Shane Sweetnam (IRL) may have been born in Cork (IRL), but for more than a decade, he's held a summer residence in Lexington (USA), directly adjacent to the Kentucky Horse Park. That made a win in the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Lexington, held in the venue's Alltech Arena, especially meaningful. 

Besting an 11-horse jump-off with his family in attendance, Sweetnam recorded a long-awaited win in the class, which also marked his first World Cup victory. His winning partner was the sensational 10-year-old James Kann Cruz, who crossed the timers of fellow Irishman Alan Wade's short course in an uncatchable 33.41 seconds. 

Defending champion Daniel Bluman (ISR) finished second with Gemma W, marking Bluman's third consecutive year on the podium in the National Horse Show's feature class. Devin Ryan (USA) finished third with Eddie Blue, after the pair held the same position a week ago in Washington (USA).

"To win this class is a big deal. For me, it was always one of the ones I wanted to win."

Shane Sweetnam (IRL)

Sweetnam caught plenty of air in the first round, as James Kann Cruz showed off his brilliant power and scope. In the jump-off, that could have cost valuable time on the clock, but it also allowed Sweetnam to take more risks in his track. The pair returned fourth in an 11-horse jump-off and set themselves apart with a pair of left-out strides and a bold turn back to the combination toward the end of the course. When James Kann Cruz slipped, it left the horse not even a stride to judge the fence. Still, he cleared it with ease.

"I felt that there were a lot of fast riders, good riders behind me. Honestly, when I came out of the ring, I was thinking I still might not have done enough," Sweetnam said. "I definitely wasn't sure I had the win, but I really did as much as I could in the ring.

"We slipped a little bit going into the double, and [James Kann Cruz] had to show how amazing he was. That wasn't planned, but it just shows how talented he is."

Shane Sweetnam (IRL)

James Kann Cruz has always had the makings of a championship mount, and he contributed to a silver medal-winning effort for Ireland at the 2023 European Championships (ITA). Navigating jump-offs at speed has been the next part of the gelding's development.

"Practice makes perfect. I'd say if you watch my rounds now compared to what they were this time last year, the jump-offs are a lot faster," Sweetnam said. "Yes, he does spend a lot of time in the air, but obviously, that's a help. He's a very smart horse. The more he does it, the smarter he gets...He's looking for the next jump, which he hadn't really this time last year. It's still a work in progress.

"I still think there's more room there for us to go to another level," he added.

Sweetnam walked the course with his son Collin, and his wife Ali and daughters Olivia and Lucy were in attendance at the event. All are involved in the sport as athletes or coaches.

"All of us are very keen," Sweetnam said. "It's great to have that, because we have that together. When there's success or when there's ups and downs, we're there together, and we learn from them, and we keep moving forward."

Ryan's consistency moved him to the top of the NAL standings with 30 points, while Sweetnam slotted into second with 28 points. Alise Oken (USA) sits third with 25 points.

The NAL continues in Toronto (CAN) on 11 November 2023.

Results

Standings

Brazil’s Stephan de Freitas Barcha came into today’s Individual Jumping medal-decider at the Pan American Games 2023 in Quillota, Chile in third place and climbed up to the top step of the podium with a stunning performance from his mare Chevaux Primavera Imperio Egipcio.

 

On a day when only four clear rounds were posted from the field of 28 starters, and when so many of the medal favourites would falter over Marina Azevedo’s uncompromising courses, the 34-year-old rider held his nerve to take the gold.

“To win this kind of Championship in South America is a dream come true!”,“I he said after standing on the top step of the podium flanked by the USA’s Kent Farrington who clinched silver and McLain Ward who took the bronze.

Key

When, eleventh to go over the 12-fence first-round course, Chile’s Agustin Covamubias and Nelson du Petit Vivier were foot-perfect the crowd went wild, and then Argentina’s Jose Maria Larocca and Finn Lente followed suit so it seemed the key to success had been discovered at last.

But one-by-one the top ten also struggled, the Easter Island triple combination proving the undoing of many along with the final Chilean Games oxer which also took a big toll.

Lying eighth, Farrington’s 10-year-old gelding Landon put a toe in the open water at fence eight, while Mexico’s Eugenio Garza Perez made it all the way to that heartbreaking last fence before kicking out the back pole with Contago. With three left to run de Freitas Barcha kept a clean sheet however and then it was down to the leading pair of American stars. 

There was a gasp of disbelief when, second-last to go, Laura Kraut’s Dorado 212 clipped the first element of the penultimate double of verticals and an even greater gasp when last man in, McLain Ward with Contagious, left both the previous triple bar and that influential final oxer on the floor. 

Places

As round two began however Kraut was still sitting second with de Freitas Barcha now in the lead, Mexico’s Garza Perez was in third and Farrington was in fourth while Ward, Brazil’s Pedro Veniss (Nimrod de Muze Z) and Larocca filled the next three places. Carrying 4.06 penalties into the second round Barcha had no wriggle-room because Kraut was on 7.39 and only 8.2 points separated the top six so there was still plenty of work to be done.

The second round triple combination at fence eight and the final two fences broke plenty of hearts, Larocca, Veniss and Ward all falling victim to the penultimate liverpool oxer. But Farrington was crystal clear this time out - the only clear of the second round - and, with just three left to go, he loomed large in the final stages with his score now standing at 9.64. 

Adrift

Ward still seemed well adrift on 15.34, but when Garza Perez had three down and Kraut had two down then the landscape changed dramatically. De Freitas Barcha’s running scoreline of 4.06 penalties left him with a fence, and a single time penalty, in hand as he set off with a sizzle of electricity in the air along with the big dream of gold.

