Dressage-News

OTTAWA, Ontario, June 13, 2015–Canada’s Pan American Games team of two Big Tour and two Small Tour combinations was announced Saturday.

The team comprising the top two pairs in Big and Small Tour standings will try to win the sole starting place available through the continental championships for the Olympic Games next year. To do so, a team must include a Grand Prix horse and rider.

The lineup announced by Equine Canada for the championships at the Caledon Pan Am Equestrian Park in Palgrave near Toronto July 11-14 is:

Big Tour

Belinda Trussell, 44 years old, of Stoufville, Ontario and Anton, 15-year-old Sachsen-Thüringen gelding. The pair competed for Canada at the World Equestrian Games in Kentucky in 2010 and at Normandy in 2014

Megan Lane, 24 years old at the time of the Pan Ams, of Loretto, Ontario, and Caravella, 14-year-old KWPN mare. The international partnership began at the 2010 North American Young Rider Championships and the pair was on the Canadian team at the World Games in 2014.

Small Tour

Brittany Fraser, 26 years old, of New Glasgow, Nova Scotia, and All In, 10-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding. Brittany and the horse she competed at national Grand Prix earlier this year but dropped back to Small Tour on the advice of her coach, Ashley Holzer, compiled a string of five straight victories in Canada’s final two selection trials.

Chris von Martels, 32 years old, of Ridgetown, Ontario, and Zilverstar, 11-year-old KWPN gelding. The pair have competed on both sides of the Atlantic since beginning their international career in early 2013.

The two reserves are:

‘Small Tour

Diane Creech, aged 52, of Caistor Centre, Ontario and Robbie W, 12-year-old Oldenburg gelding.

Big Tour

Karen Pavicic, 44 years old, of South Surrey, British Columbia, on Don Daiquiri, 13-year-old Oldenburg gelding. The pair represented Canada at the 2014 World Games.

Other nations with Big Tour combinations are Argentina, Mexico and the United States.