Lynn Symansky and RF Cool Play (USA). Photo by Shannon Brinkman.

It’s run and jump day in Lima, Peru for the 2019 Pan American Games! Jose Ortelli’s track is unrelenting, and there’s plenty to do out there. Our team riders shared their thoughts on the course, check them out here.

Kick off time is 11 a.m. central/12 p.m. eastern! Without a live stream, and no fence-by-fence live scoring, we’re going to cobble together all the Pan Ams XC info in one place for semi-easy following. Check this space for updates as they happen.

Here’s the U.S. ride times:

• Lynn Symansky & RF Cool Play: 11:20 a.m. central/12:23 p.m. eastern – DOUBLE CLEAR
• Tamie Smith & Mai Baum: 12:15 p.m. central/1:15 p.m. eastern – 40 jump, 14 time penalties
• Doug Payne & Starr Witness: 1:10 p.m. central/2:12 p.m. eastern – CLEAR, 8.4 time
• Boyd Martin & Tsetserleg: 2:05 p.m. central/3:05 p.m. eastern – DOUBLE CLEAR

Canadian ride times:

• Karl Slezak & Fernhill Wishes: 11:05 a.m. central/12:05 p.m. eastern – CLEAR + 11.2 time
• Dana Cooke & FE Mississippi: 12 p.m. central/1 p.m. eastern – 40 jump, 27.6 time penalties
• Colleen Loach & FE Golden Eye: 12:55 p.m. central/1:55 p.m. eastern – 20 jump, 41.6 time
• Jessica Phoenix & Pavarotti: 1:50 p.m. central/2:50 p.m. eastern – CLEAR, 9.6 time

Pan American Games: Website, Entries, Technical Manual, Cross Country Order of Go, Individual Live Scores, Team Live Scores, Ultimate Guide, EN’s Coverage

UPDATED 2:37: Stay tuned for a full report!

What a day of cross country at @Lima2019Games! Here's your individual top three:
🥇 Boyd Martin & Tsetserleg 🇺🇸
🥈Lynn Symansky & RF Cool Play 🇺🇸
🥉Carlos Parro & Quaikin Qurious🇧🇷

— Eventing Nation (@eventingnation) August 3, 2019

After cross country, here are the teams in the hunt for #Lima2019 medals:
🥇 United States 🇺🇸
🥈 Brazil 🇧🇷
🥉 Canada 🇨🇦

— Eventing Nation (@eventingnation) August 3, 2019

11:10: Karl Slezak and Fernhill wishes are home for Canada! They went clear with 11.2 time penalites.

11:15 Roll call for our first few starters:

Juan Jose Francia (PER) and Alpacino Z finish with 20 jump penalties and 40.8 time penalties.

Jose Alan Triana Martinez (MEX) and Violento finish with 60 jump penalties and 25.6 time penalites.

Ruy Fonseca (BRA) fell from Ballypatrick Srs at fence 7.

11:20

And they’re off! Our pathfinders, @LynnSymanskyEq and RF Cool Play have left the startbox! #USAEventing #Lima2019

— US Equestrian (@USequestrian) August 3, 2019

11:19 Lynn is clear through the corners at 16.

11:31 Lynn and RF Cool Play are home double clear!!! They’re the first to finish clear inside the time.

11:35

FIRST DOUBLE CLEAR 🏁 @LynnSymanskyEq and RF Cool Play are home for #USAEventing! #Lima2019 pic.twitter.com/s6IMVk4vI6

— US Equestrian (@USequestrian) August 3, 2019

11:36 Luis Eduardo Aranco and Svr Gruñon are on course now for Uruguay.

11:40 Luis Eduardo Aranco (URU) and Mauricio Bermudez (COL) have both been eliminated.

11:41 Argentina’s Marcelo Javier Rawson pick up 20 jump penalties and 44.8 time penalties.

11:43 Update on Colombia’s Mauricio Bermudez:

Mauricio Bermudez has fallen at fence 6A from Fernhill Nightshift #Lima2019

— U.S. Eventing (@USEventing) August 3, 2019

11:44 Chile’s Carlos Villarroel has been eliminated early on in the course.

