by Nancy Jaffer | Aug 16, 2016
I know the Olympic show jumping has been a bit hard to follow, with the teams and individuals on seemingly separate tracks, as the opener on Sunday was only to place teams in the order of go, while for the individuals, it counted big time.
Lucy Davis, the youngest member of the U.S team, was clear today on Barron
So although the U.S. was down the line on Sunday, today American riders shone, with clears from Lucy Davis (Barron), Kent Farrington on Voyeur (the only one who also was clear Sunday) and McLain Ward (Azur). Just the best three out of four count, so anchor rider Beezie Madden’s toppled pole and water jump fault with Cortes C was the team’s drop score. Together with a rail from Sunday, that knocks her out of individual contention.
“It was a short seven up the first line, and maybe I was a little casual about the back rail, and then he clipped that,” Beezie said about her knockdown at fence 3.
“The water has been riding difficult all day. I just didn’t quite get across. I think he actually finished better than he started in the course, so hopefully tomorrow we’re in good shape.”
I had been thinking Cortes, her individual and team bronze horse at the 2014 WEG, wasn’t at his sharpest this season. It’s quite an art getting a horse ready for the Games, what with all the observation events and fitness required to get them to peak at the right time.
But as expected, the USA is leading after the first round of the team jumping, tied with the Netherlands (world champions), Germany (the faves to medal in Rio) and Brazil.
Brazil?
Let me blow my horn a bit; I did pick them as a key contender in previews, and not only because they are “at home” and the crowd is behind them. Having former U.S. coach George Morris on their side as coach is a big plus in any team’s book.
I spoke to George after today’s jumping at the Deodoro Equestrian Center and he emphasized, “I have two teams.” While he’s in the kiss-and-cry stand (where team officials and family observe competition) when the Brazilians are going, he is still thrilled that America is doing so well.
“I’m beholden to the States,” he said, and of course, the U.S. is beholden to him as well–not only for his team coaching, but also for his system of equitation and horsemanship that has been a key to American success.
He emphasized that he isn’t changing the riding style of his Brazilian team members; that isn’t his function in the relatively brief time he has had with them. Rather, he calls himself “a supporter,” who tries “to keep it all structured.”
One of his methods is going over and over–and over–the route of the course with each rider, to get it into their subconscious and give them confidence.
There had been a small kerfuffle when Rodrigo Pessoa–a former Olympic and world champion–was not named to the squad and selected as alternate, but based on current form, it turns out the right four were picked. Brazil had three clears and one 8-fault round today, and they’re riding high.
Course designer Guilherme Jorge (who we see so often in the U.S., he’s setting up house in Wellington, Fla.,) did it again with a route that enabled 21 of 69 starters to sail through with no penalties, while posing puzzles that stumped those at the lower end of the scale. That’s how it should be, and he’s a master of bringing the best to the top. Brazil is lucky to have one of its own so eminently qualified to lay out the floorplans on the country’s biggest-ever equestrian stage.
The 4.3-meter water obstacle was pesky once again, as it had been in Sunday’s round, and 19 faulted there, including Australia’s Scott Keach who fell off before the jump when his horse refused. It was seven strides from an oxer to the water (laid out going away from the ingate, which makes it harder), so riders really had to rev without overdoing it at the oxer as they thought about the H20.
The teams you’d expect to be near the top are France, fifth with just 1 time fault total (those time faults can be expensive, though) and Canada, with 4, in sixth place. (Keep an eye on them, they have Eric Lamaze, the 2008 individual Olympic gold medalist with the stellar Fine Lady).
Tied for seventh on 8 are Sweden and Switzerland. It was disappointing to see the latter’s defending champ, Steve Guerdat, have 8 faults–including the water–on Nino des Buissonets. The 2012 Olympic gold medalists in eventing and dressage repeated their feat here in the individual standings, and if Steve could have done the same, it would have been an unprecedented sweep for former champs. But he’s behind the tide right now, so it seems unlikely.
In the individual standings, Kent, the USA’s only double clear (Sunday and today), is tied with Germans Christian Ahlmann, Daniel Deusser and Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum; Peder Fredericson (Sweden), Pedro Veniss and Doda de Miranda (Brazil), Harrie Smolders and Maikel van der Vleuten, (Netherlands), Sergio Alvarez Moya (Spain) and Eric Lamaze (Canada).
“I wouldn’t say it’s massive in size yet, but I am sure that’s to come,” Kent said of the round one course.
Like George, he noted, “I think tomorrow will be significantly bigger. It’s exactly what you would expect at a championship level. The time allowed is quite short, which I think is going to be a factor either through time faults or rails down because of people worrying about the time. Obviously, I am thrilled with my horse. It was a great start for Team USA.”
