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RIO DE JANEIRO, July 24--All but one of the 56 horses entered in jumping, the third and final equestrian discipline at the Pan American Games, passed veterinary inspection Tuesday. But one of the four American team riders, Laura Chapot said that her 13-year-old Dutch gelding, Little Big Man (left), was "under the weather" after traveling from the United States to Brazil. Her team mates, Lauren Hough, 30, of Wellington, Fla. and Casadora, Cara Raether, 28, of North Palm Beach, Fla. and Ublesco, and Todd Minikus, 45, of Lake Worth, Fla. and Pavarotti said both they and their horses were in good condition and fit and ready for the five rounds of jumping competition that starts Wednesday and ends Sunday. The U.S. won team gold and individual silver and bronze at the last Pan American Games in Santo Domingo in 2003. The competition here, though is much tougher than four years ago, with a team of top Canadians, Ian Millar and In Style, Eric Lamaze and Hickstead (right), Mac Cone and Melinda and Jill Henselwood and Special Ed ready to fight to qualify for the 2008 Olympics. Brazil, too, has home pride on the line and a squad led by reigning Olympic gold medalist Rodrigo Pessoa and Rufus, owned by the Hunter Harrison's Double H Farm, and also includes the European-based Bernardo Alves and Chupa Chupa 2. None of the teams and individual riders can be ruled out, though. Argentina's team includes Max Amaya, who is based in Colt's Neck, N.J. and the internationally seasoned Church Road, and Venezuela's Pablo Barrios based in Wellington on Ron Krise's Sun God. All of the U.S. riders were unanimous in raving about the stabling, footing, organization and overall quality of the 3,000-seat venue, including a covered grandstand, in the heart of a sprawling military base in Deodoro, about an hour from Rio de Janeiro. All but one of the American horses are Dutch warmbloods, the only exception being the 10-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding, Ublesco, owned by Trelawney Farms LLC and ridden by Raether. Ublesco, she said, should have no problems handling the schedule of competition as "he likes to compete and doesn't tire easily" so the five rounds shouldn't be too stressful on the horse. Jill Humphrey, alternate for the U.S. team, jogging her Felix, left and defending individual jumping gold medal winner Puerto Rico's Mark Watring and Sapphire at the jumping veterinary jog at the Pan American Games Hough is a veteran international competitor with Casadora, an 11-year-old mare owned by Laura and Meredith Mateo, in the 2005 and 2006 Samsung Super League at Barcelona, Aachen, Germany and La Baule, France as well as the 2000 Sydney Olympics on Clasiko. The pair are coming off successful Calgary, Alberta performances that won them over $135,000 in prize money. "We're keeping her fit and happy," she said. "We feel confident going into the competition. She can jump a lot of rounds in a week." Casadora is also fast over a jumping course that should bode well for the opening speed class Wednesday. Chapot, 38, of Neshanic Station, N.J. was obviously distressed at the "little impaction" that has put Little Big Man, a 13-year-old gelding she has owned for the past nine years, "a little under the weather" since flying from the United States last Thursday. Minikus, who was alternate for the Sydney Olympics on Oh Star, described the 10-year-old gelding Pavarotti, nicknamed "Wonder Runt" because of his size as "probably the greenest horse" on the U.S. team because he does not have much mileage in the show ring. But, he said, that after he competed him on the Samsung Super League tour at La Baule, Rome and St. Gallen, Switzerland after a good Florida winter season this year, Pavarotti has developed into a top jumper. "I'm sure that like any other championship," he said, "it will be very competitive." "And we should never underestimate any one." "This is a really strong team" Hough said. "We all get along well together. We'll give out best shot."
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