by Nancy Jaffer | Aug 7, 2021
Can the Swedes do it? They are on quite a streak; three clear in the individual qualifier, three in the jump-off and a silver medal; three clear in the team qualifier. Will it hold through the team medal competition?
The course for the team final. Time allowed is 82 seconds..
Follow along to see how the competition went. If you’d like to watch a recap on TV in the U.S., it will be on NBCSN from 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m. today and highlights will be aired on NBC itself from 3:15-4:15 p.m. today with 1984 Olympic team show jumping gold medalist Melanie Smith Taylor commentating.
Here we go. It’s 6 a.m. at Baji Koen Equestrian Park as the final equestrian competition of the Olympics, as Santiago Varela of Spain designs yet another fantastic course, both beautiful and testing, as the teams come back. They have to cope not only with a triple combination that has a liverpool oxer in the middle, but also two double combinations and a water jump.
The first rider, Fabian Sejanes on Emir, has three fences down for Argentina. and winds up with two more penalties for exceeding the 82-second time allowed. The 10 teams are going in reverse order of standing.
Marc Houtzager and Dante have two rails for the Dutch, plus one time penalty, while Brazil’s Marion Modolo Zanotelli on Edgar M is the first without time penalties, but has three down. Britain’s Holly Smith cannot improve on that, and in fact, has four rails within the time on former event horse Denver.
As I have said repeatedly in my blogs, don’t count out the French in eventing (where they medaled) and show jumping. Simon Delestre and Berlux Z have a lovely trip, with just a single time fault to put their country into the early lead. But it doesn’t last, as Laura Kraut of the U.S. turns in the first double-clear with Baloutinue, a horse she just started riding in April.
She was spot-on everywhere, saying, “whoa, whoa” going into the triple of a vertical/oxer/vertical as he aced it. It was the first perfect round for the U.S. in jumping at Baji Koen since the discipline got under way on Tuesday.
Laura Kraut and Baloutinue at the stunning cherry tree fence.
European Champion Martin Fuchs has had a disappointing competition with the marvelous Clooney. Here he has the A at the double down and a fault at the water for eight within the time. Germany, always a threat, is less so after Andre Thieme has two rails near the end of the course with Chakaria. Fence 11 comes down for Peter Devos and Claire of Belgium.
Then Sweden comes out in the same form it has showed throughout the Games. Henrik von Eckermann and the shoeless King Edward are clear in 78.05 seconds, moving his country into the lead at the end of the first group of riders, because Laura Kraut’s clean round was clocked in 79.33 seconds. King Edward has not had a rail down in five rounds. Will the rest of his team follow suit?
SECOND GROUP OF RIDERS
Harrie Smolders, former world number one, is in the rotation for the Netherlands for the first time with Bingo Du Parc. He replaces William Greve, who had three rails down yesterday. On the good side, the horse is fresh; on the other side, he hasn’t jumped in this arena until now. No matter, he’s clean, despite getting a little close to the A element of the Japanese fan double. He just made the time allowed of 82 in 81.98.
Another substitution is Yuri Mansur of Brazil for Rodrigo Pessoa, who had copious faults in the team qualifier. Yuri and Alfons. Good move. Yuri only had one rail, at the middle element of the triple, an oxer over a liverpool that had several of the horses looking at the water.
Britain’s Harry Charles hasn’t had an easy time of it at the Games, pulling out of the individual finals after three rails and having another three in the team qualifier while subbing for Scott Brash, whose horse, Jefferson, strained a leg. But Harry and Romeo 88 are improving, and have just two down, the middle element of the triple and the A element of the Japanese fan combination.
France has another clear with one time fault from Matthieu Bilot with Quel Filou. They’re in the lead.
Jessie Springsteen for the U.S. has a rail at the mascot fence after the double with Don Juan, but isn’t ruffled and rides a lovely round after that in 78.89 seconds.It’s her first time in the Olympics, where she is flanked by team gold medal veterans, Laura and McLain Ward. That’s a nice security blanket.
It all goes wrong for Bryan Balsiger of Switzerland with Twenty Two des Biches, as four rails come down. And now Germany has a total of 12 as Maurice Tebbel and Don Diarado topple a rail at the B element of the Japanese fan double.
Belgium’s Jerome Guery on the stallion Quel Homme de Hus, his gold medal team partner from the 2019 European Championships, showed their form with a clear inside the time in 81.33. Belgium and the U.S. both have 4 faults as the second round of riders is coming to an end.
Sweden has its first rail in this Olympics, as Malin Baryard-Johnsson and Indiana fault at the middle element of the triple, but the country has given up its lead to France, which has just two time penalties. The U.S. is third with 4, behind Sweden based on time, as Belgium is fourth in a slower time with 4.
With no chance of a medal in this competition, Great Britain has dropped out and individual gold medalist Ben Maher will not bring Explosion W forward. The top-ranked horse/rider combination in the world and his nation certainly got what they came for, as it looks like Britain will be the only country to have medaled in all three disciplines.
7:15 a.m. EDT: FINAL GROUP OF RIDERS
This may not be the last round. Teams on equal faults will jump off, but if France jumps a clear, it will stay at the top of the heap.The teams are going in reverse order of merit after round two.
We’re starting off with 10th place Argentina, which has 27 penalties. Matias Albarracin on Cannavaro adds to that with five rails down and two time faults. The final total for Argentina is 49.
Swiss 2012 Olympic champion Steve Guerdat and Venard de Cerisy have a rail at the vertical after the water, always tricky to stretch for the water and then come back quickly to a narrower frame. He ends on 4, bringing the Swiss total to an uncharacteristic 28.
Pedro Veniss for Brazil with Quabri de Lisle have a rail at the first of two double combinations on course, then adds two more and a time penalty, making the team total 29, behind the Swiss.
World number one-ranked Daniel Deusser of Germany and Killer Queen were expected to be a real factor here, but that didn’t work out.in the individual. And their bid ended early, after a rail at the first element of the triple and refusal at the second element when she came too close to attempt take-off. Daniel took a courtesy fence and left the arena. That’s it for Germany, which will be behind every team that completes with three riders, but they are ahead of Great Britain, which also dropped out.
Maikel van der Vleuten of the Netherlands and Beauville Z had the A of the triple down and the fourth fence from the end to bring their team total at 17 penalties and finish in the top five.
Gregory Wathelet and Nevados from the winning team in the Rome Nations Cup are eyeing a team medal until having a rail over the middle element of the triple, an oxer which has water underneath it. Then it’s another rail at the first element of the Japanese fan double, to put Belgium on 12 faults, with a medal unlikely
The U.S. will medal! What color will it be? McLain Ward has just one rail with Contagious at the Hachiko oxer, named for a loyal dog. It’s number 11, with a 1.6-meter spread. That brings the U.S. total to 8.
McLain Ward rides the wave at fence 1 with Contagious.
No one can believe that the last fence of the last round goes down for Sweden to tie with the U.S. as All In has his first rail in two Olympic Games for Peder Fredricson. That jump is the Paris 2024 liverpool, in honor of the next Olympic venue, where hopefully masks won’t be required! It’s a tradition to have the final fence of the last course at the Games pass the torch forward to the next Olympics.
We have a jump-off between Sweden and the U.S. on 8 penalties each after Penelope LeProvost of France loses the 2016 gold menal nation’s lead with Vancouver de Lanlore’s knockdown at the first element of the first double and then a refusal, then another refusal as Penelope goes to retake the first element. The result is elimination, sinking France to eighth/
Sweden will jump off with the U.S. for gold and silver (each has 4 penalties) while Belgium claims bronze on 12 penalties. The Netherlands was fourth on 17 penalties, followed by Switzerland (28), Brazil (29), Argentina (49) and then the drop-outs, France, Germany and Great Britain, all teams that didn’t complete with all three of their riders today. Not having a drop score available makes a big difference.
Although Sweden’s collective time in the round is 235.65 to the USA’s 237.20, with the same number of faults, time doesn’t count for the final placing, which is why a tiebreaker is needed.
JUMP-OFF
The jump-off course.
7:55 a.m. EDT: All three riders for both Sweden and the U.S. will ride in this decider to break their 8-penalty tie over a shortened course with interesting loops. Their combined scores and time decide who gets silver and who gets gold. Each nation alternates its riders in turn.
Laura Kraut is clear again, in 41.33 seconds; Baloutinue is really on the mark with a pilot who has had him for less than four months, Henrik von Eckermann is clear for Sweden in 42 seconds.on King Edward, who now has the record for no rails down during the Olympics.
