By Louise Parkes

The USA scooped both the team and individual titles as Eventing came to a close on July 19, 2015, at the TORONTO 2015 Pan-American Games at the OLG Caledon Equestrian Park, Ontario, Canada. Always with their eyes on the target of that single qualifying spot on offer for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, Philip Dutton, Lauren Kieffer, Marilyn Little, and Boyd Martin had forged a marginal lead over the host country in Dressage on July 17th. And once out in front, they held on tight to triumph ahead of Brazil, while Canada had to settle for bronze. 

Little took the individual title in fine style. Lying second, and less than a fence behind Brazil’s Ruy Fonseca who led from the outset with Tom Bombadill Too, the 33-year-old former jumping rider kept a cool head to stay clear with her relatively inexperienced mare RF Scandalous, while 2011 Pan-American Eventing individual champions Jessica Phoenix and Pavarotti from Canada claimed silver this time around when Fonseca’s single error dropped him to bronze medal spot.

Photo (above): Jessica Phoenix (CAN) and Pavarotti. Photo credit: FEI/StockImageServices.com

A total of 11 nations competed in the team competition, and Ecuador, Chile, and Mexico were lying fourth, fifth and sixth respectively after the dressage phase. The USA had only a slender 0.7 point lead over Canada going into cross-country day, and Brazil was chasing hard when only three marks further adrift at this stage. 

Canadian chances took a sharp knock, however, when Kathryn Robinson was eliminated for a fall with Let It Bee at the Hayracks, the second fence on the cross-country track. Her teammates Waylon Roberts (Bill Owen), Colleen Loach (Qorry Blue D’Argouges), and Jessica Phoenix (Pavarotti) all completed the course without incident. But Canada dropped behind Brazil when Fonseca, Carlos Parro (Caulcourt Landline), Henrique Plombon (Land Quenotte) and Jorge Marcio Carvalho (Lissy Mac Wayer) all likewise kept a clean sheet – Robinson’s brilliant 39.80 in dressage, which had placed her individually second on the opening day, no longer being taken into account. All four American team members cruised home, maintaining their advantage with nothing to add. 

From a starting field of 43, a total of 16 returned within the time-allowed of 8 minutes 39 seconds, including all three members of the team from Ecuador who eventually finished fourth. A total of 10 horse-and-rider combinations were eliminated over the 26-fence track created by Australia’s Wayne Copping.

As the final Jumping phase got underway, Team USA had less than a fence in hand over the Brazilians, while the Canadians were more than 20 penalties further back. America’s Boyd Martin (Pancho Villa) and Lauren Kieffer (Meadowbrooks Scarlett) kept a clean sheet once again, but when Philip Dutton’s Fernhill Fugitive collected four faults then Little’s result might prove pivotal for the team rankings. 

The individual medals were also still very much up for grabs, and for Little there was no room for error as Canada’s Jessica Phoenix and Pavarotti, who were lying just 3.20 points behind, had piled on the pressure with a brilliant clear. The American didn’t falter however, leaving all the poles in place with her 10-year-old Oldenburg mare, and placing all the weight on Fonseca’s shoulders. Even a time fault would cost the Brazilian dearly, but when his 15-year-old gelding had a fence down he dropped all the way to bronze medal position individually and his team remained in silver medal spot.

Photo (above): (L to R) Jessica Phoenix (CAN), Marilyn Little (USA), and Ruy Fonseca (BRA) on the podium for Individual Medals in Eventing. Photo credit: FEI/StockImageServices.com

“My mare is new to the sport, I have her for only a year now and she’s only just moved up to 2-Star level with the goal of these Games in mind!” said newly-crowned individual gold medallist Little this evening. She explained that she was a regular on the US Jumping team between 1999 and 2011, and competed in several Nations Cups, but then suddenly decided to change her allegiance. “I became interested in Eventing when watching the World Equestrian Games in 2010 on TV. I thought, “I’d like to do that, it looks like a lot of fun!” so when I came back from Spruce Meadows that year I pulled one out of the barn and it has gone from there! I did my first 4-Star in 2012.”

She has really enjoyed the Pan-American Games experience at Caledon Park this week. “The event has been beautifully organised and it has been an incredible experience from the standpoint of horsemanship, the thought and care they’ve put into everything for the horses has been amazing. The cross-country course was fair but challenging, it has to be difficult for the course designer catering for the developing riders as well as very seasoned competitors. It needed to be challenging for both, but safe enough too, and he really succeeded in that.”  

Talking about the cross-country track she said: “Riding the course you had to be ‘in the moment’... you had to stay aware of all the plans. Cross-country is designed to force you to look at all the options and to stay ready to take them if necessary. Making it easy to quickly change your plan is the mark of a good cross-country course. Fitness played a part too yesterday, the terrain took its toll in terms of technicality and some horses got tired, but it was safe and jumpable and it was really a pleasure to ride the track.”

Despite all her experience as a jumping rider, Little said she was still feeling the heat going into the arena in the afternoon with so much hanging in the balance. “I knew I was under pressure, but I also knew my horse is a clear-rounder and very careful. She’s very sensitive though, and the atmosphere was electric, especially since I was following a Canadian rider (Jessica Phoenix) into the ring! I knew I had to remain calm and focused, and take it just one jump at a time and not get caught up with the magnitude of the moment!” 

Photo (above): Gold Medal Eventing Team on the podium for USA (L to R) Marilyn Little, Boyd Martin, Phillip Dutton, and Lauren Kieffer. Photo: FEI/StockImageServices.com

Team Results:

GOLD - USA 133.00

• Marilyn Little (RF Scandalous) 40.30
• Boyd Martin (Pancho Villa) 44.30
• Philip Dutton (Fernhill Fugitive) 52.40
• Lauren Keiffer (Meadowbrooks Scarlett) 48.40

SILVER - Brazil 140.70

• Ruy Fonseca (Tom Bombadill Too) 42.90
• Carlos Parro (Caulcourt Landline) 45.60
• Jorge Marcio Carvalho (Lissy Mac Wayer) 52.20
• Henrique Plombon (Land Quenotte) 55.40

BRONZE - Canada 163.00

• Jessica Phoenix (Pavarotti) 42.10
• Colleen Loach (Qorry Blue D’Argouges) 51.80
• Waylon Roberts (Bill Owen) 69.10
• Kathryn Robinson (Let it Bee) 1,000 (EL)

Individual Results:

GOLD – Marilyn Little (RF Scandalous) USA 40.30

SILVER – Jessica Phoenix (Pavarotti) CAN 42.10

BRONZE – Ruy Fonseca (Tom Bombadill Too) BRA 42.90

The list of teams so far qualified in Eventing for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games now includes, Brazil (automatic qualification), Germany, Great Britain, The Netherlands, Australia, Ireland and Canada (placings at Alltech FEI World Equestiran Games™ 2014 in Normandy), and USA (Pan-American Games 2015 in Toronto, Canada). 

The next major Olympic qualification opportunity is at the forthcoming Longines FEI European Eventing Championships in Blair Castle, Scotland from 10-13 September 2015 where two further places are on offer. 

Main Photo: Individual gold medalist in Eventing, Marilyn Little (USA) with RF Scandalous on cross-country. Photo credit: FEI/StockImageServices.com