11:50

We're one quarter of the way through the @Lima2019Games cross-country and the course is proving difficult. We've seen only two of the first 10 riders come home without jumping penalties, and only one of those inside the time #Lima2019

— U.S. Eventing (@USEventing) August 3, 2019

11:51 Way cool, Coolio.

.@LynnSymanskyEq reporting that Coolio is in good shape coming off the course 💪 #Lima2019

— U.S. Eventing (@USEventing) August 3, 2019

11:58 Wylder Francisco Rodriguez Silva (GUA) and Escapito-S finish clear with 24 time penalites.

11:59

Pedro Jose Espinosa and Hipolita are clear through 19 for Honduras! 🇭🇳 #Lima2019

— U.S. Eventing (@USEventing) August 3, 2019

12

12:01 Peru’s Hans Chener Alva Pierola has been eliminated.

12:03

Dana Cooke and Mississippi on course for Canada! 🇨🇦 #Lima2019

— U.S. Eventing (@USEventing) August 3, 2019

12:04 This course is causing quite a bit of problems. Of the 13 starters, 7 have completed.

12:08 Dana and FE Mississippi have a runout at 14D, a skinny brush chevron, but they’re clear on second attempt.

12:11

View this post on Instagram

#equitaciondetrabajo #lima2019 #sede #lamolina #juegospanamericanos #crosscountryhorse #competions

A post shared by Josue Saavedra Bendezu (@josuesaavedrabendezu) on Aug 3, 2019 at 9:19am PDT

12:11 Mexico’s Pedro Gutierrez and California Mail also have a runout at 14D.

12:12 Dana Cooke and FE Mississippi are home for Canada with 40 jump penalties and 37.6 time penalties.

12:18

.@tsmitheventing and Mai Baum are on course for the #USAEventing Team @Lima2019Games!

— US Equestrian (@USequestrian) August 3, 2019

12:19 Rafael Mamprin Losano and Fuiloda G post a clear round for Brazil! They had just 4.4 time penalties.

12:22 Tamie and Lexus are clear through 19.

12:28 Tamie comes home with 40 jump penalties and 14 time penalties.

.@tsmitheventing and Mai Baum are home with a provisional 54 penalties for #USAEventing. More information will be relayed as we have it. pic.twitter.com/yVcYtRYxKn

— US Equestrian (@USequestrian) August 3, 2019

12:44 We are so flattered that y’all love the site so much that you take it out on our servers <3. Back online now let’s catch up…

Chile’s Guillermo Garin Heyermann and Bipolar were eliminated after issues at fence 14.

12:46 Sarka Kolackova De Mendez (GUA) and Carneval 32 retire at 11 after two refusals.

12:50 Ecuador’s Nicolas Wettstein & Onzieme Framoni are eliminated on course.

12:52 At the halfway point, Lynn & Coolio are still the only pair to go double clear. Of 22 starters, 12 have completed.

12:54 We’ve got some clarification on Tamie’s issues on course. She and Lexus had a run out at the corner at 16, and then earned another 20 penalties for crossing their tracks at 23.

12:58 Colleen Loach and FE Golden Eye are soon to leave the box for Canada.

12:59 Here are some other clear rounds we may have missed during our servers’ temper tantrum, and I’d like to make sure we give credit to:  Juan Benitez Gallardo (ARG) & J B G Espuelas Atila who had 14.8 time penalties, Wylder Francisco Rodriguez Silva (GUA) & Escapito-S who had 24 time penalties, and Pedro Jose Espinosa (HON) & Hipolita who had 34.8 time penalites.

1:02 Colleen and FE Golden Eye have a stop at 12A, the angled boat jump into water. They’re clear on second attempt.

1:02 Peru’s Marcelino Cardenas Salazar finishes with 40 jump and 20 time pens.

1:07

Jose Enrique Mercado Suarez and Tehuacan clear through 14ABCD for Mexico 🇲🇽 #Lima2019

— U.S. Eventing (@USEventing) August 3, 2019

1:08 Colleen Loach and FE Golden Eye are home after one stop and 41.6 time penalties for Canada.

