A first draw held for the individual freestyle—which included four riders from Canada and four from the United States—at the Pan American Games was later ruled illegal after further examination of the rules regarding these championships. 

The Fédération Equestre International released a statement on that this morning, July 14. The statement is as follows:

“Fifty percent of those that started in the team competitions qualify for the individual finals, and the technical handbook for dressage at the Pan American Games does not mention any restrictions on the number of riders per nation that can continue through to the individual final, provided they are qualified. The competitions at the Pan American Games are staged under Pan American Sports Organization rules, but the FEI decides on the sports format and this year introduced a new concept with the combination of small tour and big tour.

“Based on the technical handbook, it was announced at a meeting of chefs d’equipe [July 12] that four riders would be eligible to go through to the individual final, and the draw was then made for the individual final, including four riders from the U.S. and Canada.

“No protest was lodged within the 30 minute deadline after that meeting, and an attempt to lodge a protest after the deadline was rejected by the ground jury.

“However, at a chefs d’equipe meeting [July 13] it was announced that according to PASO rules, a maximum of three riders per country would be eligible to go through to the individual final. The chefs d’equipe present at the meeting unanimously agreed to ask PASO for an exception so that four riders could participate, and that the two riders that would lose their places could start in the individual final as extra riders.

“PASO has the right to exceptions to their own rules and agreed that it was prepared to consider the unanimous request from the chefs. However, later in the day, two nations—Venezuela and Mexico—stated that they had changed their minds. When PASO was informed that there were two countries that were no longer in agreement with the original vote, PASO said it would not agree to an exception in these circumstances. 

“Following the PASO decision not to grant an exception, a re-draw has been made with three riders from each the U.S. and Canada on the start list.

“ ‘This is an unfortunate situation, in which PASO was very willing to make an exception to its own rules providing all competing countries were in agreement,” FEI director of dressage and para-equestrian Trond Asmyr said. ‘But the unanimity at the morning’s chefs meeting no longer prevailed this afternoon, and PASO had no choice but to enforce its rules of allowing only three riders through to the individual final.’ ”

Because of the change, Sabine Schut-Kery will not compete Sanceo for the U.S. today, and Megan Lane will not show Caravella for Canada. See a copy of today’s new start list on the Pan Ams website.