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Let the Games Begin!

July 8, 2015   ·   0 Comments

Written By SYLVIA JONES

MPP DUFFERIN-CALEDON

This is an exciting time for our province as the 2015 Pan Am Games is set to begin here in Ontario this month. The Pan Am Games takes place every four years and is one of the world’s largest international multi-sport events with approximately 7,000 athletes from countries across North America, South America, the Caribbean, and Latin America competing in 36 sports at this year’s Games. Of those 7,000 athletes, 700 will be representing Canada.

The first ever Pan Am Games took place in 1951 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Canada has hosted the Pan Am Games twice before, in 1967 and 1999. This will be the first time Ontario hosts the Pan Am Games, with municipalities in Southern Ontario including Caledon and Mono of Dufferin-Caledon hosting various sporting events during the Games. 

Dufferin-Caledon will be the site for the equestrian competition during the Games, which will take place from July 11th till July 25th. The dressage and jumping competition will take place at the OLG Caledon Pan Am Equestrian Park. Dressage is the event where the horse and rider must perform a routine within a 60 meter by 20 meter box in front of seven judges. The jumping competition takes place on a course that consists of 15 fences the horse must jump over. The Will O’ Wind Farm which will be known as the Pan Am Cross-Country Centre during the Pan Am Games will host the eventing competition over a three-day period. If you are interested in learning more about the equestrian competition please visit: www.toronto2015.org/equestrian.   

Not only is Dufferin-Caledon proud to host the equestrian competition but we are also proud to produce athletes who will be competing at this year’s Pan Am Games. Andrew Yorke of Caledon East will be competing in the Triathlon competition for Canada. Yann Candele and Chris Sorensen of Caledon will be competing in the Equestrian competition for Canada. Khamica Bingham of Caledon will be competing in the 100-metre sprint for Canada. Kelly Russell of Bolton will be competing for Canada in Rugby.

For a complete list of athletes representing Canada please visit: www.olympic.ca /team-canada-at-to2015-pan-am-games. 

I would like to thank all the volunteers who helped organize the Pan Am Games and the 20,000 volunteers working during Games. They are the heart and soul of organizations and our communities. I want to wish all of our athletes success at the Games; I know they have worked so hard for this moment.

Let’s go Canada!

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