Tomorrow is the team finals for the top eight nations. Be sure to check out my running commentary at www.twitter.com/@nancyjaffer.
by Nancy Jaffer | Aug 15, 2016
Charlotte Dujardin and Valegro on their victory lap.
The two most successful dressage riders in history battled it out today in the Olympic freestyle for the individual medals, but in the end it was no contest Charlotte Dujardin and Valegro, the horse who has set all the records for the Grand Prix, Special and Freestyle, repeated their 2012 Olympic gold with a score of 93.857.
An emotional Charlotte, for whom tears came as she performed her final halt, said, “I just knew he couldn’t have done any more. I felt like he’d done his very best.”
While this is doubtless Valegro’s last championship, the exact retirement plans for the horse who’s been everywhere and done everything are still pending.
Germany’s Isabell Werth took the silver on Wiehegold OLD to become the most decorated Olympic equestrian medalist ever. Her score was 89.071 percent, and like the others in the top three, her artistic score was over 90.
But no one came close to Valegro’s 97.714 for that mark, and he was the only one to hit 90 for technical merit. Charlotte and “Blueberry,” as he is known, were the second pair at this Olympics to repeat their London 2012 individual success. Germany’s Michael Jung took his second straight individual gold on Sam in eventing last week.
Though it was expected that Charlotte would be at the top of the podium again, and two Germans would take the other places (world number one Kristina Broring-Sprehe earned the bronze with Desperados on 87.142), there was plenty of excitement in this finals.
The USA’s Laura Graves, who clinched bronze for her team last week with her unwavering ride on Verdades, produced another spectacular performance during her Olympic debut to wind up fourth on 85.196 for a test that got an 88.429 artistic rating, with 81.964 for technical merit. It was her third personal best at these Games.
It was a great Olympics for the U.S.dressage contingent, with Steffen Peters winding up 12th on Legolas and Allison Brock 15th on Rosevelt. It was her first Olympic appearance.
One of the biggest surprises was Spain’s Severo Jesus Jurado Lopez of Spain, fifth on Lorenzo (ahead of Germany’s Dorothee Schneider and Showtime FRH). His 83.553 percent performance ended with passage down the centerline that he rode one-handed, as a delighted crowd clapped in rhythm to his music.
by Nancy Jaffer | Aug 14, 2016
By Nancy Jaffer
Aug. 7, 2016
The vast Tryon International Equestrian Center is being proposed as the site for the 2018 FEI World Equesrian Games.
While I realize the Olympics are the main focus for the next couple of weeks (who could miss that?), it’s past time to discuss what’s happening with the FEI World Equestrian Games, scheduled to be held somewhere on the planet a short two years from now.
The sparkling new $125 million Tryon, N.C., equestrian complex put itself forward last week as a possible candidate for WEG 2018, following the decision that the original bid winner, Bromont, Quebec, wasn’t going to work due to a lack of government financing.
Tryon, set on 1,500 acres, has it all–12 arenas (the main arena seats 6,000 and can expand to 12,000); a 5,000 seat covered arena, 1,200 permanent stalls, a new cross-country course that could also host driving, hundreds of miles of trails in the area (for endurance) and several VIP areas.
It also enjoys the support of the governors of North Carolina and nearby South Carolina. Just as important, it has the backing of the U.S. Equestrian Federation, which of course would like to keep the WEG in North America for 2018.
USEF CEO Bill Moroney said the organization has sent a letter to the FEI requesting its consideration of Tryon.
“We think it’s a strong proposal,” he said of Tryon’s case.
The idea is in play with the FEI. Given the short time frame before the WEG, the FEI Bureau has decided not to re-open the bid process for the 2018 Games and has mandated President Ingmar De Vos to work on an alternative.
“The FEI is already in contact with two National Federations/OCs (Samorin in Slovakia, and Tryon, USA),” Ingmar said in response to my questions.
“If other organizers contact the FEI to express an interest in hosting the Games, they will be asked to provide the information through their National Federation. The FEI will be in a position to provide more details shortly.”
In case you’re wondering why the WEG is so important, it goes beyond the fact that it’s a compilation of eight world championships. Equestrian sport is not confident of continued inclusion in the Olympics. Those Games are always changing, trying to get a new and wider audience. That means, for instance, you’ll be seeing skateboarding in the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.
Equestrian competition is expensive to put on and Olympic leaders aren’t necessarily convinced that it has enough of a following to serve the purposes of the Games. So there’s a feeling that equestrian must insure it has a big stage of its own in case it is dropped from the Olympics, even though it is bending over backwards to stay within the five rings (to the point of major revisions such as making eventing a CIC.)
