Friday December 13, 2002

Yvonne Losos de Muñiz Wins Gold at the Central American Games

In a near perfect final performance at the recent Central American Games, held November 23 - December 7 in El Salvador, Yvonne Losos de Muñiz of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, won the individual gold medal in dressage, having accumulated the highest scores overall in the Team and Individual competitions.

Riding the test of her lifetime, Losos de Muñiz, who originally hails from Vankleek Hill, Ontario, Canada, and her 12-year-old Dutch-bred mare, Inatana Las Marismas (KWPN Keur mare by Latano x Carneval) earned a 70.95%, the highest score on the final day. Adding her 68.15%, the top score overall in the Team competition, Losos de Muñiz was awarded an additional gold medal for her accumulated dressage scores.

Competition at these Games was fierce. 1999 Pan American team silver medallist and 1996 Olympic competitor Joachim Orr on Guido of Mexico had to settle for the individual silver medal while his teammate, Bernadette Pujals, 1999 Pan American team silver and individual bronze medallist, took home the bronze. Dr. Cesar Parra, Colombia's 1999 Pan American team bronze medallist was left out of the running in fourth place.

When the island nation of Dominican Republic hosts the Pan American Games in August 2003, their Dressage Team, coached by Holland's Diederik Wigmans, will be a force to be reckoned with.