1:09 Tamie comments on her round: “I just don’t think he read it”

1:11 Mexico’s Jose Enrique Mercado Suarez brings Tehuacan home clear! Just 16.4 time penalties for this pair.

1:13 Doug Payne and Starr Witness out on course!

1:15 Doug clear through fence 8.

1:17 Marcelo Tosi & Starbucks jump clear with just 4.4 time penalties. That’s three clear rounds for Brazil.

1:20 DOUG CLEAR! 8.4 time penalties. #GingaNinja

1:22 Update on Marcelo’s score: Looks like he missed a flag somewhere for 15 penalties. That gives him 19.4 total added in this phase.

1:24 Lucia Chieza (URU) & Svr Energico home clear with 31.6 time penalties. Looks like these team riders are taking their time to ensure clear rounds.

1:26 Colombia’s Jhonatan Fabian Rodriguez Rodriguez retire after having issues at fence 12, the boat water.

1:36 With 10 left to go, we’re seeing a 54% completion rate and a 29% clear rate for this course.

1:39 Luis Alfonso Larrondo Muñoz is the first Chilean rider to complete the course. He and Puerto Octay come home with 20 jump penalties and 15.2 time penalties.

1:40

.@dpequestrian and Starr Witness move into 2nd place individually under @LynnSymanskyEq and RF Cool Play – still the only pair to jump double-clear today! #USAEventing #Lima2019 pic.twitter.com/8D3H0ZYjgK

— US Equestrian (@USequestrian) August 3, 2019

1:47 Carlos Narvaez (ECU) and Que Loco were eliminated.

1:54 Diego Farje Carpio & Qouter home for Peru with 15.2 time penalties.

1:57 Coolio beast-moding it:

12:59 Here’s Doug at the corner:

2:00 Jessica Phoenix & Pavarotti are home clear with 9.6 time penalties for Canada!

2:03 Doug talks about his ride today:

2:04 Guillermo German de Campo M. and Quelite come home clear with 16.8 time penalties for Mexico.

2:05 Boyd Martin and Tsetserleg are on course.

2:08 Boyd clear through 8.

2:10 Riding for Brazil, Carlos Parro and Quaikin Qurious jump clear with 6.8 time penalties.

2:14 Boyd Martin & Tsetserleg go double clear as the final U.S. pair! That puts them provisionally in the lead.

2:18  Edison Alejandro Quintana Valerio (URU) and Svr Fraile Del Santa Lucia are eliminated. They reportedly both fell at fence 16.

2:23

Another DOUBLE CLEAR 🙌🏼 to secure the lead for #USAEventing!! 🇺🇸 #Lima2019 pic.twitter.com/pFi87I7YON

— US Equestrian (@USequestrian) August 3, 2019

2:25 Argentina’s final pair, Luciano Claudio Brunello and Maria Teresa, finish clear with 26.4 time penalties.

2:29 Carlos Lobos Muñoz & Ranco jump clear for Chile with 18.4 time penalties for a provisional 10th place.

2:30 Our final pair, Carlos Sueiras (GUA) and Valentina RN have retired at fence 12. That’s a wrap for Pan Ams cross country day!

Fence 12AB. Photo by Shannon Brinkman.

There’s one main consensus regarding Jose Ortelli’s cross country course at the 2019 Pan American Games: there’s a lot to do very early on. The men/women will be separated from the boys/girls as early as the first minute or two.

The full distance of the track is 4520, which is designed for a speed of 550 meters/minute with an optimum time of 8 minutes and 14 seconds. There are 26 fences (35 efforts) sprinkled throughout the twisting track. Click here for our fence-by-fence preview.