The WEG, however, too often has been a black hole financially for its organizers (one example is the 2010 Kentucky WEG, which lost more than $1 million). There are several reasons why this happens: A lack of sponsors, a lack of sufficient government support and a lack of facilities, which requires expensive infrastructure work to get it to the point where a WEG can be hosted.
Tryon seems to hit all the bases, but there is a big wrinkle. Rolex, a former FEI sponsor, is a Tryon sponsor, while Longines, another watch company, is the FEI sponsor. How do you solve that one?
Mark Bellissimo, the managing partner of Tryon Equestrian Partners which owns the facility, is hoping something can be worked out.
“The bottom line is that Rolex is focusing on what is in the best interests for the sport…they encouraged the dialogue with FEI and we’re going to work it out once we understand the level of interest,” he told me in an interview.
When I asked the FEI whether it would be in a position to mediate between Rolex and Longines if necessary, I was told, “We are at a very early stage of the review process so it is premature to be looking at these kind of details at this point.”
I get that, since the FEI hasn’t even done a site visit of Tryon at this point.
As Mark pointed out, however, the Tryon option is “a great opportunity to keep the sport global vs the tendency to think of the sport as Eurocentric. I think it would be a shame if it weren’t back here (North America) again.”
The main arena at Tryon, where it draws a capacity crowd for its Saturday Night Lights grands prix.
The WEG, which has been held every four years since 1990, has been in Europe for each renewal except 2010.
“We have a unique opportunity,” commented Mark, who is also the managing partner for Wellington Equestrian Partners, which presents the Winter Equestrian Festival in Florida. He works with Michael Stone, former secretary general of the FEI and the Irish equestrian federation. Michael is the president of Equestrian Sport Productions and in his governance days, was involved in the planning process for several WEGs.
“The problem with this event,” Mark said, referring to the WEG, “is you have to get a team of people five years in advance to do a one-time event and you burn through millions (of dollars) each year in preparation. You’re creating stuff you’re going to use once. (However, for the record, both Kentucky and Aachen 2006, the most successful WEG, have continued to use what was created for their WEGs.)
Mark noted that not only is a lot of the infrastructure in place in Tryon, but “We’ve also got two state leaders very excited about it,” and there is local support as well.
“It’s been tough in the past (for previous WEGs) because everyone is so focused in getting the venue done or figuring out how to work the venue,” he pointed out.
Another advantage of Tryon is that all the activities will be on the venue’s property (except for some of the endurance trails), which is similar to the situation at Stockholm for the first WEG, Aachen and Kentucky. That plays to the concept of giving people a chance to take in competitions they wouldn’t normally see otherwise without having to travel for the driving marathon or eventing cross-country. Mark also sees WEG as an opportunity to package the sport so it is aimed at people who just like horses, and presenting it as a festival, rather than just pure sport. Interest in horses in general can translate into an interest in horse sport, he contended.
“We’d like to think that we would try to operate in a way that would be successful across many dimensions,” he commented.
“I’m hoping the FEI embraces our venue and we bring the WEG back to America,” Mark said.
“Let’s talk about how we grow the sport, vs the `watch wars’. How do we make the sport great? That’s what the goal here is and there’s at least one group that’s willing to have a conversation and figure out how to make it work.”
I asked the USEF’s Bill Moroney whether his organization will get involved in the negotiations between the watchmakers, if there is any.
“I think it’s somethng that will happen mainly between the organizers and the different sponsors and the USEF will provide any support and advisement that is necessary to help those discussions go smoothly,” he commented.
“I’m sure the FEI will as well. I think everybody understands the challenge there, but I do think in the end that everyone across the board will do what’s best for the sport.”
Some have wondered whether it would be better to break up the WEG and instead go back to individual world championships (the way it was done before the first WEG) or groups of championships.
In answer to my inquiry on that, Ingmar responded, “The FEI World Equestrian Games™ are the FEI’s flagship event and they are a commercial operation, with benefits for both the local organizing committee and the regional economy. The economic impact study conducted at Normandy (home of the last WEG) in 2014 showed that the Games had a massively beneficial impact on the region and on France overall.”