His 12-year-old mare is a quirky character who makes a fuss about going into the arena, but when she gets in there she gets the business done. And it looked very much like the Brazilian pair were about to complete the only double-clear of the day as they approached the final line. Soaring over the penultimate oxer they headed down to the final planks, but even when they hit them the crowd exploded with a roar of approval because they knew their final tally of 8.06 would leave them ahead of Farrington while Ward would take third place and the bronze.

Brazilian course designer Azevedo has certainly tested the best this week but it seems the new golden boy of Brazil has an interesting history with her. “At every championship I won in Brazil, Marina was building - in Children’s, Juniors, Young Riders and Seniors!”, he pointed out this evening.

Brilliant

Bronze medallist Ward described her courses as “brilliant, I thought top level, very big, very hard, everything a championship should be”. He has only competed at three Pan American Games during his long and super-successful career, and today’s bronze brings his total number of PanAm medals to seven.

Farrington was delighted to have moved up from eighth to silver medal spot today. “It was a great result at the end, we had to battle from the back of the pack today but with a very inexperienced horse jumping at this level. I thought he got better as the week went on and I’m thrilled with the result! 

He described today’s competition as “real jumping, I think it shows what the PanAm Games has become in our sport. It’s different now to PanAms in the past, a whole new dimension, and in the final round they can build it to that because of the level of riders they had here today”, he pointed out.

He was delighted with his horse, Landon. “I got him at the end of his seven-year-old year and he’s 10 now and really coming into his own. He won two 5* Grand Prix classes already. He showed a bit of his green-ness there in the final round when he spooked at the island but he’s an incredible athlete and you can see that - when we get into trouble he battles his way out and I thought he finished really strong. This was great experience for him and he’ll grow from it”, he said.

Means

Meanwhile the new champion reflected on what today’s gold medal means, to him and to many others.

“Since I started this journey 25 years ago in Rio de Janeiro I worked every day for a day like this, and I want to just say thank you to everybody that has helped me during this journey. I have a good team now, good people behind me, but this victory is for two people who are no longer here”, de Freitas Barcha said.

“It is for a teacher I had since I was 15, and also my friend who I lost at the beginning of the year. I know he was with me in every round supporting me this week and this victory is for Vava, my good friend who was like a brother to me”, he added in a voice filled with emotion.

He intends to celebrate tonight, but he is already planning ahead. “Tomorrow we start the focus for our next goal which is Paris (2024 Olympic Games) because I want to be part of this strong team we have in Brazil who will be going for medals!”

Result here

 

Germany’s Frederic Wandres steered Bluetooth OLD to victory in today’s second leg of the FEI Dressage World Cup™ 2022/2023 Western European League in Lyon, France where Denmark’s Nanna Skodborg Merrald and Blue Hors St Schufro finished second head of Pauline Basquin and Sertorius de Rima Z IFCE from France in third.

In yesterday’s Grand Prix, Wandres also pipped Skodborg Merrald by almost a full three percentage-point margin. Today however it was a closer contest with the judges panel of Mariette Sanders-van Gansewinkel (NED), Christof Umbach (LUX), Raphael Saleh (FRA), Jacques van Daele (BEL) and Henning Lehrmann (GER) awarding a score of 83.415 to the winning pair while the runners-up posted 82.995.

It was also close between third and fourth, with Basquin’s 80.815 giving her the edge over Sweden’s Patrik Kittel on 80.610. The Netherlands’ Emmelie Scholtens and Indian Rock finished fifth on 79.830 and Morgan Barbançon from France posted 78.320 with Habana Libre A for sixth place.

Overtook

Wandres overtook Skodborg Merrald when second-last to go and was delighted to find himself with maximum points. 

“I always had Lyon in my schedule and was looking forward to coming here. Yesterday in the Grand Prix he was already very good, and I feel we improved a few things in our Freestyle so he was even better today. I could not be more happy with two wins this weekend. I am delighted with my horse - today and the whole season”, he said.

Talking about where the improvements came today he explained, “I wanted to show a little more the piaffe after my test yesterday. I watched the video and could really see, I know the horse could do better and I tried today. It is very important for me to show consistency through my test and I am really happy”, he explained. 

Bluetooth’s consistency is undeniable. Together the pair won the Grand Prix and Freestyle at Hagen (GER) in April, were on the winning Nations Cup team at Aachen, Germany in July and competed at the FEI Dressage European Championship 2023 in Riesenbeck, Germany in September where they finished sixth in the Grand Prix, seventh in the Grand Prix Special and ninth in the Freestyle. This weekend’s double at Lyon has been the icing on the cake in a very strong season.

Asked about his plans for Bluetooth over the coming months, Wandres said that he has discussed that with his team “and we decided that this was the last show for him this year. He will come with us to Florida (USA) at the end of December and will enjoy some time off and do one show over there to get him ready for the outdoor spring shows. I don’t want to ask him too much…. the goal for us next year is Paris (2024 Olympic Games).” 

New

Skodborg Merrald performed a brand new Freestyle for the very first time today.

“I really enjoyed riding it! I think it fits my horse very well and shows his qualities”, she said.

The 12-year-old black stallion Blue Hors St Schufro has had time out of competition due to a busy breeding season, but he was in fine form in early spring when posting a series of wins and second placings at Herning in Denmark and Hagen, Germany and he has clearly found form again.

“My focus was on Zepter for the European Championship”, said the Danish rider who steered Blue Hors Zepter into second place at the FEI Dressage World Cup™ 2023 Final in Omaha, USA in April and then went on to multiple placings at the FEI Dressage European Championship including team bronze and second place in the Freestyle finale.

“I’m really enjoying having him (Blue Hors St Schufro) back in top shape, and he felt very good both days”, she added.

