owned by Hilary Chambers of Hamilton, ON) ridden by Esther Mortimer of Guatemala, who is based out of Millgrove, ON. They earned the highest dressage score for Team Guatemala with a 64.079% in the Prix St. Georges. “Viva, or ‘Alamo’ as we call him, came to us when he was five. He was brought on as a hunter, but they gave up because they said he could not do flying changes. My partner Harper taught him changes and showed him while I was pregnant with our son. ‘All’ is a wonderful horse to ride. He is full of personality and has become part of the family. The Pan Am Games were a wonderful experience. We did not know that we were going until three days before! Alamo has the most heart of any horse I have ever ridden. I am so lucky to have him in our barn,” says Esther. His owner Hilary talked about her horse and his rider, “As a foal Viva’s
Veroveraar had this amazing floating movement—he had a lot of hang time in the air. I had my heart set on showing him in the hunter ring, so I initially dismissed the idea of having him become a dressage horse. He showed both hunter and jumper on the A Circuit before I knew he needed to follow his calling. He warmed up beautifully for the Prix St. Georges test, and I think it was one of the best tests he has ever done! When he went down center line, I think I was holding my breath; it was such an honor to not only have my horse at the Games, but have him compete for team Guatemala. I can’t say enough about my horse’s trainer Harper Mackenzie and my rider Esther Mortimer of M2 Dressage. Without Harper spotting my horse’s talent early on and nurturing it, there is no way that we would have made it this far.” The final U.S. bred horse in Pan Am dressage was the nine-year-old Friesian
stallion Ivan (by Laes 278, out of Vanity D by Wicher 334, breeder Dark Horse Farms, MO, owned by David Deal, Laytonsville, MD, and Julio Mendoza) ridden by Julio Cesar Mendoza from Ecuador, who operates a training facility in Union Bridge, MD. Ivan was the first Friesian ever to compete in a Pan American Games. “Ivan is one of the most fun horses I have ever ridden; he is a people
pleaser. We have a very deep bond and he is very steady with me at the shows. We have performed in front of thousands of people at expos and he always puts his complete trust in me and tries so hard—that is what makes him such a good horse. It was also Ecuador’s first time to have a team in Dressage competing. I learned so much being there. Ivan unfortunately had an allergic reaction to the bedding and had high fever the day we competed, so it was disappointing, but regardless I am so proud we got there,” Julio remarks.
Eventing :
This page top to bottom: ➊ Bruce Davidson, Jr. rode Absolute Liberty to an individual bronze and team gold in eventing. Photo by Allen MacMillan/MacMillan Photography ➋ Team U.S.A. rider Lynn Symansky rode Donner to a sixth place individual finish in the team competition. Photo by Sarah Miller/MacMillan Photography ➌ Canadian rider James Atkinson rode Gustav to a seventh place individually and a team silver. Photo by Dee Kochensparger/MacMillan Photography At Right: ➊ Selena O’Hanlon and Foxwood High of Canada con- tributed to team silver and finished 18th individually in the team competition. Photo by Allen MacMillan/MacMillan Photography ➋ Hawley Bennett-Awad and Five O’Clock Somewhere finished 19th individually in the team competition to help Team Canada to silver. Photo by Sarah Miller/MacMillan Photography Opposite page: Angel Karolyi of Venezuela rode American-bred James T Kirk in show jumping. Photo by Allen MacMillan/MacMillan Photography
52 January/February 2012
Eventing was at the CCI** level the middle weekend of the Games. Team U.S.A. eventing won gold with all five team members finishing on their dressage scores. U.S. riders also took the individual silver and bronze medals. The bronze
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