Earlier this morning, Canada named 6 pairs to their initial Pan American Games list, a list which can be updated up until August 31st. A final team of up to 5 pairs will be named in late August. I estimate 30% attrition in the last two months leading up to a competition for 4* horses, and, although that number is smaller for 2* horses, I would guess that the Canadian list might be expanded if only to avoid tempting fate. Canada has multiple good candidates to add to the list if they wish to do so, including Jersey winner Lisa Marie Fergusson.
As expected, Canada is sending their veteran riders with 2* horses. If Jessie has a good event at Rebecca Farm with Pavarotti, I anticipate that 3 maybe 4 Canadian WEG riders will go to the Pan American Games. This is a luxury that the US does not have, in part because many of our top riders have too many 3* and 4* horses that need campaigning this autumn. The schedule works out such that anyone going to the Pan Ams would not be able to ride at Fair Hill, so their only autumn CCI3* option in North America would be Galway, which is just one week after the Pan Ams. As a result of this and what I hope is a growing willingness to invest in our next generation of team riders, I expect that the US team will be considerably less experienced that this Canadian squad. Both nations have very good reasons for the direction they will take with selecting their Pan Am squads, but the differences therein are illustrative of the vast differences between the two High Performance programs right now. [Current US Pan Am Applicant List PDF]
Before we look a every individual rider, I urge you to get out a pencil and circle Rebecca Howard’s name on your computer screen. Right now, she is the Vegas favorite to win gold in Guadalajara and there are only two or three names that the US could send that might change that. Rebecca had to withdraw from Burghley earlier this week and she will be spending the next two months focusing every moment of every day on winning the Pan Ams–look out Mexico.
Hawley Bennett-Awad and 5 O’Clock Somewhere: Gin N’ Juice’s full brother placed 4th at the Jersey CCI2*. 5 O’Clock Somewhere also placed 3rd at the CCI* at Galway last autumn and, from looking at his record, he seems to place best at his the three-days. This is one of my favorite 2* horses and he is at the perfect time in his career to go to the Pan Ams.
Rebecca Howard and Roquefort: Rocky won the Jersey CIC2* and then the Bromont CCI2* just a few weeks later. Enough said.
Micheline Jordan and Irish Diamonds: This is the most experienced horse on Canada’s squad. Irish Diamonds placed 11th at the Bromont CCI3* earlier this year and he has been competing at advanced for several years. Micheline works incredibly hard and this is a great opportunity for her to go and give Canada an almost guaranteed double-clear.
Samantha’s interview with Jordan at Bromont
Jordan McDonald and Apple Cider: Jordan has been a very promising Canadian rider for the future and it looks like the future is now. This pair was victimized by the creative judging of the Jersey Fresh Ground Jury, but they finished on their dressage score, which was good enough for 10th place.
Danica Moore and Utah B: I know the least about Utah B of any of the horses on the Canadian squad, but this pair was 9th in the Jersey CIC2*. The pair has two intermediate wins this spring at Rocking Horse and The Fork as well.
Photo by Samantha Clark
Selena O’Hanlon and Foxwood High: Selena’s talented 2* horse was 11th at Bromont. Foxwood High just moved up to intermediate in April and I bet the Canadian selectors would like him to have a bit more experience, but timing can’t always perfect.
Go eventing.