Jessie Springsteen in her first Olympics goes second for the U.S., is clear in 42.95 after taking a chance to gallop to the last fence. It was her first fault-free round of the Games on Don Juan. This is close! For Sweden, Malin Baryard-Johnsson and Indiana are clean as well in 41.89 seconds.
Now the USA’s anchor, McLain Ward, is clean in 39.92 on Contagious. It’s his first fault-free trip of the Games; he got it when it counted. McLain was the anchor for the gold medal team at the 2018 World Equestrian Games, which also ended in a jump-off between America and Sweden.
Peder Fredricson and All In, the Swedish heroes.
What will All In do for Sweden this time? It all comes down to this gallant little gelding and Peder Fredricson. He must finish in 40.30 seconds or better to claim victory for Sweden with a clear round. He does it, in 39.01, and clear. Sweden is timed at a total of 122.90 in the jump-off; the U.S. at 124.20
Sweden gets its first show jumping team gold medal since 1924 (they also won in 1912 and 1920; USA, the 2018 world champions, claim silver for the second Olympics in a row, and the 2019 European gold medalists Belgium have bronze, that nation’s third Olympic team show jumping medal and its first since 1976.
What an exciting final. Great horses and superb riding in a challenge that will make Santiago Varela even more popular than he already is, I daresay.
The U.S. team of Laura Kraut, Jessica Springsteen and McLain Ward.
The show jumping medal teams: USA (silver), Sweden (gold) Belgium (bronze)
Lots of hugging everywhere. What a way to end 12 days of stellar equestrian competition in the Games that Covid couldn’t kill. So glad they went ahead, despite all the controversy. Kudos to Japan for handling it so well.
The athletes didn’t get the usual Olympic experience, no mingling with competitors from other countries, sightseeing or going to sports other than their own. Worst of all, fans couldn’t watch in person, which also meant athletes’ families couldn’t be there.
But for equestrian, it was still the test of horses and riders that it was meant to be, and everyone should be grateful that it could proceed.
by Nancy Jaffer | Aug 6, 2021
Teams from 19 countries lined up at Baji Koen Equestrian Park today to claim one of 10 qualifying spots for the show jumping finals that will yield the medals tomorrow, as the Tokyo Olympics draw to a close.
This is the USA’s only chance for a show jumping medal, as none of its three contenders–Kent Farrington (Gazelle), Laura Kraut (Baloutinue) and Jessie Springsteen (Don Juan van de Donkhoeve)–were fault-free on Tuesday to go through to Wednesday’s individual medal finals. Kent Farrington has been been switched out for McLain Ward and Contagious. McLain will be in his usual spot as anchor.
In the U.S. Equestrian Team Foundation book, “Riding for the Team,” Mclain told me what it takes to be an anchor: “Most people would say there’s more pressure for an anchor rider than a lead-off rider, because you understand the consequences of any penalties you accumulate pretty clearly and know what has to be done.
“You’ve been put in that position because they’re expecting a certain performance from you. The pressure is greater for the anchor rider, but someone who has more experience and been in more positions can bring that to the table. You’re using all that knowledge to be mentally and physically in the right place.”
McLain is always up to the challenge. Under the new format that takes some getting used to for these Games, he is among riders from 15 countries who were switched onto their teams following the individual finals. Those usually are held after the team competition. There can also be another switch before the finals on Saturday, so Kent is staying on board as an alternate. To find out more about the substitutions, read the article “Major switches on key Olympic teams” on this website.
The course for the team jumping qualifier, designed by Santiago Varela of Spain. The time allowed is 82 seconds.
What are my picks for team medals? I think the USA is very strong; the performance in the individual qualifier wasn’t indicative of the horse and rider talent on this squad. But I’ll be interested to see how the Swedes do. Remember, they qualified all three of their riders for the jump-off in the individual finals, and Peder Fredricson claimed the individual silver (as he did in Rio) on All In.The Swiss, with 2012 individual gold medalist Steve Guerdat (Venard du Cerisy) and European Champion Martin Fuchs (Clooney) should find a place on the podium also.
There are several others to look at as well. I don’t believe, as I said during the eventing, you should ever count out the French, so keep an eye on them.
The British, however, aren’t nearly as strong as they could have been with Scott Brash, a member of the country’s 2012 Olympic gold medal team, who rode on that squad with Ben Maher. Ben just claimed the individual gold with Explosion W, but Scott, whose horse had an injury, was replaced by Olympic first-timer Harry Charles (son of Peter Charles,another London 2012 team member) on Romeo 88. (see the feature story on this site for what the riders have to day.) Harry retired from the individual final after a series of knockdowns.
Ireland lost a key member when Cian O’Connor withdrew his Kilkenny after the horse had a nosebleed in the individual final. He is being replaced by Shane Sweetnam riding Alejandro, who has plenty of experience, so it will be interesting to see how that goes.
It’s 6 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time and action is under way in Japan, which is 13 hours ahead of EDT. I’ll try to blog every round as I have done in the past, but for sure I’ll be giving you information about major players as the countries they ride for jockey for a spot in the finals, where all teams will start on zero penalties. I’ll do the same with tomorrow’s competition, starting at 6 a.m. EDT.
I’ll be blogging in reverse order, with the most recent rounds first, but if you want to see how the day developed, just go down the list.
9 a.m.: Here are the qualifiers for tomorrow’s team medal round, where everyone starts with a clean slate. Sweden leads the way, followed by Germany and Belgium, tied for second; Switzerland fourth, U.S. fifth, France sixth; Britain seventh, Brazil eighth, the Netherlands ninth and Argentina last. Israel, Ireland, Mexico and Japan were all eliminated after they had riders who withdrew or were eliminated. To see the full list of results, click on this
8:40 a.m.:Maikel van der Vleuten, the individual bronze medalist for the Netherlands, has two rails and can’t risk another as he goes down the final line with Beauville Z. He makes it and finishes on 8 penalties to qualify his team in ninth place.
World number one Daniel Deusser of Germany rides a nicely planned round on Killer Queen to end with a single time penalty and put his team in a good spot for tomorrow’s jumping order. It’s tied for second behind Sweden with Belgium on 4 penalties. Gregory Wathelet of Belgium has just two time penalties as he took care not to rush Nevados S to bring his team’s total to 4.
Switzerland goes through to the finals in fourth place on 10 penalties after 2012 individual Olympic champion Steve Guerdat has two rails and one time fault with Venard de Cerisy.
Rodrigo Pessoa has 16 jumping penalties for Brazil and two time penalties with Carlito’s way, but the country still manages to qualify in ninth place with 25 penalties.
8:30 a.m. EDT: Even an individual gold medalist can have a rail down, but there was only one knockdown, at the middle element of the triple, for Ben Maher and Explosion W, putting Britain into the finals on 20 penalties in seventh place.
McLain Ward at the Flamenco fence.
The USA has also qualified, as anchor McLain Ward on Contagious–making his first appearance at these Games–had a rail and one time penalty to bring his country’s total to a very respectable 13 penalties.The USA is fifth in the ranking, which only affects the order in which countries go tomorrow, since all start on zero penalties.
Sweden leads on zero and will have the best draw tomorrow after double silver individual medalist Peder Fredricson continues his record with All In of not having a rail down in either of his Olympic outings, in 2016 and this year.
It’s been a remarkable performance here for Sweden, which qualified all three of its riders for the jump-off for the individual finals, where Peder took silver. If they keep it up, at this rate, they’ll be on track for gold tomorrow. Speaking of herself and her teammates, Sweden’s Malin Baryard-Johnsson said, ““I think we all have the same feeling, that it felt quite easy every round in there–they are all jumping so well, every round!”
Peder Fredricson and All In. (Photo courtesy FEI)
8:10 a.m EDT: The troublesome wall (which memorializes a traffic jam at Shibuya Crossing, supposedly the busiest intersection in the world) brings a refusal for Morocco’s Abdelkebir Quaddar, who accumulates 21 with Istanbull to drop his nation in the standings with 37 penalties, behind Argentina (27) . Argentina had six penalties from Matias Albarracin on Cannavaro 9, but that nation seems heading toward qualification. Morocco is ahead of New Zealand, with 39 after Daniel Meech and Cinca 3 have nine penalties total.
8: 05 a.m. EDT: Patricio Pasquel of Mexico and Babel, who is Mexican-bred, have five penalties. Two Mexicans have a total of six, but their second rider was eliminated for two refusals at the narrow Shibuya wall.
China’s Zhenquiang Li wisely shows Uncas that tricky narrow grey Shibuya wall before starting his round. He is the father of Yaofeng Li, who rode in the first group. The 2008 Olympic veteran has 7 penalties, making China’s total 35.
Israel has indeed dropped out, as has Japan, joining Ireland in that situation.
