Four clear rounds were posted on opening day of show jumping competition by Canada’s Yann Candele of Caledon, ON, Tiffany Foster of North Vancouver, BC, Eric Lamaze of Schomberg, ON, and Ian Millar of Perth, ON. The first of three days of show jumping competition at the TORONTO 2015 Pan American Games took place July 21 at the OLG Caledon Pan Am Equestrian Park in Caledon, ON.
An inviting track set by Canadian course designer Michel Vaillancourt, the individual silver medalist at the 1976 Montreal Olympics, produced a total of 30 clear rounds from the 50-horse starting field. Four of those belonged to the Canadian Show Jumping Team, who didn’t put a foot wrong in the opening phase of competition.
Local athlete Candele, 44, was the pathfinder for Canada riding Showgirl, a 15-year-old chestnut selle francais mare (Gold de Becourt x Elf III) owned by the Watermark Group. In his Pan American Games debut, Candele opened with a clear round for Canada. Although 2016 Rio Olympic qualification is hanging in the balance for Canada at these Games, Candele said pressure goes hand-in-hand with competition.