Jump Team Pan Am Golden

By Joanie Morris October 28, 2011

The U.S. show jumping team faced the pressure and delivered Thursday at the 2011 Pan American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico, jumping eight clear rounds and delivering the gold. Three fault-free rides propelled the nation to the top of the podium, wildly outperforming if not expectations at least the requirement that Team USA place within the top five ― otherwise, no team play for show jumpers at the 2012 Olympics (though individual riders would have been able to compete).

That would have been a disaster beyond anything that’s hit the United States Equestrian Team (USET) since the horse abandoned the buggy! “I have to be honest, it was a lot of stress, this Olympic qualification,” said two-time Olympic team gold veteran McLain Ward, who delivered the bravura rides of the Guadalajara games aboard Antares F. “I felt a little more pressure today and yesterday than I have in past Olympic Games. But it was obviously a fantastic event and I think this is a great team,” the Brewster, NY-based rider said.

But it was Beezie Madden that stole the spotlight in the first two days of the show, Wednesday Oct. 26 and Thursday Oct. 27, finishing at No. 1 in the individual rankings both outings. As the top ranked individual jumper, she had the privileged position of last to jump for the team. By the time she entered the ring, the 51st to go, she was jumping for herself, because the U.S. team already won the gold based on the three clear rounds of her teammates.

Coupled with the team victories in Dressage and Eventing, 2011 marks the first time since 1975, in Mexico City, that all three American teams have swept Gold at a Pan American Games. (The U.S. Endurance Team notched Silver at a Pan American Championship held separately, in Chile, on Oct. 22.)

“I have a fantastic team here, they really didn’t even need me today,” Madden said. “They all jumped clear and it has just been a fantastic experience. Our team, not only are they very good horses and riders but it’s been a great team to be around. And thanks to George [Morris], our chef d’equipe.”

As the lead strategist for the team, Morris’ planning has paid off in spades. “He always has a plan, and when it’s executed the way he envisions it, it usually works out pretty well,” United States Equestrian Federation director of high performance show jumping Lizzy Chesson said.

Having gained the upper-hand on the first day of competition, the U.S. never looked back. The Team USA score of 2.90 from the first class on Wednesday didn’t change, and they led Brazil (11.58) and Mexico (13.24) by sizeable margins in the medal ceremony. “It’s the way they rode it’s not the result,” said Morris, who is legend in the field for his strict adherence to the principles of classic riding. “I’m an ideological horseman. I’m not interested in it unless it’s beautifully ridden.”

The U.S. team landed in Guadalajara under intense pressure. With one of its stellar riders, McLain Ward, riding Antares, a horse he’s only had for a year. “It’s a great team, and they’ve put in a great effort. Everyone is really proud,” Lee McKeever, operations manager for Ward said.

Madden (Cazenovia, NY) rode another pair of perfect rounds on Coral Reef Via Volo to maintain her standing of zero points and defend her position as the top-ranked individual rider. The 13-year-old Belgian Warmblood mare settled beautifully and jumped easily around Javier Fernandez’s course. Madden was also a member of the 2003 Pan American Games Gold medal-winning Team and with Ward was part of the 2004 and 2008 Olympic Gold teams.

Right behind her is teammate Christine McCrea (Windsor, CT) on a score of .88 with Romantovich Take One. The 11-year-old KWPN gelding bounded effortlessly around the track twice, making the entire event look simple. This is McCrea’s first team appearance at a championship and she is capitalizing on the opportunity.

“I’m just really, really proud of us as a team,” McCrea said. “We really came together, we came here with a goal and we achieved it and I’m just really proud.”

One tick behind McCrea in the individual standings is Ward, who served as lead-off rider for the team.The resident of Brewster, NY, rode an 11-year-old Wurttemberger gelding owned by Grant Road Partners, LLC’s (somewhat ironically, Ward is sponsored by saddlery CWD. “He was named when we got him,” McKeever said of Antares. “We’re proud of that and everyone pulled together. We have a great team around us, not only George and of course pretty good horse so that makes the job a little bit easier.”

He jumped a textbook round twice – improving on his performance from yesterday and moving up into third place on a three-round score of 2.02.

Rounding out the U.S. effort in the individual standings is the youngest member of the team, Kent Farrington (Chicago, IL). He rode impeccably Thursday on a horse that is developing into a real superstar this year. Uceko, an 11-year-old Dutch gelding, jumped the round that clinched the Gold as the third to jump on the team. They sit eighth in the individual standings, and will likely be the pair selected to sit out the Saturday final for the top 25 individual competitors, even though he ended the day ranked an impressive No. 8. Each team is only allowed a maximum of three individual contestants, and Madden, McCrea and Ward were sitting first, second and third in the individual rankings as of Thursday. Farrington’s 3.90 faults were the team drop score in the first qualifiers Wednesday.

“I think we came here with a really strong team and great riders,” Farrington said, noting, “There are a bunch of other great riders here. Brazil is very difficult as well as Mexico, [which] had a fantastic day.”

“This is an A-plus,” Morris said, noting, “the courses were fantastic, the technical coordination was fantastic, the footing was very good. The horses jumped great ― it’s a beautiful club ― A-plus across the board.”

The team is supported by a group that includes veterinarian Dr. Tim Ober, farrier Todd Meister, physio Janus Marquis and reserve rider Mario Deslauriers.

― Paula Parisi contributed to this report.

For the USEF’s up-to-the-minute real-time blogging live from the event Saturday, click here. (Archived blogs from Wednesday and Thursday are also available.)

For Team Results, click for Q2 and Q3.

For Individual Results click for Q2 and Q3.

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