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.
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.
Donations to the Equus Foundation of up to $30,000 from now through the Hampton Classic at the end of August will be matched by Cheryl Olsten, owner of EQUUS Foundation Equine Ambassador Lafitte De Muze.
That is in addition to donations to the foundation of a portion of the spectacular show hunter’s prize money winnings. The EQUUS Foundation is the only national animal welfare in the United States solely dedicated to protecting America’s horses and strengthening the bond between horses and people. Lafite De Muze, ridden by Amanda Steege, is a perennial winner, so that’s a good thing for the foundation.
On Monday Aug. 30 during the Hampton Classic, the EQUUS Foundation will present Equine Adoption Day, sponsored by Georgina Bloomberg. Equine Adoption Day is designed to increase awareness of horses in need and to promote the welfare of America’s horses. The Equine Adoption Day will showcase rescued and adoptable horses from off-the-track Thoroughbreds to mini horses.
It’s 4 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time. The dressage riders are back competing at the Baji Koen Olympic Park in Tokyo for the second part of the Grand Prix, the qualifier that will decide which eight teams from 14 nations competing go on to Tuesday’s Grand Prix Special that determines the team medals.
Scores from the two competitions aren’t cumulative, but the Grand Prix is key for any country that has ambitions to try for the podium, and it is also a qualifier for the freestyle on Wednesday that will determine individual honors..
To catch up with what happened yesterday, go to the second feature story on this website. And for a Games preview, check out the first story in this website’s On the Rail section to the left.
Though we knew Tokyo would be hot, at 5 p.m. Japanese time (a 13-hour time difference from EDT), it’s an energy-draining 89 degrees that feels in the 90s, though it thankfully should get somewhat cooler as the evening goes on. Trying to avoid oppressive heat is why the horses compete late in the day or in the case of eventing, the next discipline on tap later this week, early in the morning..
In this blog, I’ll be covering rides of key players or anything interesting that comes up today. The most recent items are at the end. For highlights of today’s action, go to the NBC Sports Network at 1 p.m. Melanie Smith Taylor, a member of the 1984 U.S. Olympic show jumping team, is a commentator for that..
The first to go today, Severo Jurado Lopez of Spain, earned 68.370 percent on Fendi T, who was gleaming with sweat.
4:18 a.m. EDT: Caroline Chew of Singapore, who trains in Britain, had a horribly disappointing Olympic debut when she was eliminated shortly into her test because her mount, Tribiani, apparently had a fleck of blood in his mouth.
I couldn’t see it, but the judges could, and the head of the ground jury came out to give Caroline the bad news. The horse tripped at the beginning of the test, so perhaps he bit his tongue. Under horse welfare rules, any sign of pink is enough for elimination, and that has happened to poor Caroline. She was the first rider from Singapore to compete at the Olympics in equestrian sport. Very disappointing to come all this way and not get through the test.
4:36 a.m.: Heike Holstein of Ireland on Sambuca is the only representative of her country here. Ireland qualified to field a team, but coach Jo Hinneman determined the other riders available had not met his standards and though other candidates who could have come to Tokyo fought his decision, the effort was to no avail.
Interestingly, Heike got the Irish qualification at a show where she appeared after having a bicycle accident. But a true athlete, she rode before going to the hospital. Her score today was 68.432 percent.
At 4:54 a.m., Canada’s Lindsay Kellock and Sebastien embarked on a ride that carried a great deal of emotion. Her brother, Jonathan, died of brain cancer before Lindsay made the team. But a postal error meant a necklace he bought her with a silver and diamond “L” charm for her first name came just before she set out for the Games. She was, of course, wearing the necklace when she rode.
Lindsay Kellock and Sebastien.
Lindsay is the goddaughter of Ashley Holzer, an Olympic veteran who is now an American citizen, but is coaching the Canadians in Tokyo.
A mistake in the half-pass and changes sadly made Lindsay’s score 65.404 percent, as Canada struggles to be one of the eight teams that will go on to the Special. Dressage is the only team Canada is fielding; it has two eventers and one show jumper, but no teams in those disciplines. Lindsay’s sister, Jamie, is a groom in Tokyo for Canadian eventer Jessica Phoenix.
5:16 a.m. EDT: Denmark, a team medal threat, got a score of 76.677 for Carina Cassoe Kruth with an impressive turn on Heiline’s Danceria who was really on form. They are leading the group now, but with Adrienne Lyle of the U.S. next to go with Salvino, that lead likely won’t last for long. .
5:30 a.m. EDT: Whoops. I was wrong. Adrienne had a very controlled ride, albeit with a mistake in the zig-zag and an extended canter in which she didn’t go for it. The judges marked her at 74.876, a nice score for nearly anyone else, but far from her best, with 6’s and even a 5 in the zig-zag. That means Carina is still leading the group, but Adrienne has qualified for the freestyle.The top two in each group qualify.
We were hoping Adrienne and Betsy Juliano’s stallion would produce an 80 percent ride, but again, this is only a qualifier so let’s focus on the Special going forward.
Adrienne explained that while Salvino went well in schooling with some brilliant moments, in the arena “Unfortunately, he kind of went in there and got a little tense and got tight and we lost a little of the balance and the self-carriage where we needed to be, and it was unfortunately far below what he is capable of.”
When she rode Wizard at the London Olympics in 2012, she appeared as an individual, but being part of the team involves so much more; there’s a focus on mutual support and responsibility.
