PAEC NEWSLETTER MARCH 2023

PAEC Members Newsletter, March 2023

Dear National Federations,

Welcome to the third of our PAEC monthly newsletters, which focuses on the PAEC Athletes that will be traveling to Omaha (USA) next month for the three-way FEI World Cup™ Finals, as well as some of the things that have been happening in your area over the past few weeks.

FEI WORLD CUP™ FINALS, OMAHA (USA)

The FEI World Cup™ Finals return to Omaha, Nebraska (USA) next week for the first time since 2017, when the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ and the FEI Dressage World Cup™ Finals were first held in Warren Buffet’s hometown.

This time round there will be three Finals – Jumping and Dressage (as there was six years ago), but with the addition of Vaulting to this year’s timetable. As this is an internal communication amongst PAEC Members, we have focused on our Athletes who have qualified for the Finals, but you can check out everything about the Finals here. And if you can’t be onsite in Omaha, all the action will be available to watch live or on replay on FEI.TV.


Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Final

A total of 10 PAEC Athletes have qualified through the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ North American League (NAL), including the USA’s McLain Ward. Omaha is a happy hunting ground for the now 46-year-old Ward, as he won his first FEI World Cup™ title at the Nebraska venue six years ago. Ward, who claimed team silver at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, will be bidding for another win on home soil at this year’s Final.

Joining Ward in Omaha after qualifying through the NAL USA East Coast will be five other USA athlete/horse combinations: Ailish Cunniffe (Vivaldi Du Theil); Nicholas Dello Joio (Cornet’s Cambridge); Hunter Holloway (Eastern Jam/Pepita Con Spita); Devin Ryan (Eddie Blue) and Aaron Vale (Prescott).

Brazil’s Santiago Lambre made the cut with Chacco Blue II after finishing third in the final NAL qualifier at Ocala on 19 March, but made the decision this week not to travel to Omaha. Rodrigo Pessoa (BRA) qualified through the NAL USA East Coast League, but will also not take part in the Final after withdrawing his entry on 23 March, the day before the Definite Entries were published. As both the Brazilians qualified as extra athletes they will not be replaced.

The Dominican Republic’s Maria Brugal Gasso and J’Adore Flamenco finished second in the final NAL leg in Ocala, behind Germany’s Andre Thieme with DSP Chakaria, but didn’t pick up enough points to earn her place on the Omaha start list.

The three NAL USA West Coast combinations heading to next month’s Final are Simonne Berg (Cooper); Elisa Broz (Kardenta Van ‘T Meerhof); and Natalie Dean (Acota M). Erynn Ballard (Gakhir/Hero) will be the sole rider representing the Canadian maple leaf flag. 

No Mexican athletes will be competing in Omaha, and there will also be no representation from the South American South League, won by a member of last year’s gold medal winning team at the South American Games in Paraguay, 45-year-old Geronimo Marcello Viana Ciavaglia (BRA). Fellow Brazilian and five-time Olympian Doda de Miranda finished second in this League.

Definite Entries for the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Final can be found here.

Maria Gabriela Brugal Gasso (DOM) and J’Adore Flamenco, runners-up at the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ North American League leg in Ocala (USA), but a 17th place finish in the NAL was not enough to get them a ticket to Omaha. ©FEI/Shannon Brinkman

FEI Dressage World Cup™ Final

Best of the PAEC athlete/Horse combinations in 2017 were Laura Graves (USA) and Verdades, who finished as runner-up to Germany’s Isabell Werth with Weihegold OLD. Kasey Perry-Glass (USA) and Goerklintgaards Dublet were seventh, two places ahead of compatriot Steffen Peters on Rosamunde. 

Five-time Olympian Peters, winner of the Final in Las Vegas with Ravel back in 2009, returns to Omaha next month with Suppenkasper, the Dutch-bred gelding he rode to a team silver medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. The 58-year-old athlete rode Suppenkasper to win three legs, all in Thermal, California to top the North American League and clinch his place at the Final.

Also flying the Stars and Stripes in Nebraska will be Alice Tarjan with Serenade MF, alongside Anna Buffini, who will be riding FRH Davinia La Douce. Tarjan (43), who topped the line-up at both Devon and Tryon, will be making her FEI World Cup™ Final debut, but Buffini will be competing at her second Final having ridden in Leipzig (GER) last year.

Buffini won the final NAL outing in Wellington at the beginning of the month to finish the season tied on points with Sarah Tubman, individual gold and team silver medallist at the Lima 2019 Pan American Games with First Apple, but Buffini’s higher average scores gave her the edge and the ticket to Omaha.

Definite Entries for the FEI Dressage World Cup™ Final can be found here.
 

FEI Vaulting World Cup™ Final

A total of four PAEC Athletes have qualified for the Vaulting Final. 

