The 19th edition of the Pan American Games will start on October 20 and run until November 5 in Santiago, Chile. EC and the Canadian Olympic Committee were excited to recently name the athlete-horse combinations selected to represent the maple leaf in the sports of dressage, eventing, and jumping. They carry the hopes of our nation, ready to display their world class skills and dedication on the international stage.
Photo Credit: Cealy Tetley, Tiffany Foster and Starting Gate Communications
Equestrian has been involved in the Pan American Games since 1951, Canada’s first appearance was at the Chicago games in 1959. Since then, Team Canada has won a total of 55 medals (22 in dressage, 14 in eventing and 19 in jumping) – second to the United States who have captured 99. Three of those medals came from the last Pan Ams, including Canada’s first dressage team gold in 28 years as well as a bronze in team eventing.
Dating back to the 2007 PAG in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, an average of 57% of Canadian equestrian athletes who have competed at the PAG in the previous year, have been nominated or selected to compete for Canada at the Olympic Games (OG) the following year.
The primary objective of the disciplines competing at this year’s Games will be to qualify for Paris 2024. In both dressage and eventing, the top two countries in the team event who are not already qualified will earn an Olympic team berth for three athletes and horses. For the jumping discipline, the top three countries in the team event who are not yet qualified will earn an Olympic team berth for three athletes and horses.
Important for both our country and these athletes, podium finishes are in everyone’s sights in Chile this fall. To help cheer them on, tune in to all the competition in Santiago and stay up to date on the COC’s Paris 2024 Qualification Tracker and their potential Olympic qualification pathways for all sports.