It’s amazing how long it takes to get life back on track when you get totally consumed by a Major Games.
The individual showjumping finals saw a tough course built by Canadian FEI course designer (and 1976 Olympic Silver Medalist) Michel Vaillancourt. The jumps were high, and the time was tight.
After leaving everything out on the field of play to grab the Team Gold (and ticket to Rio2016), Eric, Ian and Yann had a tall order to replicate the magic and unfortunately it wasn’t to be. However the very appreciative crowd gave them a hero’s welcome each time they entered the ring.
Here are some pictures and videos from that day.
It doesn’t get much more Canadian than this….
The officials keep everything running smoothly (David Ballard standing)
Surprisingly this jump didn’t come down very often. All the train cars are separate, which made for an entertaining re-setup when it was knocked down.
Some of the hardworking volunteers had a chance to catch the action.
One of my favourite combinations – Argentina’s Jose Larocca Jr & Cornet du Lys (4th place)
The Grandmaster himself – Craig Collins. Job well done!
It’s the finals for individual showjumping today, and I’m about to head out the door, but I had to make a very quick post about Canada’s golden moment in the Team medal round. I have lots of pictures and videos to share, but hands down this is the best one.
Canada showed everyone that it’s not over until it’s over, and now not only is there gold hardware hanging around Tiffany’s, Yann’s, Eric’s and Ian’s necks…but a ticket to Rio for Canadian showjumping!
Now onto the domination of the individual medal round, where unfortunately because of the Pan Am rules Tiffany & Tripple X III won’t be competing as there is a maximum of 3 riders per nation. Same goes for Kent Farrington & Gazelle of the USA.
So as not to tempt fate, I’m wearing the same outfit as I did for Team competition.
I’m going a bit out of order here, so please forgive me and know that a dedicated post to our superlative Silver & Bronze Eventers will be following tout suite.
In the hopes of being at least timely for today, I’m posting first about Day 1 of Pan Am showjumping, which was the qualifying round.
Under the new Pan Am format, which is being modeled after the Olympics format, the usual speed round has been dropped. Instead the qualifying round, as well as the 2 Team rounds on Thursday, is what helps to determine the top 35 who move onto the Individual medal round on Saturday. Having said that, the Pan Am rules state that only the top 3 riders per nation can compete in the Individual Final. So if Canada has all 4 athletes in the top 35, one will be dropped. It’s a rule which I think can be long debated weighing the pros of “universality” vs a true competition of the best-of-the-best.
For a great explanation of the format, as well as reactions from riders, check out www.horsecollaborative.com including comments from heavyweights like Eric Lamaze and McLain Ward who aren’t big fans of the new format and feel that consistency should be rewarded and champions should be decided by their stellar performance every day, not just on medal day.
So while Day 1 was essentially an easy warm-up class, with 30 horse/rider combinations going clear (including all of Team Canada – yay!), over what looked like a fairly straightforward course, look for course designer Michel Vaillancourt to turn it up a few notches for both the Team competition on Thursday and the individual medal showdown on Saturday.
Having said all that, it was an amazing day at the Games. After going through oppressive heat & humidity for Eventing it was awesome to watch the best horses & riders in the Americas under sunshine with fluffy clouds in a blue sky, no humidity, and a wonderful breeze.
— The Eloquent Equine (@EloquentEquine) July 22, 2015
The nicest guy you could ever meet!
McLain Ward & Rothchild….with ears forward!!
Kent Farrington & Gazelle
Tiffany Foster & Tripple X III make their way to the ring with Yann Candele, Mark Laskin, her groom Caroline Holmberg and her sister Rebecca Foster
Mark Laskin, Yann Candele & Eric Lamaze watch Tiffany’s perfect round on Tripple X III
Eric and Coco Bongo ready to go!
The fullest the stands have been…
Mark Samuel (Jump Canada founder and FEI Bureau member) and Olympic gold medalist Terrance Millar (EC High Performance Chair and former Jump Chef d’Equipe) watch Canada lay down 4 perfect rounds.
EC President Al Patterson has been out supporting all the athletes since Day 1
Finally CBC is showing Equestrian some love!
Ian Millar and Dixson make their way down to the ring.
With all the controversy going on right now about Kanye West playing at the closing ceremonies, I thought this would make for the perfect title for today’s posting after Day 1 of Eventing. Because there a BIG race on for Team Gold!
