Latest Football Transfer Stories And Titbits For the 16th of July 2015

here are the top transfer stories for July the 16th 2015 as compiled by Our man Paul Ayorinde.

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Done Deal:

– Real Sociedad have completed the signing of Bruma on a season-long loan deal from Galatasaray

– Valencia have signed Brazilian midfielder Danilo Barbosa on a season-long loan from Braga

– Darmstadt have completed the signing of defender Luca Caldirola on a season-loan deal from Werder Bremen.

– PSV Eindhoven have signed midfielder Simon Gustafson from Swedish outfit BK Hacken.

– Porto have signed Uruguay international defender Maxi Pereira on a free transfer.

– Stoke City have confirmed the signing of Moha El Ouriachi from Barcelona

– LA Galaxy have signed midfielder Giovani dos Santos from Villarreal on a four-and-a-half-year deal

– Napoli have completed the signing of goalkeeper Gabriel from AC Milan on a season-long loan deal.

– Sunderland sign forward Jeremain Lens from Dynamo Kiev on four-year contract for an undisclosed fee.

– Atletico Madrid have completed the signing of Jackson Martinez from Porto on a four-year deal.

Today’s reports and rumours:

– Juventus have reportedly asked Bayern Munich for Mario Götze after the Germans approached Arturo Vidal.

– Arsenal are reportedly interested in signing Roma defender Alessio Romagnoli.

Christian Benteke
photo credit: Vinnyman1
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/legalcode

– According to reports, Manchester United have activated the Aston Villa striker Christian Benteke £32.5 million release clause.

– West Bromwich Albion are keen on Crystal Palace goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey

– Geoffrey Kondogbia claims AC Milan offered him more money than Inter, but denies he ever agreed to join the Rossoneri. “The truth is that I spoke to Milan, but never in my life have I said yes to [Milan CEO] Adriano Galliani. The Rossoneri offered me more, but [Inter Coach Roberto] Mancini made a difference. The two clubs know what happened, and they know what they offered me. Milan know that their offer was better financially, but I didn’t make my choice based on that.” Kondogbia said

– According to Sky Sports sources, Middlesbrough have agreed fee with West Ham for Stewart Downing

– Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich will personally attempt to seal a deal for Zenit midfielder Axel Witsel

Borussia Dortmund

– Borussia Dortmund officials have said they are keen to keep goalkeeper Roman Weidenfeller at the club this season.

– According to L’Equipe, talks between PSG and Manchester United are to intensify in the coming days over Angel Di Maria’s move to the French capital

– Watford are set to seal a £3.5 million deal for Dutch winger Steven Berghuis from AZ Alkmaar, according to reports.

– Manchester United have still not agreed a fee with Fenerbahce for Robin van Persie even though the striker has already been unveiled by the Turkish giants, according to Press Association Sport.

– Valencia have reignited their interest in signing Manchester United goalkeeper Victor Valdes, according to reports in Spain.

– Leicester City are now favourites to sign N’Golo Kante after his club, Caen declared Marseille were out of the running for the defensive midfielder.

– According to reports in Germany, Schalke will get rid of Peru international Jefferson Farfan in order to help finance their move for Inter Milan’s Xherdan Shaqiri.

– Everton boss Roberto Martinez has no intention of letting James McCarthy leave the club, amid renewed reports of Manchester City interest.

Arsene Wenger

– Arsene Wenger insists Arsenal will never need to sell their best players again and can finally compete with the best teams in Europe financially.

– Nottingham Forest have turned down an offer from West Brom for winger Michail Antonio, according to Sky Sports sources.

– Croatia playmaker Mateo Kovacic has ruled out a move to the Premier League this summer, instead expressing a wish to remain at Inter Milan.

– Wilson Palacios has impressed Hull City manager Steve Bruce during a trial period after being released by Stoke and may be offered a deal with the club.

– Athletic Bilbao have offered Arsenal £7million for defender Nacho Monreal, according to reports.

– PSG are looking for €8million for reportedly outgoing goalkeeper Salvatore Sirigu.

– Esteban Cambiasso has not signed a new deal at Leicester City, according to his agent.

– Paris Saint-Germain are closing in on a deal for Tottenham midfielder Benjamin Stambouli, according to reports.

– According to Sky Sports sources, Feyenoord midfielder Jordy Clasie is expected to have a medical at Southampton within the next 24 hours.

– Valencia defender Shkodran Mustafi admits he is flattered by reported interest in him from Real Madrid.

