Julio Mendoza and Team Ecuador Win Gold at the 2025 Bolivarian Games

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2025 Bolivarian Games

Ecuador made it a clean sweep at the 2025 Bolivarian Games in Lima, Peru, 26 - 30 November 2025 as its team as well as Olympian Julio Mendoza claimed gold.

Held every four years, in principle, the Bolivarian Games are a regional multi-sport event held in honour of Simón Bolívar – known as "El Libertador", The Liberato. Simón Bolívar was the leader of several independence movements throughout South America, collectively known as Bolívar's War and he is to this day credited with leading the fight for independence in what are now the countries of Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Panama and Bolivia.

Dressage at the Bolivarian Games is contested at small tour level.

Team Gold for Ecuador

Julio Mendoza won the individual gold in 2017 and 2022 and completed a hattrick last weekend by repeating that winning streak, also with his team. The U.S. based rider also led the Ecuadorean team to victory in the nations' ranking with 402.469 points..

The team competition was contested by the Prix St Georges and Intermediaire I. The three best scores per nation per class were totalled to end up with six scores counting for a total team score.

Team medal podium at the Bolivarian Games

Aboard the 11-year old Hanoverian gelding Deparon U.S. (by Deveraux x Londonderry), Mendoza topped the board in the PSG with 71.323% and 70.000% in the Intermediaire I. Deparon was a licensed stallion and formerly owned by Paul Schockemöhle and Joop van Uytert before selling to Dutch-American Eliane Cordia-van Reesema, a close friend of Mendoza, who also sourced Julio's career making Grand Prix horse Jewel's Goldstrike. Both Goldstrike and Deparon are now listed as owned by Julio.

Franziska Klinklicht and the 10-year old grey PRE stallion Bengalo Guardiola II (by Cortesano IX x Barquito) added a 65.029% PSG score and 66.176% Inter I score to the total. The horse is bred by Salvador Guardiola Fantoni and owned by Pablo Salazar Egas and Juan Sevilla Ledergerber.

Ecuardor's other contributing team scores came from Carolina Espinosa and her 11-year old bay gelding Picaro (pedigree not known) with 65.059% in the PSG, while her Inter I was a scratch score. Maria Jose Granja and 14-year old Shir Khan (by Sarkozy x Don Primero) added 64.882% from their Inter I to the team result.

For Canadian born Ecuadorean Alexandra Reid and Flynn (by Wynton x Future) the Bolivarian Games were a deception. They were eliminated from the PSG and did not continue to Games. Reid is married to Ecuadorean team veterinarian Jose Rodrigo Naranjo and the couple lives in Wellington, Florida.

The team silver medal was for Colombia with a team total of 396.058%, while Peru settled for bronze with 380.176%

Hattrick for Mendoza

Individual medals for England, Mendoza, Klinklicht

The individual podium places were decided in the traditional and most logical way, not a medal per test, but an actual overall total after three rounds.

Mendoza and Deparon were undefeated in all three rounds, winning the Prix St Georges with 71.323%, and the Inter I Kur to Music with 73.335%. His overall total was 214.658 points.

The individual silver medal was for Colombian Mariana England aboard the 8-year old Oldenburg mare Viva Vitalis (by Vitalis x Sir Donnerhall). She posted 68.735% in the Prix St Georges, 67.882% in the Intermediaire I and 69.00% in the Kur to Music for a total of 205.617 points.

Ecuadorean Franziska Klinklicht picked up the bronze on Bengalo Guardiola II with a total of 200.995 points after having scored 65.029% in the PSG, 66.176% in the Inter I, and 69.79% in the Kur.

Previous Winners
Ecuador and Julio Mendoza Win Gold at 2022 Bolivarian Games
Ecuador and Julio Mendoza Win Gold at the 2017 Bolivarian Games
Colombia Sweeps the Board at the 2013 Bolivarian Games