Tag Archives: Pan American Games

*Featured/Spotlights, Competitions, Events, National Horse Show, Pan American Games, Phelps Media Group, Show Jumping

Pan American Gold Medalist Christine McCrea Headed to Alltech National Horse Show

Leave a comment
Christine McCrea, Individual Gold Medal at the XVI Pan American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico will compete at the Alltech National Horse Show beginning on Wednesday

Lexington, KY – October 30, 2011 – Christine McCrea, who on Saturday powered her way to the Pan American Games Gold Medal in Guadalajara, Mexico, makes her next stop at the debut of the Alltech National Horse Show in Lexington, Kentucky, beginning on Wednesday.

McCrea, who was perfect through five rounds of world-class jumping in Mexico, picked up two Gold medals in her first ever appearance at the Pan American Games.  Her two clear rounds on Thursday in the Nations Cup were a key factor as the United States Show Jumping squad scored Gold, and in so doing, secured one of the final coveted spots at the Olympic Games in London in 2012.

In addition to McCrea, the big money Open Jumper division at the Alltech National Horse Show features nine Olympic veterans, including McLain Ward, who was also a member of the United States Gold Medal team in Guadalajara.

Continue reading Pan American Gold Medalist Christine McCrea Headed to Alltech National Horse Show →

*Featured/Spotlights, Competitions, Events, Pan American Games, Show Jumping, USEF

Less Than a Second Wins Gold for McCrea at 2011 Pan American Games

Leave a comment
Christine McCrea and Romantovich Take One. Photo: Shannon Brinkman

GUADALAJARA, Mexico – In a sport of inches it came down to 7/100ths of a second. Beezie Madden (Cazenovia, NY) had led the 2011 Pan American Games since Wednesday, and when she landed over the last fence in the second round of the day it seemed Individual Gold was secure with her fifth clear round of the Games.

Until the clock stopped.

She and Coral Reef Via Volo finished with a time of 66.07, just over the time allowed of 66 seconds. That one time fault left her in the Silver medal position behind her teammate Christine McCrea (Windsor, CT) and Romantovich Take One.

It was an epic finish. There wasn’t a rail separating the top five horses going into the final round – and at the end of all the jumping, McCrea and Windsor Show Stables’ 11-year-old Dutch gelding finished up the way they started. They jumped five clear rounds over three days and ended their first Pan American Games with Team and Individual Gold on a score of .88.

Continue reading Less Than a Second Wins Gold for McCrea at 2011 Pan American Games →

*Featured/Spotlights, Competitions, Events, FEI, Pan American Games, Show Jumping

Awesome Americans Take Pan American Jumping by Storm

Leave a comment
(L to R) Kent Farrington, Christine McCrea, Beezie Madden and McLain Ward. McCrea also clinched the Individual title yesterday ahead of Madden in silver-medal position. Photo: FEI/ StockImagesServices.com

Guadalajara (MEX), 30 October 2011 – American Jumping riders showed their class yesterday when adding Individual gold and silver to the team title they claimed last Thursday at the 2011 Pan-American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico.  The team victory was utterly convincing, as all four riders kept a clean sheet to leave them with a final tally of just 2.90.

And yesterday Christine McCrea rose from runner-up spot to snatch the Individual title from team-mate Beezie Madden who paid a very heavy price for a single time fault in the second round of the decider.

Despite their obvious strengths, there was plenty of pressure on the US side from the outset, as the defending Olympic champions had not yet qualified for London 2012.  So Thursday’s result was more than pleasing for US Chef d’Equipe, George Morris, who, typically, was as impressed by his side’s skill in the ring as he was by what they achieved.  “It’s the way they rode. I’m an ideological horseman. I’m not interested in it unless it’s beautifully ridden,” he said after Madden (Coral Reef Via Volo), McCrea (Romantovich Take One), Kent Farrington (Uceko) and McLain Ward (Antares) delivered the goods.

Continue reading Awesome Americans Take Pan American Jumping by Storm →

*Featured/Spotlights, Competitions, Events, Pan American Games, Show Jumping, USEF

US Jumping Team Wins Gold – Completes Equestrian Sweep of Team Gold at 2011 Pan American Games

Leave a comment
Team Gold (L-R) Kent Farrington, Christine McCrea, Beezie Madden, McLain Ward (Photo: Shannon Brinkman)

GUADALAJARA, Mexico – Everything was at stake for the American show jumping team at the 2011 Pan American Games, including qualification for the 2012 Olympic Games. They faced the pressure and delivered the United States its third Equestrian Team Gold medal of the 2011 Games – jumping eight clear rounds in the Nations Cup today. Their score of 2.90 from the first class on Wednesday didn’t change and they led Brazil (11.58) and Mexico (13.24) in the medal ceremony.