– Daniel Osvaldo is heading back to Europe, as Real Betis “are interested and he would love a return to Spain,” said his agent.

– Manchester United would have to make a bid of over £35million if they wanted to price striker Robert Lewandowski away from Bayern Munich, his agent has warned

– Genoa are reportedly close to taking Olivier Ntcham from the Manchester City youth team on loan, according to reports

– Memphis Depay has revealed that he turned down Bayern Munich to sign for Manchester United, with Louis van Gaal being key in the decision.

– Robin van Persie insisted he has “no hard feelings” over his departure from Manchester United after completing his move to Fenerbahce on Tuesday.

– Aston Villa are said to be on the verge of snapping up Nice defender Jordan Amavi.

– Atletico Madrid president Enrique Cerezo has vowed to bring in more new faces before the start of the season.

– Liverpool have submitted a bid in the region of £45m for Borussia Dortmund forward Marco Reus, according to reports.

Football tit bits:

– UEFA have released the list of nominees for best player in European competition this season and Juventus dominate the pack with Gigi Buffon, Paul Pogba, Arturo Vidal, Carlos Tevez and Andrea Pirlo are all up for the award. They will challenge the Barcelona trio of Leo Messi, Andres Iniesta and Neymar, Cristiano Ronaldo of Real Madrid and Chelsea’s Eden Hazard.

– Real Madrid have topped Forbes’ list of the world’s most valuable sports teams for a third straight year.

– Former Brazil star Rivaldo and his son both scored in the same match in the Brazilian league’s second division on Tuesday.

– Aston Villa have named German Hendrik Almstadt as their first sporting director.

Oliseh: I Come To Serve My Country, Not To Wage War

Former Super Eagles’ captain Sunday Ogorchukwu Oliseh resumed life as Head Coach of the team on Wednesday, with a clear message to the generality of Nigerians: “I come to serve my country, not to wage a war.”

There were several questions and insinuations at Wednesday’s colourful official presentation ceremony bothering on Oliseh’s perceived ‘stubborness,’ but the former captain swiftly differentiated between being principled and being stubborn.

“I have come to serve, and the NFF has promised to give me all the support I need to succeed. They are the employers and I am the employee. That distinction has to be appreciated at all times.

“I have had meetings with members of the Technical and Development Committee, led by Chief Anyansi-Agwu, very knowledgeable people all. I have met members of the Executive Committee and the General Secretary. I believe we will all work together excellently. It is a huge honour to the Head Coach of Nigeria.”

NFF President Amaju Pinnick presided over the event, supported by Vice Presidents Seyi Akinwunmi and Shehu Dikko, Executive Committee members Anyansi-Agwu, Yusuf Ahmed Fresh, Dilichukwu Onyedinma, Babagana Kalli and Ahmad Kawu, General Secretary Mohammed Sanusi and other members of NFF management, including Technical Director Shaibu Amodu.

Amaju Pinnick, Alhassan Yakmut, Sunday Oliseh

As Pinnick announced to the audience that the NFF would immediately pay three months’ salary of Oliseh and his assistants in advance, the member of the FIFA Technical Study Group opened a window on his philosophy for player-selection.

“My assistants and myself will not invite to the camp of the National Team of Nigeria, any player who is not playing in the top division in the recognized Leagues of the world, including Nigeria. The only exception would be those players from any of the age-grade National Teams that we find exceptional and deserving of an opportunity to try and win shirts in the senior team.

“One thing I will say, dear compatriots, is that I am not a Messiah. I have come to do my very best, give 150%, to take Nigeria football to the next level, with the support of my assistants, the NFF and relevant stakeholders. I am optimistic that we will lift the Nigeria game to a new height.”

The multi-lingual Oliseh, who played professionally in Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany, and won Olympic football gold, Africa Cup of Nations gold, silver and bronze and played in two FIFA World Cup final competitions, signed a three-year contract with an option for an additional another year.

The NFF leadership later presented Oliseh and his assistants to the Director General of the National Sports Commission, Mallam Alhassan Saleh Yakmut.

Rolex Extends Sponsorship Of Davis Cup By BNP Paribas Through 2018

The ITF announced today an agreement with Rolex to continue as an international sponsor of Davis Cup by BNP Paribas. The sponsorship will see Rolex remain as the Official Timekeeper of Davis Cup through 2018.