Daniel Janes (USA) and Estiven Palacio Hernandez (COL) have earned places on the Individual Male startlist. This will be a second Final for Janes, who competed at Saumur 2019. The Colombian will be a Final first-timer. He has had an anxious wait for visa clearance to enter the United States, with FEI Headquarters, the Organizing Committee and the US National Olympic Committee (NOC) all working together to get the documentation finalised.

Kimberley Palmer (USA,) who represented her country at last year’s Final in Leipzig (GER), will be participating in the Individual Female category alongside Averill Saunders (CAN). The Canadian has four FEI World Championship starts on her competition CV, but this will be her first FEI World Cup™ Final.

There are no Athletes from the Americas in the Pas-de-Deux.

Definite Entries for the FEI Vaulting World Cup™ Final can be found here.

PARIS 2024 OLYMPIC GAMES

The FEI Board announced on 16 March 2023 the appointment of Jumping Officials for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, with the USA’s David Distler named as a Ground Jury Member.

The Ground Jury President will be Frances Hesketh-Jones Triulzi (ITA), and the other Ground Jury Members joining David Distler in the judges’ box are Patrice Alvado (FRA); Harrij Braspenning (NED) and Károly Fugly (HUN).

IOC PRESIDENT VISITS CARIBBEAN & CENTRAL AMERICAN NOCs. 

The IOC President Thomas Bach (GER) visited the Caribbean and Central American NOCs during a 12-day trip between 28 February and 11 March, which included an equestrian sports demonstration in Costa Rica. He was accompanied throughout the tour by Neven Ilic (CHI), President of Panam Sports and an IOC Member.

The IOC President began his visit in Costa Rica on 28 February. He was greeted in the country’s capital, San José, by IOC member Laura Chinchilla and by the Costa Rican NOC President Alexander Zamora. The first stop was the NOC Headquarters, where the two Presidents met with athletes and young people from a range of sports who also took part in a number of sports demonstrations, including equestrian. 

Other PAEC member nations visited by the IOC and Panam Sports Presidents were Cuba, Jamaica, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico and Barbados, as well as Aruba.

High-powered delegation: IOC President Thomas Bach (center) was treated to a demonstration of equestrian sports at the Costa Rican National Olympic Committee (NOC) Headquarters at the end of February, hosted by the Costa Rican NOC President Alexander Zamora (right). Neven Ilic (left), President of Panam Sports and an IOC Member, accompanied President Bach during his 12-day tour of the Caribbean and Central American NOCs.

FEI CSIO4* CUP OF NATIONS, WELLINGTON (USA)

Team Canada claimed the honours in the FEI CSIO4* Cup of Nations in Wellington, Florida (USA) on the first Sunday in March, finishing on their first-round score of eight faults. And it was a double celebration, as Captain Canada himself – 10-time Olympian Ian Millar – was leading out Team Canada in his first outing as chef d’equipe.

The quartet of Mario Deslauriers (Emerson), Erynn Ballard (Gakhir), Tiffany Foster (Hamilton) and Beth Underhill (Nikka VD Bisschop) nailed Canada’s seventh win in the Cup of Nations and were more than happy to take directions from the 75-year-old legend. They were battling against 10 other national teams representing Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Chile, Great Britain, Ireland, Mexico, USA and Venezuela. 

At the finish, Team Brazil took the second step of the podium with a tally of 16, ahead of Ireland in third, also on 16 but with a slower team time overall. Mexico and the USA were fourth and fifth.

IN MEMORIAM: DR MEG MULLIN (USA)

Well-known US veterinarian Dr Meg Mullin died on 9 March after weeks in a coma following a riding accident. 

A native of Philidephia, Dr Mullin was US team veterinarian across several disciplines. She is survived by her two sisters Jennifer Kovacich and Kumara Frank, brother Raymond and nephews, Mitch and Nicholas Kovacich.

In honor of Dr Mullin, who worked extensively with the US Para Dressage Team, the United States Para-Equestrian Association (USPEA) has set up the Meg Mullin Memorial Grant. The new Grant will be used to offset expenses of athletes’ initial CPEDI competition.

A full obituary is available here.

MICHAEL DETEMPLE (BRA)

Michael Detemple (BRA), an FEI Level 4 Jumping Judge and Course Director, passed away on 19 March in Porto Alegre. 

Born in 1945, Michael Detemple judged at numerous international events, including the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2010 in Lexington, Kentucky (USA) and the Guadalajara 2011 Pan American Games in Mexico. He also officiated at the Bolivarian Games in Lima (PER) in 2013 and the South American Games in Quillota (CHI) the following year.

As well as judging in his home country, his role as an FEI Official also took him to Argentina, Bolivia, Canada, Chile, Ecuador and Germany.

May he rest in peace.

SOCIAL MEDIA

If your National Federation is keen to boost the content on your social media platforms, the simplest way is to join up to FEI Socialie.

