John Crandall III rode Heraldic to an individual silver medal at the Pan American Endurance Championships in Santo Domingo, Chile, on Oct. 21 by completing the 120-kilometer course in 6:03:38 behind Uruguay’s Bernardo Algorta on Cacique (5:59:27).  Algorta also won best conditioned.

Valerie Kanavy was right behind Crandall aboard Spectacular Gold, riding to an individual bronze medal on a time of 6:05:47. Deborah Reich rounded out the U.S. team score on Pandor for a combined time of 19:05:19 and a U.S. silver medal behind Uruguay and ahead of Chile.

The U.S. Equestrian Federation has confirmed its search for applicants to fill the position of Endurance chef d’equipe. The job’s contract will be issued for the 2011-2014 quadrennial, with the option of a possible extension.

The USEF has appointed a committee of seven to define the chef d’equipe job description and identify the most-qualified candidate. The USEF Endurance High Performance Committee as well as the USEF High Performance Working Group and the USEF Executive Committee will review the recommended individual.

Members of the search committee are:

Endurance
 
The first American CEI of 2011 took place at the Dupuis Equestrian Center near Indiantown, Florida January 28-29.  The event featured two days of Endurance competition.
 

Lexington, Ky.—Sept. 27

Seven weeks ago, Spanish rider Maria Mercedes Alvarez Ponton was giving birth to her first child, but yesterday, Sept. 26, she was back in the saddle and back at the top of her game at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games.

Alvarez Ponton crossed the finish line first aboard Nobby, the 15-year-old bay Arabian with whom she won the 2009 Endurance World Championship (Italy) and the 2008 World Championship (Malaysia). The pair’s final time was 7:35:44.

Lexington, Ky.—Sept. 26

Seven weeks ago, Spanish rider Maria Mercedes Alvarez Ponton was giving birth to her first child, but today, Sept. 26, she was back in the saddle and back at the top of her game at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games.

Alvarez Ponton crossed the finish line first aboard Nobby, the 15-year-old bay Arabian with whom she won the 2009 Endurance World Championship (Italy) and the 2008 World Championship (Malaysia). The pair’s final time was 7:35:44.