International Tennis Federation

“All of us at the ITF are very pleased that Rolex has decided to continue as an international sponsor of Davis Cup by BNP Paribas for an additional three years,” said ITF President Francesco Ricci Bitti. “We have worked closely with them since 2007 and know that their values and ours are very close. Davis Cup has demanded the very best from the players over its 115-year history and this very much ties in with Rolex’s commitment to quality and heritage. We look forward to working with them to expand their position in Davis Cup and know that we have an excellent partner in Rolex.”

Rolex is proud to extend its partnership with the Davis Cup, which began in 2007. At the heart of the event’s most defining moments, the leading Swiss watchmaker embraces the sportsmanship and traditions that mark the sport.

This long-standing association reflects Rolex’s far-reaching commitment to tennis globally, spanning the sport’s calendar at the elite and amateur level.

Davis Cup by BNP Paribas is the World Cup of Tennis. It is the largest annual international team competition in sport, with 126 nations entered in 2015. The competition is 115 years old having been founded in 1900. The title sponsor is BNP Paribas, the Official Bank of Davis Cup. International sponsors are Rolex (Official Timekeeper), Adecco (Official HR Sponsor) and NH Hotels (Official Hotel). beIN SPORTS is the Official Global Media Rights Partner.

ISAF Invites Bids For 2017 ISAF Youth Match Racing Worlds

The International Sailing Federation is now inviting all Member National Authorities to bid for the 2017 ISAF Youth Match Racing World Championship.

The ISAF Youth Match Racing Worlds is now in its second year with this year’s fully subscribed event being held in Swinoujscie, Poland and the 2016 event in New Caledonia, France.

Bids must be received by the ISAF Secretariat and must include confirmation of support for the bid from the relevant Member National Authority. Bids will be reviewed by ISAF and a decision announced in November 2015.

Bids to host the 2017 ISAF Youth Match Racing Worlds must be received by Friday 2 October 2015.

WORLD ROWING UNDER 23 CHAMPIONSHIPS – 51 COUNTRIES AND OVER 800 ROWERS

The World Rowing Federation, FISA, has announced entries for the 2015 World Rowing Under 23 Championships to be held in Plovdiv, Bulgaria from 22 to 26 July.

A large turnout of 820 of the best under-23 rowers in the world, from 51 nations will race in Plovdiv on what many consider to be the fastest course in the world. In this pre-Olympic year, the lightweight men’s double attracted the most entries with 28 boats entered. The men’s single also attracted a large entry with 25 crews. The lightweight women’s single and the lightweight women’s double have 19 and 18 boats entered respectively.

The massive field of lightweight men’s doubles has many new names with only one returning crew from last year’s A-final; Martin Slavik and Jiri Simanek from the Czech Republic. They will go up against the rest of the relatively unknown 28 boat field.

The competition in the women’s lightweight double will be tough as 2014 gold medallist Zoe McBride and her new partner Jackie Kiddle are entered again. McBride set the new World Best Time at the 2015 World Rowing Cup II in Varese, Italy and has paired up with Kiddle, who was also an A-finalist at the 2015 World Rowing Cups II and III. They will go up against the 2014 silver medallists from Romania who are back with the same line-up and the 4th place finishers from Switzerland.

FISA 2015 World Rowing Under 23 Championships
Photo credit: Childish Gandino

The men’s single sculls will have the return of 2014 under 23 silver medallist Natan Wegrzycki-Szymczyk of Poland. He will likely be challenged by Jack Beaumont from Great Britain who medalled earlier this year at the European Championships in the men’s quadruple sculls.

The United States has dominated the women’s eight in recent years and returns with half of their gold medal winning crew from 2014. They will expect strong competition from Germany and Great Britain. With the absence of both New Zealand and Australia in the men’s eight, the USA might be able to step up their 3rd place finish from last year. But A-finalists from 2014 Germany, Italy and Great Britain will provide stiff competition.

Germany is the only nation to send a complete team of 21 boats. The United States is sending the next largest team with 20 boats competing. The United States finished second on the medals table in 2014, just behind New Zealand.

The regatta course in Plovdiv is a man-made canal stretching 2300 metres along the Maritza River in the centre of the city. The course is framed by forest that provides natural shelter. It will also host the 2018 World Rowing Championships.

The World Rowing Under 23 Championships is raced in 21 boat classes and is open to all FISA member nations for athletes under the age of 23. The under-23s began in 1976 as the ‘Seniors Match’ and then became the ‘Nations Cup’. It became the World Rowing Under 23 Championships in 2005.