She intends to compete both Zepter and St Schufro throughout the Western European League series and has the third leg in Stuttgart, Germany in two weeks time already in her sights.

Progression

Pauline Basquin said she has seen “a very nice progression” in the performance of her third-placed gelding Sertorius. “Everything we put in place is paying off now, and the horse has progressed very well. It is not only about the technical things, but the whole team and the work we have done in the past year. My horse is in a really good mindset and I am very grateful for my team…..I feel very emotional tonight!”, said the Frenchwoman.

Of course she had the support of the spectators on her home ground today. “I felt the public behind me, and their encouragement. I was feeling very special and this will be a great memory for me and my horse! I am very proud, not only proud of me but proud of my horse and the French team. I was proud to wear the colour of my country and proud for everyone who supported us”, she added.

Show Director Sylvie Robert said this evening, “we are very thankful to the FEI for their trust, and very happy to host the FEI Dressage World Cup™ year after year here in Lyon. And we are happy to see our French riders performing so well in front of their home crowd! We are looking forward to following them all along their journey to Paris…..”

Standings 

Results:

Tomorrow, Friday 3 November, brings two weeks of spectacular equestrian sport to a close at the Pan American Games 2023 in Quillota, Chile where, following today’s second Horse Inspection, 28 Jumping riders will battle it out for individual gold in the much-anticipated two-round final showdown.

At the head of affairs going into the final day are two American legends. 

McLain Ward is a five-time Olympian whose record at the PanAms includes team gold at Guadalajara (MEX) in 2011 and the individual title along with team bronze in Toronto (CAN) in 2015. He holds a fractional lead over compatriot Laura Kraut who stood beside him on the top step of the eam podium yesterday. 

With results converted to points Ward carries a score of 3.34 into tomorrow’s competition with his 14-year-old gelding Contagious while triple Olympian Kraut and her 10-year-old gelding Dorado 212 are on 3.39 so there is only a hair’s breadth between them.

Brazil’s Stephan de Freitas Barcha (Chevaus Primavera Imperio Egipcio) is lying third on 4.06 ahead of bronze-medal-winning team-mate Pedro Veniss (Nimrod de Muze Z) in fourth on 4.26 and Canada’s Tiffany Foster (Figor) is in fifth on 4.40.

Mexican team-mates Nicolas Pizarro (Pia Contra) and Eugenio Garza Perez (Contago) hold the next two placings while USA’s Kent Farrington (Landon) is in eighth, Canada’s Amy Millar (Truman) lies ninth and Venezuela’s Luis Fernando Larrazabal (Condar) is in tenth. Larrazabal’s score is 5.41, so there is no room for error amongst the top ten.

Confident

Brazil’s de Freitas Barcha is feeling pretty confident.

“The first target was the team competition and the bronze medal was not the best feeling because we were fighting for the gold but I am in a good position for the individual. It’s sport and we have two more rounds so there’s a lot more to come. I need to stay focused, the mare is jumping unbelievably so let’s see whats to come!

“I have Primavera since she was six years old (she is now 12) and we grew together. I twice won the Brazilian national title with her and I came to Europe at the beginning of this year straight to a 4* show and won the Grand Prix, I was in Rome (in May 2023) also third in the Grand Prix, then I did some Nations Cups to prepare for coming here to this championship. We are in nice shape to fight!”, he says.

The first round of tomorrow’s competition begins at 11.00 local time and the top 20 go through to a second round over a different course, starting at 14.00. 

Anything can happen, so don’t miss a hoofbeat….

Startlists and Results here

There’s a saying that goes, “if you want something done, then ask a busy man…..”

Caesar Hirsch is the dynamic driving force behind the equestrian events at the Pan American Games 2023. The Venezuelan-born businessman, family-man and passionate horseman is President of the Pan American Equestrian Confederation (PAEC), and making these Games the best they can be means everything to him. 

He’s been involved in every Pan American Games since 1999 in a variety of roles, and he’s using all that experience along with his business acumen, his communication skills, his enormous energy and his powerful personality to make it happen.

After PanAm Dressage drew to a close last week he talked about what he brings to these Games, what they mean to the region, and the legacy they will leave…..in his words….  

Important

After the Olympics, the Pan American Games is one of the most important multi-sport Games in the world. Being an Olympic qualifier in equestrian, the level of sport we are going to have here is amazing and I think we already saw that in Dressage. Having Ecuador winning the individual gold medal and Chile getting the second individual slot for Paris 2024 shows that the sport is developing in the right direction, and Team Chile finished fourth and just over eight points behind the bronze medallists from Canada.

We went through the hybrid system this year to promote the Big Tour (Dressage) because the idea is to keep developing and improving the level. In Jumping we are up there already with the world standard, and in Eventing we have the hybrid 4* Dressage, 3*-L Cross-Country, 4* Jumping system in place. 

In the region we have nine individual athletes already with MERs for the Paris Olympic Games, and now with US already qualified in Dressage and Brazil and Canada joining them the level compared to previous PanAm Games has increased. 

Proud

I feel very proud of Chile and the organising team. PAEC has been very involved from day one, I’ve been here ten times to oversee things and came here 14 days before the horses arrived to be sure we have all the standards in place. The stables are good, the veterinary clinic is set up and fully operational and the airport transportation worked very well. The Chilean authorities are really committed to the Games.

Chile has won 27 Pan American Games medals and two Olympic medals. Here they developed the Master of Equestrianism qualification and they have exchange programmes with different countries in Latin America. There has always been a cross-country course in Quillota, and the army has been the biggest promoter of Eventing. The Director of the Equitation School here at Escuela de Equitación Regimiento Granaderos, Carlos Lobos, competed at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games in Eventing. 

