Ottawa, Ontario — Dressage Canada is pleased to announce the following eight combinations who will be vying for one of only three positions on the Canadian Pan American Games Dressage Team:
Rider Hometown Horse Owner
Karen Pavicic Richmond, BC Lionheart Karen Pavicic
Diane Creech Caistor Centre, ON Wiona Doug & Louise Leatherdale
Gillian Sutherland Unionville, ON Great Tyme Gillian Sutherland
Dominique Culham Langley, BC Matisse Dominique Culham
Evi Strasser Sainte-Adele, QC Foto Tyme Evi Strasser
Andrea Bresee Brockville, ON Raffles Gina Smith & Faith Berghuis
Jacqueline Brooks Mount Albert, ON Balmoral Brinc Ltd, Anne & John Welch, Nick & Jean Vinios
Tom Dvorak Hillsburgh, ON Beaumarchais Susan Holden
“The High Performance Committee congratulates all competitors on their success to date and extends best wishes to each for continued success in achieving their goals,” said Gwynne Rooke, Chair of Dressage Canada’s High Performance Committee. “We are confident that the final PAG team of three riders plus one Reserve will do Canada proud.”
These eight combinations will now compete in two head-to-head final selection trials. In the event any of these top eight (8) rider/horse combinations are unable to participate, those qualified in descending order will be invited. The first trial will take place May 30-31 at Saddlewood Equestrian Centre in Bethany, ON. The second trial will follow on June 1-3 at the CornerStone Spring into Dressage show being held in Palgrave, ON.
International Judging Panel
Both trials will boast an impressive international judging panel comprised of:
Trial # 1 – Saddlewood Equestrian Centre – May 30-31, 2007
Lorraine MacDonald (FEI ‘I’ – CAN) - President of Ground Jury
Marian Cunningham (FEI ‘I’ - PER)
Lorraine Stubbs (FEI ‘I’ - CAN)
Jeanne McDonald (FEI ‘C’ - USA)
Gabriel Armando (FEI ‘C’ - ARG)
Trial # 2 – CornerStone Farms Spring Into Dressage – June 1-3, 2007
Gary Rockwell (FEI ‘O’ - USA)
Marian Cunningham (FEI ‘I’ - PER)
Lorraine MacDonald (FEI ‘I’ - CAN)
Joan McCartney (FEI ‘I’ - CAN)
Jane Weatherwax (FEI ‘I’ - USA)
Gabriel Armando (FEI ‘C’ - ARG)
Jeanne McDonald (FEI ‘C’ - USA)
How will the Final Selection Trials Work?
Each rider/horse combination will compete in the Prix St. Georges, Intermediaire I and Intermediaire Freestyle classes at both final selection trials.
Total scores from the final selection trials will be tabulated as follows:
· Two Prix St.Georges classes - 30% each (total of 60%)
· Two Intermediate 1 classes - 15% each (total 30%)
· Intermediate 1 Freestyle score - 10%
How are the Final Standings Calculated?
The final members of the 2007 PAG Dressage Team will be selected in descending order of total scores as calculated above. The highest three scoring rider/horse combinations will be selected to the 2007 PAG Team, and the next rider/horse combination will be named as reserve.
After the final selection trials in Ontario, the team horses will then prepare for the trip to Miami, Florida for quarantine before flying out to Brazil at the beginning of July.
Help Support Our Pan American Games Team Athletes!
A fundraiser luncheon will be held during the second trial on Sunday June 3, 2007. The luncheon, sponsored by CornerStone Farms, Schleese Saddlery Service and Dressage Canada, will be held during the Freestyle competition June 3. Tickets are $25 with all proceeds going directly to the 2007 Pan American Dressage Team. For more information, contact Lisa Kostandoff at [email protected]. Donations can also be made directly to Dressage Canada. Visit http://www.dressagecanada.org/dcp.asp?pageid=94 for more information.
Spectators are also encouraged to come out to both Trials to cheer on the athletes in what will undoubtedly be a very close race to the final naming of the team.
What are the Pan American Games?
The Pan American games are a continental version of the Olympic Games which includes the Olympic Program sports as well as other sports that are not part of the Olympics. Conducted every four years, always one year before the Olympic Games, the first Pan American Games were held in 1951 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. For over 50 years, the Pan American Games have never failed to occur and have been held in cities across the continent.
History of Canadian Dressage Success at the Pan American Games
Canadian dressage athletes have always fared very well at the Games, including:
2003 – Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
Individual Gold - Leslie Reid & Mark
Team Silver - Leslie Reid (Mark), Evi Strasser (Quantum Tyme), Ashley Holzer (Gambol), Jacqueline M. Brooks (Gran Gesto)
1999 – Winnipeg, Manitoba
Individual Bronze – Shannon Dueck & Korona
1995 – Mar del Plata, Argentina
Individual Bronze – Victoria Winter & Wedgewood
Team Bronze – Victoria Winter, Nancy MacLachlan (Davis Cup), Louise Meichowsky (Tambourin), Stephan von Schalburg (Aznavour 2)
1991 – Havana, Cuba
Individual Gold – Lorraine Stubbs & Firmus
Individual Silver – Ashley Munro & Kronjewel
Team Gold – Lorraine Stubbs, Ashley Munro, Gina Smith (Dutch Treat), Leslie Reid (Lestat)
1987 - Indianapolis, USA
Individual Gold - Christilot Boylen & Epernay
Individual Silver - Martina Pracht & Little Joe
Team Gold – Christilot Boylen, Martina Pracht, Eva-Maria Pracht (Emirage), Diana Billes (Lustig)
1975 - Mexico City, Mexico
Individual Gold – Christilot Boylen & Jungherr II
Team Silver - Christilot Boylen, Barbara Stracey (Equipage), Lorraine Stubbs (True North)
1971 - Cali, Columbia
Individual Gold - Christilot Boylen & Armagnac II
Team Gold
1967 – Winnipeg, Canada
Team Bronze
(Canadian Pan American dressage results provided courtesy of Equine Canada)
2007 Pan American Games
The 2007 Pan American Games take place July 13 – 29 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The Rio de Janeiro 2007 sport program will include approximately 5,500 athletes from 42 countries competing in 33 sports. There will be approximately 7500 athletes and officials from 42 different nations participating in these Games. Competing dressage nations will include Canada, USA, Columbia, Brazil and the Dominican Republic.
Useful websites:
Dressage Canada – www.dressagecanada.org
Equine Canada – www.equinecanada.ca
The official website of the 2007 Pan American Games - www.rio2007.org.br
KLDA (Trial # 1) - www.klda.ca
CornerStone Spring into Dressage (Trial # 2) – www.cornerstonefarms.com
Equestrian Federation of Brazil - www.cbh-hipismo.com.br
About Dressage Canada
Dressage Canada is a committee of Equine Canada. As the national sport governing body, its objective is to foster the growth of dressage and the pursuit of excellence at the local, national and international levels. Dressage Canada provides support and guidance to both the amateur and professional through programs such as coaching, education and awards and is responsible for setting rules, team qualifying criteria and the education and licensing of officials. For more information about Dressage Canada, email [email protected] or visit us online at www.dressagecanada.org.
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