After five days of close competition between the top 8 finalists, the final results are in for Canada's 2007 Pan American Games (PAG) Dressage Team. With weather reaching over 30 degrees celcius, the top 8 PAG finalists treated spectators to a very tight race during the two final selection trials
held May 30 - June 3rd.
Heading for Brazil in July are:
- Tom Dvorak & Beaumarchais (owner: Susan Holden) - ON
- Andrea Bresee & Raffles (owner: Gina Smith & Faith Berghuis) -ON
- Diane Creech & Wiona (Doug & Louise Leatherdale) - ON
- Reserve: Karen Pavicic & Lionheart (owner: Karen Pavicic) - BC
These four riders contested four more combinations in two head-to-head final selection trials. The first trial took place May 30-31 at Saddlewood Equestrian Centre in Bethany, Ontario. The second trial took place June 1-3 at the CornerStone Spring into Dressage show at Palgrave, Ontario.
The eight final contestants for the Canadian Pan American Games Dressage Team were:
- Karen Pavicic & Lionheart (owner: Karen Pavicic) – British Columbia
- Diane Creech & Wiona (owner: Doug & Louise Leatherdale) – Ontario
- Gillian Sutherland & Great Tyme (owner: Gillian Sutherland) – Ontario
- Dominique Culham & Matisse (owner: Dominique Culham) – British Columbia
- Evi Strasser & Foto Tyme (owner: Evi Strasser) – Quebec
- Andrea Bresee & Raffles (owner: Gina Smith & Faith Berghuis) – Ontario
- Jacqueline Brooks & Balmoral (owner: Brinc Ltd, Anne & John Welch, Nick & Jean Vinios) – Ontario
- Tom Dvorak & Beaumarchais (owner: Susan Holden) - Ontario
The final selection trial for the team was gruelling for the horses. Each rider/horse combination had to compete in the Prix St. Georges, Intermediaire I and Intermediaire Freestyle classes at both final selection trials. Total scores from the final selection trials were tabulated as follows:
• 2 Prix St.Georges classes - 30% each (total of 60%)
• 2 Intermediate 1 classes - 15% each (total 30%)
• Intermediate 1 Freestyle score - 10%
Dvorak, Bresee and Creech made the cut and will travel to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, for the 2007 Pan American Games July 13-29, 2007.
Photo copyrighted: Mary Phelps / Phelpsphotos.com