“My teammates are incredible,” said Adrienne.
“During a team event, you’re riding for your team members. It’s about so much more than you. I couldn’t ask for a better team.”
Tomorrow is a day off, so she and Salvino will have some time to recover, and she’ll go through the video of her ride and see what needs to be tweaked.
She kept her disappointment in perspective, saying of horses, “They’re living animals and some days they’re not perfect. You don’t need to reinvent the wheel. It just happens.”
Adrienne Lyle and Salvino in front of the ringside Zen garden.
I have known Adrienne since she was a working student in 2005 for Debbie McDonald (now the U.S. technical advisor), with whom I wrote the book, “Riding Through,” so I’ve watched her closely from the beginning of her Grand Prix career.
You won’t find a harder worker or a lovelier person than Adrienne, who is also tremendously talented. I look forward to what she can do on Tuesday when it counts for a medal.
The pressure now moves to the last U.S. rider, Steffen Peters, in his fifth Olympics. He and Suppenkasper have become ever more of an exciting combination through their years together and he can produce a very good score.
The U.S. stands fifth in the team rankings looking toward qualifying for the Special, with Adrienne’s score added to America’s Saturday starter, Sabine Schut-Kery and Sanceo (78.466 percent). Denmark leads the way, followed by Spain, Russia and the Netherlands.It’s now obvious we will have to watch out for the Danes in the medal competition, along with Great Britain and the Netherlands. We all assume that Germany will go on to claim its 14th Olympic team gold medal, so silver or bronze is what’s realistic and available.
Jessica von Bredow-Werndl and TSF Dalera.
Yesterday, Germany’s Jessica von Bredow Werndl earned 84.379 percent, and still to come are the power pack of teammates Dorothee Schneider and the queen of dressage, Isabell Werth. Isabell has more gold medals than any other equestrian, ever, and more than most athletes in any sport.
You can expect Germany to be leading the team standings at the end of today, for whatever that comment is worth, since the outcome is a given, barring a disaster of Biblical proportions.
5:45 a.m. EDT Marlies van Baalen of the Netherlands and the Totilas son Go Legend (the offspring of the late spectacular Totilas seem to be everywhere) had a respectable 71.615 percent performance. Marlies’ mother, Coby, also rode in the Olympics. She was on the 2000 silver medal Dutch team in Sydney.
6:34 a.m. EDT: So disappointing for Kelly Layne of Australia, as her nation was striving to make the cut for the Special. The Aussies are standing sixth but won’t achieve their goal after Samhitas reared in the piaffe. Such a shame, when he had many lovely moments in the test. His score of 58.354 percent was a huge letdown.
The team scores really don’t mean much until all three riders have gone, so for Britain, that’s Charlotte Dujardin and Steffen for the U.S., as I said. Now the U.S. is seventh and Britain eighth, but that obviously will change. Germany isn’t even in the top ten, because it still has two riders to come. In any event, the home side Japanese team won’t be seen again in this Olympics. They have worked hard to up their game, but still have a way to go.
7:07 a.m. EDT: Sweden’s Juliette Ramel despite a mistake in the one-tempis with Buriel KH was scored at 73.369. I first saw this horse at the 2018 FEI World Equestrian Games and remember how impressed I was after taking a photo that showed him flying above ground in the one-tempis.
7:15 a.m. EDT: Yesterday was the day of personal bests for several riders. Today is the day of letdowns from some big names, it seems. Dorothee Schneider of Germany and Showtime are capable of going over 80 percent, but at one point the passage got only a nine from a single judge, while a big bobble in the first piaffe was expensive as he lost his impulsion. At times, Showtime also looked a tiny bit tight in the neck and behind the vertical..
Dorothee Schneider of Germany and Showtime.
So the mark was 78.820. Dorothy, who suffered a broken collarbone in the spring when her horse collapsed and died of an aortic rupture during the honor round at a German show, leads the group ahead of Juliette. She of course qualifies for the freestyle, as do the first two in every group.
7:31 a.m. EDT: We’re starting on the final group for the Grand Prix, which will end with the appearance of Germany’s Isabell Werth.
7:49 a.m. EDT: One of the nice things about the Olympics is seeing riders from countries you don’t associate with Grand Prix dressage. I was impressed by Yessin Rahmouni from Morocco with the stallion All at Once.
He had a very credible test, though it wasn’t perfect; there was that moment he broke into canter during the trot half-pass, for instance. But there were many nice things about the performance that had real polish and was scored at 66.599.
Yessin Rahmouni of Morocco on All at Once.
Yessin leads the final group at this moment, followed by Chile’s Virginia Yarur on Ronaldo, who also did a good job to achieve 66.227 percent.
Obviously, the rankings will change soon, with Great Britain’s multi-gold medalist Charlotte Dujardin due in the arena on Gio at 8:06 a.m. EDT.
But it’s nice to see riders from these countries not known for dressage having their time in the sun, however brief. And they’ll get better if they keep competing and learning, which widens the horizons of the horse world.
8:15 a.m. EDT: Gio and Charlotte Dujardin were everything we expected–and more. Their personal best score of 80.963 percent was so well-deserved for a test in which the British rider didn’t let a single point get away from her.
I smiled when I saw her halt done four-square before the rein-back, a place where some riders rush or don’t settle their horses. That’s the attention to detail that has earned her Olympic gold three times.Charlotte Dujardin and Gio.