It was a bit on the cool & rainy side today, which led to some “frisky” rides in the sandbox.
Waylon Roberts was first in the ring for Canada with his & Kelly Plitz’sBill Owen. This is actually the 2nd Pan Ams for Waylon, who won a Team Silver in Rio 2007 riding Paleface.
Jessica Phoenix gets a visit from some die-hard fans!
At the end of Dressage day, the top 3 teams are separated by only 3.7 penalty points. And only 2 seconds on cross country separates Canada and the US. So not only will jumping efforts play a role tomorrow, but time will play a BIG factor!
Mark Todd!!
Highest place US rider Marilyn Little & RF Scandulous
It will be a long night as everyone gets all essentials packed up and ready for the transfer of 43 horses to the cross-country venue tomorrow morning 20 miles away at Will O’Wind Farm. It will be a very early morning with 6 tractor trailers leaving with a police escort by 6:15am in order for the first horse to hit the cross country course at 11am. Then at 5pm everyone loads back to return to Caledon Equestrian Park. A big operation for sure, but one that most of the Eventers are used to as quite often the cross-country venue is at a satellite location (think 2011 Guadalajara Pan Ams and 2008 Beijing Olympics to name just 2).
This sums up the situation going into cross-country perfectly:
Looking forward to Saturday’s cross-country phase, Phoenix remarked, “Cross-country looks like it should be a blast! The jumps are beautifully constructed, and I think the course flows really well. Everyone is really excited to get out there.”
Colleen Loach, who although it’s her major games debut actually took part in the London2012 Olympics as Eventing team member Peter Barry’s groom, plans to take all of the direct routes, shared, “I think it looks great, I’m really excited to get out there. For sure you have to be on your game, there are some questions out there. I think the water would be a good question, but it all looks very doable, and nicely presented and kind for the horses.”
Comments on the course refer to it being plenty difficult enough and a definite Championship test where the rider needs to stay focused throughout to handle a number of technical questions – particularly towards the last 2 minutes.
Hopefully the weather reports of 40 degree humidex won’t actually materialize, but the organizers are prepared for the heat with 4,000 kg of ice being delivered to the site.
I’m totally stoked for cross-country tomorrow, and hope to be able to post some exciting coverage here.
For a terrific fence-by-fence virtual tour of the cross country course, visit EventingNation.com
Here’s a little taste of the “Canadian” features found throughout the course. (photos by Christy Baxter – Facebook)
The finish line!!! And a salute to Lima Peru, host of the 2019 Pan American Games
Full times (and results) can be found on the TO2015 website.
Canadians go at:
11:12 – Waylon Roberts
11:52 – Colleen Loach
12:44 – Kathryn Robinson
13:28 – Jessica Phoenix
And in the words of Team Canada Eventing Coach Clayton Fredericks….
Proud of the guys so far saving best for last go canada!!
— Clayton Fredericks (@ClaytonFrederi1) July 17, 2015
I’m a bit late in starting this Pan American blog – and there’s been much Canadian success already!
In broader terms, Canada has already amassed more Gold Medals in the first few days of these Games than the entire 2011 Guadalajara Games.
At the time of writing, Canada is at the top of the medal table for both Gold (38) and total (97).
And 2 of those medals are thanks to Canada’s Dressage Team! (Team Silver, and of course Chris von Martels’ individual Bronze).
I will make a separate post later devoted to the Dressage Team’s fantastic performance, but right now I’ll start off with the Eventers.
After holding their training camp just minutes away from the venue (at Jorge & Amanda Bernhard’s facility), the Eventers moved into Caledon Equestrian Park on July 15th.
The jog was held today (16th), and after a few tense moments for Colleen Loach and Qorry Blue D’Argouges (owned by WEG2014 & London2012 Team member Peter Barry), everyone passed the inspection.
Team Canada Stables – looking fancy!
Group Shot before the jog
Waylon Roberts & Waylon”s and Kelly Plitz’s Bill Owen
Jessica Phoenix & Don Good’s Pavarotti
Kathryn Robinson & her Let it Bee
Colleen Loach & Peter Barry’s Qorry Blue D’Argouges
Selena O’Hanlon & John and Judy Rumble’s Foxwood High
Yann Candele & ShowGirl
Following Canada's Equestrian Team 