7:55 a.m. EDT: Marc Houtzager on Dante for the Netherlands has a job to do, after the country’s first rider had 13 penalties. He isn’t perfect, but a rail and time make the Dutch total 18. That country stands 11th, with only 10 teams to come through to the finals.
Maurice Tebbel of Germany on Don Diarado has two time penalties to make his team’s total 3 so far. Better to take some time and leave the fences standing than rush and have more expensive jumping penalties.
Belgium gets one more time fault in an otherwise clean round from Jerome Guery on Quel Homme de Huis, putting that team on 2 penalties total after two riders.
7:50 a.m. EDT: Switzerland has just a single penalty in its total, from Martin Fuchs’ ride in the first half of the class, as Bryan Balsinger is clear in his first appearance at the Games with Twentytwo des Biches.
Pedro Veniss of Brazil on Quabri De L’Isle has a rail and time to make his team’s total 5 penalties.
Britain’s Harry Charles, who withdrew in the individual competition, had three rails with Romeo 88. He replaced Scott Brash, whose Jefferson came out of the individual after straining a front leg.
7:45 a.m EDT: A well-ridden round by Jessie Springsteen of the U.S. on Don Juan, with just a rail at the A of the double, a combination that is the next-to-last test. That puts the U.S. on 8 penalties, with McLain Ward yet to come.
Sweden is amazing. Two clears to its credit as Malin Baryard-Johnsson is fault free on Indiana. Remember, all the Swedes were clear in the individual medal contest. Sweden leads on zero penalties after two riders have gone.
7:40 a.m. EDT: France now leads on 6 penalties after Penelope Leprovost on Vancouver de la Lanilore has a rail and time for a total of five.
We’re on a break for a few minutes now. Not every team has had two riders go as of yet, so the score only tell us where we are half-way through, with so many key countries awaiting their second and third riders.
7 a.m. EDT: Mohamed Talaat, who wasn’t in the individual competition, rides for Egypt on the stallion Darshan by Diamant de Semilly. Two rails and time added to the country’s other score gives Egypt 17 penalties.
Morocco–Morocco!–is in the lead after two riders with a team score of 16 following a determined ride from El Ghali Boukaa on Ugolino duo Clos, who had a rail and two time penalties. Nice to see a country not among the favorites heading the standings. Don’t forget, though, that this round is only for qualifying for the finals and scores do not carry over. All the teams that make the top 10 start on zero penalties tomorrow.
The flag on the left side of the narrow gray wall goes down, one of three jumping penalties for Mario Dopazo of Argentina on Quintno. He has three rails and time, his team now has 21 penalties after two riders.
It’s elimination for Mexico’s Eugenio Garza Perez on Armani after two refusals at the wall. It is odd-looking, surprised more horses haven’t questioned it. So two eliminations in a row
6:55 a.m. EDT: Teddy Vlock on Amsterdam for Israel has a fall with his horse at the oxer that is fence number eight, but luckily his air vest goes off and he walks out of the ring. He is eliminated, so Israel joins Ireland at the bottom of the rankings. Ireland has withdrawn; Israel may follow suit.
China stands on 28 penalties after two riders. Xinglis Zang has three rails and time with For Passion.
6:50 a.m. EDT:It’s a total of 32 penalties after two team riders for the Czech Republic have gone, as Anna Kellernova has four rails and time with former German team horse, Catch Me If You Can.
William Greve, a member of the Netherlands’ winning Nations Cup team on home ground in Rotterdam this year, has three rails and a time penalty.
6:45 a.m. EDT: Andre Thieme of Germany, who has won several $1 million classes in the U.S., is just over the time in 82.92 for a single time fault with Chakaria. There are now five nations that have no jumping faults and a single time fault.
Another with a time fault and no rails down, Pieter Devos of Belgium on Claire V. This course demands a high degree of being careful, which so often is resulting in those time penalties.
Oh Marcus Fuchs–how could the European champion have a time fault? Strategy. Better to take your time and have time penalties than a rail down. Otherwise, the Swiss is fault-free on the fabulous gray, Clooney.
Marlon Modello Zanotelli has our second double-clear, riding well for Brazil on Edgar M.
6:40 a.m.EDT: Holly Smith of Great Britain makes her debut at these Games with former event horse Denver. The Flamenco fence, a tribute to course designer Santiago Varela’s Spanish national heritage, has a rail drop. Holly is free of time faults for a very neatly ridden round that finishes on four faults.
6:35 a.m. EDT: A rail falls at fence 10, the liverpool, for Laura Kraut of the USA and Baloutinue, her ride only since April. No time penalties, though.
Laura Kraut, USA, and Baloutinue.
6:30 a.m. EDT: The shoeless King Edward and Henrik von Eckermann demonstrated the style that got him into the jump-off for the individual on Wednesday and gives us our first double-clear. Remember what I said above about Sweden as a real medal threat?
It’s one time penalty and no jumping penalties for France’s Simone Delestre on Berlux Z.
Egypt has its first Olympic show jumping team since the 1960 Olympics in Rome. Nayel Nasser, the lead-off rider, drops two rails but has no time penalties with Igor van de Wittemore.
6:25 a.m EDT: Cian O’Connor’s replacement (his Kilkenny had a nosebleed in the individual) is Shane Sweetnam for Ireland with Alejandro. He has a fall at a liverpool after a series of rails down and is eliminated. That’s it for Ireland, since there is no drop score with the three-member teams. This nation can’t qualify for the final tomorrow.
“He’s an experienced horse, normally he’s very good but he pulled his shoe off going into the triple combination, I don’t know whether that hurt him but it definitely rattled him, and then after that you could see he was very unsettled and wasn’t like himself at all”, said Shane.
New Zealand’s Bruce Goodin on Danny V has 16 and 1.
6:20 a.m. EDT: It’s the first time in the ring at Baji Koen for Golden Lady, ridden in a hackamore by Ali Al Arach (riders were able to change horses from the individual if they liked). The Moroccan has 8 jumping, two time.
A quiet round from Jose Maria Larocca of Argentina on Finn Lente has only one rail down, but three time penalties.
6:15 a.m.: The first with no jumping faults is Enrique Gonzalez, a member of Mexico’s Aga Khan trophy winning team in Dublin, but he has one time penalty on Chacna, a daughter of Chacco Blue.
Israel’s Alberto Michan rides free of time penalties, but is another with 12 jumping faults.
6:10 a.m. EDT: Japan’s Daisuke Fukushima, who was clear in the jump-off for the individual to finish sixth, is back on Chanyon, the son of Chacco Blue (Explosion’s sire as well).He’s good until the end, with 13B and 14 down. Best so far.
The first two riders, from the Czech Republic and China, each had three rails with 3 time penalties.
by Nancy Jaffer | Aug 5, 2021
The eventing scene in Florida is really ramping up.
The World Equestrian Center in Ocala has acquired the Ocala Jockey Club, about 20 minutes from the WEC, which opened in January and offers restaurants and a four-star hotel, in addition to indoor and outdoor competition venues.
The nearly 1,000-acre Jockey Club, to be known as the World Equestrian Jockey Club, was the home of the international Ocala Jockey Club CCI4*L 3-Day Event. That 2020 edition of that event, which was scheduled for last November, was cancelled due to Covid.
Plans are to continue the tradition of top sport by transitioning the Jockey Club facility to be the site of World Equestrian Center eventing cross-country competition. The WEC site in Ocala offers hunter, jumper and dressage competition as well as a variety of western and other disciplines in indoor and outdoor arenas. A cross-country course was originally planned for WEC, but that space now is going for new indoor arenas.
Renovations are being planned to prepare the Jockey Club facility for hosting weddings, equestrian and special events under the World Equestrian Center brand of hospitality management.
“The Ocala Jockey Club brought a combination of training, competition and elegant hospitality in the venue that is in line with our World Equestrian Center vision,” said Roby Roberts, who is at the helm of WEC.
“Through this acquisition, we aim to continue those traditions of great sport and grand entertaining, while investing in the future of equestrian sports in Ocala.”
About a 2 1/2-hour drive south of Ocala, the new TerraNova Equestrian Center in Myakka City was just approved for a new event Oct. 22-24. It will host Starter, Beginner Novice, Novice, Training, Modified, Preliminary, Intermediate, CCI2*-S, CCI3*-S and CCI4*-S.
The Split Rock Jumper Tour announced that their Sarasota International CSI 2* at TerraNova Equestrian Center will kick off their 2022 tour in January, pending USEF and FEI approval.
There are also several weeks of hunter/jumper shows at TerraNova that are in the mix for approval in February and March 2022. Look for the possibility of dressage and driving events down the road.
