Sara Kozumplik-Murphy, pictured here with Natascha Barrientos and Maria Suarez Garcia at the 2013 Bolivarian Games in Peru.
Eventing gets underway Thursday at the Central American and Caribbean Games in Veracruz, Mexico, with 26 competitors expected to present at the first horse inspection. Six teams from Colombia, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico and Venezuela will compete for four qualification slots for the 2015 Pan American Games in Toronto.
Two individual riders from Costa Rica will also compete, as will Lauren Billys, of Topango, Calif., for Puerto Rico. Two individual slots are available to riders hailing from countries not represented by teams at the Pan Ams, so Lauren will look to qualify as an individual, with her ultimate goal remaining to represent Puerto Rico in the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.
Here’s a look at all the full list of competitors:
The Central American and Caribbean Games, first held in Mexico in 1926, are the oldest continuing regional games in the world. Equestrian sports were added to the Games in 1935. The eventing portion of the competition is a CCI* championship, which will be held at Coapexpan Equestrian Club.
Sara Kozumplik-Murphy is coaching the Venezuelan team this week and has kindly offered to send in guest blogs and photos to keep us up to date on all the action, so stay tuned to EN as we cover the Central American and Caribbean Games this week.
Go Eventing.
Central American & Caribbean Games Links: [Website] [Entries] [Results]