The equestrian center at Samorin is part of a multi-sport and leisure complex, close to airports in neighboring Vienna, Austria, and Bratislava, capital of Slovakia. It is hosting the endurance world championships next month, so you know it’s familiar territory for the FEI.
by Nancy Jaffer | Aug 14, 2016
By Nancy Jaffer
Aug. 14, 2016
If there is an iconic image of New Jersey show jumping, it’s a horse clearing a jump at the Sussex County show with the colorful lights of a ferris wheel in the background. Generations of riders and spectators relish that scene and return year after year to see the grand prix that is the highlight of the show, which stretches over 10 days (or 11, if you include the quarter horse show that precedes the U.S. Equestrian Federation-recognized fixture.)
Amanda Flint won the $35,000 Sussex County Grand Prix on VDL Wittinger. (Photo by Nancy Jaffer)
Sussex is celebrating its 80th birthday this year, and hasn’t looked this good since the days when it was held in the tree-shaded ring in Branchville, a few miles away, a scene that is immortalized on its logo.
But the show, in the midst of the New Jersey State Fair, bears little resemblance to its early days or even the time just before its move to Augusta in 1976. The fair has expanded exponentially around it, and there are all sorts of features that those who were involved in it during another era wouldn’t recognize, even though some still call it Branchville. (Old habits die hard in the horse world)
But what remains the same is the involvement of the devoted people who work to make the show happen and insure it continues.
Robin Rost Fairclough, a jumper rider and trainer who is the show chairman, has the right bloodlines for her job as the daughter of Dr. Robert Rost, the show’s manager and guiding spirit, and her mother, Joan.
I asked her before the grand prix yesterday how her late father would react if could have seen what was going on at the fairgrounds, where stands and boxes around the arena were pretty well packed with thousands of spectators, despite high temperatures and threatening weather.
“He’d be looking down and smiling,” Robin believes.
“This is his baby. And I’m so proud to be here and represent him. It’s a thrill, everyone loves to show here in front of a crowd,” she added.
Sussex Horse Show Assistant Chairman Lisa Pellow-Stoner, Chairman Robin Rost Fairclough, committee member Susan Gregorio and treasure LeeAnn Swenson. (Photo by Lawrence J. Nagy)
Rich Hammler, who is chairman of the exhibitions committee and pitches in wherever else he is needed, has been coming to the show since he was three years old. He is now 71 and hasn’t missed a year. I wondered what keeps him coming back and volunteering so many hours.
“When I see the people smiling and having a good time, it’s great a reward for me. I’ve loved horses since I was little boy, and I feel like I’m giving back to something that made me happy growing up. I enjoy working with these people,” he said, referring to the show committee.
Like them, “I’m very dedicated to the horse show,” he said.
A grand prix regular, McLain Ward, was missing last night, but he had a good excuse. He’s competing at the Olympics. (Check out the On the Rail section of this website to see what’s happening in Rio with the U.S. team.)
Also missing was Todd Minikus, who had four horses entered in thte class. Todd, who was on the short list for the Olympics but didn’t make the team, was injured Friday when he was helping a friend working on an antique truck and boiling water came blasting out of the radiator, Robin said. Todd suffered burns on his chest and one arm that precluded his participation, she noted.
So a field of 18 started over the Mike Nielsen-designed course in the shadow of the ferris wheel and the lights of the midway. It takes a well-schooled and cooperative horse to deal with the glitter and the crowd. Some expressed their feelings with refusals, understandable, as it is quite a different stage for most of the animals competing there.
Four entries made it through to the tiebreaker, with Michael Desiderio of Chester leading the way in the jump-off on Temptation as lightning crackled in the distance. He had a knockdown in a brisk 43.70 seconds, but the next rider Amanda Flint, was clear on VDL Wittinger in 44.61. Cassandra Kahle challenged that with Calvados, leaving the rails in place but slower than Amanda in 46.38 to finish second.
Cassandra Kahle and Calvados, second in the Sussex County Grand Prix. (Photo copyright by Lawrence J. Nagy)
The last rider, Ailishe Cunniffe, had a stop with Casper and wound up with 9 penalties, including time faults.
Michael’s participation brought back memories for his mother, Stephanie Desiderio, who has been riding at Sussex since she was 14, and she’s now 52.
“The show’s changed for the better, they do a great job, the footing is better, the rings are nicer, the lighting is better,” she said.
It was the first grand prix victory at Sussex for Amanda, of Long Valley.
“I love it. It’s great for the horses, I brought 25 here this week. It’s a great experience for them and the fair is fun for the people,” she said.
Amanda last year started riding Wittinger, previously shown by Callan Solem, and noted he had been a Dutch approved stallion until he was gelded.
“We thought he was going to be a sale horse or a lease horse, so we started showing him and he’s paying his way, so we kept showing him,” she said.
