The 2018 Spruce Meadows Pan American CSI5*, presented by Rolex, hosted over 1000 horses at Spruce Meadows with 250 of them being international-level sport horses. The grounds and rings were busy over the last four days as the Meadows on the Green alone took over 700 show jumping rounds.
The winner’s circle was well-represented throughout the week in FEI competition by the Americas with the United States, Canada, Brazil, and Mexico all watching their nation’s flag raised on the champion’s flag pole at the Meadows on the Green. Australia also got a win Saturday morning in the Friends of the Meadows cup 1.50m with Rowan Willis jumping a clear jump off round in a time of 40.45s.
The final competition of the week was the Pan American Grand Prix, presented by Rolex. Forty-two horse/rider combinations started the Grand Prix to take on the track laid out by FEI course designer Louis Konickx (NED). Only three would go clear in round one to move onto the jump off – Mario Deslauriers (CAN), Lucy Deslauriers (USA) and Erynn Ballard (CAN). Mario Deslauriers started of the jump off and posted a clear round to put the pressure on daughter Lucy Deslauriers and Canadian teammate Ballard. Both Lucy Deslauriers and Ballard had the time to win, but both would take a costly last fence rail to place second and third respectively.
“If you can jump this (Spruce Meadows) you can jump Olympic Games, you can jump WEG (World Equestrian Games)” – Mario Deslauriers (CAN) on competing at Spruce Meadows.
Two series competition took place during the Pan American, presented by Rolex, the Canadian Utilities U25 Winning Round and the AKITA Drilling Cavalry Charge Speed. Both competitions counted for points towards for the U25 Series Champion and Cavalry Charge Speed Series Champion respectively. Daisy Farish (USA) would capture the win in the Canadian Utilities U25 Winning Round, but it would not be enough with Ben Asselin’s (CAN) 7th place finish in the competition putting him at the top of the U25 Series standings. Going into the third leg of the Cavalry Charge Speed Series, Rodrigo Lambre (BRA) riding Chapilot and Daniel Coyle (IRL) aboard Farona were tied for first with 96 points a piece. Lambre would lay down his fastest time on this course yet at 74.29s but the “master of the faster” Richard Spooner (USA) left nothing on the line with an untouchable time of 73.91s. A second place finish would put Lambre into the lead of the Cavalry Charge Speed Series.
Full Pan American results here.
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