W. Charlot Farms

2011 Pan Am Games

Equine Canada Press Releases

Silver Medal for Canadian Dressage Team at Pan American Games

Guadalajara, Mexico – On the first day of equestrian competition at the XVI Pan American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico, the Canadian Dressage Team won its third consecutive silver medal in the team competition.  By winning the silver medal, the Canadian Dressage Team also earned a berth for the 2012 London Olympic Games.The first Canadian team member to enter the main arena at the Guadalajara Country Club was Roberta Byng-Morris, 48, of Godmanchester, QC.  Byng-Morris performed a harmonious test on her 12-year-old gelding Reiki Tyme (by Royal Diamond).  A score of 65.158% placed Bing-Morris 25th individually out of 47 entries representing 14 nations.

Crystal Kroetch, 54, of Calgary, AB, was the second Canadian rider to compete on her 10-year-old Hannoverian gelding, Lymrix (by Loerke).  Making her Canadian Team debut, Kroetch executed the test almost flawlessly, with highlights in the trot tour and canter pirouettes.  Kroetch’s resulting score of 68.790% earned her 11th place individually.“Lymrix was fairly electric today, but he stayed with me the whole way,” said Kroetch after her ride, which would prove to be a building block toward Canada’s team silver medal.

Next in for Canada was 30-year-old Tina Irwin of Stouffville, ON, riding Winston, a 14-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding (by Whinny Jackson) owned by Mary Ellen Horgan.  Irwin’s test was full of power and expression, though Winston had an uncharacteristic spook during the trot work that took Irwin by surprise.“It came out of left field but luckily he got right back to work,” Irwin said.  “He has proven that he is really consistent.  Even with a mistake, he can manage 70%.”Irwin received a score of 70.737% from the panel of five international judges to place seventh individually.

Last to compete was Canadian Team anchor Tom Dvorak, 46, of Hillsburgh, ON, riding the Hannoverian stallion Viva’s Salieri.  Owned and bred in Canada by Augustin and Christine Walch of Stratford, ON, Viva’s Salieri is sired by Viva Voltaire.  Dvorak, the only member of the 2011 Canadian Dressage Team who has previously competed at a Pan American Games, displayed the confidence of team experience in his performance.  Viva’s Salieri moved fluidly from one movement to the next, showing both correctness and brilliance.“First of all, I want to say that I love my horse and I love his owners,” said Dvorak with emotion following the team medal ceremony.  “They have been so supportive.  My horse gave me his best today.”Although there were several strong horses still to compete for the teams from Mexico, Colombia and Brazil, Dvorak’s score of 71.711% clinched the team silver medal for Canada.  Placing fifth individually, Dvorak led his team to the podium for the second consecutive Pan American Games.

A powerhouse team from the USA won its fourth consecutive Pan American Games gold medal, with Olympic and World Equestrian Games medalist Steffen Peters leading the way.  Riding Weltino’s Magic, Peters set a new Pan American Games record with a score of 80.132%.  The USA also dominated the individual leader board with Americans occupying three out of the top four placings.  However, the slate is wiped clean for the individual competition, in which only the Intermediaire I and Intermediaire Freestyle will count toward the individual medals.Team bronze and 2012 Olympic team qualification went to Colombia.  The host team from Mexico finished fourth.All four members of the Canadian Dressage Team are among the top 25 horse-rider combinations that will advance to the first round of Individual competition, the Intermediaire I test, on Monday, October 17.  Following a one day break, the top 15 pairs from the Intermediaire I will return to a sold-out stadium for the popular Intermediaire Freestyle to Music on Wednesday, October 19.The Canadian Dressage Team is assisted at the Pan American Games by Team Technical Leader Markus Gribbe of Germany, Chef d’Equipe Gina Smith of Brockville, ON and Team Veterinarian Dr. Alan Manning.  The Canadian Equestrian Team is supported at the Pan American Games by Team Leader Kerri McGregor of Newmarket, ON, and Assistant Team Leader Tina Collins of Loretto, ON.  The Canadian Dressage team is grateful to their many supporters for their success in Mexico.

2011 Pan American Games Team Dressage Results – October 16, 2011

Gold:               USA – average score 75.754%

                        Steffen Peters/Weltino’s Magic – 80.132%

                        Heather Blitz/Paragon – 75.105%

                        Marisa Featherling/Big Tyme – 72.026%

                        Cesar Parra/Grandioso – 69.526% (drop score)

Silver:              Canada – average score 70.413%

                        Tom Dvorak/Viva’s Salieri – 71.711%

                        Tina Irwin/Winston – 70.737%

                        Crystal Kroetch/Lymrix – 68.790%

                        Roberta Byng-Morris/Reiki Tyme – 65.184% (drop score)

Canadians Place Fourth, Fifth and Seventh in Pan Am Individual Dressage Final

Guadalajara, Mexico – Canadian Dressage Team members Tom Dvorak of Hillsburgh, ON, Tina Irwin of Stouffville, ON, and Crystal Kroetch of Calgary, AB, placed fourth, fifth and seventh respectively in the Individual Dressage Final held Wednesday, October 19, at the XVI Pan American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico.With American competitors sweeping all three individual medals, Dvorak, Irwin and Kroetch challenged the podium from a starting field of 47 competitors representing 14 nations. 

