USA IN Position to Make History at Pan American Games Individual Jumping Final Saturday
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By KENNETH J. BRADDICK
GUADALAJARA, Mexico, Oct. 28–The United States is in a position to create more history after claiming team gold at the Pan American Games, with three of its combinations filling the top three places ahead of the individual final Saturday.
No nation has ever swept all the jumping medals and the last time one country took the team and individual gold was in 1987 by Canada and the legendary Ian Millar who is competing at these Games and looking to add to his record of eight Pan Am medals.
However, the feat will not be easy for Beezie Madden and Coral Reef Via Volo in first with no faults, Christine McCrea and Romantovich Take One at 0.88 and Beezie’s double Olympic team gold medal team mate McLain Ward and Antares F at 2.02.
Less than a single rail back are Brazil’s Bernardo Alves on Bridgitt (2.09) and his compatriot and one of the most successful riders Rodrigo Pessoa and HH Ashley (2.87), Mexico’s Alberto Michan and Rosalia La Silla (2.28) and, who else, Cap’n Canada, as Ian Millar is known, and Star Power (3.79).
The success of the U.S. in the first speed class and then through two rounds of the Nations Cup final has been awe-inspiring as Beezie of Cazenovia, New York, and Christine of East Windsor, Connecticut, have not made a mistake, the separation being on time, and their handling of the courses designed by Javier Fernández of Guadalajara has appeared effortless. Or as Chef d’Equipe George Morris put it: “It’s the way they rode, it’s not the result. I’m an ideological horseman. I’m not interested in it unless it’s beautifully ridden.”
The final of two rounds will have 25 starting combinations and no more than three from any one country.
That means that Kent Farrington and Uceko who matched his U.S. team mates with two clear round in the team competition and is in 8th place will not compete in the individual final.
With the pressure off riders from the U.S., Mexico and Chile who were successful in qualifying here for the Olympics in London next year, they all will be riding for personal glory.
The top 25 in the standings with the fourth combination from nations not included are:
Rank – Nat – Rider – Horse – Score
1. USA – Beezie Madden – Coral Reef Via Volo – 0.0
2. USA – Christine McCrea – Romantovich Take One – 0.88
3. USA – McLain Ward – Antares F – 2.02
4. BRA – Bernardo Alves – Bridgitt – 2.09
5. MEX – Alberto Michan – Rosalia La Silla – 2.28
6. BRA – Rodrigo Pessoa – HH Ashley – 2.87
7. CAN – Ian Millar – Star Power – 3.79
8. MEX – Antonio Maurer – Callao – 4.98
9. CHI – Tomas Couve – Arc en Ciel de Muze – 5.87
10. BER – Jillian Terceira – Bernadien van Westur – 9.24
11. BRA – Karina Johannpeter – SRF Dragonfly de Joter
12. COL – Daniel Bluman – Sancha LS
13. CAN – Eric Lamaze – Coriana V Klapscheut
14. CAN – Jonathan Asselin – Showgirl
15. CHI – Samuel Parot – Al Calypso
16. MEX – Enrique Gonzalez – Criptonite
17. CHI – Rodrigo Carrasco – Or de la Charboniere
18. ARG – Jose Maria Larocca – Royal Power
19. PUR – Mark Watring – Greens Sleeps
20. ARG – Matias Albarracin – P’Compadre Bally Cullen Maid
21. COL – John Perez – Utopia
22. ECU – Pablo Jose Andrade – Wokina
23. VEN – Andres Rodriguez – Beaufort van Han Lind
24. DOM – Hector Florentino Roca – Ultimo
25. URU – Martin Rodriguez – Cointreau
A horse inspection will be held Saturday morning.