This content collaboration tool will allow you to have easy access to content of your own athletes all packaged and ready to post. You can contact the FEI digital team directly and both your NF and the FEI can showcase the reach and engagement on social media for improved commercial growth. And best of all, it’s completely free for all NFs!

There’s no need to download an app, so if you’re not already on board, simply sign up to Socialie on your desktop, mobile web, iOS or Android and off you go! You’ll be able to customize your inbox to only receive content that’s relevant to your NF, it’s accessible anytime, and you can search, download and watch video content and browse images all in one destination.

Have a look at these simple steps here, using the special PAEC welcome code: PAEC

So get signed up for FEI Socialie and, for all the PAEC news on social, check us out on the PAEC Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/paec2001/


SEND US YOUR NEWS
This is your Newsletter and, as always, we would love to hear from you. So if your NF has anything you’d like to share with other PAEC members please contact us on news@paec.info

PAEC NEWSLETTER FEBRUARY 2023

Dear National Federations,

Welcome to the second of our PAEC monthly newsletters, which includes a wrap-up from our General Assembly 2022, as well as news from the FEI Endurance World Championships and the last of the Western European League qualifiers for the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Final. There’s also information on a new sustainability initiative in Wellington, plus a snapshot of major events in the FEI Calendar that will be hosted in our region in the coming weeks. Please enjoy!

PAEC General Assembly 2022, 21 February 2023

The PAEC General Assembly for 2022 was successfully held in hybrid format in Wellington, Florida (USA) on 21 February 2023, with a total of 28 National Federations (NFs) represented, 19 of those in-person and a further nine online.
Those NFs who attended in-person were Bahamas (Catherine Ramsingh-Pierre); Barbados (Roberta Foster); Bermuda (McKeisha Smith and Heidi Mello); Brazil (Fernando Sperb and Tatiana Gutierrez); Bolivia (Liliana Rivera, with Diego Iturralde online); Canada (James Hood and Ian Millar); Cayman Islands (Mary Alberga); Dominican Republic (Mercedes Grasso and Aristides Fernández); Ecuador (Jaime Morillo); El Salvador (Alejandro González and Juan Manuel Bolaños); Guatemala (Juan Manuel Melgar); Honduras (Teresa Mills); Jamaica (Lesley Masterton Fong-Yee); Panama (Enrique Thompson); Puerto Rico (Mildred Colon and Frances Muñoz); United States of America (Tom O’Mara, William Moroney, Graeme Thom, Sonja Keating, Hallye Griffin, Lizzy Chesson, Amber Braun and Gemma Stobbs); Venezuela (Elena Couttenye and Maria Fernanda Faria); and Virgin Islands (Regine Fitzner). Haiti gave its proxy to Barbados, so was included as in-person representation.

Online attendees were Argentina (Adriana Portiglia); Chile (Felix Halcartegaray and Patricia Canales); Colombia (Mauricio Bermudez); Costa Rica (Rocio Echeverri); Mexico (Rafael David); Paraguay (Leticia Díaz and Andrea Zuccolillo); Peru (Ricardo Moncada); Trinidad & Tobago (Patrice Stollmeyer and Gabrielle Borde); and Uruguay (Alejandro Aberg). Antigua y Barbuda, Cuba and Nicaragua were excused.

PAEC President Cesar Hirsch (VEN), who gave a stirring opening address, led the meeting together with PAEC Secretary General Daniela Garcia Nigaglioni (MEX). PAEC Board members Esteban Abedrabbo (ECU), Luiz Roberto Giugni (BRA), Mark Samuel (CAN), Monique Archer (BAR), Carmen Barrera (ESA) and outgoing Athletes Representative Juan Andrés Rodríguez (GUA) completed the top table.
Also in attendance were FEI Jumping Athletes Representative Rodrigo Pessoa (BRA) and FEI Dressage Athletes Representative Yvonne Losos de Muñiz (DOM), together with fellow Olympian Tiffany Foster (CAN). The Canadian Jumping athlete, who is replacing Guatemala’s Juan Andres Rodriguez as the Athletes Representative on the PAEC Board, was warmly welcomed by all delegates.

