Team Mexico and Maurico Lebrija Win Gold at 2026 Central American and Caribbean Games

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2026 Central American and Caribbean Games

Team Mexico and Mexican Mauricia Lebrija became the gold medal winners at the 25th Central American and Caribbean Games Centro Ecuestre Palmarejo in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic on 27 July - 1 August 2026.

25th Edition of CACAG

The Central American and Caribbean Games are the oldest continuing regional games. The first Central American & Caribbean Games were held in 1926 in Mexico.

The Central American and Caribbean Games are organised by CACSO (in English) and 31 countries are invited by CACSO to participate. The Organización Deportiva Centroamericana y del Caribe (ODECABE) is recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

The previous edition was in 2023, but should have taken place in 2022. The IOC suspended the National Olympic Committee of Guatemala on 15 October 2022, which forced the cancellation of the 2022 Central American Games that were scheduled to be co-hosted by Costa Rica and Guatemala.

In an effort to raise the level of the region, the format copied the Pan American’s system of mixed levels since 2023: small and big tour combinations were allowed to compete. Twenty-four combinations competed in total of which 22 were small tour riders and two big tour riders. Five countries fielded a team.

Team Gold for Mexico

The team competition was decided over two rounds: the Prix St Georges/Grand Prix and the Intermediaire I/Grand Prix Special.

The team podium with Colombia, Mexico and Costa Rica

Mexico bested the field with a team total of 396,759% points, keeping 2023 team gold medalist Colombia at bay for silver (392.882 points), while Costa Rica earned bronze with 384,000 points. Team Mexico was headed by Antonio Rivera, while Colombia was captained by Albrecht Heidemann, assisted by Carmen Franco.

On the first day of competition it was Colombian Mariana England who topped the leaderboard. She rode the highest day score in the Prix St Georges of 69.559% aboard the 9-year old Viva Vitalis (by Vitalis x Apache). Then three Mexican's followed in the ranking with Carlos Maldonado Lara on the 16-year old Fortilas (by Totilas) coming in second ith 68.588%.

In the second round for the team medals it was Mexican Mauricio Lebrija Jenkins who finished at the top of the ranking with an Intermediaire I test that earned him 68,265%. Individual rider for Panama, Julianna de la Guardia Arosemena and the 14-year old Oldenburg Sir Rubin (by Sir Donnerhall x Rubinstein), were second with 67,912% while Lara and Fortilas were third with 67,412%.

Costa Rica's teal anchor was the Texas based Nicole Acosta on the palomino Cali. She was fifth in the Prix St Georges with 64.912% and sixth in the Inter I with 65.265%

Individual Gold for Lebrija

Mexican Mauricio Lebrija Jenkins and his 15-year old Danish warmblood Son of a Lady (by Soreldo x Welt Hit II) improved throughout the week to finish on the highest step of the podium for the individual medals.

Lebrija, who trains in Germany with Spanish Olympian Severo Jurado Lopez, was fourth in the Prix St Georges ( 67.118%), won the Intermediaire I (68,265%) and aced the Intermediaire I Kur to Music. Judges Sandra Hotz, Claudia Moreira De Mesquita, Elizabeth Mcmullen, Marian E. Cunningham, and Frederico Pinteus rewarded Lebrija's freestyle with the top score of 72.960% for gold. Lebrija bought Son of a Lady little over a year ago. He was previously shown at U25 level by American Christian Simonson.

The individual silver was for Mexican team mate Carlos Maldonado Lara on Fortilas with 71.905%. Maldonado is based in Wellington, Florida, at Tossas Stables and trains with Chris von Martels there. In Santo Domingo he was assisted by Antonio Rivera.

Carlos Maldonado The one from Mexico lives in Florida. Trains at Tossas Stables. He used to train with Chris von Martels. At the games was coached by Antonio Rivera.

Colombian Mariana England ended up with bronze. Her freestyle ride on her Oldenburg bred Viva Vitalis earned her a 71,905%. The pair made its international debut in 2024. Mariana trains by herself but is assisted at shows by Maria Ines Garcia. In Santo Domingo she got coached by team trainer Albrecht Heidemann.

England narrowly edged out Mexican Ricardo Manzano Hernandez on the 14-year old Hanoverian Aguila Real SDN (by Bretton Woods x Warkant).

Previous Winners
Double Individual Gold for Yvonne Losos de Muniz at 2023 Central American and Caribbean Games
Colombia Wins Team Gold at 2023 Central American and Caribbean Games
Team Mexico and Yvonne Losos de Muniz Win Gold at 2018 Central American and Caribbean Games
Marco Bernal Makes Experience Count and Grabs Kur Gold at 2014 Central American Games
Mexico Wins Team Gold at 2014 Central American and Caribbean Games
Colombia Ahead of Mexico After First Round Nations Cup at 2014 Central American and Caribbean Games
All Horses Pass Inspection at 2014 Central American Games in Veracruz
Bernal and Team Colombia Win Goal at the 2010 Central American and Caribbean Games
Yvonne Losos de Muniz Wins Individual Gold at the 2002 Central American Games