Dressage-News

SANTIAGO, Oct. 25, 2023–Julio Mendoza Loor made history Wednesday when he rode his Jewel’s Goldstrike to victory for Pan American Games individual gold, the first medal for Ecuador in more than seven decades of the continental championships. João-Victor Marcari of Brazil on Feel Good VO took silver and USA’s Anna Marek on Fire Fly the bronze.

Julio, 44, based in Columbus, North Carolina and Jewel’s Goldstrike, a 12-year-old KWPN gelding, scored a personal best 84.230% that was boosted by Pan Am 3% bonus for Big Tour to 87.230% for the win. It also earned Julio a start as an individual at the Olympics in Paris next year. Julio has U.S. citizenship as well as Ecuadoran but applying to change to a different flag would have kept him out of the Pan Ams, held once every four years.

Svenja Grimm, 33-year-old German who moved to Chile and now rides for the nation, also earned a Paris start by riding Doctor Rossi, 12-year-old Oldenburg gelding, to 8th place on a score of 75.335% (Pan Am 78.335%).

The victory for Julio, coached mostly by video across the Atlantic by David Hunt of Great Britain, came after eight straight victories at Big Tour competitions on the U.S. East Coast this year.

João-Victor Marcari, who is based in Portugal, had led Brazil to team silver on Feel Good and also posted a personal best 83.160% (PanAm 86.160%). The 11-year-old Westfalen stallion was initially his backup for these championships but made the switch when Escorial Campline that he rode at the 2022 world championships did not feel his best.

Anna Marek, 34 years old and based in Dunnellen near Ocala’s World Equestrian Center posted a career high 78.305% (PanAm 81.305%) on the 13-year-old KWPN gelding Fire Fly.

This was the first championship team performance for Anna though she has competed at Nations Cups in Florida.

Sarah Tubman and First Apple the 2019 individual gold medal partnership for the U.S. was edged off the podium into fourth place on 78.155% (PanAm 81.155%).

Results:

Grand Prix Freestyle

Rank	Competitor	Score	E	H	C	M	B
1.	Julio Mendoza Loor (ECU) Jewel’s Goldstrike	87.230%	84.425	86.475	81.825	84.525	83.900
2.	João-Victor Marcari Oliva (BRA) Feel Good VO	86.160%	82.550	82.525	82.525	84.675	83.525
3.	Anna Marek (USA) Fire Fly	81.305%	76.425	80.025	77.800	81.025	76.250
4.	Sarah Tubman (USA) First Apple	81.155%	77.550	79.650	78.250	75.325	80.000
5.	Renderson Silva de Oliveira (BRA) Fogoso Campline	80.095%	75.950	76.850	77.350	78.300	77.025
6.	Codi Harrison (USA) Katholt’s Bossco	79.230%	75.450	75.800	74.675	77.225	78.000
7.	Camille Carier Bergeron (CAN) Sound of Silence 4	78.915%	75.500	75.750	75.025	78.125	75.175
8.	Svenja Grimm (CHI) Doctor Rossi	78.335%	74.725	74.025	75.450	76.450	76.025
9.	Yvonne Losos de Muñiz (DOM) Aquamarijn	77.570%	72.275	76.650	74.850	74.575	74.500
10.	Naïma Moreira Laliberté (CAN) Statesman	77.130%	73.800	74.550	73.625	74.450	74.225
11.	Patricia Ferrando (VEN) Honnaisseur SJ	75.255%	71.800	71.425	72.675	74.825	70.550
12.	Mathilde Blais Tétreault (CAN) Fedor	74.195%	70.950	72.350	68.800	72.650	71.225
13.	Micaela Mabragaña (ARG) Bradley Cooper	72.995%	69.950	70.100	68.650	70.925	70.350
14.	Maria Viktorovna Ugryumova Mikhailova (MEX) Impaciente PH	72.565%	66.600	71.675	67.950	71.775	69.825
15.	Paulo Cesar Dos Santos (BRA) Fidel Da Sasa JE	71.175%	68.525	67.450	66.225	69.775	68.900
WD	Gabriel Martin Armando (ARG) San Rio	withdrawn
Find details on Equestrian Hub

Intermediate I Freestyle

Rank	Competitor	Score	E	H	C	M	B
1.	Mario Vargas (CHI) Kadiene	71.025%	71.200	71.500	71.125	71.125	70.175
2.	Carolina Cordoba Wolf (MEX) Johnny Cash	70.945%	72.050	70.875	69.500	69.375	72.925
3.	Maria Alejandra Aponte Gonzalez (COL) Lord Of The Dance	70.400%	70.425	71.125	71.125	68.950	70.375
4.	Carlos Maldonado Lara (MEX) Frans	63.905%	64.975	65.375	62.375	63.425	63.375
Find details on Equestrian Hub