If you want even more detail, Javier Jeri Leigh has laid out direct and optional routes at the main combinations:

View this post on Instagram

Cross Panamericano Opciones

A post shared by JAVIER JERI LEIGH (@javier_jeri) on Aug 1, 2019 at 3:34am PDT

As we eagerly await the start of cross country, we’ve rounded up Team USA’s thoughts ahead of Saturday’s challenge:

Erik Duvander, chef d’equipe:

#USAEventing Chef d'Equipe, Erik Duvander, gives his synopsis of the #Lima2019 cross-country course, direct routes, and more ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/f40PMoyf8u

— US Equestrian (@USequestrian) August 3, 2019

Boyd Martin: “I think the course is as hard as I’ve ever seen at this level–the three-star long level–and I’m on probably the most experienced horse in the field. There’s a lot of places where you could have a runout, and there’s also options that aren’t that long, so it’s going to be an exciting day of cross country. Obviously, being a team contest, we really want to have all four horses go jumping clear, and then it’s a matter if you decide to go very, very fast the jumps get much more difficult.”

“My game plan would be to start out a little steady and get him settled in, and get through the first five, six fences. Then, really open him up where the galloping is good and really slow down where there’s complicated jumps. I’m just terrified of a slip up. You just have to ride very, very, very well for about eight and a half minutes, and believe in your training. Believe in your horse. Also, be in the moment because it’s not going to go to plan or ride exactly how it’s walking.”

Doug Payne: “It’s pretty wild. It beats you up in the first two minutes–it comes at you really quick. I’m lucky enough to be on probably one of the best jumping horses here, so we’ll go at it and just try to be as smooth and soft as possible in the first minute or two minutes. We’ll probably be a little back on the clock at that point, but I think from that point on you can grow and build. I think it’s going to be great for the sport and should be a hell of a lot of fun to ride.”

Tamie Smith: “I’m really excited to be jumping because we’ve been doing  a lot of dressage. The course looks big, and it looks technical, and it looks like we have a lot of work to do. I think the first minute and a half is no joke. It’s very quick–we have our first serious water jump right at the very beginning of the course. I don’t think the horses are going to be ultimately focused by then, so there will be a lot of instinctive type riding happening both from the horses and from the riders. So I think that will be very influential.”

“I think after that the questions are max height, max technicality–it is a championship course, so it’s the toughest three-star long I’ve ever seen, and you just have to be on your toes and ready to come for whatever’s out there. I think we’re all up for the challenge.”

Lynn Symansky: “It gets better every time you walk it. The first time you walk it you’re really trying to get your bearings out there. It felt like Aachen combined with Pau in a short track–it just kept coming at you. You have to take time and know every single post you’re riding to before and after because there’s not a lot of places to make up time on a track like that. Where you make up time is being as efficient as possible in all of your lines.

“Since I’m the first out, we won’t have any information on how it rides, so I’ll have to be even more prepared to exactly what my plan is going to be for that horse. Where you go a little later on, you have a plan for your horse, but you still have to be opened minded about seeing how some stuff rides, how it suits. We’re all used to being in all sorts of positions. The good news is, I’m used to going first and relying on having an honest horse. I know he’s going to be a bit green in this environment and in this type of track, but you have to rely on the training and the partnership at that point.”

The cross country phase starts at 11 a.m. central/12 p.m. eastern.

Here’s the U.S. ride times:

• Lynn Symansky & RF Cool Play: 11:20 a.m. central/12:23 p.m. eastern
• Tamie Smith & Mai Baum: 12:15 p.m. central/1:15 p.m. eastern
• Doug Payne & Starr Witness: 1:10 p.m. central/2:12 p.m. eastern
• Boyd Martin & Tsetserleg: 2:05 p.m. central/3:05 p.m. eastern

Canadian ride times:

• Karl Slezak & Fernhill Wishes: 11:05 a.m. central/12:05 p.m. eastern
• Dana Cooke & FE Mississippi: 12 p.m. central/1 p.m. eastern
• Colleen Loach & FE Golden Eye: 12:55 p.m. central/1:55 p.m. eastern
• Jessica Phoenix & Pavarotti: 1:50 p.m. central/2:50 p.m. eastern

Safe and happy rides to all!

Pan American Games: Website, Entries, Technical Manual, Cross Country Order of Go, Individual Live Scores, Team Live Scores, Ultimate Guide, EN’s Coverage

Jessica Phoenix and Pavarotti(CAN). Photo by Shannon Brinkman.