Organising these Games there needs to be a lot of good communication, and the resources have to be allocated very effectively. It’s more of a “must-have” than “nice-to-have” situation. We were able to do that here even though the cost was significant. 

It’s a very compact venue with super structures. We changed all the footings in the arenas, did underwater irrigation, the stables were completely renovated, the vet clinic was refurbished and we added a recovery and operating room. It was a huge investment and there were times when we had to work 24/7, but it’s all about legacy and providing the best conditions for the athletes and horses to have great sport.

Passion

I was born under a horse, all my family were involved and I have a passion for the sport! 

I competed in Young Riders and jumped internationally and did a bit of Dressage because we had Chilean instructors from this school here in Quillota who were my teachers in Venezuela. In the 80s we moved to the US and I went to school and university there, and when I came back I became more involved with developing the sport. 

I brought international riders to run clinics in Venezuela, the first was Greg Best (USA, double silver medallist in Jumping at the Olympic Games in Seoul, Korea in 1988). I was also involved in the Organising Committee of an international show in the late 80s which turned into a World Cup and World Games qualifier. 

In 1995 I got my first Judges licence, and the following year I did a Stewarding course. My first Games was the 1997 Bolivarian Games in Peru as Chief Steward. Then in 1998 I was Chief Steward for the Central American & Caribbean Games and 1999 was my first PanAms where I was a Foreign member of the Appeals Committee. I’ve been involved in every Pan American Games since then in different roles.

In 2003 in Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic) I was overall Chief Steward, and I was Chief Steward in Rio de Janeiro (BRA) in 2007 and again in Guadalajara (MEX) in 2011. In 2015 I was a member of the Ground Jury for Jumping, in 2019 I was Competition Director, and at these Games - my seventh Pan Ams back-to-back - I’m President of PAEC. For the Paris 2024 Olympic Games I will be overall Chief Steward again.

But my title here is I’m everything really. I clean the rest-rooms and I give the medals, so you can call me whatever you want!

Olympic cycle

The Olympic cycle is different depending on our regions here. The Bolivarian Games is for Panama, Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Bolivia and Peru. The Central American Games is only for Central America - from Guatemala down to Panama - and those two happen in the same year. The following year you have the Central American and Caribbean Games which involves Mexico, all Central America, Colombia, Venezuela and the Caribbean islands. 

These regional Games are all a big undertaking, but it’s always been a tradition. They are different organisations with different standards of competition but they are stepping stones on the way to the Pan Americans, building a path for them year after year to improve the level of the sport. So the Bolivarian Games has certain technical requirements, the Central Americans is a bit higher, then you go to Central American & Caribbean and then Pan Americans.

In the southern region you have the South American Games for countries from Venezuela and Colombia all the way to Argentina and those are qualifiers for the Pan American Games. The Pan Ams is for all the Americas, and from here we go to the Olympics and then we start the cycle all over again. 

This year was a bit more difficult. Because of Covid the Central American and Caribbean Games were postponed by a year so they took place in July and only a few months later we have the PanAms. 

Left

I live in the US and in Paris (FRA). I’m married for 26 years, have four kids and they are my number one priority. I have a couple of business interests in the US including a logistics company with 120 employees and 60 trucks so there’s a lot going on. I have a very good structure - it’s all about team, and you see the result here. 

My experience with the different businesses and having good communication and good leadership, understanding who has the capacity to do what, I think that makes a key difference. In Wellington (Florida, USA) I also own a small chain of stores selling very high-end horse equipment call Equis.

I can’t tell you how many nights I haven’t slept here, when you start early in the morning and horses are coming in at midnight and early in the next morning you just have to get through it. But I made it clear from day one that this is our job, if its 24 hours it’s 24 hours….

I’m all about legacy. Improving the level of the sport is our key goal and we have said this to the community, the National Federations and the athletes, and they are all committed to it. If we can have the next Pan American Games all at Big Tour I’ll feel very proud. Eventing is more difficult because the cross-country 4* is a big step up, but now having already the 4* in the Dressage and Jumping phases we only need to improve the level of the cross-country.

The visibility at these Games is better than ever. Ingmar (de Vos, FEI President) made it a must to have live-streaming of all three disciplines in every competition. Initially the cross-country wasn’t within the scope of the production, but with his support and the FEI production team we were able to have live-streaming on cross-country which is fantastic for the sport and for the region.

Raise the bar

When you you raise the bar you raise it for everyone. You can see how the athletes celebrate when they are competing here no matter how it goes for them. They fly their flags with pride, they have the passion, they stick together and when they get a medal they become rockstars in their home country. It means so much….

The atmosphere here has been so positive and I’m sure we will carry that through to the last day. Having the opportunity to work within the sport wearing so many different hats makes my life so much easier when you are organising. 

I’m a Level 4 Judge and a Level 4 Steward and there are only two of us in the world - Frances Trulzi and me. I use all that experience to do the best I can here and I don’t have any conflict of interest, I don’t make money out of the sport, I don’t have family or horses or anything in the sport. It’s just me - and what you see is what you get!

Robert Ridland’s American side made a mighty comeback today to win Jumping team gold at the Pan American Games 2023 in Quillota, Chile. After two rounds of competition in which fortunes fluctuated wildly for many sides, McLain Ward (Contagious), Kent Farrington (Landon), Laura Kraut (Dorado 212) and Karl Cook (Caracole de la Roque) brought it home, but they knew they’d been in a fight.

Following an unconvincing performance yesterday when Kraut was the only one to keep a clean sheet, they were lying fifth as the day began behind Argentina in fourth, Canada in third, Colombia in second and the defending champions from Brazil at the top of the leaderboard. It was always going to be a tough climb back into contention, but in the end a total of seven American clear rounds ensured they clinched it, although it came right down to the wire in the closing stages.