Amanda won’t be competing at the Monmouth at the Team show that begins Tuesday at the U.S. Equestrian Team Foundation headquarters in Gladstone, but she is bringing customers and enjoys having a New Jersey mini-circuit.
“It’s close to home and I can sleep in my own bed,” she explained with a smile.
by Nancy Jaffer | Aug 12, 2016
When I find myself in a difficult position, wanting to give up, I will think of Laura Graves and her determination as she went in to the arena in Rio this afternoon to claim bronze for the USA, the first dressage team medal since 2004 for the country.
It was a must-do moment. She and Verdades were cool and delivered, a score of 80.364 that put the U.S. over the Netherlands in a very tight, tough race. The Dutch were handicapped by not having a drop score when Parzival dropped out the other day after suffering ill effects from an insect bite, but that’s the way things go in both sport and life.
Coach Robert Dover had a vision of this moment for years, and he made it come true with the help of Debbie McDonald, who was the developing dressage coach (really like the assistant senior coach) and then the personal coach of Laura and Kasey Perry-Glass (Dublet). Veterans Steffen Peters and Legolas also stood strong for the team, as did Allison Brock–like every team member except Steffen–in her first Olympics. She rode Rosevelt and was coached by Michael Barisone.
The U.S. bronze medal dressage team: Allison Brock, Laura Graves, Kasey Perry, Steffen Peters. (Photo by Shannon Brinkman)
Laura has been a study in persistence ever since she got Diddy as an unruly weanling. Through fall after fall, and even one that broke her back, she persisted and established a relationship with the 14-year-old son of Florett As. It has paid off over the years, but never as much as today, when her horse’s talent and her nerves of steel ruled the arena.
Germany won the gold by a mile with 82.577 percent, followed by Britain (77.951)–even with a less-than-perfect performance by Valegro with Charlotte Dujardin up. The U.S. had 76.363, not so far from silver, while the Dutch were fourth on 74.991.
Isabell Werth topped the Special on Wiehegold OLD with 83.711 percent. Her team gold makes her the most decorated Olympic equestrian athlete ever. Charlotte stood second with 83.025 even with a break into the first half pass, scored at a lowly 3.7, not the sort of score you associate with the horse that holds every world dressage record.
Laura’s fifth place matched her final mark at the 2014 World Equestrian Games, when she burst upon the world scene to a chorus of, “Who is that?” There is still a chance to better that mark on Monday, when the freestyle is held for individual honors, with the top 18 competing. Steffen made the cut at 14th. Allie just missed it, finishing 19th. Kasey wound up 22d.
“We’ve captured the elusive 80 percent – it does exist,” said a thrilled Laura, who was one of only five riders to score above 80 percent.
“I knew the test was going well, but you just always hope that your reflections match up with the judges. I had no idea going into the ring what I needed for a score and to see my teammates so happy and then to achieve my personal best score–and a score I’ve been reaching for–was just icing on our cake today.”
If you want to see highlights of the Grand Prix Special, go to MSNBC at 5:15 p.m. today.
by Nancy Jaffer | Aug 11, 2016
The U.S. climbed to third place (76.971) in the team rankings in Rio, with bravura performances by its last two riders under pressure, Steffen Peters with Legolas (77.614) now standing sixth individually, and anchor Laura Graves on Verdades (78.071), fifth.
Legs behaved himself and was good in his bogey movement, the one-tempis. Things look bright going into Friday’s Grand Prix Special, which will decide the medals.
“It’s going to be a tight, tight horse race, so to speak,” commented Steffen, but he notes team spirit has helped boost the USA.
“There’s so much camaraderie on our team. We’ve been training together for three months, and every day, we all watch each other. Every day we come to the barn and there is a big group hug.”
Laura and Diddy got 9’s for pirouttes and passage, balancing 5.9 in the one-tempis and 6.3 for a less-than-perfect lead change out of the zig-zags.
Laura Graves and Verdades have a special relationship. (Photo by Nancy Jaffer)
“My horse was really super,” said Laura, who is coached by Olympian Debbie McDonald.
“I’m very happy with the feeling he gave me today and the way the training is reflecting in the arena.I’m really happy with the pirouettes and the passage-piaffe, which is a talent for this horse, but not so much in the arena when he’s not sure where to be with his big legs. I feel that’s really improved in the last two months.”
The other team members, Allison Brock (Rosevelt) and Kasey Perry-Glass (Dublet) who rode on the first day of the Grand Prix, also will compete in the Special
Of course, Germany was dominant, with a team mark of 81.295. Britain was able to soar into second among the teams with Valegro’s 85.071 to put the Brits at 79.252. The world record holder in everything GP dressage got bouquets of 10s from the judges for movements from halt/salute to pirouette and extended trot.
