Sarah Lockman celebrating with fans following the equestrian dressage event at the Pan American Games Lima 2019 on July 31, 2019 in Lima, Peru.
LIMA, PERU – Sarah Lockman won the gold medal in the individual dressage final at the Pan American Games Lima 2019 on Wednesday, while Jennifer Baumert won the bronze medal, and Nora Batchelder finished fifth.
Performing the Intermediate I Freestyle, Lockman and her horse First Apple were given a score of 78.980, 1.20 points ahead of silver medalist Tina Irwin of Canada. Baumert’s score was 75.755. Batchelder finished fifth with a score of 73.630.
“I’m so proud of my horse and, to be honest, myself,” Lockman said. “I put a lot of pressure on myself these last few days because they were so phenomenal. But I couldn’t have asked for anything more. I’m just so glad I was able to do that on this international stage.”
It was also an opportunity to respond to Monday’s outcome in the team dressage final, a silver medal for the U.S. behind Canada’s total score of 220.287.
Lockman entered the final with some momentum after finishing first in the qualifying with a score of 75.912. For her music medley, she meshed several pop song instrumentals, including “Good Feeling” by Flo Rida, “Shape of You” by Ed Sheeran, and “Cheap Thrills” by Sia. Lockman and First Apple appeared to move as one. Lockman and First Apple’s score a score is a personal best.
Immediately following Lockman’s performance was Batchelder and Faro SQF. For her music, Batchelder opted to alternate between upbeat tracks and somber sounds to highlight different aspects of the routine. The score of 73.630 was 2.215 points out of third place.
Baumert, with her horse Handsome, selected an orchestrated version of “Titanium” by David Guetta as her main track with other upbeat tones mixed in. Handsome reacted well, moving with some tempo while remaining in control. They received a score of 75.755, enough to take home the bronze.
“Overall I was really pleased because there were no major mistakes,” Baumert said. “(Handsome) is so electric here. In other venues he can be a little quieter, so it took some adjustment. Over the days, I’ve figured out how to ride him in this atmosphere."
