It has been 29 years since Canada fielded a show jumping team at a major Games which did not include Ian Millar or Eric Lamaze. They would be proud of this Canadian Show Jumping Team at the Pan Am Games in Lima, who had a terrific first competition over Guilherme Jorge’s speed course, with just a single rail between them. However, a shocking elimination would cast a cloud over the event for the team even though Canada was sitting in third place at the end of the day.
When Lisa Carlsen and Parette set off as the trailblazers for Canada and logged a perfect, careful trip in 77.74 seconds, it seemed like the squad was off to a great start. Minutes later, however, the results showed that the 13-year-old Brandenburg mare had been eliminated. Blood on the side from a slight spur mark was deemed to be the cause.
Carlsen, 54, who is competing at her first Pan Am Games in 32 years, said in a statement: “My horse got a minor rub today, and when the stewards looked at her during the post-round check, they made the call to eliminate us. The well-being of my horse is my number one priority, and I would never do anything to jeopardize that. Rules are rules, but I would never intentionally harm my horse. Parette has been carefully checked out and cleared by vets for competition tomorrow and I look forward to continuing to do our best for the team.”
Carlsen will not be able to continue as an individual, but can still compete in the team final on Wednesday.
Nicole Walker and Falco van Spieveld, her 14-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding, competing in their first major games together, were next in the ring. Their clear round in 71.58 seconds would be the best result for Canada, landing them in 9th place.
“My horse has a massive stride and we really try to use his stuff, and luckily the plan came together,” said Walker, 26. “Not often do we get a chance to go fast with a Nations Cup format, so that’s a bit different for us, but it executed well for us today. Probably a handful of speeds I’ve done on him; usually it’s slower and we have to jump a bit bigger and jump clean, so it was kind of fun to let it rip a bit today.” She compared it to riding one massive jump-off, and described her horse as “an absolute sweetheart in the barn, so laid-back, so easy to work with – he’s a dream horse.” Walker has a big cheering session at these Games, with four family members here already and eight more arriving tomorrow.
Erynn Ballard, 38, aboard Ilan Ferder’s nine-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding, Fellini S, also had a clear although slightly slower trip in 75.34 to finish in 15th place. Her horse was quite keen at the start of the course; Ballard explained, “We like his butt to be up – he needs to be serious about the job. He’s only nine – I think that that’s a lot of pressure to ask of a horse.” She spoke of changing her plan of attack on the fly while in the ring. “I thought I was going to do the insides, but I just wasn’t feeling it. He was jumping high and clean and sharp, so I figured my best chance was to go as fast as I could around those options and I think it worked out in my favour today.
“Fellini’s a pretty cool dude,” she continued. “I have the luxury of riding him for a year. I rode him as an eight-year-old last year and I got to know him. I have quite a good relationship with him. He’s a pretty funny guy, his tongue is always out. He has all the qualities [of a championship horse] – he is fast, he is ultra-careful, he doesn’t seem to be environmental, and he has nice exposure for a nine-year-old.” That exposure includes WEF, Deeridge, Michigan, and Upperville, and more recently Devon, Spruce Meadows and Saugerties in the lead-up to the Games. “He has nice miles and he’s ready to go.” Her other top horse, Darcos Promise, has been sold. “That’s the game that we’re in, as far as keeping some and selling some,” said Ballard. “He’s going to be a first 1.60 horse for Natalie Dean, a customer of Ilan’s.”
Mario Deslauriers, who resides in New York, is partnered with Amsterdam 27, a nine-year-old Holsteiner gelding owned by Wishing Well Farm LLC and Luga LLC. The pair set a blistering pace in the ring and would have landed in first place overall with 67.96 if not for a single rail which added 4 seconds to their score. It was still good enough for 10th place. “It’s always woulda-been,” said the 54-year-old wryly. “The horse jumped beautifully. I saw a few sevens – Nicky [Walker] did seven, Pedro [Veniss] did seven – and I know I have a big stride with my horse … and he was jumping so good so I pushed a little. I was a little late getting there, so he jumped a little flat. He doesn’t usually, he’s usually very round, but I think he backed up for B a little in the air. But other than that he rode beautiful. He’s campaigned very well all summer and he’s very smart in his head and he’s very cool and for the Pan Ams he was my best option to take.
“[Because of Lisa’s elimination] we needed three good scores to count, so I had to put the pressure a bit on. We’re right in the hunt behind Brazil and the States, so we’re right there and hopefully we left some in the tank for tomorrow.”
1st Qualifier (Speed Class)
Team Standings
1. USA – 2.09
Alex Granato, Carlchen W 0.92
Lucy Deslauriers, Hester (1.32)
Eve Jobs, Venue d’Fees des Hazalles 1.17
Elizabeth Madden, Breitling LS 0
2. BRAZIL – 3.39
Eduardo Menezes, H5 Chaganus 1.06
Pedro Veniss, Quabri de L Isle 1.07
Rodrigo Lambre, Chacciama 1.2
Marlon Modolo Zanotelli, Sirene de La Motte (1.6)
3. CANADA – 6.21
Lisa Carlsen, Parette (elim)
Nicole Walker, Falco Van Spieveld 1.38
Erynn Ballard, Fellini S 3.26
Mario Deslauriers, Amsterdam 27 1.57
4. Mexico 6.97
5. Venezuela 16.66
6. Argentina 18.19
7. Colombia 19.38
8. Chile 28.49
9. Dominican Republic 40.03
10. Uruguay 40.4
11. Guatemala 40.43
12. Peru 84.99
Individual Standings
1. Elizabeth Madden, Breitling LS (USA) 0
2. Patricio Pasquel, Babel (MEX) 0.29
3. Alex Granato, Carlchen W (USA) 0.92
4. Eduardo Menezes, H5 Chaganus (BRA) 1.06
5. Pedro Veniss, Quabri de L Isle (BRA) 1.07
6. Eve Jobs, Venue d’Fees des Hazalles (USA) 1.17
7, Rodrigo Lambre, Chacciama (BRA) 1.26
8. Lucy Deslauriers, Hester (USA) 1.32
9. Nicole Walker, Falco Van Spieveld (CAN) 1.38
10. Mario Deslauriers, Amsterdam 27 (CAN) 1.57
15. Erynn Ballard, Fellini S (CAN) 3.26
For complete results, click here.
