Team Ecuador and Julio Mendoza Win Gold at 2026 South American Games

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2026 South American Games

Team Ecuador and Julio Mendoza Loor became the winners of the two gold medals at the 2026 South American Games held in Rosario near Santa Fé, Argentina, on 11- 16 September 2026.

The South American Games are organised by Organizacion Deportiva Sudamericana (ODESUR) and recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). They are the continent's multi-sports event to which equestrian sport was introduced back in 1978. Equestrian sport only made a sporadic appearance in these Games, some editions taking place with and some without.

Dressage is contested in a mixed format, with the majority of riders sticking to small tour level. This year only 18 dressage riders competed of which three showed at Grand Prix level.

Gold for Team Ecuador

With U.S. based Olympian Julio Mendoza Loor at team anchor for Ecuador, little stood in the way for the country to claim the gold medal in the team championship competition over the 2022 SAG winners, Brazil. The team competition was decided by totalling the points of the Prix St Georges/Grand Prix with those of the Intermediaire I / Grand Prix Special.

Team Ecuador relied fully on Mendoza and his rising star Deparon (by Devereaux x Londonderry) to make the difference and he did. He won the Prix St Georges with a 4% point lead on a score of 72.412%, while in the Intermediaire I he led the charge with 70.618% but this time stayed only 1.6% ahead of team mate Carolina Espinoza on grey PRE stallion BAK Conde (by Zafiro Maynou x Guapo Seni II). Espinoza was twice second with 68.823% and 69.088%. The Ecuardorean team was further assisted by Franziska Klinkicht on the 11-year old PRE bred Bengalo Guardiola II (by Cortesano IX x Barquito) and drop score Maria Jose Granja on 11-year old PRE stallion Balido CH (by Seni Indio x Carlo Seni).

"Four combinations, one team and one flag," Mendoza stated. "Behind this gold are years of preparation, discipline, sacrifice and, most of all, that extraordinary connection between horse and rider that makes our sport so special."

Team silver went to title defenders Brazil, who three score producing riders Eduardo Alves De Lima, Paulo Cesar dos Santos, and Jeferson Rodrigo Pereira stayed closely together in points, scoring twice in the 67 - 68% range. Brazil's fourth team rider was Frederico Correa Mandrot. Three of team Brazil's team horses came from the same stud farm: De Sasa JE, Eduardo Alves de Lima rode a Lusitano bred by the family of Portuguese based Brazilian Olympian Jose Victor Marcari Oliva. These horses have the VO suffix to their name.

Bronze went to the other other nation participating in the team competition, home country Argentina, as Uruguay eliminated itself from a team ranking after one rider (Hector Guillermo Lazcano Alzaibar) got eliminated from the Prix St Georges and Carolin Mallmann retired her Grison from the Grand Prix, leaving only rider in contention (Paulina Morales). Argentina was represented by Federico De Michelis, Diane Amendolara, Victoria Malberti, and Grand Prix rider Leonardo Antonio Godoy.

Individual Gold for Mendoza

Claiming the individual gold medal was an easy feat for Mendoza aboard the 12-year old Hanoverian gelding Deparon. Mendoza took over the ride and ownership of the dark bay two years ago after his previous owner Eliane Cordia-van Reesema decided to quit equestrian sport. Julio's 2023 Pan Am Games gold medal winner and 2024 Olympic mount Jewel's Goldstrike also came from Eliane.

The individual medals were decided by the kur to music finals on Wednesday morning 16 September 2026. Twelve riders moved forward to the freestyle and they were judged by Mariano Santos Redondo , Alexandre Lacerda Leão, Cesar Torrente, Sandra Hotz, and Sandra Andrea Smith.

Riding the freestyle at Inter I level Mendoza and Deparon topped the board with a total of 76,420% for .

The silver was for Ecuadorean Carolina Esponiza who continued her streak of finishing second also in the Kur. She and BAK Conde totalled 73,150% to become the reserve South American champion.

Brazilian Eduardo Alves de Lima and the 9-year old Brazilian Lusitano Ornello VO (by the Westfalian stallion Feel Good out of Ornella) secured the bronze with 72,605%.