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2019 Pan American Games: Eventing, Lima Peru
by Jo-Ann Wilson
Lima, Peru was a very busy, bustling, gray,
and foggy city bordered by the Pacific Ocean and the foothills of
the Andes Mountains. Lima is an arid region that rarely experiences
rainfall, therefore there was no vegetation found on the mountains
surrounding the city. The mountains resembled volcanic rock with a
dark sandy surface. It was winter time in August so hats, gloves,
and down clothing were welcomed for our warmth. 
There were very few days the sun shined
through the fog and gray sky.
The one day I remember where the skies
cleared
and the sun was shining was the day I enjoyed seeing the Andes
Mountains in the distance. I noticed a distinct white line on top of
the mountain range as if someone outlined the mountains with a white
chalk marker. When I asked one of the Peruvians at the venue about
the white outline on the mountain range, the gentleman said the
white line was the Wall of Shame.. It was constructed to separate
the poor from the rich as a means to stop the less well off stealing
from the wealthy in Lima. The wall stood 10 ft tall, built of thick
concrete with barbed wire at the top. It was built in the mid to
late 1980”s.
 Nestled at the base of the Andes was the
competition staged at the Army Equestrian School in La Molina, a
section of Lima. The facilities were very impressive and
accommodating. The top notch barns, arenas,
cross country track and the footing made the Games a very
pleasurable, rideable, and safe setting for rider’s, horses, and
spectators. The Peruvian people were quite supportive and kind.
As the Wall of Shame separated two
populations, the requirements of winning Gold or Silver Medals
separated the different countries teams, as to who would qualify to
compete at the 2020 Olympic Games.
Being selected to ride for the USA Eventing
Team at the Pan Am Games meant there was no room for failure or
undsoundess in the horses. Since our performance at the 2018 World
Equestrian Games did not qualify us to compete at the Olympics, we
had a second chance, and needed to finish with a Gold or Silver
Medal at the Pan Am Games to compete at the Olympics. So, the
pressure was on.
The riders performed under tremendous
pressure, carrying the hopes of an entire nation on their shoulders.
They were eager, joyful, brave, serious, fit and focused. The horses traveled to Peru
remarkably well and were impeccably trained and prepared for the
task at hand. All horses had excellent balance, reflexes, strength,
power, talent, courage and most of all, heart.
The riders and horses competed with
heightened senses and responses to reach their ultimate goal, and
the USA Eventing Team, did just that! They won Team Gold and
Individual Gold Medals giving them the green light to compete at the
2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan.
Congratulations to the riders, horses,
grooms, coaches, owners, and support staff for winning the Medals
necessary to represent the USA at the pinnacle of the Game. Thank
you for sharing your talents on the world stage. On to Tokyo
Olympics 2020! |
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