But more important, Gio–known as Pumpkin around the barn for his round, chestnut body–was spot-on with his style in the piaffe/passage tour, getting 9s for passage. He’s pleasing in every aspect and so well-handled to bring out his best.
Charlotte. who owns a piece of him, spotted Gio at a clinic in the U.S. and brought him along under the eyes of her mentor, Carl Hester, who looks to be joining her in qualifying for the individual test Wednesday aboard En Vogue.
It was a surprise when Charlotte picked Gio for the Olympics over Mount Saint John Freestyle, her 2018 FEI World Equestrian Games individual bronze medal mount, but she said the mare wasn’t fit enough for the Tokyo heat, and she was thinking of focusing on helping the team, rather than earning an individual medal. Gio was the right answer for that, she felt. And now she’ll have a shot at an individual medal too.
Gio and Charlotte Dujardin.
Gio had just three international Grand Prix starts before coming to Tokyo.
“It was a bit of the unknown, really – I didn’t know what to expect in there, under the floodlights, in an arena like that,” said Charlotte.
The 16-hand Apache gelding was up to the challenge, earning his first international Grand Prix score over 80 percent..
“I couldn’t ask any more from him tonight, he went in and he tried his absolute heart out,” said Charlotte
“He’s just unbelievable. He gives me everything he’s got, even though he needs to get stronger and a bit more confident. I can’t ask any more of him.
“I felt so emotional on the last center line, because when you have a ride like that, it doesn’t matter if you win or lose. He’s absolutely lived up to expectations.To me, this was as good as winning tonight because I know he couldn’t have done any more for where he is right now in his training and with how few competitions he’s done. That’s like a gold medal, one of those really special moments that I’ll remember for forever and a day.”
8:33 a.m. EDT: Brittany Fraser-Beaulieu did her best with the massive chestnut All In and achieved a score of 71.677 percent, but it won’t be enough to qualify Canada for the team final on Tuesday. As I’ve said before, only eight of 14 countries will move ahead to the medal round, and Canada has fallen short.
Britain, Denmark and the Netherlands have made the cut, and obviously Germany will. I am sure the U.S. will too, but the last American rider, Steffen Peters, doesn’t go until 8:42 a.m. EDT.
8:52 a.m. EDT: USA has made the team final and Steffen Peters was superb with Suppenkasper to score 76.196 percent. It will break his streak of 22 wins in a row, but he was exceptionally solid and key to the U.S. securing its place.
Steffen Peters and Suppenkasper. (Photo courtesy U.S. Equestrian)
Noting his mount “came in super relaxed,” Steffen said he had a very good walk tour, even though it was “challenging for him in an arena like this.”
Please with his score, he said, “We’re going to step it up a little bit in the Grand Prix Special.” The focus there on his trot extensions “helps him quite a bit.” Other things he likes about the test include the walk/ piaffe transition, and the fact that “we don’t have to do the silly zig-zag, we don’t have to do the rein back. It floats a little more and for a big-moving horse, it’s a better test.”
With four previous Olympics to his credit, Steffen acknowledged that this one is very different because of Covid. Restrictions are abundant. Mingling with athletes from other countries, usually a Games highlight, is a no-no, along with visiting restaurants, shopping and having the support of relatives, who have not been allowed to come due to an edict from the Japanese government.
What the riders have to do is not a problem, in Steffen’s view.
“Olympians are used to rules. The rules are stricter this year with Covid. If we can’t respect the rules, we shouldn’t be Olympians.”
In the big picture, when it comes to sacrifice, he said, “What a tiny small sacrifice we made compared to the rest of the population. If we think we lost 600,000 people in the U.S., that’s a sacrifice. What we did here is not a sacrifice whatsoever.”
9:02 a.m. EDT: Isabell Werth and Bella Rose, the number one combination in the world, couldn’t best teammate Jessica Von Bredow-Werndl, but had the second-highest score of this weekend, 82.500 percent. As I mentioned earlier, today wasn’t generally the day for personal bests.
Isabell Werth and Bella Rose.
Isabell got 10s for transitions, the halt and piaffe, but but was weighed down with 6.5 and 7s for the collected walk and the same for the extended walk, where she got a 5!. I’m sure Bella Rose will sparkle more for the team competition, and particularly for the freestyle
9:30 a.m. EDT: Here are the eight teams that made the cut for Tuesday’s Special: 1) Germany; 2) Great Britain, 3) Denmark; 4) USA; 5) Netherlands; 6) Sweden; 7) Portugal (interesting!) 8) Spain. It would turn out that Sabine Schut-Kery (Sanceo) would be the highest-scoring U.S. rider on 78.466 percent, with Steffen second-highest and Adrienne–the highest-ranked U.S. rider in the FEI standings at number 15–third for the U.S. in the Grand Prix. Unexpected, but see her comments above in the story.
Tomorrow is a day off, so I won’t have a story then unless there’s some big news. I’ll be live-blogging the Grand Prix Special starting at 4 a.m. EDT on Tuesday, so please check back at any time to follow along o catch up. We had the story first both days this weekend, and plan on doing that again so you know what’s happening without having to get up before dawn.
By the way, I very much appreciate all the thank you notes I’ve gotten for my stories. It’s so worthwhile to do this if people are interested in it. See you Tuesday!