Glo Premier League Match Day 18 Results

FC IfeanyiUbah 1-2 Kwara United

Bayelsa United 0-0 Rangers

El-Kanemi Warriors 1-1 Heartland

Kano Pillars 1-1 Wikki Tourists

Enyimba 3-1 Sunshine Stars

SURAJU SODIA OF 3SC AND HAMMED JIMOH OF KWARA UNITED. GLO NPFL photo credit LMC Media

Sharks 2-0 Abia Warriors

Giwa FC 2-1 Nasarawa United

Lobi Stars 1-0 Akwa United

Dolphins 1-0 Shooting Stars

FC Taraba vs Warri Wolves

LMC Sanctions Warri Wolves, Team Manager and Player

LMC Sanctions Warri Wolves, Team Manager and Player…,Delta FA Reprimanded for security breaches

Nigeria Football Professional League governing body has reprimanded the Delta State Football Association for not ensuring adequate and proper security at the Warri Township Stadium during the Match Day 17 Glo Premier League match between Warri Wolves and Enyimba International. Warri Wolves FC, its Team Manager and player were also subjected to disciplinary measures for various breaches of the Rules and Framework during their rescheduled Match Day 7 fixture in Ibadan against Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC).

The sanctions are part of the latest measures by the League Management Company (LMC) to enforce compliance to the league rules by all participating clubs and their players.

These decisions were conveyed to the various parties through letters signed by Salihu Abubakar, the Chief Operating Officer of the LMC. He said the LMC has a duty to call every individual and club to order to serve as deterrent to others who may find themselves in similar situations.

In these latest disciplinary measures carried out in exercise of Summary Jurisdiction, a fine of N250, 000 has been imposed on Warri Wolves for the encroachment on to the field of play by its officials and substitute players. The Club’s Team Manager, Gordon Ogbe was also fined N50, 000 and suspended from one match for exhibiting several acts of misconduct and “failing to set positive example for others and showing disrespect to the Match Officials by leading a confrontation that delayed the Match Officials from gaining access to the changing room”

Midfielder, Ikechukwu Ibenegbu was also handed an additional one match ban to the automatic ban arising from his expulsion in the match against 3SC and fined N50, 000 for “several acts of misconduct including showing disregard for the authority and decision of the Referee by refusing to leave the field after being issued a red car and violently pushing his fingers into the eye of the Referee”. The LMC held that the action of the player was not in the best interest of the game and “failed to comply with the principles of fair play, sportsmanship, the rules and regulations governing the league and acting in a manner capable of bringing the league to disrepute”.

Warri Wolves photo credit Moses Etu

In a related development, FC Taraba and its Welfare Officer, Fada Dennis have opted to appear the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Disciplinary Committee to defend themselves on the charge of assault on Match Referee in their Match Day 14 fixture against Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC). The Club was fined N500, 000 while Dennis was suspended from participating in the league activities for the rest of the season.

NFF Board Endorses, Presents Oliseh As Eagles’ Coach

The Nigeria Football Federation will on Wednesday present Sunday Ogorchukwu Oliseh to the media and the general public as the new Head Coach of the Senior National Team – Super Eagles.

NFF President Amaju Pinnick, as well as other members of the NFF Executive Committee and Management will preside over the presentation that will take place at the Media Centre of the National Stadium, Abuja from 11am, in front of scores of media representatives.

On Tuesday evening, Oliseh and his assistants had a robust, 90–minute meeting with the NFF Technical and Development Committee, headed by Chief Felix Anyansi-Agwu, where he unfolded his plans for the Super Eagles.

After the meeting, a meeting of the NFF Executive Committee received the report of the Technical and Development Committee, and unanimously adopted the recommendation to hire Oliseh as the new Super Eagles’ Head Coach.

Nicknamed ‘Passmaster’ in his playing days, during which he won Olympic football gold, the Africa Cup of Nations gold, silver and bronze, and reached the Round of 16 at the 1994 and 1998 FIFA World Cup final competitions with the Super Eagles, Oliseh holds a UEFA Pro License and is a member of the FIFA Technical Study Group.

The 40 –year old flew into Abuja on Tuesday evening.

Sunday Oliseh And NFF President Amaju Pinnick

Oliseh will immediately begin the task of preparing the Super Eagles for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier away to Tanzania in the first week of September, as well as an international friendly some days later.

“There is no time to waste. The team has important matches to prosecute in the next few weeks and it is imperative that Oliseh starts work immediately,” NFF General Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi, said on Tuesday.

