Officially announcing the Santiago 2023 equestrian teams in Canada

Equestrian Canada (EC) and the Canadian Olympic Committee have announced the nomination of the Canadian equestrian team to compete at the 2023 Pan American Games in Santiago.

The Team Canada equestrian team for the 2023 Pan American Games Santiago is:

The 12 athletes qualified for Team Canada based on their performance results during the qualifying period for each individual discipline.

Dressage athlete Camille Carrier-Bergeron is one of five juniors making their debut at the 2023 Pan Am Games in Santiago. Winner of the 2022 Orion Cup, honoring a promising Canadian dressage athlete who is moving up to the Grand Prix level, Carrier-Bergeron had a very successful 2023 season with her She secured five top-five places in the FEI competition, resulting in her team being nominated.

“This will be my first Pan American Games, and I am thrilled and proud to be selected to represent Canada in Santiago, Chile, especially with my amazing teammates,” Carrier-Bergeron said. “We have all worked extremely hard with the aim of making the team, and I know we are heading into the Games confident and ready to secure a place for Canada in Paris 2024! To everyone who has supported us in any way they can, I want to say, thank you!”

The Santiago 2023 team includes six Olympians, including Mario Deslauriers, who returned to the Olympic Games in Tokyo 2020 after participating in Los Angeles 1984 and Seoul 1988.

Team Canada’s equestrian debut was at the Pan American Games in Chicago in 1959. Since then, Team Canada has won a total of 55 medals – 22 in dressage, 14 in eventing, and 19 in vaulting. Three of those medals came from the recent Pan American Games, including the Canadian dressage team’s first gold in 28 years as well as a bronze in the team event.

The primary goal for the disciplines competing at this year’s Games will be to qualify for the Paris 2024 Games. In both dressage and eventing, the top two nations in the team event who are not already qualified will earn a spot on the Olympic team for three athletes and two horses. For jumping, the top three countries in the team event that have not yet qualified will earn a spot on the Olympic team for three athletes and two horses.

“The discipline teams have worked extremely hard as individuals and together to reach the Pan American Games. As our last chance to qualify teams for Paris, these Games are very important to our program. Even with this level of pressure, we are confident,” said James Hood, EC’s director of high performance. Incredibly, our groups of athletes will rise to the occasion.” “Canada has a strong history at the Pan Am Games and we have no doubt that the performance in Santiago will be no different. We have amazing support teams on the ground at the Games to ensure both humans and horses have the best opportunities to perform. As part of the team surrounding the team, owners and supporters will also be on hand at the games and at home to cheer on Team Canada! Without our daily support teams, our athletes (human and equine) would not be able to compete and thrive, so thank you to the trainers, owners, grooms/staff and families who make this possible.

Dressage will take place on October 22, 23 and 25 (Days 2, 3 and 5), followed by dressage on October 27 and 29 (Days 7 to 9) and concluding with jumping on October 31, November 1 and November 3 (Days 11 and 11). 12 and 14), at the Escuela de Equitación Regimiento Granaderos in Quilota, Chile. A total of 150 athletes are scheduled to compete in the three equestrian disciplines, each with an individual and team event.

“The equestrian stars of Team Canada – I am so excited to welcome you to the team! “I love horses and your sport is the embodiment of grace, partnership and pure elegance,” said Christine Girard, Team Canada’s Santiago 2023 team leader. “On the Pan Am Games arena, I hope you… Your horses are fast, your hearts are steady, and may your journeys be marked by the beauty of the unity between man and horse.”

Team Canada’s alternate athletes and support staff for the 2023 Pan American Games Santiago are:

Alternative athletes:
Erin Ballard, Gaghair (Tottenham, Ontario) – Jumping Reserve
Dana Cook, Quattro (Merritt, BC) – Efting Reserve II
Shannon Dueck, Angelica MW (Langley, BC) – Dressage Reserve
Jessica Phoenix, Freedom GS (Cannington, Ontario) – Eventing First Reserve
Tanya Strasser-Shostak, Fidelis Time (St Adele, Que.) – Dressage Reserve

Support Team
Eduardo Felix (Brussels, Belgium) – vet, jumping
Emily Gilbert (Toronto, Ontario) Events Team Manager
Karen Hendry Ouellette (Kemptville, Ontario) – Team Manager, Jumping
James Hood (Edmonton, Alta.) – Team captain
Rebecca Howard (Marlborough, UK) – Chef Dicip, Eventing
Antonio Inguileri (Palermo, Italy) – Equine Physiotherapist, Eventing Department
Alan Manning (Orton, Ontario) – Vet, Dressage & Eventing
Melanie McCleron (Severn, Ontario) – Press Attaché
Ian Millar (Perth, Ontario) – Chef D’Equipe, Jump
Christine Peters (Nepean, Ontario) – Team Manager and Chef DeKip, Dressage
Katherine Souraski (Winnipeg, Man.) – Veterinarian, Events
Andy Vergot (Chelmsford, ON) – Farrier, Eventing Company

Before being named to Team Canada, all nominations are subject to approval by the Canadian Olympic Committee’s Team Selection Committee after nominations are received by all national sporting organizations.

The latest Team Canada Santiago 2023 roster can be found here testis.