October 6, 2013 ~ 2013 Pan American Endurance Championship Junior/Young Rider & Seniors September 27, 2013 Trinidad, Uruguay by EMMETT ROSS, Chef d’ Equipe
A trio of our committed up-and-coming international endurance riders, including two young riders, McCamey Kimbler and Mallory Capps, and one senior rider, Mae Chase-Dunn, made a huge commitment with family support to try their hand at leasing horses and participating in the Pan American Endurance Games held in Trinidad, Uruguay. Because the US was unable to field a full team for either division, the riders competed as individuals. They rode horses that were leased from Uruguayan stables, and the goal of each rider was to perform as well as her horse was capable of while learning as much as possible about competing at an international level representing the US.
These goals were achieved: All three riders did an excellent job of representing our country and they learned an enormous amount through their participation. Leasing horses always presents many unknown challenges. Typically a country’s best horses are unavailable for leasing because they are being campaigned by the host country. This event was no different. Uruguay won both individual gold and team gold medals in the Junior/Young rider and Senior rider categories. Of the nine countries participating several brought their own horses and therefore were able to ride competitively against the Uruguayans most of the day, especially Chile, Brazil, and Argentina. So the horses leased by the USA riders performed well but were no challenge for the front running countries.
The owners of the USA horses were gracious and very supportive. Gabriel Alvarez and his horse Chamalu ridden by Mae Chase-Dunn in the senior division had the best overall US speed on the flat, five loop, 124.7 km course. The combo finished in a 7:00:46 riding time, yielding a speed of 17.78 km/h. Chamalu gave it his all by finishing 12th out of 21 starters and he passed the final inspection happy to be finished, but well and under little stress. The horse SB Nazeem owned by Haras Santa Barbara stable and ridden by McCamey Kimbler in the J/Y Rider division had an overall speed of 16.97 km/h. Nazeem and McCamey finished the race well in 13th place out of 21 starters. Victoria did a great job of trotting Nazeem for McCamey. Mallory Capps also did an incredible job managing her horse Serena-Hab throughout the event. She rode with McCamey all day, only to be pulled at the final vet check. Serena’s owner, Alex Robana, handled the horse well all day in the vet gate but unfortunately they were pronounced lame at its final trot. Otherwise the Serena finished metabolically stable.Follow up on Serena and the other two horses are that the horses are all doing fine.
Overall the race had a 62% completion rate, which is consistent with our finishing two of three horses — but without our leased horses having a single metabolic issue, (actually no horse in either event had metabolic issues). This represented international endurance racing at its best.
The hospitality by the Uruguayans was superb at all levels. They genuinely seemed happy we were there and they extended themselves at every turn to insure that all our needs were met. The owner of McCamey’s horse, Bettina Todaro, hosted us at her beautiful Haras (farm) the following day to see her incredible breeding stock of 150 horses dedicated to endurance. Some great four and five-year-old prospects abound! The organizing committee did a great job and the weather could not have been better for the horses on race day—mid 60’s and a slight breeze.
The USA and North America were well represented with Dr. Thomas Timmons as the Foreign Vet Delegate and Ruth Carlson as the Foreign Judge. And finally we were privileged to have the Ambassador of the US to Uruguay come meet us and wish us well—Ambassador Julissa Reynoso actually rode a horse in the opening ceremony. What a great honor and privilege to have had Ambassador Reynoso there and wishing us well.
This report by: Emmett Ross Chef d’ Equipe, USA Endurance United States Equestrian Federation 979-203-9488