Yes, it’s 4 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time on July 24, and it’s finally happening! After a year’s postponement due to Covid, horses actually are competing in the lovely arena at Baji Koen Equestrian Park, which also hosted Tokyo’s 1964 Olympic Games.
No outside spectators are allowed under pandemic protocol, but some seats are filled by those associated with the horses, from vets to trainers and owners, so the stands aren’t totally empty (just close to it.) Still, there isn’t really anything in the way of atmosphere that says “Olympics.” But I’m sure for every rider here, these Games–as unusual as they are–feel like the pinnacle of everything they’ve worked for over the years.
I’ll be blogging about the highlights, so I won’t mention every horse, just the most interesting ones!
We started off with an impressive effort by the lovely Lusitano Escorial, who is a popular stallion in Portugal. Looking at his powerful passage, you can see why.
How cute is Escorial?
“Good job,” someone from the sidelines yelled after Joao Victor Marcari Oliva finished his ride for Brazil. Even though he did not have a lot of chances to compete in the run-up to the Games, he finished on 70.419.
Meanwhile, Victoria Max-Theurer of Austria, who hoped to follow once again in her mother’s footsteps at the Games, has withdrawn Abbeglen NRW. The culprit was a molar abcess. How unlucky! (check out the second story on this website for the names of some other horses that have been withdrawn.)
The rider’s mother, Sissy, won gold at the 1980 Olympics in Moscow, which was boycotted by many countries, including the U.S. The withdrawal means Austria no longer has a team, since three members are required to compete to achieve that status.
Zack, a newish partner for Nana Skodborg Merrill of Denmark, had errors in piaffe and two-tempis. At 17, he is one of the oldest horses in the competition and came up with a nice score of 73.168.
Mary Hanna, an Australian grandmother of three, had a mistake in the two-tempis but handled her horse Calanta with style, showing off his very active passage.
“I could have done with being more nervous today,” she said, relating to the lack of the spectators who normally create a sense of the occasion.
She was marked at 67.981. Her mount is by Johnson, who had been ridden by perennial Dutch team member, Hans Peter Minderhoud.
Mary Hanna and Calanta.
Yvonne Losos de Muniz, who we regularly see at the Global Dressage Festival in Florida, expertly rode Aquamarijn to a score of .70.869, with passage and piaffe very sharp off the ground.
Based in the U.S., she rides for the Dominican Republic. Her horse had a correct but nicely compact frame to produce our second score over 70 percent so far.
At 5:03 a.m. EDT, Great Britain’s Charlotte Fry has the best score to this point, 77.096, which will qualify the Netherlands-based rider and Everdale for the freestyle, which is the individual final. Lottie’s late mother, Laura, rode in the 1992 Olympics and was a European championships silver medalist.
Charlotte Fry and Everdale.
It’s a good start for Britain, a contender for the silver or bronze team medals (Germany we assume has locked up gold.).
Everdale was a picture of concentration on the same wavelength as his rider. He has a tendency to be feisty, which is why his owner, rather than Lottie, trotted him out in the horse inspection, where he went last in case of antics. The only obvious flaw I saw in his test was a weak second pirouette.
Also through to the final is Sweden’s Therese Nilshagen, the highest-rated rider on the world standings list in the first group of competitors, with Dante Weltino Old. Her score was 75.140.
So a new group has taken the stage at 5:36 a.m. EDT and now we have a new best score. Not unexpectedly, it’s the Netherlands’ Edward Gal on Total US, a son of his late, great mount, Totilas.
Edward Gal of the Netherlands and Total US.
Although the horse who has the dramatic action of his sire is only nine years old and just made his international debut this year, he is very polished under the guidance of a master rider, posting a mark of 78.649
Loved his elevated pirouettes, and his front leg action is mesmerizing. You can expect to see Edward (who is sporting a beard) in the individual final. And if the Games hadn’t been postponed for a year, you wouldn’t have seen Total US in the Olympics–he would have been too young and inexperienced.
Edward was resplendent in an orange tailcoat, something new. The Netherlands is all about orange (its reigning house is Orange-Nassau.)
Spain’s veteran Beatriz Ferrer-Salat is another over 70 percent on the aptly named Elegance with 72.096 percent.
Portugal is fielding its first Olympic dressage team and Maria Caetano was off to a good start with Fenix de Tineo on 70.311 percent. Only eight teams will make it into the Grand Prix Special on Tuesday, where the team medals will be decided. The Grand Prix is only a qualifier for the Special.
Canada’s lead-off rider, Chris von Martels with Eclips, missed out on hitting 70 percent with a break in the final passage that didn’t help his score. Canada’s only equestrian team in Tokyo is dressage; it just is fielding individuals in eventing and show jumping.
At 630 a.m. EDT, I thought back and remembered Russia’s Mister X as being so electric when I watched him in the World Cup finals and the 2018 FEI World Equestrian Games. He’s now 17 and isn’t quite the same; understandable after missing two seasons due to injury.
And when the Trakehner was recovering, his rider, Inessa Merkulova, had a fall in the spring of 2020 and was in an induced coma for four weeks. She returned to action in the fall of 2020. They had a few moments today that weren’t up to par, including a slow canter depart and a break in the extended trot. Unfortunately, they didn’t make 70 percent (they used to be well above that) and were marked at 69.457 percent.
Denmark’s Cathrine Dufour and Bohemian.
Cathrine Dufour of Denmark lived up to expectations with Bohemian at 6:57 a.m. EDT, earning the first score over 80 percent today with a mark of 81.056 percent.
