U.S. Leads Pan Am Eventing

By Joanie Morris October 23, 2011

All five U.S. Eventing team riders produced fault-free rounds during the cross country phase of the equestrian competition Saturday at the Pan American Games. They head into today’s stadium jumping phase nearly 22 points ahead of the second-placed Canadian team.

Dressage Leader, Jessica Phoenix of Canada still leads the individual standings with a score of 43.9 on Pavarotti, but the U.S. occupies slots two through six.

Land Rover Team USA added nothing to their 138.6 point team total from dressage, which took place at the Hipica Club on Friday.

The first U.S. pair to tackle designer John Williams’ cross country track was Bruce ‘Buck’  Davidson, Jr. (Ocala, FL) and Absolute Liberty. They set the tone for the day by making easy work of it. Davidson, son of World and Pan American Games champion Bruce Davidson, added to his own legacy by guiding Shannon Will’s 8-year-old mare to a double clear round despite riding with one stirrup on the last section of the course after his right stirrup broke.

“She was amazing! Every place she needed to look after me she did,” Davidson said. “What more could you ask? She did everything like it was a training level.” The pair heads into Sunday’s show jumping in fourth place on an individual score of 48.9.

Hannah Burnett and Jacqueline Mars’ Harbour Pilot were next out. The 25-year-old rider and the 8-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding had produced a third-place effort in the dressage then rode with veteran composure over the cross country field fault-free. Burnett (The Plains, VA) was thankful to all those that helped her achieve the goal of representing her country.

“I just wish Ms. Mars was here to see her homebred be so amazing today. I’m so happy for the O’Connors, my groom Sara McKenna and everyone involved with him. I’m happy to be a part of it,” Burnett said. “I had a bit of a bobble in the water at the bank; I went for a bit of a long one, because I wanted to go forward. He landed real steep but he popped back up and he always looks for the flags. He really enjoyed it ― he was really into it.”

Burnett and Harbour Pilot are on a score of 45.3, positioning them for the Individual Bronze Medal following the cross country.

The third American rider to tackle Williams’ course was Lynn Symansky (Middleburg, VA) who rode her own Donner to a penalty-free round. Symansky was a late addition to the U.S. team, following the withdrawal of Jonathan Holling’s Downtown Harrison, but she proved her mettle on Saturday. This pair moved up four places following the dressage and head to the show jumping in sixth with a score of 52.2.

Symansky had nothing but praise for the 8-year-old Thoroughbred gelding she produced herself. “He was a phenom,” she said. “My ride in the in that second water was a little hairy; I got tipped forward and he jumped that house on a completely long rein. He has such an amazing gallop, he was so far up on his minute markers I could ease up at the end.”

By the time Michael Pollard crossed the finish flags as the fourth American rider on course, the U.S. team knew their lead following the dressage was untouchable. Pollard rode his wife Natalie’s Schoensgreen Hanni to the nation’s fourth double clear round of the day. The effort  maintained their second place position on a dressage score of 44.5, which positions him for, at minimum, an Individual Silver medal, if he finishes jumping with no faults.

“She was spot on everywhere,” Pollard said. “There were a couple fences here and there that we had to just make happen. (We were) really good on the time, galloped home well, she jumped great and she was just a perfect horse to ride.”

After watching the first three faultless U.S. rounds, Pollard (Dalton, GA) did not want to break the American streak. “Seeing three of my teammates clear and inside the time, you don’t want to be the one that screws it up. She got tired at around minute seven, but I said no, not today ― I’m not having time faults.”

Shannon Lilley and the Lilley Group’s 9-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding, Ballingowan Pizazz, set out as the last U.S. combination on course and matched their teammates’ efforts. This was only the fifth time the pair had left the start box together but they answered all questions without problem. They have a two-day total of 49.3 and sit in fifth place.

“I’m really happy,” Lilley noted afterwards. “I thought the course rode really well. Watching everyone go all day [with] no problems, there’s more pressure to also go well. But he is so hungry to do this. He’s such a special horse.”

Lilley was not only pleased with her horse but also the execution of the American team. “The US riders looked really good, really stood out, it is a tribute to our coaching.”

The five cross country rides took place in a field at the Santa Sofia Country Club. On Sunday the group travels back to the Hipica Club, where dressage took place on Friday, for the show jumping phase, which concludes the eventing contest.

 

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