The Canadians also rallied brilliantly today to move into silver medal position, while the defending champions from Brazil lost their overnight lead and dropped to bronze, finishing just over two points ahead of Mexico in fourth place.

The Mexicans were not altogether heartbroken however, because along with the silver medallists from Canada and the gold medal winners from USA they earned a qualifying spot for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

It was a roller-coaster of a day, and unpredictable to the very end. As Canadian legend and Chef d’Equipe Ian Millar said this evening, “if you were watching it with nobody in the hunt you’d have to say this was fantastic sport! But when you had somebody in it, it was very, very concerning at times because of course the qualification for Paris is such a big deal to every country and no team wanted to go home and say guess what, we didn’t qualify!”

Tension

The tension was palpable from the outset, and the Americans were already threatening Brazil for the lead after clears from Ward, Farrington and Kraut left them just .05 behind the leaders going into the second round.

Brazil had added eight faults to their tally and overnight leader in the individual standings, Marlon Zanotelli, was their discard when posting 21 faults first time out after his mare, Deesse de Coquerie, took a dislike to the first element of the penultimate fence on the 1.60m track, the Emperor Penguins triple combination. In the second round she stopped there again so he retired, and that put the team under huge pressure.

Pathfinder Veniss and third-line rider de Freitas Barcha went clear but it was hanging on a knife-edge as anchorman Rodrigo Pessoa set off, last man into the ring. If he could make it home without incident Brazil would maintain that fractional advantage and claim the gold. But when Major Tom hit the back bar at fence two and at the third element of the triple combination, and following double-clears from Ward and Farrington and a footperfect run from Cook for the first time in the championship, the Americans were the ones who would go home with gold around their necks.

It was a huge relief for the winners, and also for the Canadians who with eight faults in the first round and three fantastic clears second time out rose to take silver, pinning Brazil back to bronze in the final analysis. 

Ian Millar was thrilled with his side’s performance, although like many others he found the excitement of the day almost unbearable. Asked how he was feeling knowing that Canada not only took silver but is on its way to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games he replied with a laugh, “I needed the defibrillator, but other than that I’m fine!

“What a team! They were in touch and they came into that second round and took no prisoners and got it done!”, he said of Tiffany Foster (Figor), Mario Deslauriers (Emerson), Amy Millar (Truman) and Beth Underhill (Nikka vd Bisschop).

Foster and Figor produced one of six double-clears today and really bolstered the Canadian position. Her big Dutch-bred gelding literally took everything in his stride. “It just shows what it means to have a partnership with these animals. I’ve ridden him since he was seven years old and he’s 13 now, we think together and have rounds that feel really cohesive and we are a team. I’m very grateful to have him on days like this when no matter what they build, the jumps look small!”, she pointed out.

Delighted

Meanwhile the Americans were delighted to have clinched their country’s eighth Pan American Jumping team title. As Kraut said however, it wasn’t exactly a walk-in-the-park along the way.

“It’s been extremely nerve-wracking this whole day. We had a very good first-round performance but still you know that it could all go away. Two mediocre rounds would have lost it for us. For me I was so relieved when the three before me went clear. I almost enjoyed the last round - unlike yesterday!”, said the rider whose team-mates ensured that gold was already in the bag before she set off on her final run, and who now lies second behind Ward who holds the lead going into Friday’s individual medal-decider. With less than a fence separating the top ten that is going to be another mighty battle.

“We’ll focus on that tomorrow”, Ward said. “As everybody knows our main goal was to qualify for the Games and to win a medal here as a team, to represent our country well. I thought the team rallied well and pulled it off with pretty good style today. But the fact that it took us so long to qualify needs to bring it to our attention that we can’t rest on a good week here. There’s some work to be done to be prepared for Paris where we go against the world’s best”, he pointed out with some conviction. 

Meanwhile his team manager, Robert Ridland, reflected on the ever-improving level of competition at the Pan American Games. “The last two or three (editions) we keep seeing a higher and higher level competition, and I think everyone saw that again today. These are really strong teams out there fighting to the end, and it’s a big tribute to what the Pan American Games have become!”, he said.

It’s a rest day tomorrow for the Jumping horses, with the second horse inspection taking place in the afternoon. The Individual medals will be decided on Friday, with the action getting underway at 11.00 local time.

So don’t miss a hoofbeat….

Startlists and Results here 

The FEI Driving World Cup™ has taken tradition and given it a modern twist.  It’s about power, skill and teamwork where four horses work together as the driver guides them through the course at speed, assisted by two back-steppers, while giving the crowds an experience they won’t forget. 

Over eight qualifying legs at major indoor shows in Europe between November and January, the world’s top ten four-in-hand drivers and their equine athletes will vie for six places at the February finals in Bordeaux (FRA) and the chance become the FEI Driving World Cup™ Season 2023/2024 winner.

Defending champion and history’s most garlanded horse fours driver, Australia’s Boyd Exell, has his sights set on an incredible 11^th title.  Based in Valkenswaard, the Netherlands, where he runs a busy training and event centre, Boyd is not only preparing his own horses but he’s coaching other competitors too.

“This season, the margins between the top drivers are tighter than ever, so I’m expecting the results to be really close.  I’m competing with the same horses that I used all last season when we were so consistent and fast, and ended with the title in Bordeaux.  But when you have the best horses, there is a huge responsibility because you have to perform at your best too and not let them, or the people around you, down – which adds another pressure.” – Boyd Exell 

Another driver who is accustomed to the responsibility and expectation that a champion bears is twice winner Bram Chardon (NED) who will compete alongside his father, the great Ijsbrand.  Bram, who recently defended his European horse fours title in Exloo (NED), last won the World Cup final in Leipzig (GER) in April 2022.