The Terra Nova offices are based in the Florida west coast city of Sarasota, about 20 miles from the facility itself.
by Nancy Jaffer | Aug 5, 2021
The new rules on substitutions for the three-member squads in Tokyo could have a big effect on the placings as team show jumping gets under way tomorrow.
As planned, McLain Ward has been moved onto the U.S. show jumping team in Tokyo with Contagious, while Kent Farrington and Gazelle now will become the reserve combination. They can be switched into the mix if necessary without penalty prior to Saturday’s team final, where the top 10 squads culled from a qualifier starting list of 19 nations will be competing.
The new three-member team/no drop score format for these Games has made things more complicated and required a different approach in terms of planning than previous Olympics.
“There’s been incredible team spirit internally,” said U.S. coach Robert Ridland.
“All the decisions have been made jointly and McLain coming in fresh for the team has always been the plan. Fortunately, all the horses are sound, and the riders are feeling great, and we can do exactly what we were planning on doing.
“That’s our strategy, and our expectations, of course, are to live another day and move on to the final on Saturday and we all feel prepared and well-positioned to do that.”
The U.S. show jumping team: Jessie Springsteen, Kent Farrington, Laura Kraut and McLain Ward. (Photo courtesy U.S. Equestrian)
The U.S. did not qualify an entry for Wednesday’s individual finals, which means the horses will have the advantage of two days of rest before the team qualifier.
But Great Britain, one of the countries favored to take a team medal, will be moving forward without a key player. Scott Brash, who tied for seventh in the individual competition with one time penalty, has dropped out of the competition after his horse, Jefferson, suffered a strain in Wednesday’s class..
That puts Harry Charles–who retired during the individual final after having rails with Romeo 88–back in the mix with individual gold medalist Ben Maher on Explosion W (ranked as the best horse/rider combination in the world) and Holly Smith on Denver. She did not ride in the individual competition.
When a swelling was discovered on one of Jefferson’s front legs following the individual final, Scott said, “After discussing with two top class vets, competing him again this week could result in a more serious injury so their advice is he has to rest allowing him to recover as quickly as possible.”
British Equestrian Team Leader Richard Waygood commented; “In consultation with Scott, his valued owners and our team vet, we’ve decided it’s in the horse’s best interests to withdraw from the competition as a preventative measure to avoid a more serious injury. While disappointing for Scott and his connections, the team is still a strong proposition ahead of Friday’s team competition.”
Ben and Scott were members of Britain’s historic London 2012 gold medal team with Harry’s father, Peter Charles, who is on hand in Tokyo to help his son during Harry’s Olympic debut.
Britain is the only country to medal in all three disciplines at the Games so far (team gold and individual silver in eventing, team and individual bronze in dressage, individual gold in show jumping) though Germany could match that if it reaches the podium on Saturday.
The Irish team, as previously announced, will be without a reserve as Cian O’Connor and Kilkenny are not going forward.
Kilkenny experienced a nosebleed during his round in the individual final, where he was tied for seventh with Jefferson on one time penalty. While nosebleeds are not cause for elimination, unlike blood in the mouth, Cian elected not to go forward in the horse’s best interests. Kilkenny was treated by the veterinary team and deemed to be fine. Shane Sweetnam replaces Cian on the squad.
Meanwhile, Cinca 3, the mount of New Zealand’s Daniel Meech, was eliminated in the Individual Jumping Final. Blood was found on the left flank of the horse in the post-competition check. That finding is mandatory elimination under FEI rules. Such an elimination does not imply there was any intent to injure the horse. The New Zealand Equestrian Federation lodged a protest to contest the elimination, which was heard by the Ground Jury and dismissed.
Meech had three knockdowns and two time penalties to place 25th before being eliminated. He will be able to ride with New Zealand in the team competition, however.
Other significant changes among key contenders include Belgium’s Peter Devos subbing for Niels Bruynseels; Yuri Mansur has been replaced by Pedro Veniss on the Brazilian squad; Beat Maendli is replaced by Bryan Balsiger for Switzerland; Germany has Maurice Tebbel coming in for Christian Kukuk Tebbel comes in and France drops Mathieu Billot for Simon Delestre.
by Nancy Jaffer | Aug 2, 2021
There’s no way around it.
The outcome of the Olympics for the U.S. eventing team was disappointing.
When I made my predictions, I didn’t think the squad would reach the podium, but there was always a chance it would come close.
So it was a blow to watch the U.S. finish sixth of 15 teams on 125.80 penalties, while the gold medal British (the only contingent in the Tokyo competition to have less than 100 penalties) ended on 86.30, an Olympic record for a winning eventing team.
This was the first Olympic eventing competition run without teams having a drop score, and three on a team, all scores to count, made it hard to handicap. All the key teams except the British wound up having to change their proposed line-ups before the Games got under way.
As Britain’s Oliver Townend, the world’s number one-ranked eventer noted, the odds of his country having three top horses and three top riders for them at the right time was quite something. Having that happen definitely is a challenge in a sport with three distinct phases, and Britain hadn’t taken gold in nearly half a century since last doing it in 1972, when their riders followed on their team gold at the 1968 Games.
The U.S. has not won a team eventing medal at the Olympics since 2004, and more recently, was eighth of 16 teams at the 2018 FEI World Equestrian Games.
But Phillip Dutton, who has ridden for both Australia and the U.S. in the Games over the course of three decades, advised to “keep it all in perspective. It’s been an improvement from the team point of view for the U.S. We’re on the board and certainly you can always try to do a bit better. We were aiming for more, but it’s not horrible.”
Phillip Dutton and Z. (Photo courtesy of U.S. Equestrian)
Added Phillip, who won individual bronze at the 2016 Olympics, “It’s the Olympic Games, so you’ve got to be at your best. There’s a couple of things in dressage that didn’t go right, and we had a little bit of time (penalties) yesterday (on cross-country). Everything’s got to go right on the day, and we probably didn’t quite do that.”
Then today, although all three team members made the cut and got into the individual medal competition, none of them had a clean round. Doug Payne, riding Vandiver in his first Olympics, did the best, with one rail down in each round to end up 16th. Doug also regularly competes in grand prix show jumping, which could be a factor in that performance.
Doug Payne and Vandiver. (Photo courtesy of U.S. Equestrian)
Phillip had two rails in each round with Z to end up 21st.
“Unfortunately, I think Z really was feeling the effects of yesterday (the cross-country),’ Phillip stated.
“He didn’t jump quite as well as I would have liked to have done.”
Boyd Martin’s ride, Tsetserleg, dropped a pole and collected time penalties in the first round, then had three rails gone in the second. He was 20th.
There has been a huge effort to improve the U.S. results. Olympic and world championships show jumping medalist Peter Wylde was hired to coach the riders in his sport.
Proficiency in both dressage and show jumping are key, because they can offer a relatively controllable baseline, compare to cross-country, where so many often-unexpected challenges await.
Eventing Performance Director Erik Duvander, who has competed for his native Sweden and coached the New Zealand team, has been tireless in his efforts.
He emphasized that “In all of my years of competing and coaching in championships in this sport, I have never experienced such an arduous trip for the horses.”
Before coming to Tokyo, the horses quarantined and trained in Aachen, Germany.
“Our team handled the process without doubt and ultimately kept the welfare of our horses at the forefront of every decision. Our team truly showed their mettle on the cross country yesterday. The horses gave their absolute all on the final day in show jumping and tried until the end with everything they had left,” said Erik.
“Our grooms and staff who have worked so meticulously to care for these horses deserved a better result. It has been an extraordinary effort across the board since we left the U.S., from everyone on the long list — the reserve combinations who traveled to Germany and those who participated at the Mandatory Outing (in Virginia). Everyone has fronted up for the U.S team and done everything within their power to support our success. I have a great belief in the future of the U.S., as I know we are on the right track.”
He pointed out that when he assumed his job in the fall of 2017, he had little time to prepare horses and riders for the WEG. They weren’t ready, he has said, and everyone was hard at work to turn that around. I saw it at every event I covered over the last few years.
Boyd Martin and Eric Duvander.
As Boyd emphasized, “Eric Duvander absolutely gave his heart and soul to making America great again, no one sacrificed more than Eric to do what he’s done the last couple of years.”
Reflecting on his competition time in Tokyo, Boyd noted, “I’ve been dreaming of doing well at this. I came up a little bit short from what my hopes were.”
Added the veteran now of three Olympics, “Saying that, this is the best in the world and we’re not far off.”
Doug, who called riding in the Games “a huge honor,” felt his horse had done his best.
“You can’t ask for a whole lot more from him. He’s shown a lot of heart and I’m certainly thankful to have him.”