The Danish national champion, who is ranked number six in the world, qualified for the individual finals and will buoy her squad’s efforts in the team medal race.
Her ride was disciplined and correct, a tribute to the harmony between and exceptional horse and his skilled rider.
Great Britain’s Carl Hester took over the ride on En Vogue from Charlotte Dujardin (who we will be seeing tomorrow on Gio) because he was better suited to this mount, though she remains as part-owner. His relationship with the horse showed in the balance he demonstrated during his 7:30 a.m. EDT test as rain started coming down to ease the 82-degree temperature.
Carl Hester pats En Vogue for job well done.
He had a mistake at the beginning of the two-tempis, but got a very nice mark of 75.124 added to the 77.096 earned by teammate Lottie Fry earlier in the day.
Carl is the mastermind of Great Britain’s success, which most notably included team gold in London 2012 and two individual golds for his protege Charlotte Dujardin on the now-retired Valegro. Charlotte rides tomorrow on Gio.
At 8:15 a.m.EDT, the USA’s first rider, Sabine Schut-Kery demonstrated her special connection with the stallion Sanceo, producing highlights in piaffe and passage and one of the pirouettes, resulting in a terrific score of 78.466 percent. That should be good enough to get her into the individual final.
Sabine Schut-Kery and Sanceo. (Photo courtesy U.S. Equestrian)
This is her first Olympics and she showed great composure, doing what she came to do. She formerly focused on doing show biz-type exhibitions before turning her attention to international competition.
Sabine and Sanceo also were members of the U.S. gold medal team at the 2015 Pan American Games.
Her teammates Adrienne Lyle and Steffen Peters will ride tomorrow.
The last rider to go, at 8:42 a.m. EDT,Germany’s Jessica von Bredow-Werndl delivered as expected with TSF Dalera, turning in the highest score of the day, 84.379 percent, as she started her country on the road to its 15th Olympic team gold.
This partnership looks effortless as they perform the movements, one flowing into another in a continuous array of ability.
So that’s a wrap for today. I’ll close with Sabine’s thoughts about representing the U.S. in her first Olympics and coming up with such a great score on Sanceo (78.466 percent). Don’t forget, she’s a native of Germany who is devoted to America after building a life here, and is returning the favor by representing the USA.
Of Sanceo she said, “Hes always just so with me, he is like a partnership, absolutely. You go in there and he gives you a little bit that feeling, `I got it,’ and he also likes going into that venue. He definitely puffed up a little bit.”
Discussing her test, she said, “The highlight to me that feels always amazing is piaffe/passage. The most important thing was for me was to make it here, I thought that was a huge deal, riding back in June (in the mandatory outing) and making sure I got my spot.”
And that spot wasn’t just for her or Sanceo’s owners.
“When you come as a team, you don’t ride really for yourself anymore. For me, it was really important to ride for my teammates and my country, and for all of you, for (coach) Christine (Traurig), (U.S. technical advisor) Debbie (McDonald), for my teammates, for the federation and also for friends and fans.”
U.S. Dressage Technical Advisor Debbie McDonald waving the flag on the kiss-and-cry stand at Baji Koen.
Sabine brought Sanceo up through the ranks after trying him in Germany when he had been ridden only 10 times.
“Thinking back, I would never have thought where we’d end up,” she observed.
After all the levels, including the Pan American Games gold medal team in 2015, “to finish at the Olympics is unreal, it’s so special.
“I take pride in managing him and keeping him healthy through all these years. This is also a huge part.”
Please come back to my website tomorrow for the second half of the Grand Prix. I’ll be blogging it starting at 4 a.m., EDT just as I did today.
The “will they or won’t they?” part is over.The Olympics officially are a go, with the opening ceremonies wrapping up this morning (EDT) as tennis star Naomi Osaka lit the cauldron with the Olympic flame in Tokyo. (Watch a replay tonight at 7:30 on NBC). Now after months of Covid doubt, it’s time to let the Games begin (and actually, soccer, softball, rowing and archery already have started competition).
There are many, including a good number of Japanese citizens, who felt that with the problems of the pandemic, the Games should be postponed another year or simply cancelled. At least one Japanese official suggested the Games could even be called off right before opening ceremonies.
Thank goodness that didn’t happen. But the athletes who worked so hard to get to the pinnacle of their sports deserve a chance to compete against the world’s best, so the decision to go ahead seems to be the right one.
It comes with plenty of baggage, however, for the teams from 205 countries. They have to deal with mandatory masks (though I was interested to see many performers in the opening ceremonies were unmasked), as well as quarantines, restrictions on travel (the public transportation system can’t be used by visitors), no sightseeing, no restaurants. U.S. dressage rider Adrienne Lyle, who will ride Salvino, explained that to be safe, the U.S. equestrians are associating only with each other.
The U.S. dressage team: Sabine Schut-Kery with Sanceo; Steffen Peters (Suppenkasper) and Adrienne Lyle (Salvino). (Photo courtesy of U.S. Equestrian)
And in that vein, no U.S. equestrians marched in the opening ceremonies. They had plenty of company in not being there. Of the 650 American athletes who could have participated in the opener, only about 200 actually showed up in their snazzy outfits–Ralph Lauren blazers, striped shirts and stars and stripes neckerchiefs.
The U.S. team members who did march in the opening ceremonies.