Tim Dutta from the Dutta Corporation, who is in charge of transport and import/export logistics for the Pan American Games in partnership with Peden Bloodstock, gave an update on his work for Santiago 2023. This followed Cesar Hirsch’s detailed presentation, which included information that Dressage will open to athletes 16 and over, not 18 and over as originally published. The PAEC President also advised delegates of the Horse Inspection dates for each of the three disciplines: Dressage – 20 October, Eventing – 26 October and Jumping – 29 October. Jumping at the Pan Ams will now use the FEI Championships system with a running total across the competitions for athlete/horse combinations. This is a new system for Jumping at the Games.There will be an operational test event in June to ensure that all functional areas are working optimally and NFs will be invited to attend. The President reminded attendees that PAEC is not the Local Organizing Committee, the Games are owned by Pan Am Sports and run by Santiago 2023, a corporation created as the Organizing Committee of the Games. PAEC’s role is to ensure standards are met for this Olympic qualifier. Following an update on the Central American & Caribbean Games, the PAEC Secretary General presented the qualification protocols for the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Board member Mark Samuel, who had earlier joined Eve Van den Bol (CAY) to co-present the success of the Caribbean Equine Relief Fund, talked about FEI Elections and Appointments, including advising that the FEI will be introducing staggered terms for the Nominations Committee. Fellow Board member Monique Archer then explained the FEI Rules Revision process. The PAEC President gave a presentation on the pivotal role of the FEI Equine Ethics & Wellbeing Commission, of which he is a member. This was followed by PAEC Communications Consultant Grania Willis, who spoke about plans to promote equestrian sport in the region but also globally, and she also emphasized the importance of working together to ensure equestrian sport maintains its social license to operate in the eyes of the general public.The general view amongst delegates was that the hybrid General Assembly had been extremely positive, and NFs were in agreement that working together at twice-yearly in-person meetings – the PAEC GA and the FEI General Assembly, which will be held in Mexico this year – were important to nurture the sense of community and empower the membership.
PAEC Eventing Advisor
Pablo Plaza (ARG), who was announced as Eventing Advisor for the Americas at the FEI General Assembly 2022 in Cape Town (RSA), will be doing a venue visit for the Santiago 2023 Pan American Games in mid-March. He will be assistant Technical Delegate (TD) for Eventing at the Games, working alongside discipline TD Alec Lochore (GBR).PAEC is continuing its search for a Dressage Advisor, a role that was previously filled by Maribel Alonso (MEX), but as she is now Chair of the FEI Dressage Committee a replacement needs to be found to work directly with PAEC.

FEI Endurance World Championships 2022
Butheeb International Endurance Village in the UAE hosted the FEI Endurance World Championships 2022, which took place on 25 February 2023. Bahrain claimed team honours for the first time ever at these Championships, led by HH Sheikh Nasser Bin Hamad Al Khalifa and Darco La Majorie, who also took gold in the individual.From PAEC, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Uruguay and USA all sent teams, but failed to record team finishing scores in the 160-kilometre ride. Argentina’s Mercedes Tapia was best-placed of the PAEC athletes, finishing in 24th with Invasor Del Reparo, while her countryman Guerri Leonardo slotted into 39th with LM Troyana IP, one place ahead of the USA’s Cheryl Van Deusen with JG General. Canada’s Robert Gielen was 41st with More Bang For Your Buck.A total of 122 athlete/horse combinations representing 36 nations started on the 160-kilometre track, with 23 full teams and 13 countries fielding individuals. There was strong PAEC representation amongst the FEI Officals, with Rocio Echeverri of Costa Rica as President of the Ground Jury and Brazil’s Elizabeth J. van Schelle as Foreign Judge. The 17-strong Veterinary Commission included Gerson Acedo Vieira of Brazil and Thomas Timmons of USA, both Level 4 Official Veterinarians.

Brazil’s Mansur earns place in Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Final
Gothenburg in Sweden staged the last of the Western European League (WEL) qualifiers for the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ on 26 February, which was won by the French combination of Marc Dilasser and Arioto Du Gevres.Brazil’s Yuri Mansur finished 14th with Vitiki after picking up seven faults in the first round, meaning he earned enough points to move into 18th in the WEL standings and confirm his place at the Final on PAEC turf in Omaha (USA) in April. Mansur, who was on the Brazilian team at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, has competed at two previous FEI World Cup™ Finals, in Leipzig 2011 and Lyon 2014.Compatriot Marlon Modolo Zanotelli, winner in Bordeaux (FRA), is 20th on 38 points, but will not be eligible for the Final. Even if any of those above him in the standings opt not to travel, he is an extra athlete and would only have qualified by obtaining at least as many points as the last qualified Western European athlete, the Netherlands’ Harry Smolders, who has 40 points.There is still one more qualifier to come in the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ North American League (NAL), at Ocala (USA) on 19 March, and then the top seven athletes from the East Coast US, top three from West Coast US and the two best-placed athletes from Canada and Mexico will be guaranteed their places on the starting order for Omaha. Brazil’s Rodrigo Pessoa could have the opportunity to join his compatriot Mansur in the Final as an extra athlete from the NAL when the standings are finalised after Ocala. The current provisional standings are available here: https://data.fei.org/Ranking/Search.aspx?rankingCode=S_WC&nfGroup=4026

Sustainability at WEF
Wellington International and Global Equestrian Group has announced a partnership with Carbon Hoofprint’s Megan Fellows to oversee a newly created focus on sustainability at the Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF). Wellington is the first North American event to launch an initiative dedicated to green solutions. Together with Carbon Hoofprint (https://www.carbonhoofprint.com/), they aim to make the facility and organization an industry leader in environmental initiatives, reinventing the sport with a dedicated company-wide commitment to green initiatives and positive change for the local community and beyond.In addition to energy production through the use of solar and renewable energy solutions, the initiatives will also prioritize water and waste, including manure utilization to produce natural gas.Read the full press release here (https://wellingtoninternational.com/venue/sustainability).

