • ABOUT HORSE PEOPLE
Continued on page 22
Pan American Games
Gold in All Three Disciplines for USA
By Kim MacMillan
It was a modern-day gold rush for U.S. riders at the 2011
Pan American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico, in October.
Team U.S.A. took home gold with decisive victories in all
three disciplines over the 16 day run of the Games, but the
other nations also served notice that they have elevated
their level of competitiveness as well.
Canada took home two team silvers in dressage and
eventing with solid performances and an individual gold
in eventing won by Jessica Phoenix and Don Good’s
Pavarotti. Jessica and Pavarotti led from start to fnish
chased by the U.S. riders all the way. Brazil garnered a
team bronze medal in eventing, team silver in show jumping
and an individual bronze in show jumping. Colombia took
the team bronze in dressage and with it a pass to compete
in the 2012 Olympic Games.
The home-town favorites, Team Mexico, won team
bronze in show jumping and placed fourth in the team
dressage competition. They performed to almost constant
applause and cheers from their fans, which actually created some
diffculty for the riders, because their horses were not used to all
of the fuss.
Going to the Olympics!
Perhaps the three most signifcant things coming out of the Pan
American Games for the U.S. Equestrian Team were: 1) the show
jumping team fnally qualifed for the 2012 Olympics - it was “do
or die” time for them and they did it in fne style with no rails down
for all four U.S. horses and riders in the Nations Cup competition;
2) the U.S. dressage riders fnished frst, second and third in the
individual competition, the frst time that riders from one nation
have swept the dressage medals and 3) all fve U.S. eventers
fnished the three days of team competition on their dressage
scores, a feat that had never been accomplished before in Pan
American Games history.
The next Pan American Games will be in Canada in 2015. For
complete results for the 2011 Games go to www.usefnetwork.com
or www.usef.org and click on “News” to fnd news releases and a
link to the results.
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The show jumping team medaling ceremony with the silver medal Brazilian team on the left in green coats, the gold medal
U.S. team in the center in red coats (L-R: Kent Farrington, Christine McCrea, Beezie Madden, McLain Ward) and the bronze
medal Mexican team on the right in red coats.
Photo by Allen MacMillan/MacMillan Photography
U.S.A. show jumping team Chef d’Equipe
George Morris (right) sits next to Juan Manuel
Cossio Vasquez Del Mercado of the Mexican
team in the press conference after the team
medals. Morris, who will retire from his long-
time position after the 2012 Olympic Games,
had high praise for his team and the Games
organizers, “We had a great week here, we
had a great unit of people, they get along
well - they’re lovely people. We had a great
chemistry of people, this club, this whole venue
- this is just as nice as any competition I’ve ever
been to at any level anywhere...the atmosphere
was great. We have lovely horses down here -
the support staff that helps each of these riders
are real professionals. It’s all preparation.”
Photo by Allen MacMillan/MacMillan Photography