I get it; they don’t want to risk a Covid infection before they compete, but a big part of the Olympic experience is mingling with people from other countries. That’s the whole international understanding thing.
At the closing ceremonies of the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, I decided to risk arrest and joined the joyful throng of athletes in the heart of the stadium. No one noticed me, as everyone was eager to take photos of the stars of the Games (this was before cellphone cameras and selfies), while trading gear and pins as they learned to appreciate different styles and culture. It was fabulous to experience that (and I didn’t get arrested), so I know first-hand about the international human connection that athletes are missing in the social distancing Games.
When the announcer introduced the marchers from 205 countries at the ceremonies,she said proudly, “Ladies and gentlemen: The Athletes.” but she was basically speaking to an empty house.
Get used to seeing empty seats at the Olympic venues. (Photo courtesy Adrienne Lyle)
The stadium that seats 40,000 had only about 950 people there, most associated with the ceremonies themselves. No spectators are allowed. It was said and a bit spooky. I hear that cheers recorded from other Olympics will be played at some venues to encourage the athletes, but it doesn’t make up for who isn’t there. I’ll use the same word twice: spooky.
Not being part of the opening ceremony is just the price to be paid in these times. As another U.S. dressage rider, Steffen Peters (Suppenkasper) noted, it’s a small sacrifice for the privilege of being at the Games. It hasn;t been easy for staff either, who had to deal with mountains of paperwork and make all kinds of arrangements that wouldn’t be part of a Games in non-pandemic time.
U.S. Equestrian Federation Director of Sport Will Connell told me in the spring, “The challenges we have with these Games are multi-layered. From the performance side, it’s trying to insure the right competition schedule for the buildup. The U.S. has a big advantage in some disciplines (for which competition cancellations were common around the world), because we’ve been competing since last year and competed all spring, so that’s been good for us. But the Covid protocols that Tokyo is putting in place are very challenging.”
Here’s an example: the eventing, dressage and para-dressage horses were going to quarantine at the U.S. Equestrian Team Foundation headquarters in Gladstone, N.J., and fly out from the U.S. Instead, when flying direct from the U.S. to Tokyo didn’t work, the horses had to quarantine in Aachen, Germany (site of the famous horse show) and fly to Japan from there.
But it all went well and while temperatures and humidity in Japan are high this time of year, climate-controlled stables and exercise areas make things easier. Riding early in the morning or in the evening is also a help The riders are enthusiastic about the facilities and the thoughtful little touches. Adrienne cited the cherry blossoms and ringside Zen gardens, adding a sense of place.
Adrienne Lyle, the highest U.S. rider on the ranking list at number 15, jogged Salvino today in the horse inspection. (Photo courtesy of USEF).
Because of the heat, Grand Prix dressage will start at 5 p.m. Japanese time tomorrow (July 24) and run into the evening, when it will be cooler. The bad news is that with a 13-hour time difference, 5 p.m. Japanese time is 4 a.m. in the Eastern U.S. on Saturday.
I presume most of my readers will be sleeping then. But no worries, I’ll be using the livestream to blog the key riders on this website. That means not only the U.S. team, but also such important players as Carl Hester and Charlotte Dujardin of Great Britain, Catherine Dufour of Denmark and Germany’s Isabell Werth, who is likely to win individual gold and lead the German team to the same color medal. But I hear due to Covid fears that the athletes will have to put their medals around their own necks, foregoing the usual kiss and/or handshake from whatever International Olympic Committee rep usually is tasked with that honor.
There are two days of Grand Prix (Sunday’s livestream also starts at 4 a.m.) to determine which eight teams compete in the Grand Prix Special on Tuesday. The Special is the only test that decides team medals. Each team’s alternate horse and rider can be substituted before the Special, but the U.S. won’t have that option, since alternate Nick Wagman’s ride, Don John, was withdrawn before the horse inspection after sustaining an injury.
While there are questions about how show jumping and eventing will shake out with three on a team instead of the usual four and a drop score, dressage has had three member teams before. The nature of the discipline means there is less chance for fate to cause an upset than when a cross-country test or jumping is involved.
This is the first time the Special will be run to music, and the riders can pick the tunes, but the music isn’t part of the scoring. I’m wondering if perhaps it’s a prelude to dropping the Grand Prix in future Olympics and making the Special more appealing in the process.
For the individual medals, to be decided in Wednesday’s freestyle, the top 18 riders are eligible from the Grand Prix (but only two from one country). That begins at 4:30 a.m. EDT on the livestream.
Who do I think will medal? For the teams, Germany is a lock (see my comment about Isabell Werth, above). Britain is a contender with Carl (En Vogue) and Charlotte (Gio), even though both superstars are riding newbie horses with no Olympic experience; ditto the third member of that squad, Lottie Fry (Everdale).(I should just mention here that Britain and Germany also have a very strong hand in the two other Olympic disciplines, eventing and show jumping.)
The U.S. has a good shot at dressage silver or bronze. I expect American riders to be on the podium in some position. There are several countries that also might be in contention, but a few, like Denmark have just one really strong horse/rider combination (Cathrine Dufour/Bohemian) and the Netherlands (Edward Gal on Total US, a son of his famous Totilas). Sweden lost its top rider, Patrick Kittel, when his horse was injured, so that nation doesn’t seem to figure in the equation.
I’ll give you my picks for the individual medals, aside from Isabell with Bella Rose, after we finish the team competition.