“It’s the way they rode; it’s not the result,” said Chef d’Equipe George Morris. “I’m an ideological horseman. I’m not interested in it unless it’s beautifully ridden.”

By the time individual leader Beezie Madden (Cazenovia, NY) went in the ring as the last to jump for the team, she was jumping for herself, because the U.S. team already won based on the clear rounds of her teammates.

Continue reading US Jumping Team Wins Gold – Completes Equestrian Sweep of Team Gold at 2011 Pan American Games →

*Featured/Spotlights, Competitions, Eventing/H.T., Events, FEI, Pan American Games

USA Wins Team Gold, Canada’s Phoenix Claims Individual Title

Leave a comment
Canada's Jessica Phoenix and Pavarotti on their way to taking the Individual title in Eventing at the Pan-American Games. Photo: FEI/Anthony Trollope.

Lausanne (SUI), 25 October 2011 – American riders scooped Eventing Team gold in convincing fashion at the Pan-American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico on Sunday when all five team-members sensationally completed on their Dressage scores.  But the USA had to settle for silver and bronze in the battle for the Individual title, as Canada’s Jessica Phoenix stood firm to capitalise on the advantage she had established in the Dressage arena last Friday.

It was a historic result for 28-year-old Phoenix, who hails from Uxbridge, Ontario as she is only the second Canadian rider ever to earn individual Eventing gold in the history of the Pan-American Games.  Riding the nine-year-old Westphalian gelding, Pavarotti, she set the target with a Dressage mark of 43.90 and never looked back.  A flawless Cross Country performance on Saturday was followed by another copybook round over the coloured poles on Sunday to clinch individual gold.  “It’s a dream come true,” she said afterwards.

PIVOTAL
The Dressage placings proved pivotal, as the top four all remained within that grouping, although America’s Sue Burnett and Harbour Pilot improved from third to fill silver medal spot in the final analysis.  Team-mate, Bruce Davidson Jr., moved up from fourth to take the bronze at the expense of fellow-American Michael Pollard who narrowly missed a medal-placing with two fences down on the final afternoon.

Continue reading USA Wins Team Gold, Canada’s Phoenix Claims Individual Title →

*Featured/Spotlights, Competitions, Events, Pan American Games, Show Jumping, USEF

The US Show Jumping Team Takes the Stage at 2011 Pan American Games

Leave a comment
Christine McCrea and Romanovich Take One (Photo: www.stockimageservices .com)

GUADALAJARA, Mexico – The U.S. Show Jumping Team will be looking to make it a Team Gold medal sweep at the 2011 Pan American Games after both the Dressage and Eventing topped the medal podium. They got off to a great start, presenting five fit and sound horses at the Jog. Under the guidance of Chef d’equipe George Morris and under the care of Veterinarian Dr. Tim Ober, farrier Todd Meister and physiotherapist Janus Marquis, all five horses were beautifully prepared by their grooms – and shone in the Mexican sunshine.

Listen to Dr. Ober discuss his role as the Team Veterinarian: http://usefnetwork.com/blogs/173/dr_tim_ober_on_his_role_as_jumping.aspx.

The U.S. Team arrived in Mexico with a mission: to qualify for the 2012 Olympic Games.

They need to finish in the top three in the team competition of the teams that are NOT already qualified. Of the teams competing at the Pan American Games, both Brazil and Canada qualified at the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games.

Continue reading The US Show Jumping Team Takes the Stage at 2011 Pan American Games →

*Featured/Spotlights, Competitions, Events, Pan American Games, Show Jumping, USEF

Jumping Clear Rounds Win Individual Medals at 2011 Pan American Games

Leave a comment
Hannah Burnett (Silver), Jessica Phoenix (Gold) and Buck Davidson (Bronze). Shannon Brinkman Photo.

GUADALAJARA, Mexico – Immaculate jumping won Individual eventing medals at the 2011 Pan American Games – and the top three horses were beautifully ridden over three days. Canadian Jessica Phoenix held onto her dressage lead, adding nothing to her winning score of 43.9 with Don Good’s Pavarotti.  She had the Team Gold medal-winning Americans chasing her all weekend, and after the last fence was jumped, she shared the medal podium with two of them.  Hannah Burnett and Harbour Pilot won Silver and Buck Davidson on Absolute Liberty won Bronze.

Read about the Gold-medal Team effort here: http://www.usefnetwork.com/news/7769/2011/10/23/historic_team_gold_medal_for_us_e.aspx.