Even so, Doug noted about the outcome, “It’s frustrating still. It’s annoying.”
by Nancy Jaffer | Jul 31, 2021
The heart of eventing is cross-country, and the Tokyo Olympics route devised over five years by Derek DiGrazia (who also designs the Land Rover Kentucky 5-star) has been the source of speculation for years. How would it ride? Would the weather be a factor? Today we got the answers.
There was a difficult-to-make 7-minute, 45-second optimum time for the route on Sea Forest island, within sight of Tokyo’s skyline, the same area where rowing and kayaking are being held.
The course had not only flair, but also reflected the flavor of the country where it was being held. Fences included a flower shrine, chopsticks, the bullet train and the Mt.Fuji drop.
A view of the course.
For the riders, dealing with the course meant dealing with many issues, from the camber of the tricky terrain at the former landfill, the need for speed and at the same time, caution, as well as the question of how Tokyo’s infamous mid-summer heat and humidity would affect the competitors on a steamy morning.
As the event got under way at 7:45 a.m. Tokyo time, the temperature was 80 degrees and 82 percent humidity, both of which rose throughout the competition but were mitigated somewhat by a nice breeze..
The weather made no difference to world number one Oliver Townend of Great Britain, who finished five seconds under the optimum in 7:40 with no jumping faults on Ballaghmor Class, his Land Rover Kentucky 5-star winner last spring.
Britain, favored to win team gold, was in the lead after dressage, so Oliver’s round set the stage for the other riders on the squad to keep that edge, and they did. Laura Collett (who stands third with London 52 behind Julia Krajewski of Germany on Amande De B’Neville) and Tom McEwen, sixth with Toledo de Kerser, also completed without any penalties.
Meanwhile, here’s what happened to Germany, which was second after dressage and sank. Initially, a run-out at a tricky corner from the second-to-go German rider, Sandra Auffarth, on Viamant Du Matz, dropped Germany to fifth place at the end of her round.
Then superstar Michael Jung triggered a frangible pin with Chipmunk FRH at fence 14C in the Lone Tree Moguls combination, plummeting him with 11 penalties for that transgression from first place to 10th individually as the team fell again, to sixth, behind the U.S in fifth. Michael’s mishap elevated Oliver to the top of the individual standings. Eight other riders also set off a frangible pin.
“I had a little mistake there (at fence 14C),”said Michael.
“I didn’t realize it fell down, but when I galloped away from the fence I heard the sound. It was quite a surprise for me. Everything else was really nice.”
The USA’s lead-off rider, Doug Payne, proceeded with determination on Vandiver, but took no risks that could have backfired. He put a good score in the bank, finishing in 8:02, with 6.8 time penalties.
Doug Payne and Vandiver. (Photo courtesy U.S. Equestrian)
“I thought we were going to be able to catch up a bit faster than we did, ” commented Doug, who is making his Olympic debut.
“At the end we were totally on empty, so it’s all you can ask for.”
Of Vandiver, he said, “He’s got the biggest heart of any horse I’ve had the opportunity to work with. Although a bit unconventional at times, he tries his heart out.”
Time penalties were the order of the day, as expected. At the end of the first rotation of team riders, only Australia’s Shane Rose was on the same page as Oliver in having a double-clear round.
By the end of the competition, just five others (including the other two members of the spectacular British team, as I said) had joined them in coming in under the optimum and finishing without jumping faults.
Julia Krajewski of the German team, which was standing in second place after she rode, nearly made the time but was one second over for 0.4 time penalties.on Amande De B’Neville.
Germany remained second after the first round, with New Zealand third, following Jonelle Price’s trip on Grovine de Reve in 7:50 that added two penalties to her score.
Twelve riders retired or were eliminated, starting with the first on course, Arinadtha Chavatanont of Thailand, who splashed into the first water when Boleybawn Prince looked down at the grass verge as he jumped and aimed for that instead of the pond, falling into the drink.
Thailand’s Aridadtha Chavatanont had the unenviable position of leading off on cross country, where a miscalculation landed her and Boleybawn Prince in the first water complex, but they both walked away.
That left it to Oliver, second to go, to figure out how to ride the course without watching someone else handle the fences.He and Ballaghmor Class were up to that challenge.
“We know he’s special, anybody who watches eventing knows he’s special, but he’s tough and digs deep,” said Olive.
“Early on, I thought he was getting slightly away from me – in fact, there were a couple of places where he was in control and I wasn’t – but I sat behind him and found good distances.
“Once I got into the course, I started picking up good, big, quick distances – almost racing distances – to the straightforward fences, and he answered beautifully.
Britain’s Oliver Townend on Ballaghmor Class is in the lead individually for Olympic gold.
“His pedigree is part of what makes him good, but it’s mentality more than anything – he’s tough in every aspect of life. He’s quirky, but he’s tough, and the bottom line is that he wants to do his job more than most horses.
“I have a lot of trust in Derek di Grazia’s courses, I think the man’s one of the best – if not the best – in the world at what he’s doing, and even when I think a distance is one way, I know that if it isn’t, then it’s a safe distance.”
The USA’s Phillip Dutton was held after fence 12 when a Thai rider fell on course, but he got going well again with Z and ended on a time of 7:57 to stand 17th.
The 2016 Olympic individual bronze medalist said such a start-and-stop and start situation “is not ideal.”
Phillip Dutton and Z. (Photo courtesy of U.S. Equestrian)
He called Z, “a great little horse with a big heart. I think I couldn’t have gone much better.” Assessing the course, he said, “It’s hard work, but I knew that coming in.”
He observed, “We’re in the hunt still. Obviously, sitting in fifth place, we still need to claw our way up a bit further, but it was certainly an exciting day of cross country.
“When the time is hard to get like that, it always adds pressure and a sense of chance to everything you’re doing. Some of the horses really excelled, especially some of the faster, more Thoroughbred types. It was exciting right through to the end, and we’re holding our own, which is good.”
Boyd Martin rode anchor for the U.S. on Tsetserleg and is in 14th place, finishing in 7:53 with 3.2 time penalties as the best score for his team.
“It’s a big sigh of relief getting around well,” he said, noting he thinks his horse “tried his absolute heart out. It wasn’t a course that suited him that well, with the twists and turns and back and forth, but he dug deep.
Boyd Martin anchors the U.S. team on Tsetserleg. (Photo courtesy FEI)
“In hindsight, maybe I should have pushed him a little bit harder,” continued Boyd, who believed he was good on time until the last seven jumps.The weather was a factor in his horse’s performance..
“The heat knocked him around for sure. I felt like he was a bit winded by the second minute. He stayed about that mode the whole way around and never dropped the bit.”
Even so, “he was pretty empty by the end.”
Added Boyd, who was born in Australia and has dual citizenship, “I’m very proud to be American.and have three American horses finish clear today. I’m pleased, relieved and still dialed-in for tomorrow” when the stadium jumping will be held at starting at 4 a.m. Monday EDT back at Baji Koen Equestrian Park, an hour from Sea Forest. I’ll be blogging the action, so you can check this website at any time to catch up, without having to wake at a crazy hour.
The U.S. total is on 109.40 penalties in fifth place, to 78.30 for Britain, which has a great lead over Australia, standing on 96.20; it’s 97.10 for France in third, 104 for fourth-place New Zealand, whichmoved off podium position after a slow round by Jesse Campbell on Diachello.
There are 114.20 penalties for sixth-place Germany behind the U.S. The stadium jumping phase could shake things up a bit, though it seems doubtful any nation can catch Britain.
Showing great professionalism, Australian anchor rider Andrew Hoy was 10 seconds under the optimum time in his eighth Olympics He tied Mark Todd’s record for the most Olympic clear rounds. Sixty-two-year-old Andrew stands sixth individually on Vasily de Lassos.
He was on hold for some time, with his saddle off and getting a bath, while officials attended to Jet Set, ridden by Robin Godel of Switzerland. The horse, formerly the mount of New Zealand’s Andrew Nicholson, never had a fault cross-country.
He became lame after the Mt. Fuji fence and was pulled up. Sadly, Jet Set’s injury was such that he could not be saved and had to be euthanized. The gelding, a veteran of the 2018 FEI World Equestrian Games, received immediate veterinary attention at the fence and, after an initial assessment, was transferred by horse ambulance to the on-site veterinary clinic.
Ultrasound scans revealed an irreparable ligament rupture in the lower right leg, just above the hoof, and on humane grounds and with the agreement of the owners and rider, the decision was taken to put the horse to sleep, according to the FEI (Federation Equestre Internationale).
Robin praised his beloved horse, noting, “He set off on what he loved to do the most,: gallop and fly over obstacles.”
