On the first day of competition at the 2014 Central American and Caribbean Games on 15 November 2014 in Veracruz, good weather surprised spectators in Xalapa despite the forecast. After three days of fog and cloud cover, the sun was a good omen for the first day of competition in dressage, the Prix St Georges. Colombia moved ahead of Mexico after round one of the Nations' competition.
Mexico’s team is in second place after Colombia despite the top Prix St Georges score coming from Bernadette Pujals on Aurora El Camino. The pair rode for all she’s worth, obtaining 69.447%. Berna demonstrated that she’s the best around by squeezing everything out of the Mexican bred mare, pleasing the all female judging panel enough to almost get 70%.
The other members of the Mexican team obtained lower scores. José Luis Padilla, a veteran of the regional games, rode his long-time mount Donnersberg with whom he has participated in two previous CCG and in two Pan Ams including Guadalajara 2011. His score was 66.632%. Mexican FEI judge Mercedes Campderá commented that he has improved much since the last Pan Am’s.
Jose Luis Padilla, affectionately called “José Clooney” by his wife Nina, commented that he felt very good about his ride. “The horse and I were very happy during our test, from the warm up, I felt Donnersberg full of energy and enthusiasm, and from there I felt a lot of security and I can tell you that the execution of the test is the combination’s responsibility, and the scores the judges’," said Padilla.
"What’s important is that our difference with the Colombians is very much recoverable and tomorrow we will have to make an effort to obtain the very much yearned gold medal which I think is totally possible with the experience which our team has and the results we obtained during the selection process”.
The other Mexican female rider is Mariana Quintana, who’s always happy and the only participant that no matter what is going on in her head or in her test, she never loses her smile. Mariana rode Benzemá, a horse with which she did a tour in Wellington earlier this year. In Veracruz she obtained a score of 66.079%. For Mariana this is the first time participating in a regional sports joust. Fourth Mexican team rider Omar Zayrik though the sun was not bright enough; in his words his horse Presuntuoso “got exited” and in the four-time changes the horse kicked out the moment Omar asked for the first change. Their score of 61.978% was the drop score. Omar has participated in 3 CCG and two Pan Am’s.
So therefore the team to beat is Colombia, a very well coordinated team that have at their disposal the wisdom and experience of team trainer Ulla Salzgeber, an olympic medalist from Germany. She’s been working with the Colombians for over a year and she expects them to win gold. The best combination from Colombia were Raúl Corchuelo on Beckham, who is considered by Mercedes Campderá as a very technical rider, very calm and in tune with his horse. Corchuelo obtained 69.53% and ranked not far behind Pujals.
Yet the surprise from Colombia came from Marco Antonio Bernal Kalb, son of Marco Bernal, whom with only 17 years of age is participating in a regional sports joust and rode even better than his father, obtaining 68.342%. Notwithstanding his young age Marco Antonio shone on the arena with Zalvador, placing in 4th place individually. His father Marco Bernal rode his Pan Am’s mount Farewell IV to 67.658%.
Another surprise came from Costa Rica, 20-year old Anne Marie "Ami" Egerström outdid herself riding her longtime mount Amorino scoring 67.737%. She proved she’s a cool competitor stepping into the footsteps of her father Cristobal "Christer" Egerström who rode Bello Oriente to a score off 66.816%. Ami’s mother Michelle Batalla rode a feisty Westergardens VI to a score of 60.211%. Definitely the parents are proud to be outshone by their daughter.
Venezuela was left in fourth position with a total of 64.833% despite having good horses, and Guatemala in fifth with 64.693%.
Tomorrow is the Intermediare I test with which the Nations Cup winners will be decided, and the three medallist will obtain their qualification for the Pan Am Games to be held in Toronto in 2015.
by Eugenia de Larrea for Eurodressage
Related Links
Scores: 2014 Central American and Caribbean Games
All Horses Pass Inspection at 2014 Central American Games in Veracruz