Jessica Phoenix competing for Canada at the 2014 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games
The Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) and Equine Canada (EC) have announced the Canadian Equestrian Team (CET) athletes who have been nominated to represent Canada at the TORONTO 2015 Pan American Games, taking place July 10-26, 2015 in Toronto, Ontario.
The excitement of equestrian sport at the Pan Am Games will kick off with dressage, which runs on July 11, 12 and 15. Eventing will follow July 17-19, with jumping closing out the equestrian portion of the Games on July 21, 23, and 25.
Dressage and jumping will be held exclusively at the OLG Caledon Pan Am Equestrian Park, a publicly-owned, world-class facility in Caledon, Ontario. The dressage and jumping phases of eventing will also take place in Caledon, while the highly-anticipated cross-country phase will be hosted by one of Canada's premier eventing facilities, Will O'Wind Farm in Mono - which will be named the Pan Am Cross-Country Centre during the Games (listen to our interview with cross country course designer Wayne Copping here).
The TORONTO 2015 Pan Am Games will prove especially meaningful for the dressage and jumping teams by providing the opportunity to qualify for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games in Brazil. The Canadian eventing team has already secured Olympic qualification through their sixth place finish at the 2014 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games in Normandy, France.
Historically, the CET has had great success at the Pan Am Games, most recently bringing home three medals from Guadalajara 2011. Both the dressage and eventing teams earned team silver, while Jessica Phoenix won the individual gold medal in eventing.
Jessica is one of the four athletes chosen for the Eventing and says "I am incredibly excited to be representing Canada at the Toronto 2015 Pan American Games!! Thank you to our owners, sponsors, supporters and our entire staff for their help in pursuing these games."
Canadian Pan Am Games Eventing Team
Colleen Loach riding Qorry Blue d'Argouges
Jessica Phoenix riding Pavarotti
Waylon Roberts riding Bill Owen
Katherine Robinson riding Let It Bee