In line with the FEI Veterinary Regulations, samples have already been taken from the horse and a post mortem will be conducted.
Australia’s Andrew Hoy gives the thumbs up after finishing 10 seconds under the optimum time.
Japan, which did well in dressage to stand fourth at that point and within sight of the podium, had hopes dashed when Yoshiaki Oiwa fell from Calle 44 at a brush jump down hill from the big drop fence. .That nation now is 11th, but Kazuma Tomoto (who rides with British multi-medalist William Fox-Pitt) is ranked an impressive fifth individually with Vinci de la Vigne.
Colleen Loach, Canada’s lone rider (following Jessica Phoenix’s decision to withdraw Pavarotti before the event started) finished all smiles in 8:03 on Qorry Blue D’Argouges in 26th place.
Lauren Billys, riding the 19-year-old Castle Larchfield Purdy, felt her mount, the second-oldest in the competiton. was running out of gas and kindly pulled up. Her regular coach is Derek DiGrazia, but of course, that arrangement wasn’t continued into the Games.
Twenty-year-old Tayberry at the Samurai sword jump with Thomas Heffernan Ho.
The oldest horse in this event, Tayberry, was very credible, however, in completing the course. The 20-year-old campaigner finished in 10:04 for Thomas Heffernan Ho, the first Hong Kong representative to ride in Olympic eventing. He is ranked 46th. What a special moment for horse and rider.
For full results, click here
NBC will be showing cross-country at some point, just can’t say when. Check your listings. However, it looks as if it will also be on NBCSN beginning at 1:30 p.m. Sunday Aug. 1. These things can change, so double-check..
by Nancy Jaffer | Jul 30, 2021
We started out at a decent hour for Eastern Daylight Time, 7:30 p.m., rather than 4:30 a.m. the way we did this morning, as the third member of each team took their turn in the sandbox for the finale of the dressage phase. As the segment began, Britain stood first and as it ended, Britain remained in the lead.
You can bet the standings will be scrambled, though, after everyone tries to best Derek DiGrazia’s cross-country course at Sea Forest, which is on the water. The horses ship there tonight so they’ll be ready for the start of that segment at 7:45 a.m. Sunday Japanese time.
Watch it on the live stream at www.nbcolympics.com starting at 6:45 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time Saturday (don’t forget Japan is 13 hours ahead of us).
Just to repeat, it will be Sunday morning there, Saturday evening for us.The highlights show on NBC won’t be aired until 11:15 a.m. Sunday, or 1:30 p.m. Sunday on NBCSN for a longer version.
This website will have a story Saturday night, and I’ll do some live blog coverage of key rides.
As tonight’s action concluded, saving the best for next-to-last to go, Germany’s Michael Jung (our coverboy for this post) performed a test that was absolutely by the book and meticulous on FRH Chipmunk, as he works on becoming the first-ever three-time individual Olympic eventing gold medalist.
He passed the overnight individual leader, Great Britain’s Oliver Townend on Ballaghmor Class, earning 21.1 penalties to Oliver’s 23.60.
If you look at the photo at the top of the page, you can see that Michael really went for it in the extended canter, even leaning forward to emphasize his speed.
Michael Jung nails it.
That’s pure Michael Jung, who is also proficient in Grand Prix dressage and show jumping. Recently married, he is the father of a son, who will enjoy quite a legacy from his dad.
Michael’s score gave Germany a total of 80.4 penalties to mover up from fifth and stand second to Great Britain, which has 78.30 penalties..
Tom McEwen, Britain’s final rider in the dressage, earned 28.90 with Toledo de Kerser to stand 12th individually.
“I’m actually very pleased with him, he coped very well in there – he loves situations likes that,” said Tom. “It was just the two early (flying) changes that really cost me – the preparation was good, but they were a bit of a flop really.
“He’s been amazing since he got here, absolutely unreal – which makes it more of a shame to go in there and get a 28 or 29 because I knew he could have been very low 20s or even into the teens on the right day.”
Even though cross-country day July 31 is Michael’s 39th birthday, he’s not taking it easy with the challenge ahead of him.
“Now is definitely not a time to rest, we have to focus, ignore everything else and ride as if we were middling in this competition, we will have to fight properly,” he said.
Speaking of his relationship with Chipmunk, Michael noted, “We had a very good partnership today, everything worked like I wished. Since the European Championships in 2019, I’ve had more time to train with him. We had a long winter to work more and have had many more competitions this year, so everything is going much better.”
New Zealand moved up to third place after Tim Price, world number two, had a smooth test with Vitali, save for a rushed second lead change. His 25.60 mark on the horse previously ridden by Jock Paget, got the Kiwis on a total of 86.40 penalties and put him fifth individually..
Japan is fourth on 90.10 (I told you in my preview story they could get close to the podium; just watch them on cross-country). Sweden stands fifth on 91.10, followed by Australia (93.4) and China, yes China! (93.6). Alex Hua Tian, the most experienced member of that team, is third individually on Don Geniro (23.90).
So what about the U.S.? It has moved up one place to eighth with 94.60 penalties.
A lot of American hopes were resting on anchor man Boyd Martin and Tsetserleg, who started well and had a nice accurate halt. But the horse broke going forward after the reinback that follows the halt. Obviously on high alert, he then trotted when asked to canter, but somehow got decent flying changes. His score of 31.1 penalties puts Boyd 20th individually..
Boyd Martin and Tsetserleg. (Photo courtesy U.S. Equestrian)
Obviously, it wasn’t the ride Boyd had hoped for.
“To be honest, it was quite disappointing,” he said, noting Tseterleg has been ” so good in the dressage for years and years.”
So Boyd was surprised at how things went, citing “One moment in the reinback when he fell behind me and misunderstood me and cantered out and screwed up the next movement. It was some great moments and some disastrous moments.”
As he observed, “You sort of come here hoping to give a personal best,” and it must be remembered that the dressage is only the first of three phases.
“The cross-country is so difficult and so hard to get the time I think we’re in with a chance if we can deliver three good rounds on cross-country,” said Boyd.
“We’ve got good, seasoned horses older and experienced. We’ve got nothing to lose by going out there and giving it a crack.”
The highest-placed American after dressage is Phillip Dutton on Z in 12th; Doug Payne is in the middle of the pack of 62, standing 30th. Both men rode dressage on Thursday.
Other individual rankings of note include: Germany’s Julia Krajewski, the former rider of Michael Jung’s Chipmunk, fourth on Amande D B’Neville (25.20), then Tim Price as we mentioned, with Britain’s Laura Collett on the appropriately named London 52 (25.80).in sixth.
For the full list of individual results, click on this.
So you can plan ahead, here is a link to the order of go for cross-country.
by Nancy Jaffer | Jul 29, 2021
Bella Rose, ranked as the world’s number one dressage horse with Isabell Werth of Germany, is retiring. The silver medal individual test she performed yesterday will be her last.
Isabell Werth of Germany and Bella Rose.
Breeding could be in the future for the 17-year-old daughter of Bellissimo M, who took Isabell to gold in the world and European championships in 2018 and 2019. She is Isabell’s favorite horse, who was a star at the 2014 FEI World Equestrian Games, then did not compete again until 2018 as she recovered from injury.
Tokyo was her first defeat since finishing second to Valegro in the Grand Prix at the 2014 WEG. Isabell cites the mare’s determination to dig in and give all she had as what made her great.
Isabell noted she was “completely satisfied” with her freestyle, adding she doesn’t have a monopoly on gold medals.
Interestingly, despite handfuls of world and European championships and World Cup finals wins, Isabell has won the Olympic individual title only once, in 1996.
by Nancy Jaffer | Jul 27, 2021
You’ve been following my live blog, on which we broke the news that the U.S. had won silver in Tokyo today.
But the story deserves more details than I could give you in a blog, so here they are:
It was down to the wire, with everyone hoping the U.S. could hold off Denmark and clinch the bronze medal in the Grand Prix Special at the Olympics.
That happened with a bravura ride by Sabine Schut-Kery on Sanceo, the attentive stallion who was really tuned in to her astute direction. Great self-carriage and a test that was focused every stride produced a score of 81.596 to stay ahead of Denmark and secure the bronze. It was a personal best for Sanceo in the Special, and the first time the magnificent 15-year-old had gone over 80 percent in that test, as he brought the medal home.
Sabine Schut-Kery and Sanceo.
It reminded me of the 2000 Olympics in Australia, where the Danes were already preparing for the victory ceremony to accept the bronze before the last U.S. rider went. That rider was Christine Traurig, and she delivered the performance of her life to put the U.S. on the podium for the bronze medal. Christine is Sabine’s coach, so it was interesting to see history repeating itself.