This is likely Valegro’s last competitive outing. Why not go out when you’re ahead? Expect a big retirement ceremony at London’s Olympia show. Then maybe he’ll be performing exhibitions, but it won’t be the same without the giant of the sport.
The Netherlands is without the advantage of a drop score after Adelinde Cornelissen retired Parzival yesterday when the 19-year-old horse suffered ill-effects of a bug bite. So the Dutch stand just behind the U.S. on 76.043, which means the U.S. team has to continue to produce top scores for the GPS if they want to fulfill their dreams and stand on the podium. Sweden (75.319) and Denmark (74.270) make up the rest of the six teams that will field all their riders in the GPS, along with the top eight individuals who are not part of a qualified team.
After the GPS, the top 18 will go for the individual medals. If Valegro keeps up his side, he should win his second straight individual Olympic gold medal with Charlotte Dujardin. Hard to believe Britain had never won a dressage medal until it took double gold at the 2012 Games.
World Number one Kristina Broring-Sprehe of Germany on Desperados stands second with an 82.257, even with a 6.4 for her horse’s not ideal zig-zag. Right behind in third was her teammate, Isabell Werth on Weiheigold, with 81.029 as her country’s anchor rider. Depending on how she does in Rio, world number two Isabell is poised to overtake the Olympic medal record of Germany’s legendary Reiner Klimke (whose daughter, Ingrid, was on Germany’s silver medal eventing team in Rio).
Standing fourth is yet another German, Dorothee Schneider on Showtime, world number three. They were marked at 80.986. Figure the individual silver and bronze medals will belong to two of those three Germans.
It was nice to see the stands with a few more people today. The weather was better and the top riders of each team were going, so that was the lure, although as I’ve said, Brazil isn’t a GP dressage country. It finished 10th of 11 teams.
by Nancy Jaffer | Aug 10, 2016
You may have thought things would calm down once eventing moved out of the Deodoro Equestrian Center and the spotlight shifted to Grand Prix dressage, but no.
The biggest surprise of the day was Adelinde Cornelissen’s decision to retire from the ring partway through her ride with the 19-year-old Parzival, leaving the Dutch with a three-member team, no drop score and a real job to take the bronze medal they were predicted to win.
The horse had a bad reaction to an insect bite, and after treatment it was decided he should go for it. But it wasn’t working and Adelinde retired early in her test. I remembered when he was eliminated for blood in the mouth at the 2010 WEG, and it was a bit of deja vu today to see him sadly leaving the ring.
Germany was as predicted, with Dorothee Schneider and the lovely Showtime getting the only score over 80 percent, 80.986, with Sonke Rothenberger, the youngest on the team fairly close behind aboard Cosmo at 77.329. That brought up another memory, his parents on the podium at the Atlanta Games 20 years ago.
Germany leads with an average of 79.157 percent, while Britain is at 74.921 after Fiona Bigwood finished third on 66.157 with Orthilia. Her score and that of Spencer Wilton on Super Nova, tied for seventh on 72.686, might be a case of “you ain’t seen nothin’ yet” after Brits Carl Hester (Nip Tuck) and Charlotte Dujardin (Valegro) get finished tomorrow on the second day of GP dressage.
The USA’s Olympic debutantes were great. Allison Brock and Rosevelt tied with Spencer, while Kasey Perry-Glass is an amazing fifth with Dublet on 75.229. She was right behind Holland’s Edward Gal with Glock’s Voice, not quite where I expected him to be at 75.251. His total is the only one counting for the Netherlands at the moment, which technically puts the Dutch second or definitely not, if you average it with the non-score of Adelinde..
Kasey-Perry Glass and Dublet had the high score for the U.S. on Wednesday. (Photo copyright Shannon Brinkman)
The U.S., which has an average of 73.357 for fourth (or third, depending on how you consider the Netherlands is, of course, aspiring to the podium that many felt would be dominated by Germany, Britain and the Dutch. As I said in my preview, I saw the Dutch as the weak link, which might enable the U.S. to grab the bronze. But watch out for Sweden, at 73.357. Denmark is sixth at 71.064.
After the second half of the team riders go on Thursday, the top six squads will compete for the medals on Friday in the Grand Prix Special. The standings could change drastically on Thursday, as such strong contenders as Steffen Peters and Laura Graves for the U.S. and Beatriz Ferrer-Salat for Spain have their turn.
Not many people were in the stands on a dull gray day, but then, GP Dressage isn’t a big sport in Brazil.
