U.S. Dressage Riders Advance--and Retreat In Pan Am Individual Placings

Cesar Parra, riding for Colombia, had the best finish on a U.S.-owned horse. Horses Unlimited's Pik L was just out of the medals, finishing fourth in the Freestyle (71.025) and fourth overall by 2 points.

Jan Ebeling, St. Jacques, and Carol Lavell were in the top 10 going in (standing fifth, sixth, and tenth, respectively), and finished close to those positions: Ebeling fifth, St. Jacques sixth, and Lavell advancing to seventh.

Lavell was the only U.S. rider with Olympic and Pan-Am experience. She truly rose to the occasion Sunday, showing sixth of the day with one of the most complex freestyles. Riding to a medley of 1960s Rolling Stones rockers, she scored 71.15 and was third in the freestyle.

Judge Axel Steiner said, Carol's was quite demanding, and today she pulled it off." Lavell reported, "I'm going to open a huge bottle of champagne before my flight home tonight, and toast my horse. I wanted to go home with at least one good ride."

Ebeling had the pressure of being the most likely U.S. medal candidate. He and Feleciano finished seventh in the freestyle (68.6). St. Jacques and Lucky Tiger earned 65.9.