PAN-AMERICAN GAMES 2015 – DRESSAGE: DOUBLE-GOLD AND INDIVIDUAL SILVER FOR USA

America’s Steffen Peters and Laura Graves today added individual gold and silver to the team title secured on Sunday at the Pan-American Games 2015 in Toronto, Canada where the host nation’s Chris von Martels scooped individual bronze this afternoon.

The result is a sensational fifth consecutive Pan-American team victory for the Americans, bringing their tally to eight team and nine individual Dressage titles in the 64-year history of the event, and earning a team berth at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.

And it was a back-to-back double of individual gold for Peters who, although he didn’t surpass the Pan-American Games record score of 80.132 which he set at Guadalajara in Mexico four years ago with Weltino’s Magic, came close when posting 80.075 for today’s individual win with Legolas.

Team competition

The Americans took the lead from the outset of the team competition and held on for gold, but the host Canadians chased them all the way to the line to claim silver, while Brazil just pipped Mexico for the bronze. Results were combined from two days of mixed Small and Big Tour competition that began with Prix St George and Grand Prix last Saturday (11 July), and only teams with Grand Prix combinations were eligible for the single Olympic berth on offer so only USA, Canada, Mexico and Brazil were in that race.

US stalwart, Steffen Peters, posted the biggest Grand Prix score of the day with Legolas at 77.240, and when added to Laura Graves’ 75.080 with Verdades, and Kimberly Herslow’s 75.184 in the Prix St George the first-day US tally was 230.504. Three scores from each team were taken into account, so Sabine Schut-Kery and Sanceo’s 71.790 in the the Prix St George was the team discard.

However the Canadians were hot on their heels when Brittany Fraser and All In scored 76.105 and Chris Von Martels and Zilverstar posted 75.026. Of the Canadian Big Tour pairs it was Belinda Trussell and Anton who scored highest with 74.949, Megan Lane and Caravella awarded 72.400 for the discard. And going into Sunday’s decider Canada trailed the USA by just 4.433 points while the three-member Mexican side of Jesus Palacios (Wizard Banamex), Jose Padilla (Donnersberg) and Bernadette Pujals (Heslegaards Rolex) lay only 0.203 points ahead of Brazil’s Joao Paulo Dos Santos (Veleiro do Top), Sarah Waddell (Donelly 3), Joao Victor Marcari Oliva (Xama dos Pinhais) and Leandro Aparecido da Silva (D Caprio).

Plenty of pressure

There was plenty of pressure as the action got underway on Sunday in the Intermediare 1 and FEI Grand Prix Special, but the Americans stood firm, bolstered by personal-best scores from both Graves in the Special and Herslow in the Intermediare 1, and backed up by Peters‘ 72.667 while Schut-Kery posted 73.533. Their final tally of 460.506 moved them just over 5.5 points ahead of the Canadians to secure the gold at the end of the day, while the Brazilians leap-frogged the Mexicans for the bronze.

US Chef d’Equipe, Robert Dover, said his team’s great result “showed that our Small Tour horses are beautifully trained and our Big Tour combinations showed why they are ranked seventh and eighth in the world right now. What could be better for a Chef d’Equipe than to bring a a team and have them earn personal bests at a very important moment. Having earned qualification for the Olympic Games, it allows us to now focus and put our energy into preparing for Rio (2016 Olympic Games).”

Graves, whose meteoric rise to prominence only began in the lead-up to last summer’s Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2014 in Normandy where she sensationally finished tenth individually with Verdades, was delighted with her personal-best 77.177 in the Grand Prix Special. “He was amazing out there, really on again today!” she said of her horse. “He loves Toronto!” Graves and Verdades and Peters and Legolas were key players in the US team that lined up fourth in Normandy behind the three European powerhouses of Germany, Great Britain and The Netherlands who earned the three Olympic berths on offer there.

Paid tribute

Steffen Peters paid tribute to the silver medallists. “The Canadians did a wonderful job. They rode extremely well and gave us quite the run – it wasn’t easy!” he said.

Canada’s Belinda Trussell, an Olympian and three-time competitor at the FEI World Equestrian Games™ who was lining out in her first Pan American Games said, after scoring 76.578 in the Grand Prix Special, “I think, for Canada, that this Games has pushed us to a new level. To be coming away (from the team event) with nothing below 70 per cent, and highlights of 76 per cent, has never been done. It’s really exciting for Canada. We are so pumped as a nation, and pumped to go forward to the next Games. We are international contenders – there is huge excitement!” she added.