“Alongside our more experienced horses, we have some new Lipizzaners for this season who will add quality to our indoor teams.  With both of us competing, our planning has to be strategic, and I don’t want to start my season as late as I did last year, so instead of opening at Geneva (SUI) I am starting as a wild card at the second leg in Maastricht (NED).  The aim is to combine speed and accuracy, which takes time to build up with new horses, but I am feeling really positive.” – Bram Chardon (NED)

Another experienced driver who is always in the mix is the Chardons’ long-term teammate Koos de Ronde (NED), who won the FEI Driving World Cup™ gold ten years ago.  His current form bodes well for the series, especially after a superb marathon which helped him to individual silver in Exloo.  Making a welcome return after skipping last season due to the birth of her daughter, Germany’s Mareike Harm enters the line-up ranked fifth.  She is joined by two more Germans, regular World Cup competitor Michael Brauchle and Georg von Stein, who competes as a qualified athlete for the first time in several seasons. 

"Alongside our more experienced horses, we have some new Lipizzaners for this season who will add quality to our indoor teams."

Bram Chardon (NED)

After a successful outdoor campaign in both horse fours and pairs classes, Anna Sandmann (GER) earned a place having finished in the top ten but decided not to take it up due to business commitments.  This opened the door to the Belgian Dries Degrieck, who is now in his third season on the World Cup circuit.  He is joined by his regular teammate, Glenn Geerts, who took bronze at the Leipzig final in 2022.  Completing the line-up of qualified athletes is another indoor specialist, Jérôme Voutaz (SUI) with his compact Swiss horses who are so well-suited to the format.

The first three events fall on consecutive weekends, starting at the Longines Equita Lyon Concours Hippique International, where Boyd, Glenn, Jérôme, Dries and Ijsbrand are joined by the host nation’s two wild card entries Benjamin Aillaud and Anthony Horde. 

The spectacle moves onto Maastricht (NED) where Koos, Mareike, Michael, Glenn and Georg are the qualified competitors, with Boyd and Bram as wild cards.  Stuttgart (GER) is the following weekend, then there is a break before Stockholm (SWE) where Fredrik Persson is confirmed as the wild card.  Christmas comes early in Geneva and London with the glitzy, festive arena decorations which adds to the family friendly atmosphere.  Shortly after Christmas the focus turns to Mechelen (BEL) before the qualifying legs wrap up in Leipzig where those six finals places will be confirmed.

Each of the eight legs has two competitions with a drive-off, run over two days, and the first competition placings set the second round’s running order.  Points towards the final are earned from the second competition positions and are given to the five qualifying drivers, not the wild cards.  Ahead of the series, each driver will have indicated which legs they wish to attend, and there is the bonus of an additional outing as a wild card by invitation of the organisers.

The first World Cup champion was German legend Michael Freund who took the title five times, sharing it in 2005 with Ijsbrand Chardon, who has been champion on three occasions.  The Driving is staged alongside other equestrian disciplines and is a favourite with the crowds who join in and cheer on the teams as they race through the pairs of cones and two marathon-style obstacles.   The format is easy to follow as the aim is to be fastest against the clock while not knocking any balls or elements, which add expensive penalties. 

The FEI Driving World Cup™ Series is a high-energy experience which raises the roof while showcasing teamwork from both horses and humans.  With only the reins in their hands, the drivers must combine lightening-fast reactions with precision under pressure.  While on the back of the carriage, the navigator is in charge of the routes, and the bottom back-stepper provides ballast and keeps the carriage level on the tight turns.  All involved need bravery, great communication skills, focus, speed and accuracy – and a bit of luck to keep those balls in place! 

For dates, schedules and information - FEI Driving World Cup™ - Season 2023-2024

Saddlery experts Bates Saddles – an esteemed fourth-generation family-owned saddlery company and well-known international equestrian brand – has become the Official FEI Saddle Partner.

Photo: FEI Secretary General Sabrina Ibáñez (left) with Head of Product Innovation at Bates Saddles, Emily Bates at the official signing (Copyright/FEI)

With their reputation for delivering sound and practical saddle guidance for riders of every equestrian discipline, Bates Saddles has enjoyed career-long partnerships with many elite riders including German Dressage legend Isabell Werth (GER).

“Horse saddles are considered the most important piece of tack, and a key concern of riders is often the impact that their saddle has on their riding,” FEI Commercial Director Ralph Straus explained.

“Riders from all over the world have long relied on Bates Saddles unparalleled expertise to provide sound information on saddle related questions. So, we are extremely pleased to be partnering with them not just for the pride they take in delivering high quality saddlery, but also because horse welfare is always at the heart of their work. We know that it is these shared values that will help us both evolve and grow over the long term in this partnership.”

Founded by George Bates in 1934, Bates Saddles has passed down through generations of the Bates family and is today proudly run by George's great-granddaughters, Ellen and Emily. They inherited the company from their father Ron Bates, whose role as the Managing Director still keeps him heavily involved in the day-to-day running of the business. 

Photo: German Dressage legend Isabell Werth, pictured with Ron Bates. (Image courtesy of Bates Saddles)

The company’s guiding principle has always been horse welfare and comfort, as well as the strong belief that “comfortable horses perform better”.

As a saddler and experienced horseman himself, Ron Bates pioneered much of the innovation in the brand, introducing various advancements, such as air cushions, plastic adjustable saddle trees, webbers, and movable blocks on saddles.

Ron’s legacy has been one of reimagining saddle functionality from the horse’s perspective, with his creative solutions becoming the industry benchmark for horse comfort under saddle. His work has also helped position Bates Saddles as a company with unparalleled competitive advantage in the industry.