“All I can say is what a dream team this has been to be with. They all knew they had to go clean and then it was possible,” said Technical Advisor Debbie McDonald, who gave her heart and soul to the effort.
“It just goes to show what determination and teamwork can do. Could not be more proud.”
Was anyone around the world thinking earlier today, however, that the U.S. could get silver in Tokyo, with the British in a strong spot and their top rider, Charlotte Dujardin, yet to go? Charlotte is a three-time Olympic gold medalist with the now-retired Valegro, and made the brave decision to bring the rather inexperienced Gio to these Games instead of Mount St. John Freestyle, who has more mileage but wasn’t fit enough for Tokyo’s heat and humidity.
When she chose the horse, Charlotte was thinking of the team, rather than an individual medal, and the lively Gio was delivering. But a mistake in the one-tempi’s sank her effort, with marks of 4’s and 4.5’s. She needed a score of 80.4 percent to outflank the U.S., but as things worked out, her mark of 79.544 meant America would be on the second level of the podium, while Britain stood one rank below.
Charlotte noted that her 10-year-old chestnut, known as Pumpkin, has “literally tried his heart out,” despite the fact that he has very limited experience, and felt she can’t ask for more.
“I just went in there to do the best I could I’m absolutely thrilled with Pumpkin,” she said of the horse she found at a clinic in the U.S.
“He’s going to get better and better as time goes on.”
As her teammate and mentor Carl Hester noted, Tokyo was quite unusual, even though he and Charlotte were Olympic veterans.
“The feeling before we came here was that it would be a very difficult and different Olympics. But it’s been an amazing experience for all of us to be together as a team,” said Carl, who also referred to Lottie Fry, who made her Olympic debut on Everdale.
Carl rode En Vogue, a horse he has been training for only a year, and said of him, “he came here like a litle boy and today he went in there tonight like a man. He gave me an amazing ride.
“He did everything I asked – he walked, he halted – all the little things that are so important. I’m still putting the details together, but he feels like one of the best horses you could ever sit on. When he’s in gear, you’re just in the air – he’s an amazing horse.
“We’ve had him since he was five, and I watched Charlotte with him in the early days and he was quite a handful. We’ve always known that he’s so talented, so I’ve just been waiting for the right ride so that I could prove that he is what we think he is – and he’s not the finished article, he’s only at about percent.”
Gold was a given for the Germans before the event began, and they lived up to expectations, earning 8,178 points to 7,747 for the U.S. and 7,723 for Britain. Denmark was far off a medal with 7,540 points, followed by the Netherlands, 7479.5; Sweden, 7210, Spain, 7198.5 and Portugal, 6965.5.
It was the 14th time Germany has won Olympic team dressage gold. As in the Grand Prix over the weekend, the highest score of the day, 84.666 percent, belonged to Jessica von Bredow-Werndl with TSF Dalera, who picked up nearly two-dozen perfect 10s. Jessica’s teammate, Isabell Werth, the only equestrian ever to win six Olympic gold medals, clicked in with Bella Rose at 83.2 percent.
The U.S. started off well with Adrienne Lyle’s ride on Betsy Juliano’s Salvino. He’s been ranked as having among the top five piaffes in the world, and that contributed to his score of 76.109 percent.
Adrienne Lyle and Salvino.
“I was just thrilled with him today,” said Adrienne, who is the top-ranked U.S. rider in the world, at number 15.
“We had a clean test for the team and that was what we really, really wanted. It’s hot and humid and he battled through the whole time for me. It’s not our highest result, but I’m super happy for having flown halfway around the world. Our U.S. teams are really amazing…we really all are rooting for each other and have each other’s back.
Discussing her relationship with Salvino, she said, “He’s taken me to the World Equestrian Games and the World Cup and now an Olympics, what more could you possibly ask? He just delivers when it counts.”
Steffen Peters stepped it up for America with Suppenkasper, who has developed under his guidance into a horse who delivers accuracy and grace in a powerful package. The pressure was on for the team and also because the horse’s owner, Akiko Yamazaki, has Japanese roots and had been pointing toward this Olympics for years.
For Steffen, going for it more than he had in the Grand Prix paid off, with the judges giving him 77.766 percent to continue the march toward the bronze medal.
“He did exactly what I asked him to do,” said Steffen of his mount.
“I appreciate that the judges saw this test was better than the Grand Prix.”
Sabine, like Steffen a native of Germany, used to specialize in giving exhibitions as entertainment at equestrian events, so pointing toward the Olympics with Alice Womble’s stallion was a different goal.
“It’s an amazing opportunity that you work towards not just a year or two years prior. It’s a long road where you strive to take the time to train your horse as correctly as possible and that results in maybe making it on a team or not,” she explained.
In presenting the exhibitions, Sabine took pains to proceed with everything by the book, a practice that would pay off when she was pursuing international-level dressage.
“Even when I did my demonstrations” she noted, “I always was very tough on myself and wanting to do it correctly. I want to learn and get better. That’s what I get pleasure out of.”
Adrienne Lyle, Steffen Peters and Sabine Schut-Kery show off their silver medals.
All the U.S.riders knew today that “One little mistake from one horse would not have given us the silver,” as Steffen put it.
Sanceo shied at a shadow before entering the ring, but he was all business going down centerline.
He was, Sabine said, “so with me, and really like a partnership. He’s just amazing. We’ll give him the credit for sure.”
Her performance brought tears not only to her eyes, but did the same to Steffen and Adrienne.
“All three horses are my heroes,” said Steffen.
Sabine was happy to have delivered not only to her teammates but also to the hard-working U.S. support staff.
What happened today is a big step forward for U.S. dressage, going from bronze to silver. Only the last U.S. Army squad at the 1948 Olympics in London had ever gotten team silver in dressage at the Games.
“What will happen in Paris?” asked Sabine, thinking of the 2024 Olympics.
The unspoken thought was that the next step had to be gold.
As Adrienne pointed out, “It’s only logical.”
by Nancy Jaffer | Jul 27, 2021
The U.S. gets silver with a bravura performance by Sabine Schut-Kery and Sanceo. It was the first time a civilian U.S. dressage team has taken that honor. (An army team did it in 1948). Read the live blog down to the bottom to find out how it all developed.
Here’s how it started at 4 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time: We’re watching the dressage competition where the Olympic medals happen, the Grand Prix Special at Baji Koen Equestrian Park in Tokyo.
Last weekend’s Grand Prix was an elimination round to whittle the 14 teams competing down to the eight nations eligible to contest the medals. It’s the U.S. vs. Europe: Germany (practically assured of gold barring some disaster), Great Britain, Denmark and the Netherlands, those are the most likely other team medal contenders; along with Sweden, Portugal and Spain as the supporting players. Spain, by the way, is taking advantage of the unique substitution provision of the new Olympic rules and putting in Divina Royal for the Special instead of Sorento, Jose Antonio Garcia Mena’s mount from the Grand Prix. The reason ostensibly was a veterinary concern. The switch to a fresher horse worked; Divina would be marked at 73.754 percent after her turn to go.
You’ll remember that there are three on a team, so no drop score. The riders are divided into three groups of eight. After the first two groups ride, there’s an hour break until 7:45 a.m. (so don’t think I’m quitting early when nothing new is posted during that time).The time is needed to organize the order of the last group of riders (which includes the USA’s top scorer, Sabine Schut-Kery on Sanceo). Riders in that group will be assigned start times based on the standing of their nation to that point in the competition.
For the first time, riders may choose the music that accompanies their ride in the Special, though they are not graded on how well they follow it. In the Grand Prix, the organizers selected the music. It often was quite appropriate–an Italian rider, for instance, heard “Mambo Italiano,” while the Irish rider got an Irish reel for her performance.
The U.S. riders with scheduled times are Adrienne Lyle (Salvino) at 4:40 a.m. and Steffen Peters (Suppenkasper) at 6:15 a.m. You don’t have to get up early; I’ll keep you posted so you can check what happened when you wake. Highlights will be on NBCSN at 1 p.m.
It’s 88 degrees that the weather people say feels likes 96 degrees, as the tail end of a tropical storm (the feared typhoon didn’t happen) has departed. Everyone tried to condition themselves and their horses for the expected hot and humid weather that is typical of Japan at this time of year.
We’re under way as Severo Jurado Lopez on Fendi T starts out. He’s from last-ranked Spain, but scores from the weekend’s Grand Prix only count for ranking purposes; scores are not cumulative.
The horse was really listening to his rider and mistakes were small; over-finishing one pirouette and a bobble starting the final piaffe on centerline. It was good enough for 70.152 percent.