On the podium after today’s individual Dressage final at the Pan-American Games 2015 in Toronto, Canada: (L to R) Laura Graves (USA) silver, Steffen Peters (USA) gold, and Chris von Martels (CAN) bronze. (FEI/StockImageServices.com)

Individual medals

And the excitement continued today when a total of 21 horse-and-rider combinations lined out to contest the individual medals. Of these, 17 performed Intermediare 1, while the final four Big Tour partnerships performed the Freestyle.

With just six left to go, von Martels and Zilverstar rocketed to the top of the leaderboard with a percentage score of 79.500 for his Intermediare test. Judge at M, Great Britain’s Stephen Clarke, awarded 81.500 and at judge at H, America’s Lilo Fore, awarded 80.750, and all five Ground Jury members put the Canadian temporarily into first place.

The 32-year-old rider from Ontario held on to the advantage until overtaken by Peters and Legolas who posted the first, and only, over-80 per cent score when third-last into the arena. Fore, Clarke and Ground Jury President Elizabeth McMullan chose this pair for the no. 1 spot this time around, setting the new target at 80.075. And when, last to go, 27-year-old Graves and Verdades collected 79.825 they scooped silver and pinned von Martels and Zilverstar back to bronze. It was an extremely close-fought affair, with only 0.575 separating the three medal-winners.

After Sunday’s Grand Prix Special, Peters admitted to having some issues in the execution of his test, but today he put all that behind him and came out once again with all guns blazing. “I’m still on cloud nine!” he said, shortly after the prizegiving.

A good job

“On Sunday Legolas did a good job but I didn’t do my best riding job, so I wanted to prove today that Legolas deserves to be one of top horses in the world. I gave it every bit of my strength and he produced a wonderful clean test. And on top of that he allowed me to be within a tenth of a second to the music so we had high artistic scores” he explained.

“This season we have had a few ups and downs, so to finish so strong in the last test of the season – I can hardly describe how I feel right now!” he added. Asked about team-mate Laura Graves’ close silver-medal finish, Peters continued, “I knew before the competition today that it would be awfully close. I saw her doing a beautiful clean test, so the tension to last second today was quite something. I have to admit I got very emotional when Legolas was called out the winner!”

And the 50-year-old rider was quick to refer back to his US team-mates and the success they have achieved over the last few days. “Let’s not forget that every single rider, including the fourth horse contributed to the team gold medal. There was a combination of drop scores, so everyone did their job, and it is a fantastic group of people – all good-hearted athletes. It’s quite something to win with wonderful friends you almost have to call family!” he said.

Result:

Teams: GOLD – USA 460.506: Sanceo (Sabine Schut-Kery) 71.790;73.553, Rosmarin (Kimberly Herslow) 75.184/77.158, Verdades (Laura Graves) 76.580/78.677, Legolas 92 (Steffen Peters) 71.790/72.667;

SILVER – Canada 454.938: Zilverstar (Chris von Martels) 75.026/76.210, Brittany Fraser (All In) 76.105/76.079, Caravella (Megan Lane) 72.400/72.892, Belinda Trussell (Anton) 74.940/76.578;

BRONZE – Brazil 414.895: Di Caprio (Leandro da Silva) 69.474/69.026, Sarah Waddell) 65.632/67.184, Xama dos Pinhais (Joao Victor Marcari Oliva) 69.184/69.211, Veleiro do Top (Joao Paolo dos Sanctos) 67.842/70.158.

Individual: GOLD – Legolas 92 (Steffen Peters) USA 80.075; SILVER – Verdades (Laura Graves) USA 79.825; BRONZE – Zilverstar (Chris von Martels) CAN 79.500.

Facts and Figures:

Victory in the team competition has secured a qualifying spot for the USA at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

This was another record-breaking performance from the Americans who already held the record for four consecutive team victories, and have now increased that to five.

16 nations were represented in Dressage at the 17th Pan-American Games while 10 countries fielded teams.

The Ground Jury consisted of: Hans Matthiesen DEN, Stephen Clarke GBR, Maribel Alonso MEX, Elizabeth McMullan CAN (President) and Lilo Fore USA.

A total of 21 horse-and-rider combinations competed for the individual medals.

The list of teams so far qualified in Dressage for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games now includes, Brazil (automatic qualification), Germany, Great Britain, The Netherlands (placings at Alltech FEI World Equestiran Games™ 2014 in Normandy), Australia (best ranked team from Olympic Group F or G at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games 2014 in Normandy), and USA (single qualifier from Pan-American Games 2015 in Toronto, Canada).

Louise Parkes