There is no better way to view a competition than through the lens of Shannon Brinkman. One of the most talented photographers in our sport, her images bring the competition to life. Without a live stream, this is how you can feel like you’re in Peru too. We’ve focused a lot on our North American buddies so far in our coverage, but let’s see the full range of competitors in this photo gallery:

Pan American Games: Website, Entries, Technical Manual, Cross Country Order of Go, Dressage Individual Live Scores, Dressage Team Live Scores, Ultimate Guide, EN’s Coverage

Tamie Smith and Mai Baum. Photo by Shannon Brinkman.

USA started off strong today at the 2019 Pan American Games with the team in gold medal position and all four riders sitting in the top ten individually after dressage in Lima, Peru.

The United States sits on a result of 76.4 after the first phase, followed by Canada with 81.3 points in second and Brazil taking up third on 85.9.

Tamie Smith leads the pack individually in her first championship appearance aboard the striking Mai Baum, a 13-year-old German Sport Horse (Loredano x  Ramira, by Rike) owned by Alexandra Ahearn, Ellen Ahearn and Eric Markell. Tamie and “Lexus” proudly earned a score of 22.8.

“I feel like I’m on one of the best horses,” Tamie said to the USEA. “Towards the end when I was almost done–that was my favorite part! When I came around to canter and I was getting ready to trot I was like, ‘Oh, that was a great test.’ So I started smiling then.”

Boyd Martin and Tsetserleg. Photo by Shannon Brinkman.

Eventing National Champions Boyd Martin and Tsetserleg, Christine Turner’s 12-year-old Trakehner gelding, are second individually on a 25.6.

“In every test you might wish you had one movement this and one movement that, but I’m really happy with it overall, Boyd said.

A team veteran, Boyd still recognizes the intensity of riding on a championship stage: “My favorite part was finishing because it’s very nerve wracking in there. You want to get every movement done. We’ve been thinking about that test for weeks and weeks and practicing every movement over and over again. I think it was good–could’ve been better, could’ve been worse.”

Marcelo Tosi and Starbucks. Photo by Shannon Brinkman.

Brazil’s Marcelo Tosi earned third place with a score of 26 aboard Starbucks, an 8-year-old Warmblood (Showmaker x Smash Hit, by Sandro Hit) owned by Marcelo and Anna Louise Ross.

Colleen Loach and FE Golden Eye. Photo by Shannon Brinkman.

Canadians take the next three spots on the leaderboard with Colleen Loach, Jessica Phoenix and Karl Slezak sitting fourth, fifth and sixth, respectively.

Colleen piloted her own and Amanda Bernhard’s FE Golden Eye, on of the youngest horses in the field at 7-years-old, to a score of 26.2.

Jessica Phoenix and Pavarotti. Photo by Shannon Brinkman.

Canadian team anchor Jessica Phoenix and her longtime partner Pavarotti, a 17-year-old Westfalian (Pavarotti Van De Helle x Fedelia, by Foxiland xx), posted a 27.4.

“It’s always so much fun to compete for Canada on that horse. He’s such an experienced competitor and he didn’t let me down today. It was one of his best tests ever,” Jessica told Susan Stafford-Pooley of Horse Canada. “Whenever you enter an arena like that and you go around those white boards it’s just such an emotional experience – you’re so proud to be there and you know how much hard work you’ve put into it. To be there on a horse that you have so much history with is just awesome.”

Karl Slezak and Fernhill Wishes. Photo by Shannon Brinkman.

Karl Slezak was the second ride of the day aboard Fernhill Wishes. He and the 10-year-old Irish Sport Horse (Chacoa x KEC Galway Bay, by Gildawn Diamond), who is owned by Karl and Kirk Hoppner, rode to a career personal best score of 27.7.

Doug Payne and Starr Witness. Photo by Shannon Brinkman.

Doug Payne and Starr Witness, an 8-year-old Dutch mare (Chello II x Carmen, by Veneur) sit seventh on a score of 28. Owned by Doug, Laurie McRee and Catherine Winter the chestnut mare rose to the challenge of her first team appearance.