So this weekend, check in to www.nancyjaffer.com when you get up to find out what’s been happening. If you are awake at 8:15 a.m. Saturday,, you can go online to watch the first U.S. rider, Sabine Schut-Kery on Sanceo. Adrienne and Steffen go on Sunday at 5:21 a.m. and 8:42 a.m.respectively
Highlights are on the NBCSN program that runs from 9:30 a.m.-8 p.m. with a variety of sports, but I think dressage is scheduled for 1 p.m. That can always change, so be sure to check.
Hannah Sue Burnett found a home at the top of the Essex Horse Trials’ leaderboard, and brought her associates along for the ride this weekend at Moorland Farm in Far Hills.
She took the marquee event, yesterday’s Open Preliminary, with the Irish-bred Coolrock Wacko Jacko, while her fiancée, Matthias Hollberg, finished third aboard Bellefleur Z in the rider’s first Prelim outing.
Wacko Jacko, imported from England, was 10th after dressage, moving up to fifth following stadium jumping before taking the win on 30.2 penalties.
With the veteran Harbour Pilot, the 18-year-old Irish-bred gelding she rode to team gold and individual silver at the 2011 Pan American Games, Hannah Sue was fifth and didn’t push for time on the cross-country course designed by Morgan Rowsell.
Today, the very busy rider was first again in the Open Training section on the thoroughbred Chakiris Star, while Sophia Middlebrook, who rides with her, was runner-up by a mere two time penalties on Monbeg Odyssey.
Interestingly, Chakiris Star was clocked in 5 minutes, 25 seconds for the route, which had an optimum time of 5:45. It was the same mark turned in by the mother-daughter duo of Marilyn Payne and Holly Payne Caravella of Tewksbury Township, who finished third and fourth respectively on Fairway King and SF Double Entendre.
In the Open Prelim, Wacko Jacko was one of only three horses that made the optimum time of 5 minutes, 36 seconds there, though Matthias–who usually rides jumpers–impressed by being 11 seconds under.
He finished on 32.3 penalties behind Nora Battig-Leamer on Dubai Gold (31.7), a thoroughbred who returned from a life-threatening injury to resume his eventing career.
Hannah Sue rides for Jacqueline Mars, who owns Harbour Pilot and has a piece of Bellefleur, as well as Christa Schmidt, Jacqueline’s daughter, who often competes Chakiris Star herself, and also is a partner in Bellefleur.
When we talked about the courses, Hannah Sue noted that the water complex surrounded by spectators’ tents, was “quite a grand place. The horses are impressed by it, so the water kind of backs them off a bit with all the people and cars. I had to ride that a bit harder than anything else.”
It was interesting to find out more about Wacko Jacko from Hannah Sue. Take a look at this video to catch our conversation.
Hannah Sue, based at HSB Eventing in Pennsylvania, also received the Jean and Elliot Haller Horsemanship Award for demonstrating “a superior partnership between horse and rider.”
It is named for the couple who started Essex on their Bedminster farm and were the parents of the late Roger Haller. He was an influential figure in eventing, along with his wife, Anne. The trophy is donated by Ann David, the current owner of Hoopstick Farm where Essex had its roots.
A fixture in the area from 1968 to 1998, Essex was revived in 2017 but cancelled in 2020 due to Covid. Its comeback this summer on new dates (it used to be in June) was well received both by riders, who filled the various divisions, and spectators, as tailgating sites around the water complex sold out.
The weather, with temperatures in the high 80s, put a wrinkle in things Saturday as the action had to be halted for thunder and lightning (New Jersey on a summer afternoon; go figure) but competition was able to wrap up before a really big storm made its appearance.
“When there’s lightning, you’ve got to play it safe,” said Morgan, co-organizer of the event with Ralph Jones. “But the riders stuck around and the volunteers stuck around and we had a great crowd, so it was successful all the way around.
“We want quality riding and quality horses and we clearly got that. I hope the riders got out of it what they wanted to get out of it for the development of their horses.
The footing was optimum–the blessing is that it rains and the curse is that it rains,” he added with a smile.I asked Hannah Sue about the storm situation, so you can find out what she said about it and Harbour Pilot by watching this video.
Open Prelim offered $10,000 in prize money from Running S Equine Veterinary Services, which also sponsored a tent where riders could take a welcome respite near the stables after finishing their trips around the course.
Explaining his practice’s sponsorship, Dr. Greg Staller of Running S noted, “Very few events offer prize money and we wanted to do that, kind of the same idea as the grooms’, owners’ and riders’ tent, to make sure they get taken care of. It was nice to see everyone braved the heat and the possibility of rain. I was glad after Covid that everybody came and rallied behind us. There’s a lot of support for Essex.”
In addition to Running S, the event’s sponsors include Mars Equestrian, Open Road Group, AIG, Peapack Gladstone Bank, RWJ Barnabas Health. The event’s beneficiary is LifeCamp, which offers a day camp experience in Pottersville for Newark youth.
Essex, billed as “a country weekend” is as much of a happening as it is a competition.
On Friday night, a hilltop cocktail party that offered an impressive view of Moorland preceded a concert from Music in the Somerset Hills, presenting a 43-member orchestra from Broadway shows.
Saturday featured a car show in memory of Peter Chesson, the owner of the Barker Bus Co. and an influential car racing aficionado from Bedminster who held a national drag racing record for more than a decade.
