U.S. Tops Day 1 at Pan Ams
By Paula Parisi October 26, 2011
Beezie Madden and Coral Reef Via Volo were the fastest of the six riders who went clear, in a field of 54. (Photo by StockImageServices.com)
Among the last to go, Beezie Madden and Coral Reef Via Volo blazed to the lead, ending the day first-ranked and vaulting Team USA to the top of the Pan American Games show jumping competition after the first contest of three.
Madden and Coral Reef set a blistering pace at 77.53, leaving all the rails up and coming well within the 98-seconds allowed.
Christine McCrea and Romantovich Take One ended the day ranked No. 2 individually; McLain Ward and Antares F finished at No. 7 on the fastest time of the contest. Kent Farrington and Uceko were No. 15 (85.33/4).
In team competition, the U.S. leads with a score of 2.9, followed by Mexico in second place, Brazil third, Canada fourth. The strong U.S. showing is particularly meaningful in that if the nation doesn’t land in the top five when the dust settles it won’t qualify for team jumping at the Olympics.
McCrea and Romantovich held the lead through the the last quarter, when Madden blitzed past. Coupled with Ward’s strong early showing, that was enough to give Team USA a first-half lead, which they lost after Mexico came on strong.
Slots No. 3 through 5 are held by Guadalalocals – brothers Daniel Michan on Ragna T (79.49/0) and Alberto Michan on Rosallia La Silla (80.10/0) – at No.’s 3 and 5 – and countryman Antonio Mauer on Callao at No. 4 (79.50/0).
Argentinian Jose Maria Larocca and Royal Power edged into the No. 6 slot on 80.51/0.
McLain Ward had the day's fastest round on Antares F, and finished seventh despite two rails.
(Photo by StockImageServices.com)
Ward, the eighth rider to go, had two rails yet managed to sit at No. 3 till just after the midway point when he gave it up to Daniel Michan. Since this is Table C scoring, Ward’s faults were converted to time time, and at warp speed 73.57 (on 98 seconds allowed), he and Antares had some time to burn. “He probably got those rails early [in his round] and said, ‘Oh no! I’ve gotta boogie here!’ And rode it like a jump-off,” said Phillip Rozon, an FEI official and ambassador for JustWorld International. “My guess is, he won’t stay,” Rozon said at the time. “We’ll have some other clear and fast rides.”
Canada’s Eric Lamaze, a late-order threat, was the next 8-faulter, and finished at No. 11 on a converted score of 83.60.
The twenty-first horse and rider pair to go, McCrea and Romantovich set the early pace at 79.29/0. Madden overtook her 30 rides later (at fifty-first to go in a field of 55. Lamaze went fifty-third.
The next top-ranked Canadian rider, Ian Millar and Star Power (80.11/4) finished 13th.
Show jumping competition continues on Thursday, when team medals will be presented after the team final, and continue on Saturday, with the individual final.
For individual results, click here.
For team results, click here.
Short URL: https://theequestriannews.com/?p=6121