There was news on the show jumping front as France’s Simon Delestre dropped out following the revelation that his mount, Ryan, had a microfracture of his hock. As number two in the world, Simon was a powerful medal weapon for his homeland. He’s being replaced by Olympic veteran Philippe Rozier.
I hope you’ve been following my tweets at twitter.com@nancyjaffer. I’ll be at it again tomorrow, so check in with me.
by Nancy Jaffer | Aug 9, 2016
Few things in the Rio Olympic eventing competition have played out exactly as planned, but one important medal did, with individual gold going as expected to the (insert your own superlative here, fabulous is mine) Michael Jung of Germany and his stalwart mount, Sam.
They defended their title from London 2012, becoming only the third back-to-back winners of eventing Olympic gold in the history of the Games. They both are excellent in every phase and an incredible pleasure to watch.
Interestingly, Sam was Michael’s second choice for Rio. I was surprised at Rolex Kentucky when he told me Fischer Takinou was his first option for the Games, but after that horse got sick, he was back to 16-year-old Sam. And Sam, he had told me a year earlier, is his favorite horse.
And now everyone could see why. A doll in the dressage, even though he wasn’t first in that segment, he added nothing to his score through a tremendously influential cross-country course, a challenging first round of show jumping today and then the final round of show jumping, finishing on 40.9 penalties.
Despite a pole down and 2 time penalties, France’s Nicolas Astier and Piaf de B’Neville took the silver on 48, while the USA’s Phillip Dutton earned his first individual medal, the bronze, after six Olympics and two team golds for his birth nation, Australia.
Phillip wasn’t aboard the team’s first choice for him. But when Fernhill Cubalawn had to bow out, Happy (as Mighty Nice is known) was there to fill in. With a rail in the individual jumping, his score was 51.8, just ahead of Australia’s Sam Griffiths and Paulank Brockagh (53.1).
Sam’s countryman, Christopher Burton on 9-year-old Santano II was second after dressage to Britain’s William Fox-Pitt and Chilli Morning, but moved up to first after cross-country as a refusal and time dropped William down the ranks to 22d. Chris was first after cross-country and third after this morning’s first jumping round, but two poles pulled in the afternoon landed him in fifth place for the final standings.
Double clear today put miracle William (recovered from a critical head injury suffered last year) into 12th place. It wasn’t the medal the British rider had sought, but still, who would have thought he’d even be competing in Rio after an accident from which a lesser man would still be recovering?
Boyd Martin, the only other U.S. rider coming through to show jumping, dealt well with a tired Blackfoot Mystery, an ex-racehorse who did others of his former profession proud. He wound up 16th with two poles in the first round this morning and three this afternoon. Boyd and the horse are a good match; they both gave all they had to give.
Mark Todd of New Zealand, the last person to win back-to-back eventing gold (1984 and 1988 with Charisma), was in sight of a medal after cross-country, but dropped to 11th after four rails with Leonidas II in the team jumping, where his nation gave up its medal hopes. At 60, he was hoping for a medal. That obviously didn’t work out, for him or the Kiwi team, but he made a terrific comeback in the individual round that put him seventh.
At the Pan American Games last year, I was impressed by Brazil eventing team member Ruy Fonseca’s sportsmanship when he lost gold with a knockdown by his horse, Tom Bombadil, at the last fence. Today, he did that one better. When Tom stopped at a jump and bumped down a rail, Ruy tumbled over his head. Unfazed, he stood, smiled and cheerfully replaced the errant pole in the cups. Cool guy.
Guilherme Jorge, who will design the grand prix show jumping courses later in the Games, made the route shorter for the second round today (these horses have done a LOT of jumping, after all) and the time allowed was more lenient than in the morning.
I will be keeping an eye on Grand Prix dressage starting tomorrow, so follow my comments on Twitter.com@nancyjaffer and return to nancyjaffer.com for another story in the On the Rail section.
by Nancy Jaffer | Aug 9, 2016
The team eventing at Rio ended with France (169 penalties) getting its second-ever Olympic gold medal in the sport (the first was 2004), as New Zealand dropped out of contention with, surprisingly, four rails from Sir Mark Todd.
Australia’s leading man, Chris Burton, had two rails with the 9-year-old Santano II as his team claimed the bronze (175.3) rather than gold as a result, while the usual flawless clear from Germany’s defending individual champ Michael Jung and Sam boosted that nation to silver (172.8) after consecutive team golds at the last two Olympics.
The tight 80-second time allowed on the course designed by the brilliant Guilherme Jorge of Brazil caused problems, as riders pressed their horses to make it and often slid rails in the process.