Burnett (The Plains, VA) rode with determination far beyond her 25 years on Jacqueline Mars’ 8-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding Harbour Pilot. They were third after the dressage on a score of 45.2, jumped a foot-perfect round on Saturday in the cross country and then cemented her medal with two clear rounds in the show jumping. Burnett’s teammate Michael Pollard (Dalton, GA) jumped a terrific clear on Schoensgreen Hanni in the first round, only to have two rails in the Individual round and drop to fourth place.

Continue reading Jumping Clear Rounds Win Individual Medals at 2011 Pan American Games →

*Featured/Spotlights, Competitions, Eventing/H.T., Events, Pan American Games, USEF

Historic Team Gold Medal for US Eventing Team at the 2011 Pan American Games

Leave a comment
The U.S. Eventing Team Wins the Team Gold Medal

GUADALAJARA, Mexico – In an unprecedented effort, the U.S. Eventing Team stormed to Team Gold at the 2011 Pan American Games in classic style. All five team members added nothing to their dressage scores, to finish on 138.6 – a feat never before achieved in a Team Eventing Championship.

After winning the dressage, they jumped five spectacular clear rounds on Saturday’s cross-country course, for the first time in anyone’s memory and then sealed the victory at Club Hippica with double-clear show jumping.

“I would like to give a really special congratulations to my team,” said Chef d’Equipe Mark Phillips. “Five people finishing on their dressage score – that’s never been done before in the history of our sport.”

Anchored by Buck Davidson (Ocala, FL), who led the way on Absolute Liberty as the pathfinder for the U.S. Team – he set a standard that the entire team maintained for three days. It was a truly phenomenal effort and all four of them finished within eight points of each other.

Continue reading Historic Team Gold Medal for US Eventing Team at the 2011 Pan American Games →

*Featured/Spotlights, Competitions, Eventing/H.T., Events, Pan American Games, USEF

US Eventing Team Extends Lead at 2011 Pan American Games

Leave a comment
Hannah Burnett and Harbour Pilot (Photo: Shannon Brinkman)

GUADALAJARA, Mexico – The five riders on the U.S. Eventing Team travelled to the Santa Sofia Country Club and impressively extended their lead at the Pan American Games. All five produced fault-free rounds over John Williams’ cross country track adding nothing to their 138.6 team total from dressage. They head into Sunday’s show jumping phase nearly 22 points clear of the second-placed Canadian team. Dressage Leader Jessica Phoenix of Canada still leads the individual standings with a score of 43.9 on Pavarotti, but the U.S. occupies five of the top six positions.

The first combination on course for the U.S. squad, Buck Davidson (Ocala, FL) and Absolute Liberty, set the tone for the day by making easy work of the track, adding no penalties. Davidson, son of World and Pan American Games champion Bruce Davidson, added to his own legacy by guiding Shannon Will’s 8-year-old mare to a double clear round despite riding with one stirrup on the last section of the course after his right stirrup broke.

“She was amazing every place she needed to look after me she did,” said Davidson. “What more could you ask of her? She did everything like it was a training level.”

Continue reading US Eventing Team Extends Lead at 2011 Pan American Games →

*Featured/Spotlights, Competitions, Dressage, Eventing/H.T., Events, Pan American Games, USEF

US Eventing Team Leads 2011 Pan American Games after Dressage

Leave a comment
Michael Pollard and Schoensgreen Hanni Lead the U.S. Eventers (Photo: Shannon Brinkman)

Guadalajara, Mexico – The U.S. Eventing Team got their competition off to a strong start in the dressage phase at the 2011 Pan American Games, cruising to the lead by more than nine points. The top three riders’ scores from each team count, so the United States goes forward to Saturday’s cross country on a score of 138.6 penalties. Canada is second on a combined total of 147.4 and Brazil sits third on 162.7. Canadian Jessica Phoenix leads the pack individually with a score of 43.9 on Pavarotti – but the U.S. has four riders in the top five and all five riders in the top 10.

Best for the U.S. was Schoensgreen Hanni and Michael Pollard (Dalton, GA) who made a lovely impression in the ring at Club Hippica, and put forward a very credible effort to score 44.5. Owned by Pollard’s wife Nathalie, the 8-year-old German Sport Horse mare didn’t make any mistakes for Pollard and they cruised into second place.

“I was really pleased,” said Pollard. “She presented exactly what we’ve been working on with no major mistakes – maybe a couple of things I would like to do a little bit better, but I thought all in all she did a good test today. She’s a horse that can do the other phases as well, so it should be a good weekend.”

Continue reading US Eventing Team Leads 2011 Pan American Games after Dressage →