Innovation has always been the name of the game, and the contribution Bates Saddles have made to the evolution of saddles over time has no comparison. The company’s reputation has been built on its creation of the first adjustable tree, adjustable knee rolls and adjustable girth systems, as well as pioneering changeable gullet plates, the sealed equestrian air cushion panel system, a riser system enabling panel customisation and the close contact adjustable stirrup bars.

"Under the governance of the FEI, equestrian sport has evolved over the years to an incredibly high standard of competition and professionalism,” Ron said.

“It is such a joy to collaborate with the FEI on all aspects of horse health around saddles, as an official supplier. It has been my experience that progress is driven through the exchange of knowledge and it is my hope that our collaboration will advance horse and rider happiness under saddle, around the world.

“As competitive standards reach ever new heights, we will leave no stone unturned in driving the future evolution of saddles to deliver on performance.”

As a saddlery company, Bates Saddles have also long been focused on education, not only through research and development, but in sharing what they know with as many equestrians as possible for the good of horses worldwide.

It was this focus on education and horse welfare which first forged the partnership between the FEI and Bates Saddles, with the latter providing advice to the FEI’s online community over the past year.

Read also:
Checklist for buying a new saddle
Does my saddle fit?
Why is my saddle slipping?
Does my saddle sit correctly?
Is it me or my saddle?
How to girth your saddle correctly?

"As my daughters start their equestrian journeys, I'm reminded of how steep the learning curve is for equestrians of all ages,”, Head of Product Innovation at Bates Saddles, Emily Bates said.

“It is rewarding to cultivate sound foundational guidance for riders wherever they are in their unfolding equestrian story. I consider it a huge privilege to form part of the FEI's trusted voice in creating a timeless resource on saddles across all disciplines and experience levels."

The defending champions from Brazil threw down the gauntlet on the opening day of Jumping at the Pan American Games 2023 in Quillota, Chile today. They not only head the leaderboard going into tomorrow’s team medal-deciding Nations Cup class, but they also hold the top two places in the individual standings with 2019 individual gold medallist, Marlon Zanotelli, edging team-mate Pedro Veniss for top spot.

In a Speed class full of sporting surprises it was Colombia that filled second spot this afternoon bolstered by a great run from Rene Lopez and Kherox Van’t Hoogeinde who will lie third individually when the action resumes tomorrow morning.

Canada holds third spot in the team rankings, Argentina is in fourth, USA is in fifth and Mexico is in sixth place ahead of the hosts from Chile who are only just over two penalty points further behind. Uruguay and Ecuador hold the final two placings at this early stage.

Target 

Veniss set the early target when home and dry with the 12-year-old Nimrod de Muze Z in 73.40 seconds while second-line Brazilian team member Stephan de Freitas Barcha left the first element of the penultimate double on the floor with Chevaux Primavera Imperio Egipcio to put 80.99 seconds on the board. 

Zanotelli’s scorching round in 72.87 would be the quickest of the day, and he gave a thumbs-up to the crowd as he left the arena with the 10-year-old mare Deesse de Coquerie knowing that he had really put it up to the rest of them. Last man in for Brazil was multiple champion Rodrigo Pessoa with his 10-year-old gelding Major Tom, and it was looking every inch a clear until they clipped the oxer at fence eight to add four seconds to their time for a total of 81.98.

With scores converted into points, the Brazilians are out in front on 4.32 but with less than a three-point advantage over Colombia on 7.29 while Team Canada is less than another three points further adrift on 9.62. 

Argentina put up a great performance to finish with a running tally of 12.01 for fourth place, their pathfinding partnership of Ignacio Maurin and his 10-year-old gelding Chaquitos PS producing a superb clear in 78.25 seconds which leaves them lying individually eighth.

For Team USA however it was a topsy-turvy afternoon. 

Fast

McLain Ward and Contagious led the way and hit the same fence as Pessoa would later in the day to finish fast but penalised by those extra four seconds for every fence down. Then Karl Cook set off with Caracole de la Roque who faulted at the third fence, the beautifully-built Portada de Antofagasta wall which represents a natural arch formation in Chile, but by the time the pair were making the right-handed turn to the Mineria oxer at fence six their lines of communication seemed to have disintegrated. 

The horse almost collided with the right wing of the fence and Cook had to hold on tight to stay aboard, but having pulled themselves together they completed with just one more fence down, their finishing time of 111.44 however leaving them with an expensive converted score of 19.28 and leaving it up to the final two team-members to restore the team’s equilibrium.

When Kent Farrington and Landon hit both the first element of the final double and the last fence it became critical for anchor partnership Laura Kraut and Dorado to stem the tide of misfortune. And with the resolve she has shown so many times before she did just that, the 2008 Olympic team gold medallist coming home with a lovely clear in 79.66 seconds. It was slower than she would have liked, but the 10-year-old gelding spent a lot of time in the air demonstrating his jumping expertise. 

“He was on springs - I’m getting used to it but I think that was probably why he was a bit slower than was intended, but he did his job, he was perfect so let’s just hope we can go forward tomorrow and do the same!”, Kraut said afterwards.

She was under incredible pressure going in. ”I didn’t check with everybody but I could imagine all four riders were riding my horse around in there today!”, she said. “You hate going in with that feeling that you have to have a good round, but I had a lot of confidence in my horse, he’s wonderful, even though he’s new to the sport he has the best brain!”, she added.

Her performance anchored Team USA in that fifth place, and they’ll be hoping for a less drama-filled day tomorrow. Because along with Colombia, Canada and Argentina, Mexico, Chile, Ecuador and Uruguay they are chasing one of the three qualifying spots on offer for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games this week.

