Brazil Wins Gold at the 2025 Pan American Championships with
José Caio and Lavinya
Gold Medal: José Caio Frisoni Vaz Guimarães and Stud Brasil Itajara
Brazil shone at the 2025 Pan American Equestrian Endurance Championships, held on July 18 at Haras Albar in Campinas, São Paulo, winning individual gold medals in the Senior and Young Riders categories. José Caio Vaz Frisoni Guimarães, 24, riding Stud Brasil Itajara (Darike x SN Perestroica by *Farad), was the overall champion in the Senior category. Lavinya Laçalvia Ferreira, 16, secured gold among the young riders with Baruc do Triunfo (*Azhar Du Barthas x Quirina do Bom Viver by RSC El Deb Haran). The Uruguayan team took gold in the team classification.
José Caio's victory ended an 18-year drought since Brazil's last individual gold medal in the main category, won by Alexandre “Leco” Razuck with Pantheon HTL (Pantheus Ata x Balmiscar CBL by Al Uaza) at the 2007 Pan American Championships, also held in Campinas, at the Manége Residence.
Alexandre “Leco” Razuck with Pantheon HTL
Both Razuck and José Caio completed the 120 km in similar times. Razuck clocked 5:49:47, with an average speed of 20.70 km/h, while José Caio finished in 5:59:24, with an average speed of 20.12 km/h.
Of the 27 riders who started in the Senior category, only 12 completed the 120km course. After a tight race, José Caio and Stud Brasil Itajara won in a thrilling final sprint against Uruguayans Nicolas Peyronel (riding AR Confianzudo) and Isha Judd (riding Ashva Tigresa), securing the silver and bronze medals, respectively. Santiago Cabrera's seventh-place finish with Sturnus Roseus secured Uruguay the team gold.
Silver Medal: Nicolas Peyronel riding AR Confianzudo |
Bronze Medal: Isha Judd riding Ashva Tigresa |
Peyronel finished the race in 5:59:26, and Judd in 5:59:30. Brazilian Felipe de Azevedo Morgulis, with Galadriel SBV (Moscow Endurance x Al Obeyah SBV by RSC El Deb Haran), finished fourth, followed by Ecuadorian Nathalie Weemaels, who competed with RAS Kimba.
"It still feels like a dream, and it'll take me a while to believe it's real. I have nothing but praise for my horse, Stud Brasil Itajara. In 2023, at the Pan American 2023 in Chile, we won bronze—the gold was a long shot. Now, on Brazilian soil, we've achieved it. This is Brazil's second gold medal in the individual category, and there are no words to describe how I feel," declared José Caio.
"It was crazy, decided in the final 45 minutes of the second half. But it was worth every second. I feel like the cheering was all over Brazil. In previous championships, the gold medal would slip away. This time, it went, and I'm honored that it was mine," he concluded.
In the Young Riders category, 16-year-old Lavinya Laçalvia Ferreira led from start to finish with Baruc do Triunfo, an 8-year-old Arabian, and won gold with a time of 5:59:24 and an average speed of 20.12 km/h. Silver also went to Brazil, with Jheniffer do Rocio Silva Lara riding RG El Cid (Cáceres CSM x *Endora, by Wojslaw), who finished in 6:23:26, averaging 18.86 km/h.
Gold Medal - Lavinya Laçalvia Ferreira riding Baruc do Triunfo
The bronze medal was won by American Avery Betz-Conway, who rode the Brazilian mare Zendaya Rach (*HS Titian x Zoe Rach, by Mister Eros HX) with a time of 6h24min29s and an average speed of 18.8 km/h. It was the United States' first medal in the history of the Pan American Championships, since they began to be held in countries in the Americas.
Brazilians Sofia Engels (with Miranda Rach – 6h35min18s, 18.29 km/h) and Gustavo Machado Ulsenheimer (with RG Kamen – 6h35min21s, 18.29 km/h) finished fourth and fifth, respectively. Ecuadorian Alejandra Davalos Andrade, with Faisal, completed the group of six riders who finished the race.
Silver: Jheniffer do Rocio Silva Lara riding RG El Cid |
Bronze: Avery Betz-Conway riding Zendaya Rach |
"Being a Pan American champion is incredible. I'm grateful to my team, to the work of my parents, who work hard every day for me, and to all of Brazil who cheered me on. The trail was great, the horse was perfect. Everything is wonderful. I train every day and ride two horses a day," said Lavinya, who has been competing for only four years.
"It was the third 120km race I've won with Baruc do Triunfo. Today I won my first gold medal and the title of Pan American champion. Now I just have to keep improving and go even further," she concluded.
Podio Individual Seniors |
Podio Individual Young Riders |
At the awards ceremony, in addition to the athletes, the horses Stud Brasil Itajara and Baruc do Triunfo also received the Best Condition award. Topping the event off with a flourish, the Uruguayan team—comprised of Nicolas Peyronel, Isha Judd, and Santiago Cabrera—topped the podium in the Senior Team category.
Uruguay Team Gold Medal
by Cidinha Franzão. Fotos: Marina Pedroso / Beatriz Akie Tayamichi Sato / Cidinha Franzão |