Major upcoming Events in PAEC Region
Wellington: This weekend sees 11 teams lining out for the 4* Jumping Nations Cup at the Florida venue on Saturday 4 March. Seven PAEC members are sending teams – Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Mexico, USA and Venezuala, and they join Australia, Belgium, Great Britain and Ireland on the start list. It’s going to be a hot competition!Wellington’s busy schedule continues with a CSI5* from 7-12 March and 28 March to 2 April, plus a CDI5* and a whole range of other Dressage competitions from 14-19 March.Ocala: The final leg in the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ North American League (NAL) takes place at Ocala (USA) on 19 March.Coapexpan: The Mexican CSI5* at Coapexpan, which runs from 22-26 March, will also attract world-class athletes – both human and equine, and there’s a CSI4* at the venue the previous week.FEI World Cup™ Finals: The Longines FEI Jumping, FEI Dressage and FEI Vaulting World Cup™ Finals all take place in Omaha (USA) from 3-8 April. If you can’t be there in person, watch it all live or on replay on FEI.TV (https://www.clipmyhorse.tv/de_CH/fei-tv).LGCT/GCL: The Longines Global Champions Tour and Global Champions League head to Miami Beach, Florida (USA) from 12-15 April and then move to Mexico City between 19 and 23 April.Longines FEI Jumping Nations Cup™: Other upcoming major FEI Events in the PAEC region include three North/Central America & Caribbean CSIO5* qualifiers for the Longines FEI Jumping Nations Cup™:San Miguel de Allende (MEX), 28 April 2023;San Juan Capistrano (USA), 12 May 2023;Vancouver-Langley BC (CAN), 4 June 2023. Check out the full FEI Calendar here (https://data.fei.org/Calendar/Search.aspx) for all the other Events in the PAEC region. 

Send us your NewsIf your NF has any news you’d like to share with other PAEC members please send it to news@paec.info

World high jump record set in Chile still stands 74 years later!

February 5, 1949 was a special day in the equestrian world when Chilean Army officer Captain Alberto Larraguibel Morales and the Thoroughbred stallion Huaso set the world high jump record at 2.47 metres (8ft 1in). Incredibly, that record still stands, 74 years later!

The venue where the fabulous pair jumped their way into the record books was the Chilean Army Riding School in San Isidro de Quillota. Now over 100 years old, it will be the competition venue hosting the equestrian disciplines for this year’s Pan American Games. 

The record-breaking fence is still onsite, and so is Huaso, in the form of a statue commemorating the horse that jumped himself and his rider into history.

Caption: the monster 2.47 metres (8ft 1in) fence that Chilean Army officer Captain Alberto Larraguibel Morales and stallion Huaso cleared to set a world high jumping record that still stands today. (L-R): PAEC President Cesar Hirsch (VEN), Alec Lochore (GBR), Technical Delegate for Santiago 2023, Tim Dutta (USA), who will be coordinating logistics for the Pan American Games, and sport manager Colonel Jaime Poblete (CHI) show just how big that fence really is! 

In Memoriam: PAEC mourns loss of leading Brazilian veterinarian Dr Thomas Wolff

Thomas Wolff, one of Brazil’s best known veterinarians who had worked all over the world at major international equestrian events, has passed away after losing his battle with lung cancer. He was 71.

Born in April 1951, equine veterinary medicine was his lifelong passion. He qualified as a veterinarian in 1975 at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at the University of São Paulo and earned his doctorate in veterinary medicine at Zurich University in Switzerland the following year. Between 1975 and 1990 he worked in the Netherlands, Britain, Germany and the United States of America.

He was the Veterinarian in charge of the Brazilian Equestrian Team at two Olympic Games – Seoul 1988 and Beijing 2008 – and also at two Pan American Games –Rio (BRA) 2007 and Guadalajara (MEX) in 2011. 

During his many years working with equestrian sport’s global governing body, the Federation Equestre International (FEI), he was President of the Veterinary Commissions at both the Rio 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Other highlights of his FEI career came in 2014 when he was appointed as a Member of the FEI Veterinary Commission at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2014 in Normandy (FRA), as Foreign Veterinary Delegate (FVD) at the FEI World Cup™ Finals 2017 in Omaha (USA), FVD at the Youth Olympic Games 2018 in Buenos Aires (ARG) and also at the FEI Jumping South American Championships for Young Riders, Juniors, Pre-Juniors and Children at Mar del Plata, Argentina in October last year.