The top 25 are coming back this afternoon to jump for individual medals. Unlike the world championships, the Olympic criteria will not allow two medals to be given for one effort; hence the second jumping round for individual honors. Just what horses need after a grueling cross-country.
The U.S. did not finish a team after Clark Montgomery and Lauren Kieffer’s problems on yesterday’s cross-country, but Phillip Dutton had only 1 time penalty this morning on Mighty Nice and remains in contention for individual honors, standing fourth with 47.8 penalties, a mere 2.2–less than a rail–behind Chris Burton. Michael Jung leads the way to defend his 2012 title on 40.9 penalties, while Nicholas Astier of France is third with 45.6 after his clean round. Boyd Martin is coming back, too, with Blackfoot Mystery, but the ex-racehorse had two rails in the morning session which leaves him at 58.9 in seventh place.
Other team placings were New Zealand (178.8), fourth; Britain (252.10), fifth; Netherlands (252.6) sixth and Brazil (280.9) seventh with huge support from fans for their home country. Good on them for finishing ahead of such strong eventing countries as Ireland, Canada and the U.S. Only the U.S. and Russia failed to finish without three riders completing through cross-country. The Russians had just three riders to begin with, and one didn’t start cross-country.
I will keep you posted; check back later this afternoon and meanwhile, I’ll log a running commentary with my posts on twitter.com@nancyjaffer.
by Nancy Jaffer | Aug 8, 2016
Everyone said Frenchman Pierre Michelet’s cross-country course would make a difference in the Olympic eventing standings and boy, did it, just as it had in the 2014 World Equestrian Games.
It was a real Olympic cross-country course for the first time since the 2000 Games in Sydney. There was nothing soft about it and plenty of thrills and lots of spills (but happily no serious injuries) along the winding route at the Deodoro equestrian center in Rio.
Favorites, both teams and individuals, fell by the wayside. The last water was highly influential, as many riders had trouble managing a straight enough line to take a second brush there, or on the way out to jump a narrow frog, which had yellow strips painted on it at the last minute so it would be more visible to horses.
The USA’s Clark Montgomery, who looked going into the Rio Games as if he had a shot at an individual medal with Loughan Glen, found himself on a horse who wasn’t interested in going cross-country today and retired after refusals that showed the horse’s mindset all too well.
Then his teammate Lauren Kieffer had a twisting jump at a vertical gate with Veronica, and both hit the ground. Neither was hurt, but for a second I flashed back to Veronica’s former rider, Karen O’Connor, who broke her back in an eventing career-ending fall with that mare.
That finished the U.S. for team medals, but pathfinder Boyd Martin had only 3.2 time penalties with the thoroughbred Blackfoot Mystery to hover in sixth place on 50.9 penalties, not too, too far from the podium. Then six-time Olympian Phllip Dutton rode brilliantly as anchor of a team that no longer was in play to bring Mighty Nice home with 3.2 time penalties as well for a score of 46.8 in fifth place. The most dramatic moment of his ride came when he lost his stirrup as “Happy” jumped sort of sideways over a brush. But Phillip persisted, got the stirrup back and nearly made the optimum time.
Australia leads with 150.3 penalties, little more than a show jumping rail ahead of New Zealand (154.8) while France is third with 161. But the Aussies and Kiwis have only three riders still in the game, so no drop score. Even more important, they are out as a team if one of their horses fails the Tuesday morning trot-up. France, third with 161, still has four riders participating.
Germany, favored to take the gold again, has only three riders with the elimination of former reserve rider Julia Krajewski after three refusals. They are on 172.8. Britain dropped to seventh with 252.1 penalties as overnight leader from dressage, William Fox-Pitt, dropped from first to 22d after a refusal with the stallion Chilli Morning. It was the end of a fairytale for William, who struggled back from what could have been a career-ending head injury and seemed in line to realize his dream of an Olympic individual medal.
Chris Burton of Australia, the leader in Rio eventing after cross-country with Santano II. (© Hippo Foto – Dirk Caremans)
Australia’s Christopher Burton moved into the lead with Santano II, adding nothing to his dressage score of 37.6. Ditto defending gold medalist Michael Jung of Germany, clean on his dressage score of 40.9 with Sam and 14 seconds under the optimum time to boot. France’s Nicholas Astier also was fault-free to stand third with Piaf de B’Neville.
New Zealand’s Mark Todd, the two-time Olympic individual gold medalist (1984 and 1988) had two time penalties for 46 total in fourth place. On paper, Phillip and Boyd don’t have an ideal shot at a podium spot, but with the horse inspection yet to come, and show jumping course by ace grand prix jumping designer Guilherme Jorge yet to come, never say never.
