Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic – August 14, 2003 - At the conclusion of the show jumping events at the 2003 Pan American Games, Canada finished sixth overall. In the opening round of the Final Team Qualifier, lead-off rider Eric Lamaze of Schomberg, ON, had a four-fault effort riding Millcreek Rosalinde, an eight-year-old Hannoverian mare owned by Mill Creek Stables. However, Lamaze also picked up one time fault when his time of 90.86 seconds exceeded the 89-second time allowed.

Mark Samuel of Toronto, ON, followed Lamaze into the ring and experienced trouble when Darios V had a refusal in the middle of the triple combination at 8b. Four faults for the refusal, eight faults for two rails down, and an additional four time faults brought Samuel’s total to 16 faults which would prove to be the drop score. Karen Cudmore, originally of Victoria, BC, and now based in Omaha, NB, had eight faults in the first round with Conejo, the Holsteiner stallion owned by her husband, Blair Cudmore. As the anchor rider, Ian Millar of Perth, ON, also put in an eight fault performance with Promise Me, a nine-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding owned by Millar Brooke Ltd.

Counting the scores of Lamaze, Cudmore and Millar, Canada moved into fifth position in the Team standings.

In the second round, Lamaze entered the ring just as a downpour began. Riding in the heavy rain, Lamaze had four rails down and picked up another time penalty to bring his score to 17, Canada’s drop score in the second round.

“The rain was terrible, my boots were sliding off the horse, my reins were slipping – everything was slippery!” said a discouraged Lamaze. “The mare was jumping really well in the first round, but she was bothered by the rain and was really uncomfortable.”

Samuel incurred eight faults plus a time fault for a total of nine riding his 11-year-old selle francais gelding while Cudmore picked up 12 faults. Millar was working on a clear round until a rail fell at the final fence on course, giving him four faults.

Adding the first and second round totals of 22 and 25 to the 23.15 picked up in the First Qualifier held on Wednesday, Canada’s final Team score was 70.15. Unfortunately, the sixth place finish meant Canada failed to earn one of the three spots open for the 2004 Olympic Games. It will mark the first time since 1968, when Canada fielded its first Olympic team, that Canada will not be represented at the Games.

“I feel very sorry for Canada,” said Millar, an eight-time Olympian. “A lot of riders who would like to go won’t get the opportunity. That’s sport – there are winners and when there are winners, there have to be losers.”

When the team medals were awarded, the United States easily won the gold while Mexico finished with a silver medal. Brazil was the bronze medal winner while Argentina, the fourth-placed nation, earned an Olympic berth based on the performance of all four team members.

Individually, Ian Millar is the highest-placed Canadian rider in fifteenth position going into Saturday’s Individual Final. Millar is the defending champion, having won the individual gold medal four years ago in Winnipeg, Canada.

For further information on the equestrian events at the Pan American Games, please visit the Dominican Republic Equestrian Federation’s website at: www.ecuestrerd.com and the official 2003 Pan American Games website at www.santodomingo2003.com.