He was National Head FEI Veterinarian in Brazil from 2000 to 2017 and was a valued member of the FEI Veterinary Committee from November 2015 to November 2019. He was on the limb sensitivity testing team at the Longines FEI Jumping Nations Cup™ Final at the 2022 Final in Barcelona (ESP), and had just been appointed by the FEI as Foreign Veterinary Delegate for the Santiago 2023 Pan American Games in Chile later this year.

“We have lost a dear friend and a talented veterinarian with the passing of Thomas Wolff”, PAEC President Cesar Hirsch said. “We were roommates at the Rio Olympic Games and we worked together at so many events. Along with all his friends and colleagues, I will miss him enormously. He was a truly great man and the world is a poorer place without him. May he rest in peace.”

PAEC extends its sincere condolences to Dr Wolff’s wife Doris and his children, to the Brazilian National Federation, and to his wide circle of friends in the veterinary and equestrian sports worlds.

Saavedra Garcia and Maximus make dream Longines start at Puebla

Caption: Mexico’s Jose Saavedra Garcia made his Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ debut a winning one when claiming the honours with Maximus on home turf at Puebla (MEX) on 28 January 2023. (© FEI/Rodrigo Ceceña)

When you make your debut in a Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ qualifier, of course you dream of winning it, but how many people make that a reality? Well, Mexico’s Jose Saavedra Garcia did exactly that on Saturday, January 28, claiming the top spot in the feature Longines North American League qualifier in Puebla. And, even more incredibly, Saavedra Garcia and Maximus jumped the only clear of the entire competition!

They left in their wake last year’s winners Manuel Gonzales Dufrane (MEX) and Hortensia van de Leeuwerk, who slotted into second with the fastest four faults. Saavedra Garcia’s trainer Arturo Parada Vallejo claimed third on Bacot for an all-Mexican podium, with Denmark’s Nikolaj Hein Ruus and Bordeaux in fourth. And the field also included the top ranked Mexican Nicolas Pizarro, and the current national champions of Mexico, Federico Fernandez (MEX) and Davidoff.

Saavedra Garcia made his international debut at San Miguel de Allende in May of last year when he competed in three classes with Maximus and, less than a fortnight later, the duo jumped their way into the winners’ enclosure at the Puebla venue at only their second show together. Returning to San Miguel last October, Jose and Maximus won the CSI 2* Grand Prix. After the stunning Longines win at the weekend, Saavedra Garcia has now notched up 11 top 10 placings in 21 starts with the 13-year-old Oldenburg stallion son of Quidam de Revel. 

Saavedra Garcia is 689th in the Longines Rankings and 126th in the FEI U25 Ranking, but the maximum 20 points from the weekend victory has now put the 24-year-old 14th in the North American League standings. 

Check out the full FEI stories on Jose’s brilliant win here and here and savour the winning round on FEI Facebook. The full class results are available here

After seven qualifiers hosted by PAEC members, the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ North American League winds up at Ocala (USA) on 19 March 2023

Caption: Jose Saavedra Garcia and Maximus on their way to the only clear – and the winning round – in the Mexican Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ qualifier at Puebla (© FEI/Rodrigo Ceceña)

PAEC NEWSLETTER JANUARY 2023

Dear National Federations,

Welcome to the first of our new PAEC monthly newsletters, which we hope will create an increased sense of community amongst our member National Federations (NFs). In such an important year for PAEC, with our continent hosting a historic number of major events, we wanted to ensure that you’re all up to date with important topics relevant to every one of our 31 NFs, as well as share highlights from what’s going on in your country.

As we said in our happy holidays message at the end of last year, there will be a major focus on our region in 2023 with three FEI World Cup™ Finals in Omaha (USA) in April, the Central American & Caribbean Games in Santo Domingo (DOM) in June, the Pan American Games in Santiago (CHI) at the end of October, and the FEI General Assembly in Mexico in November. 

All of this is a great opportunity to put the spotlight on the Americas, attract new levels of media interest that will help grow the sport in our region, and make all of you proud to be members of PAEC.

This is YOUR newsletter, so please share information with us that you think other PAEC members will be interested in. We want to know about exciting new competitions on your home turf, the big winners at your national championships and the rising stars – both human and equine. And if you have pictures that’s even better. Send it all to news@paec.info. We can’t promise to use everything, but we’ll do our best – and we need your help to do it, so make that one of your New Year’s resolutions!

Our first newsletter of 2023 features information about the FEI World Cup™ Finals, the Pan American Games and the media accreditation process, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) 2023 List, and links to all the new FEI Rules so that you and your athletes can familiarize yourselves with them. And a reminder about next month’s PAEC General Assembly.

FEI World Cup™ Finals, Omaha (USA)

The FEI World Cup™ Finals return to Warren Buffet’s hometown, Omaha, Nebraska from 4-8 April 2023, and this time Vaulting will be joining Jumping and Dressage at this fabulous indoor venue.