Pressure off

With their Olympic qualification already wrapped up following a super performance at the Longines FEI Jumping Nations Cup™ Final 2023 in Barcelona, Spain a few weeks ago the pressure is off the Brazilians to some extent this week, but Pan American medals mean a very great deal to athletes in the region. 

“We still came here to defend the Pan American team title, and that’s the main focus for us this week, to try and do it well”, said Marlon Zanotelli earlier today.

“Brazil is in a very good moment with horse power right now, we have very good horses and for some of them this is their first championship so it’s a great experience for them towards Paris”, he added.

His French-bred mare Deesse de Coquerie hasn’t been with him very long “but I believe a lot in her, she’s probably one of the most talented horses I ever sat on. She’s still very eager and a bit green for her age, she hasn’t done that much for a 10-year-old, but she proved today that she is an unbelievable jumper”, he pointed out.

He’s not sure if she will be the horse he will take to Paris next summer. “I’m very lucky, I have three horses and I can prepare them all because that’s definitely the biggest goal for us next year, but you never know. Last year I thought Edgar would be my horse for the World Championships and it ended up I brought Like a Diamond, so I always like to prepare all my horses that I think have potential and see how it goes”, he explained. 

But for now there is another task ahead. And another few of Marina Azevedo’s courses to be jumped over the next few days. 

Praised

Zanotelli praised today’s 13-fence track that proved very jumpable for horses and riders at all levels.

“Marina did a great job there with a lot of options, the roll-backs to the wall (at fence 3) to get the horses sharp on the first turn…..a very delicate line with the liverpool and the vertical (fences 6 and 7), a roll-back again with the closed oxer that caught a few riders - also Rodrigo had the fault there (fence 8).

“She did a fantastic job playing with the balance of the horses, left, right, forward and back and she gave the chance to every horse to do a good round, to be still quick enough. Like Pedro’s (Veniss BRA) horse is not the quickest but he’s very close to mine (in the scores this evening). We had different plans because our horses are very different, but that just shows that the course gives the chance to the rider to make the slower horse still be quick. 

“The course design was nice, the questions were progressive and in a nice way. A lot happens because of the rider’s nerves as well - I think she did a great job for the first day!”, the defending double-champion concluded.

Tomorrow’s two-round team medal-decider begins at 11.00 local time, so don’t miss a hoofbeat….

Startlists and Results here

Jumping takes centre stage at the equestrian events of the Pan American Games 2023 in Quillota, Chile this week with a total of 18 nations, nine with teams and nine with individuals, lining out.

Brazil will be defending both the team and individual titles but, with qualification already confirmed following their great performance at the Longines FEI Jumping Nations Cup™ Final 2023 in Barcelona (ESP) four weeks ago, they won’t be chasing one of the three qualifying spots up for grabs for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

It will be Argentina, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Uruguay and USA who will be battling it out for those precious places when the action gets underway tomorrow morning (31 October) at 11.30 local time.

USA has won the Pan American Jumping team title on seven occasions and Brazil has won it six times, while Americans have also racked up six individual victories.

First

Brazil’s Marina Azevedo is the first female Jumping course designer in the history of the Pan American Games. Yesterday she built the final-phase track for Eventing which proved very influential, and this week she has four courses to create for Jumping. 

Tomorrow’s opening Speed class will be followed by Wednesday’s two-round Nations Cup competition which will decide the Team medals. 

The top-30 combinations then go through to Friday’s first round of the Individual Final which is limited to three riders from any country, and the top 20 return for the second round in which the Individual medals will be decided. Penalties are carried through from the first competition to the last.

The draw for order-of-go took place today and it will be Mexico that will be first to go of the teams. The drawn order is: 1, Mexico; 2, Canada; 3, Uruguay; 4, Chile; 5, Brazil; 6, USA; 7, Colombia; 8, Argentina; 9, Ecuador.

Inspired

Inspired by America’s Linda Allen and British legend Pam Carruthers, Marina Azevedo has made her way into the male-dominated world of Jumping course design over a number of years. “A woman can do the job as well as a man, but the opportunities are less”, she says, pointing out that children and family life often get in the way.

She was Assistant course designer at four previous Pan American Games ‘and I’ve done North American Games, 5* Spruce Meadows, assisted at the Olympic Games but this is a very important job for me”, she said today.

As a competition athlete herself she won several silver medals at Children’s, Juniors and Young Riders level “and I was fortunate to have Vitor Teixeira as my coach, he now coaches Argentina, and I also I lived in Europe for two years with Nelson Pessoa and his team where I learned a lot about our sport”, she explained.

“The biggest challenge at the Pan American Games is building courses with challenges for all riders and horses - fair courses that are interesting for everybody”, she said. “We are lucky to have beautiful material to work with at these Games and these jumps give us a history lesson about Chile. It was a great effort from the Committee to create unique jumps for every day”. 

Wednesday’s Nations Cup competition that will decide the team medals is what she is looking forward to most this week. “It’s going to be my biggest challenge because there is going to be a big fight between many great riders”, she pointed out.

Defending

The defending champions from Brazil are sending out two athletes from their 2019 winning side, Marlon Zanotelli who also took the individual title in Lima (PER) in 2019 will partner Deesse de Coquerie and Pedro Veniss will ride Nimrod de Muze Z. They will be joined by Stephan de Freitas Barcha with 

Chevaux Primavera Imperio Egipcio and Rodrigo Pessoa with Major Tom and they are a super-strong foursome.

First into the ring will be Dominican Republic’s individual competitor Andres Julio Soto Peña with Optimus Blue who will be followed by Team Mexico’s Eugenio Garza Perez and Contago.

Don’t miss a hoofbeat….

Startlists and Results here