By Charlene Strickland

August 8, 2003 - Leslie Reid followed her high-score Prix St. Georges with a 73.70 in the Intermediare I at the 2003 Pan American Games. Her test was definitive, and obviously superior among the 25 competitors. All five judges placed her first.

Her horse Mark has a U.S. connection, because he was imported from Holland by California's DG Bar Ranch. His outstanding gaits and accurate test made her the clear favorite for the individual gold, holding over 4 points ahead of the next rider, Ivonne Losos of the Dominican Republic.

"Today I was more relaxed than I was yesterday. It was a really enjoyable ride," said Reid. "He's probably the best-character horse I've ever had. He loves to work. He wants to run over to be in the show arena. He's just an absolutely lovely horse to ride, always saying, 'Yes.'"

Aiming Mark at this Pan-American Games, she's shown him at Intermediare I for three seasons. "I will certainly move him up to Grand Prix," she explained, affirming that she's planning to campaign him to qualify for next year's Olympic Games.

U.S. rider Jan Ebeling encountered a problem in his test on Feleciano. A loud noise at A startled the bay, who responded with a surprising one-stride leap. "My horse felt great," said Ebeling. "An unfortunate thing happened on the short side, where some kids were playing." He wasn't bothered by the incident, noting that the horse "came right back and felt good, with no other mistakes. Most judges scored me pretty good."

Another surprise was the excellent showing of Mexico's Bernadette Pujals, an unfamiliar name to many spectators. She rode Vincent to finish fourth in the Prix St. Georges. She placed second to Reid in the Intermediare I and currently stands third overall. "He's an approved stallion, and we bought him when he was two and a half years old. My husband and I found him." She has trained for two years in Germany and with Michael Poulin, and now works with Daniel Ramsier.

Pujals is married to another dressage competitor, Antonio Rivera. He stands 16th, and will compete in the final Sunday. Both the U.S. and Canada had four riders in the top 15, but FEI rules limit a nation to only three riders in the Freestyle. The 16th and 17th-placed riders are then able to advance. Kristina Harrison-Naness (U.S.) and Jacqueline Brooks (Canada) are the two who'll sit on the sidelines Sunday.

Cesar Parra on Pik L was third in Friday's test, moving him to fourth overall. "I rode my horse more aggressively today. If you don't ride every day the best that you can, then you don't deserve to be here."

Of the top five horses, three are stallions. A total of 10 stallions were among the 43 horses competing in the Games. Pik L, Vincent, and Feleciano are stallions; Mark is a gelding and Inatana is a mare. Feleciano is one of six eight-year-olds that competed. The youngest horse was the stallion, Nepal, who placed 38th and was the sole entry from El Salvador.