Canada’s youngest team member, 30-year-old Irwin, was the first to enter the arena at the Guadalajara Country Club.  Riding Winston, a 14-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding owned by Mary Ellen Horgan, Irwin performed to a medley of popular songs from the 80’s, including ‘What a Feeling’ from Flashdance and ‘Life Is Life’ by Noah and the Whale.  Winston showed his maturity and consistency with a flawless and expressive performance that earned a score of 77.225% for Irwin.“Winston was amazing, and I was totally thrilled,” said Irwin, who was making her major games debut.  “It was my personal best score.  We definitely peaked at the right time.  It was also fantastic to ride to my music, which was produced by long-time sponsors and supporters Lewis Manné and Wendy Watson of Zap Productions.”Combined with her Intermediaire I score of 70.842% from the first half of the individual competition on Monday, Irwin’s average score of 74.034% moved her up five places, from tenth after the Intermediaire I, to fifth overall.

Next in for Canada was Kroetch, 54, riding her own 10-year-old Hannoverian gelding Lymrix.  Kroetch’s difficult choreography included a canter pirouette immediately following the initial halt, and a serpentine of two tempi changes.  Her score of 76.325% placed her sixth in the Freestyle.  Having finished ninth in the Intermediaire I two days earlier with a score of 71%, Kroetch improved on her ultimate placing, with an average score from the two tests of 73.663%, and seventh place overall.“It wasn’t my cleanest test, but my horse had moments of brilliance and I was thrilled with my score,” said Kroetch of her freestyle performance. 

Dvorak, 46, was the second last rider in the arena, competing immediately after the eventual silver medalist, Heather Blitz of the United States on Paragon, and the gold medalist Steffen Peters, also of the United States, on Weltino’s Magic.  Dvorak rode Viva’s Salieri, a 10-year-old Canadian-bred Hannoverian stallion, to a dynamic Spanish guitar themed program that included four canter pirouettes and tempi changes on curved lines for added difficulty.  An impressive score of 77.300% placed Dvorak fourth in the Freestyle.Combined with his fourth place result of 73.079% in the Intermediaire I, Dvorak finished fourth overall with an average score of 75.190%.  Even more impressive, Viva’s Salieri is a Canadian-bred horse, having been bred by owners Augustin and Christine Walch of W. Charlot Farms in Stratford, ON.“I fought as hard as I could and I didn’t leave anything behind,” said Dvorak when the results were announced, with American Marisa Festerling riding Big Tyme edging out Dvorak for the individual bronze medal.For Dvorak, the results in Guadalajara were reminiscent of the 2007 Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where he also placed fourth individually, having also claimed a team silver medal.“I’m still pleased to be fourth for a second time,” he said.  “We gave it our best, and it was a personal best score for us in the Freestyle.” 

The Canadian riders had high praise for the support they received from Team Chef d’Equipe Gina Smith of Brockville, ON, and Team Technical Leader Markus Gribbe of Germany.“Markus has been fabulous and Gina is like having my mom along; she’s so organized and calm,” said Kroetch.“It’s great to be a part of our team’s wonderful results and to be able to help,” said Smith, who was a member of Canada’s bronze medal team at the 1988 Seoul Olympics.

Following the Prix St. Georges test held October 16, Canada won the team silver medal and, in doing so, achieved their goal of qualifying a team for the 2012 London Olympics.  Unfortunately, under Pan American Games rules, only three riders per nation may advance to the Individual Final.  Although the fourth member of the Canadian Dressage Team, 46-year-old Roberta Byng-Morris of Godmanchester, QC, was unable to compete on the final day, she placed 16^th individually in her major games debut with her 12-year-old Hannoverian gelding Reiki Tyme.

 The Canadian Dressage Team was assisted at the Pan American Games by Team Veterinarian Dr. Alan Manning.  The Canadian Equestrian Team is supported at the Pan American Games by Team Leader Kerri McGregor of Newmarket, ON, and Assistant Team Leader Tina Collins of Loretto, ON.

2011 Pan American Games - Final Individual Dressage Results

Gold:      Steffen Peters                United States                    Weltino’s Magic          82.640%

Silver      Heather Blitz                  United States                    Paragon                       81.917%

Bronze    Marisa Featherling         United States                    Big Tyme                    77.545%

4.            Tom Dvorak             Hillsburgh, ON                 Viva’s Salieri               75.190%

5.            Tina Irwin                      Stouffville, ON                 Winston                       74.034%