There’s so much information out there about the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Final, the FEI Dressage World Cup™ Final and the FEI Vaulting World Cup™ Final, and one of the best ways of keeping up to date is by downloading the official event app for iPhone and Android devices. You’ll be able to check out the full schedule, buy tickets, book accommodation, learn about all the content that will be streamed, and lots of other great info.

Santiago 2023 Pan American Games (CHI)

The highlight of PAEC’s own calendar this year is of course the Santiago 2023 Pan American Games in Chile, which run from 20 October – 5 November 2023. Equestrian sports have been a part of the Pan American Games since the Pan Ams started back in 1951 in the Argentine capital, Buenos Aires, and have remained on the list of sports at every Games since.

Our continent’s most important multi-sport event will bring together more than 7,000 athletes from the 41 countries of the Americas to compete in 39 sports across 61 disciplines.

Santiago 2023 will be the world’s largest qualifying event for Paris 2024, with a record 33 disciplines – eight more than the previous record set by Lima 2019 – offering entries to next year’s Olympics. And that of course includes the three equestrian disciplines, so the Jumping, Eventing and Dressage will definitely attract top athletes and horses.

So how many equestrian nations can qualify for Paris at the Pan Ams?

Dressage (22-25 October): The two (2) highest ranked teams from FEI Olympic Groups D and/or E at Santiago 2023 will earn their Olympic place, excluding those nations already qualified through the Paris 2024 Olympic qualifying system.

Eventing (27-29 October): The two (2) highest ranked teams from FEI Olympic Groups D and/or E at this year’s Pan Ams will book their tickets to the French capital for next year, excluding those nations that have previously qualified through the Paris 2024 Olympic qualifying system.

Jumping (31 October – 3 November): The three (3) highest ranked teams from FEI Olympic Groups D and/or E at Santiago 2023 will secure Olympic qualification, excluding those nations that have previously qualified through the Paris 2024 Olympic qualifying system.

Pre-qualified: The only PAEC nation that has already earned Paris 2024 qualification in any of the three Olympic disciplines is the United States of America. Team silver at last year’s FEI Eventing World Championships in Italy, and a sixth-place finish at the FEI Dressage World Championships 2022 in Denmark means Team USA has two out of three places already booked and will be aiming to add a team Jumping slot in Santiago 2023.

Venue: The historic Chilean Army Riding School, located in San Isidro de Quillota, will be the competition venue hosting the equestrian disciplines. Over 100 years old, this is the venue where the world high jump record – which still stands – was set at 2.47 metres (8ft 1in) by Captain Alberto Larraguibel Morales and the Thoroughbred stallion Huaso in 1949.

Substantial refurbishment work is being done on the venue, which is around 90 minutes from the Chilean capital. The focus will be on the stables, the field of play and warm-up arenas, which will have an underfloor irrigation system that has already been approved by FEI footing expert Christian Bauer.

Media accreditation: Every four years, PAEC members have the opportunity to encourage their national media to sign up to see all the action live onsite at the Pan American Games so that they can see for themselves what a wonderful sport we have. 

We urge all PAEC NFs that are aiming to have athletes and horses competing in Santiago 2023 to proactively advise their media about the accreditation process, which opened earlier this month. As media accreditation for the Games is run by your National Olympic Committee (NOC), media need to contact their NOC directly. 

There is a separate accreditation process for media from a country that does not have athletes participating. They can contact press.accreditation@santiago2023.org.

For more information, media can also get in touch with Pan Am Sports Communications Director Alejandro Goycoolea (alejandro@panamsports.org), +56 994 081 884 and Communications Manager Kevin Nutley (knutley@panamsports.org), +1 678 262 6612.

Central American & Caribbean Games

In the build-up to the Pan Ams, the PAEC Calendar boasts another major event – the 24th Central American and Caribbean Games. A qualifier for Santiago 2023, these Games will run from 24 June to 3 July 2023 in Santo Domingo (DOM).

WADA List 2023

National Federations, Athletes and their Entourage are reminded that the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) 2023 List of Prohibited Substances and Methods came into force on 1 January 2023.

The official text, including a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) section, is published by WADA in English, French, Spanish, Catalan, Croatian, Danish, German, and Greek. You can check out a mobile-friendly digital edition of the List, and the FEI pages on Clean Sport for Human Athletes also has lots of important information. 

The FEI is a signatory to the WADA Code, meaning that all FEI Athletes, and therefore all Athletes competing for PAEC National Federations, are bound by this Code and can be subject to in- and out of competition testing for prohibited substances. Make sure your Athletes are up to date with the WADA List.

FEI Rules & Regulations

It’s also crucial that our community keeps itself up to speed on the FEI Rules & Regulations, not just for the individual disciplines, but for Anti-Doping and Veterinary, as well as the Horse Health Requirements, which cover all the biosecurity protocols in place to protect our horses and our sport from the consequences of infectious diseases.