As his obituary noted, he liked to say, ” `At the core of every challenge is a very simple solution.’ This was his North Star and guiding principle throughout his life.”
He was the father of sons Tim, P.J. and James Chesson, as well as Lizzy Chesson, the U.S. Equestrian Federation’s managing director of show jumping, who was in Tokyo for the Olympics and couldn’t be at the show. Peter was formerly married to Sharon Chesson, well-known for her achievements in the world of combined driving.
Hannah Sue Burnett rode Coolrock Wacko Jacko to the Open Preliminary title at the Essex Horse Trials, where her plucky 16-hand partner was one of three entries in the division to make the time allowed on cross-country during a day when thunderstorms stopped the action during the afternoon.
But the competition at Moorland Farm in Far Hills–cancelled last year due to Covid– resumed once the danger.had passed.
The event, which continues today, attracted competitors from around the mid-Atlantic region and as far away as Massachusetts.Admission to the competition is $10, with those 17 and under getting in free at the property on Route 202.
For details on Hannah Sue’s story and what happened in the featured division, come back to this website on Sunday evening.
Canada’s Royal Agricultural Winter Fair, the venerable final leg of the North American Fall Indoor Circuit, will not be held for the second year in a row due to the “international impact” of the Covid situation.
“After considerable research and consultation, the Royal’s board of directors today made the disheartening decision to cancel the in-person 2021 Royal Agricultural Winter Fair, in favor of returning to an education-focused online experience this year,” said a statement from the show.
Canada is still far more restricted than the U.S. due to the pandemic. As Royal CEO Charlie Johnstone noted, “Initially, we were optimistic that we would be able to gather at Exhibition Place this year to celebrate Canadian excellence in food, agriculture and equestrian sport. But as the uncertainty surrounding COVID-19 continues to create havoc around the world, it became clear that we weren’t going to be able to host The Royal in a traditional way.
“Our exhibitors and competitors put everything they’ve got into the pursuit of a championship, and we owe them a world-class showcase for their efforts. We’re simply not in a place to guarantee the stability and assurances necessary to plan their paths forward to compete at an elite level.”
There is nothing like the Royal. It reminds me of the National Horse Show during its glory days in Madison Square Garden. There’s something about formal dress that brings out the importance of an occasion, and the Royal still has its share of top hats, tail coats and evening gowns. The Royal is a place where it’s as interesting to watch the people as it is to watch the horses.
The horse show has great jumpers, but it’s so much more than that, with a variety of breeds, four-in-hands (speaking of elegance) draft horse hitches and wonderful exhibitions. It’s really a “show,” that entertains, even beyond being a sporting event.
And in the 1 million square feet of the exhibition center also hosts everything from cattle auctions and livestock competitions to fine dining, cooking demonstrations and booths selling all kinds of things, including, of course, maple syrup items of every description.
The fact that the Royal is held in Toronto, a fascinating city with great shopping, restaurants and hotels adds to its appeal. Like Devon, also cancelled for two years in a row, it will be sorely missed.
The Royal is the largest combined indoor agricultural fair and international equestrian competition in the world, complete with livestock shows, trade shows and other attractions, and attendance of nearly 300,000 each year.
“We do not take this responsibility lightly,” stated the Royal’s board, emphasizing it, the staff and management “remain committed to creating a safe and healthy space for everyone to gather, compete and celebrate when the time is right.”
Christine Reupke, director of equestrian sport at the Royal, explained “With all of the instability and uncertainty around new (Covid) variants, indoor large-scale events and without specific details about fall and winter reopening plans, our Board did the only thing that they could do to ensure our stability and viability for the future. What we’ve sacrificed today will ensure The Royal remains stable for not only our 100th in 2022, but decades to come.”
“We’re excited to be setting our sights on 2022, which will mark The Royal’s 100th Anniversary,” commented Johnstone.
“As we approach our second century, the Royal is more relevant than ever, and it is our privilege to be Canada’s home for local food, agricultural and equestrian excellence.”
The North American Indoor Circuit begins with the Pennsylvania National Horse Show, which was truncated last year with a few classes in Tryon, N.C., where the Washington International Horse Show also relocated.
The Pennsylvania National is now back in its refurbished quarters in Harrisburg, where it will present its entire program. The Washington International will remain at Tryon this year, while the National Horse Show–which operated at the Kentucky Horse Park without spectators last year–returns to the park’s Alltech Arena for 2021.
This weekend’s Essex Horse Trials offers an opportunity to spend some time at one of New Jersey’s prettiest spots, Moorland Farm in Far Hills, where eventing competition will be held at every level from Preliminary down to Beginner Novice. Tickets are a very reasonable $10, with kids 17 and under getting in free.
Watch some of the most recognizable names in the sport, including Buck Davidson, Hannah Sue Burnett, Heidi White and Michael Walton, as well as competitors from New Jersey, among them Meg Kepferle, Holly Payne Caravaella and her mother, Marilyn Payne. Missing will be Essex regulars Phillip Dutton, Boyd Martin and Will Coleman, because they are quarantining in Aachen, Germany, prior to the Tokyo Olympics, but that gives you an idea about the caliber of competition Essex has enjoyed over the years.
Competition is Saturday and Sunday, with a concert kicking things off on Friday evening. There’s also a big car show on Saturday in memory of Peter Chesson. For more information or to buy tickets, go to www.essexhorsetrials.org.