4:10 a.m. EDT: Next up, Maria Caetano of Portugal on Fenix di Tineo, a Lusitano with a rather short-strided walk is making his Olympic debut. He has nice power in the extended trot. This honest guy with his massive neck was really trying and got a score of 68.693.
4:30 a.m. EDT: There were big expectations for Swedish rider Antonia Ramel, but Brother de Jeu scuttled hopes in the first piaffe when he reared. The rider tried to make up for that in the rest of the test but it wound up as a 67.447 percent.
4:30 a.m. EDT: The Netherlands’ Marlies van Baalen on the Totilas son Go Legend had 71.201 percent. This horse kept moving his lips and looked as if he were muttering. I just couldn’t hear what he said….
4:40 a.m. EDT: The USA’s first rider, Adrienne Lyle, and Salvino got the job done with 76.109 percent. The second part of the canter half-pass wasn’t as textbook as the first leg, but the stallion made up for it with the rest of his test. One of the top five horses inthe world in terms of piaffe scores on his record, that came through again in a sparkling, regular, textbook fashion and the final mark was a very credible 76.109 percent.
Oh that beautiful piaffe from Adrienne Lyle and Salvino.
This is the best test of the Special so far, and a good way for the U.S. to build on its medal hopes.
Adrienne’s time at the top was short,however; next to go, Carl Hester of Great Britain on En Vogue received a mark of 78.344 percent. What a test!
5 a.m. EDT: The canter half-passes floated, the one-tempis were wonderful, making up for having missed a one-tempi in the Grand Prix on the weekend. This test looked so natural, the horse’s head carriage was perfect, a reflection of En Vogue’s relaxation..
Carl is a master, and it’s interesting that he has been riding En Vogue only for a year. Charlotte Dujardin had been in the saddle, but swtiched off in favor of Carl, though she still owns a piece of the Olympic debutante.
Carl Hester was understandably pleased by his ride on En Vogue.
5:10 a.m. EDT: But then Carl was overtaken by the next rider, Dorothee Schneider of Germany on Showtime, marked at 80.213. The horse’s head was behind the vertical at times, most notably in the final piaffe on the centerline, and he kicked out slightly in one of his first piaffes.
Dorothee rode like she meant it and really went for it in the extended canter, a place where many riders tend to be cautious.
At the end of the first group of competitors, Germany leads (no surprise) by 2.2 percent on 2,652 points, followed by Britain with 2.577.5 and the U.S. third with 2504. After that, it’s Denmark (2441.5) and the Netherlands (2345.5), with Spain and Portugal following, Sweden brings up the rear, having lost its lead rider, Patrick Kittel, when his horse had an injury. These scores will keep changing as the second group of riders goes, but I won’t post more totals until the second section ends.
Germany’s lead-off pair, Dorothee Schneider and Showtime.
6 a.m. EDT: Sweden had a good effort to bring it out of the basement from Juliette Ramel and Buriel HK, marked at 75.714.
6:10 a.m. EDT: Hans Peter Minderhoud had a strong bid for the Netherlands with Dream Boy, earning 76.353 percent to give his nation a big helping hand.
6:15 a.m.: And speaking of helping hands, a marvelous test from the USA’s Steffen Peters on Suppenkasper brought a mark of 77.766 for one of the best efforts I have ever seen from this combination. They put the U.S. into the lead, but Denmark, Britain and Germany are yet to go in this round.
You could sense the wavelength they were on, with Steffen getting everything out of “Mopsie,” who was kind and expressive, with spring in his step. His pirouettes were spot-on and well-defined, and going down the centerline at the end he was really sitting for his piaffe.
Steffen Peters knows he nailed it with Suppenkasper. (Photo courtesy of U.S. Equestrian)
“I pushed him a little bit more,” said Steffen.
“There was so much at stake today. So I risked it in the extensions more, rode the passage shorter and higher, canter extension went even more than the day before, pirouettes a little bit tighter, at least in my mind. He did exactly what I asked him to do. I appreciate that the judges saw this test was better than the Grand Prix.”
Steffen’s emphasis is on the team; he sees the individual medal as 5 percent and the team medal as 95 percent.
“It means so much that I can put in a good performance for my team, especially when you have people like Sabine and Adrienne, who are just family and fight so hard. We showed up tonight.”
6:25 a.m. EDT: With errors in the one-tempi’s, Denmark’s Carina Cassoe Kruth on Heilene’s Dancer wasn’t able to move her country ahead of the U.S. in the team standings.
6:35 a.m. EDT: Charlotte Fry of Great Britain and Everdale boosted their team over the U.S., while Isabell Werth and Bella Rose, marked at a magnificent 83.200 percent, increased Germany’s lead as the last rider in the group. Hard to believe that Isabell isn’t the German anchor, but her Grand Prix wasn’t the highest score for her country, so Jessica von Bredow-Werndl with TSF Dalera will ride anchor.
Isabel Werth and Bella Rose.
Isabell was smart not to give it all in the Grand Prix, because it only counted for qualifying eight of the 14 teams for the Special. Points aren’t cumulative, so the medals rest only on Special totals Since Tokyo is so hot, and horses have only so much to give, riders have to plan when to push most for when it counts most..
7 a.m EDT: At the end of the second rotation, Germany was on 5392 points, followed by Britain (5106) and the U.S. (5062.5), holding onto a hope for the bronze medal. Denmark follows on 4983, with the very strong Cathrine Dufour on Bohemian as anchor, which means U.S. anchor Sabine Schut-Kery with Sanceo has her work cut out for her if the U.S. is to stay in bronze position.
8:05 a.m. EDT: Rodrigo Torres of Portugal and the gray Lusitano Fogoso (great and appropriate name) impressed despite some little mistakes with a score of 74.726 percent and 9’s for piaffe. Portugal is vying with Spain and Sweden to move up from the lower ranks of the team standings and not finish in the basement.
8:15 a.m. EDT: Therese Nilshagen and Dante Weltino Old had a little break in the passage, but lovely movement by this horse and the rider’s capability resulted in a score of 75.988 percent. That puts Sweden ahead of Portugal, which will finish last in the eight-team line-up.. No shame in that; making the medal round is an achievement in itself.
8:27 a.m. EDT: Spanish national champion Beatriz Ferrer-Salat scored 74.894 on Elegance, which kept Spain ahead of eighth-place Portugal, but behind Sweden, which is sixth.
8:36 a.m. EDT: Edward Gal of the Netherlands and the 9-year-old Total US by Totilas were working on 80 percent plus, with a 10 for passage and lots of 9s. But a quick miss on a lead and then a double step and a brief stop on the centerline going home brought them down to 79.894. Remember, though, it was the horse’s first international Grand Prix Special and his fourth international test. The Dutch now stand fifth, unlikely to move up with Denmark’s Cathrine Dufour and Bohemian on deck.
8:47 a.m. EDT: Cathrine Dufour and Bohemian have so many strong points, with 9s and 10s for piaffe out of the walk, but there were a few trot steps into the canter, a low score for the first pirouette and a walk into the final halt left her with a score of 77.720 percent. That puts the U.S. in reach of bronze if Sabine Schut-Kery and Sanceo can do their ultimate. They need a minimum of 75.2 percent to clinch bronze.
8:56 a.m. EDT: And she did it! Sabine and Sanceo got 81.596 percent to clinch bronze for the U.S. Now we’ll see what happens with Britain’s Charlotte Dujardin and Gio (“Pumpkin”.). They need a score of at least 80.4 percent to keep silver for their country.
Sabine Schut-Kery and Sanceo.
9:07 a.m. EDT: Charlotte fell short. She and Gio got 79.544 after a mistake in the one-tempi’s that netted 4s and 4.5’s. So the U.S. got silver. What an exciting result for the team and Debbie McDonald, in her first Olympics as head coach (technical advisor).
And Gio is a young horse who lived up to expectations and beyond, considering his lack of experience at age 10, what with the Covid lockdown and suspension of European shows for EHV earlier this season.
It’s a remarkable success story for the U.S. to reach such heights, and a tribute to Debbie and a special group of riders. The only other Olympic silver earned in dressage by the U.S. was in 1948 in London, but that was the army team before the advent of the civilian U.S. Equestrian Team.
Last to go, Jessica von Bredow-Werndl of Germany and TSF Dalera scored 84.666 percent, despite a mistake in the beginning of the one-tempi’s. That was put in the shade by a beautifully wrought test to cement Germany’s gold medal position, the 14th time it has taken that honor in the Olympics.
We’ll see all the team members tomorrow as they go for the individual medals. The freestyle starts at 4:30 a.m. EDT, so follow along on my live blog or check it when you get up. And remember, this website was the first to report the U.S. silver, so count on it for breaking news.