PAEC General Assembly

You will all have received the draft agenda for the PAEC General Assembly at Wellington International, Florida (USA) on 21 February 2023 with a start time of 11am CET. Don’t forget to let us know officially if you will be attending in-person and the number in your delegation (maximum three per NF with one vote) and, if you can’t be there on the day, please confirm if you will be joining the meeting online.

That’s all folks!

So that’s it for this first newsletter of 2023. We hope you find it useful and that you feel inspired to contribute content for future editions! We look forward to receiving it!

In Memoriam: FEI mourns loss of FEI Jumping Director Marco Fuste (1962-2023)

FEI PRESS RELEASE
Lausanne (SUI), 6 January 2023

In Memoriam: FEI mourns loss of FEI Jumping Director Marco Fuste (1962-2023)

Spain’s Marco Fuste, known for his bountiful charisma and extensive experience in the equestrian sporting sphere, including his tenure as FEI Jumping Director since 1 February 2021, passed away on 5 January 2023 from heart complications. He was 60 years of age.  

Highly regarded by the equestrian family, Fuste had a wealth of experience in the equestrian world which he gained through the many roles he embraced: from athlete to event organiser, chef d’équipe as well as hands-on governance administrator both in and out of the equestrian sphere.  

During his time at the FEI, Fuste oversaw the full revision of the FEI Jumping Rules, the successful delivery of the postponed Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games due to Covid-19, the delivery of FEI World Championships, World Cup and Nations Cup Finals among thousands of events around the world. He prioritised consultation, was always reachable and worked closely with the FEI Jumping Committee and Chair Stephan Ellenbruch (GER) to ensure the different stakeholders within the community understood the decisions, the reasoning and the decision-making process.   

“The FEI and the greater equestrian community have lost a true friend, loyal equestrian, mentor and aficionado,” FEI President Ingmar De Vos said.  

“Marco always gave it his all – he was not one for half measures or taking the easy option – and everyone respected him for his tenacity, his integrity and his good business sense. 

“Marco was true to his convictions and was always true to himself. He was passionate about the sport and about the people, rational beyond measure and simply a wonderful human being. His generosity and thoughtfulness, as well as his wise insights and remarkable ability to recall and recount countless anecdotes, made him memorable and colourful at every encounter. 

“Marco said that to be appointed FEI Jumping Director was his dream job, and for us, he was our dream candidate – passionate, experienced, knowledgeable, genuine, caring, determined and driven to do the right thing for the sport and for the people in the sport.

“We will miss him dearly at the FEI, and I know the entire community is also mourning his loss and everything he stood for.”

On behalf of the FEI Family, which held Marco in the greatest esteem, the FEI extends its deepest condolences to his wife Isa, his daughter Ainhoa, his father, extended family, the Spanish equestrian community and everyone around the world who had the chance to get to know and spend time with him. May he rest in peace. 

About Marco Fuste

Before joining the FEI and among many career highlights, Fuste was Director of Jumping for the Spanish Equestrian Federation and chef d’equipe of the Spanish Jumping team from 2006 to 2021. During this time, he also served as a member of the FEI Jumping Committee from 2011 to 2015, and a member of the European Equestrian Federation (EEF) Jumping and Nations Cup working groups. Prior to this, he had also worked at both the Barcelona 1992 Olympic Games and the FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2002 in Jerez (ESP), and was a recipient of the Gold Medal of the Real Federación Hípica Española in 2009, the Federation’s highest distinction. 

In the lead up and alongside his equestrian career – borne from a lifelong love of horses – Fuste earnt his stripes exploring and working in a number of different sports. This started in 1986 with the position of Event Manager at the Spanish sports events company Organización y Gestión Deportiva S.A, before a nine-year stint with the World League of American Football, NFL Europe and NFL Europe League. He would go on to explore the tennis world, becoming General Manager at the Royal Spanish Tennis Federation, a tenure which coincided with Spain recording its first Davis Cup victory. 

Brazilian Colonel Salim Nigri dies at 81

Colonel Salim Nigri dies at 81

This Friday (21/01), Colonel Salim Nigri died. He was 81 years old and had a heart attack. Great supporter and collaborator of national dressage, Nigri had an extensive career. He was national and international judge (FEI 4) of the modality, as well as dressage director of the Brazilian Equestrian Confederation and instructor and commander of the Army Riding School. As an FEI 4 judge, Nigri judged the Pan American Games in Winnipeg in 1999.
Nigri graduated as a cavalry officer in 1962 and was an instructor at the Army Riding School for five years. As an athlete, he was state and national champion several times and participated, as an international rider, in several CDIs.

More recently, Nigri taught several training courses for judges. In September 2021, he taught a course for dressage judges at the Army Physical Training Center – Urca (RJ), with the aim of recycling CBH judges and preparing FEERJ state judges.

The funeral will be on Sunday, 1/23, at 10 am, at the Cemitério Comunal Israelita in Rio de Janeiro.