“She’s one hell of an athlete and really spectacular,” he said. “There were a couple of moments that she started to get a bit distracted or wanted to look, but I was really, really happy and proud of her. I would say it was a big win for her, a big step in the right direction. There’s a lot more to do for sure tomorrow but I can’t wait.”

Carlos Parro and Helena Ashworth’s Quaikin Qurious are eighth riding for Brazil on a score of 28.1.

Lynn Symansky and RF Cool Play. Photo by Shannon Brinkman.

U.S. pathfinder Lynn Symansky is ninth with RF Cool Play. “Coolio,” an 11-year-old German Sport Horse (Condors Champion x Roxana, by Radscha) owned by the Donner Syndicate, felt the atmosphere in the arena. The judges disagreed a bit on the performance, with Delano Bastos De Miranda (BRA) and Jo Young (CAN) scoring the pair differently  by over six points, but he still earned a respectable 29.2.

“We did what we could this morning, he came out a little more holding, but he’s never naughty – he tries so hard, almost to a fault sometimes when he gets in there and holds his breath,” she said. “I could feel how nervous he was in there, and he still stays listening to me, that’s what’s so important about these partnerships, getting in there and feeling how much you can push and where you maybe have to sacrifice a few points for the overall picture.”

Rounding out our top ten is Chile’s Carlos Lobos Muñoz. He and Ranco, who is owned by the Chilean Army, earned a 31.

Dana Cooke and FE Mississippi. Photo by Shannon Brinkman.

Canada’s final team pair, Dana Cooke and FE Mississippi, sit 13th on a score of 32.8.

Team results after dressage:

1. United States (76.4)
2. Canada (81.3)
3. Brazil (85.9)
4. Mexico (105.8)
5. Chile (111.1)
6. Argentina (117.1)
7. Guatemala (117.1)
8. Uruguay (125.5)
9. Colombia (127.2)
10. Peru (131.9)

Cross country starts tomorrow at 11 a.m. local/12 p.m. eastern. Check out our fence-by-fence preview here.

Pan American Games: Website, Entries, Technical Manual, Cross Country Order of Go, Individual Live Scores, Team Live Scores, Ultimate Guide, EN’s Coverage

Photo by Shannon Brinkman.

Hello dear readers from the start box of the Pan American Games cross country course. Jose Ortelli (ARG), with input from advisor Pierre Michelet (FRA), has crafted a beautifully ornate track. Set to the CCI3*-L level, the course is abundantly charming, with designs and details that pay homage to the host nation including fences that imitate the Cathedral of Lima, Machu Picchu and more.

The track twists and turns as it reveals its many difficulties. With so many fences filling a winding track, Erik Duvander believes time will play a crucial role come Saturday.

“This course is the minimum length but has the maximum number of jumps, which makes it very twisty and technical. Time will be a huge factor,” he said, but the footing gives riders every opportunity to chase the clock.

“The cross country is the same grass that they had in Rio (for the 2016 Olympic Games), and it has a little bit of the same feel. I actually think that the root system is stronger, so it has more spring to it. It’s quite fast going,” Erik continued.

#USAEventing Chef d'Equipe, Erik Duvander, gives his synopsis of the #Lima2019 cross-country course, direct routes, and more ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/f40PMoyf8u

— US Equestrian (@USequestrian) August 3, 2019

Riders have taken a tour of the colorful course, and Boyd Martin says it reminds him of Pau’s CCI5*-L track in France.

“It’s the maximum degree of difficulty for the three-star level and on top of that it’s quite a twisty course. It’s a bit more than what I expected to see. I think it’s harder than the course in Toronto (at the 2015 Pan American Games),” Boyd said. “It’s going to be a thrilling day on Saturday because there’s so many places you could have a mistake or slip over the time. We’re all on seasoned horses, but we’ve still got a tough mission ahead of us.”

Take a walk around this technicolor track with photos courtesy of Shannon Brinkman:

Pan American Games: Website, Entries, Technical Manual, Order of Go for First Horse Inspection, Ultimate Guide, Live Scores, EN’s Coverage