Photo via Wikimedia Commons
No alternates were listed in this morning’s Canadian Pan American Games Eventing Team announcement, but Stuart Black confirmed to EN that he has been named as the traveling alternate with Orin Tre’ Book’s 8-year-old Selle Francais gelding Tre’ Du Kurnat after recently changing his nationality from USA to Canada.
Stuart was not listed as the traveling alternate in today’s official announcement because his current sport nationality status with the Pan American Sport Organization (PASO), the governing body of the Pan American Games, still lists him as American. Stuart originally changed his nationality to Canadian after moving from England in 1977, but he then switched to ride for the USA when he became a U.S. citizen in 2004.
According to the FEI’s Sport Nationality: Rules and Procedures for Change Applications, a change of sport nationality is subject to the following requirement: “The Athlete must hold the nationality of the country he wishes to compete for at international level. He must have held this nationality by 31 December of the year immediately preceding his sport nationality change application.”
Stuart told EN that he flew to Toronto and had a Canadian passport expedited so that he met the above criteria; his new passport was issued on December 9, 2014. Stuart’s FEI profile, however, did not reflect his new nationality until April 23, 2015, when a request to change his associated national federation from the U.S. to Canada was submitted.
The 2015 Canadian Pan American Games Selection Procedures state that the deadline to submit an application to represent Canada at the Pan Ams was December 10, 2014. Equine Canada’s procedures state that the rider must be a Canadian citizen, a member of Equine Canada and in possession of a valid Canadian passport at the time of applying for the Pan Ams.
Stuart told EN this afternoon that PASO is “a few months behind” in approving his nationality change, but that he should be approved to officially ride for Canada by June 20, about three weeks before the Pan American Games begin in Toronto.
This paperwork delay follows last year’s Canadian World Equestrian Games selection snafu, when Kathryn Robinson was named to the squad only to be removed and replaced due to a missing piece of paperwork.
The following horses and riders were named to the Canadian Pan Ams team today: Colleen Loach and Quorry Blue d’Argouges, Jessica Phoenix and Pavarotti, Waylon Roberts and Bill Owen, and Kathryn Robinson and Let It Bee.
Stuart Black and Tre’ Du Kernat are the traveling alternates, and the following horses and riders have been named non-traveling alternates: Kyle Carter and FR’s Trust Fund, Lesley Grant-Law and What Law, Selena O’Hanlon and Foxwood High, Jessica Phoenix and Abbey GS (reserve to Pavarotti), Jessica Phoenix and Bentley’s Best, April Simmonds and Quebec NZPH, and Michael Winter and Nothing Gained.
Update: This post has been updated to reflect that Stuart Black expedited his new Canadian passport on Dec. 9, 2014, as opposed to Dec. 22, 2014, the date he originally told to EN. We also added the background information that Stuart rode for Canada for the first time after moving from England in 1977; he subsequently rode for the U.S. after becoming an American citizen in 2004.
