Dressage-News

PALGRAVE, Ontario, July 12, 2015–As expected, the Pan American Games Nations Cup was for the United States to lose and that could still happen as the second day of competition will decide which country gets to send a team to the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro next year.

The Canadian Small Tour combinations of Brittany Fraser on All In and Chris Von Martels on Zilverstar showed what they predicted just days before this hemispheric championship that they would give the Americans a run for the money.

It took the combined efforts of Steffen Peters on Legolas and Laura Graves on Verdades at Big Tour and Kimberly Herslow on Rosmarin at Small Tour to insure the United States had a clear lead after the first of two days of the team competition. Their plan is to repeat it for the second day for the United States to take home the fifth straight team gold medal from the Pan Ams that are held once every four years and this year were a unique–and privately disparaged by many–mix of Big and Small Tour combinations.

The top six individuals in the Prix St. Georges and Grand Prix turned out to also be the three scores that counted for the United States and Canadian teams.

Some highlights of their rides:

1. Steffen Peters and Legolas

2. Brittany Fraser and All In.

3.  Kimberly Herslow and Rosmarin

4. Laura Graves and Verdades

5. Chris Von Martels and Zilverstar

6. Belinda Trussell and Anton