There were a few surprises in the dressage competition at the Olympics; the U.S. got its first team silver in the discipline since 1948, and there was a new face on the highest level of the podium after the individual competition.
No one was surprised, however, when Germany won team gold for the 14th time, and many familiar names–even with new horses–did well.
But eventing in Tokyo, which gets under way Thursday evening Eastern Daylight Time, will be a whole different story. The dearth of top-level eventing since the spring of 2020 due to Covid means horses might not be in their usual form and we may not be aware of new contenders with the potential to win.
With only three on a team and no drop score, the ability to substitute a horse/rider combination during the competition comes with penalties, which make the sport harder to understand. Even those who have followed it for years are on a learning curve. As a result, it’s also more difficult to handicap. And we all know anything can happen in eventing under any circumstances, let alone the Olympics.
For the U.S. squad, preparation has gone “according to plan,” said the discipline’s performance director, Erik Duvander, noting the idea always was that team contenders would compete primarily in America in the run- up to the Games. With Covid, as it happened, there was little choice about traveling to foreign competitions. .
“If we had planned to go abroad, it would have been different,” Erik pointed out, but as it was, only one or two horses originally might have wanted to go to Great Britain’s 5-star Badminton Horse Trials before it was cancelled in May for the second time.
Key to the American lead-up was April’s Land Rover Kentucky 5-star, which was called off and then went ahead after a grassroots fundraising campaign. A Kentucky outing was vital because the cross-country was designed by Derek di Grazia, who is also laying out the Olympic cross-country route at Sea Forest, a former landfill on the water. The horses will be based at the Baji Koen equestrian park for the dressage and stadium jumping phases, and travel to Sea Forest Friday night Japanese time, which is 13 hours ahead of EDT.
In Kentucky, said Erik, “Derek built a very, very good track this year, as he always does, but this one was particularly good. I think we learned a lot from riding around there.”
The team of three and an alternate was changed when Liz Halliday-Sharp’s ride, DeNiro, was injured. Doug Payne and Vandiver were tapped to replace her on the team, which also includes perennial members Phillip Dutton (Z) and Boyd Martin (Tsetserleg). Tamie Smith and Mai Baum are the traveling reserves.
Doug Payne and Vandiver in the ring familiarization at Baji Koen. (Photo courtesy of U.S. Equestrian)
After walking the course, Phillip concluded, “Derek has made people think and decide what line they want to take. It’s not the biggest course I’ve ever walked, but there’s plenty there to do.”
He cited, “Thinking all the time…pushing things to stay on the clock.”
Boyd said the course is “very difficult just because it’s on a twisting piece of land. I think it’s going to feel big because you’re sort of stopping and starting and going left and right and up and down. Even though it’s 7 minutes 45 (seconds) I think the horses will be pretty winded just because there’s a lot of sprinting and stuff. I think Derek’s built a top track because there’s not one wicked influential jump,” he continued, mentioning tricky traps set the whole way around the course, from the fourth fence, the first jump into the water, until the last combination. The course is way harder if you have a crack at the time and go the direct lines and take chances.”
Doug said with the land Derek had available, he’s done an excellent job to make use of it. He compared it to the 4-star short at Tryon, N.C.
“Everyone’s goal is to be as smooth and easy on the horses as possible. I’m quite happy to have Vandiver here. He’s really quick horse in general… it will help your horse a lot if you know the land and know your line from start to finish within a couple of inches. It would be very easy to get caught out a little bit off one way or the other and have a pretty big impact on your round. The time’s going to be challenging for sure.
The riders were thrilled with the facilities for training and the climate-controlled stables. “Horse friendly,” is how Phillip put it.
At the same time they’re dealing with the inconvenience caused by Covid, the heat,and social distancing, they’re focusing on the competition.
“It’s been an Olympics like no other, ” said Boyd.
“You can whinge and whine about how inconvenient and this and that,” he observed, but added the situation needs to be kept in perspective.
“It’s fantastic being here. I think you can enjoy the moment. It’s unique, it’s different. I think in years to come, we’ll look at photos on the wall wearing masks and no spectators and think, `Holy hell, what a weird time that was.’
“It’s different, but it’s a special moment in all of our careers. and at the end of the day, the dressage arena is the same size, the same number of judges,” Boyd pointed out.
“It doesn’t matter if one person is watching or 50,000 people are watching, you’ve still got the same job to do, so it’s important you don’t get focused on things that are difficult or inconvenient.”
Doug rides at 7:42 EDT today (Thursday), Phillip at 5 a.m. EDT Friday and Boyd at 8:28 p.m. EDT that evening.
If you can’t watch the livestream and want to keep up with what’s happening, come back here to read my live blog for the moment-to-moment action. With a delay, you can watch highlights on NBC Sports Network on Friday from 3:15-4:15 p.m. EDT. That program will also include the second segment of eventing dressage that starts at 4:30 a.m. EDT Friday.
Want to follow German superstar Michael Jung? He rides next-to-last Friday evening at 9:44 p.m. EDT. Those rooting for Canada will have to be content with seeing just Colleen Loach and Qorry Blue D’Argouges.at 9:26 EDT Thursday. The other Canadian entry, Jessica Phoenix’s Pavarotti, was withdrawn before the horse inspection.after sustaining a minor injury on their last gallop.
Erik came to the U.S. program in 2017 and immediately was faced with organizing things for the FEI World Equestrian Games in 2018. He found the contenders were not quite ready, with a group of young horses at the fore. The team finished eighth of 16 squads.
Three years on, Tsetserleg and Z are more mature and Doug has quite a resume with Vandiver. Tamie and Mai Baum are also proven entities.
While the U.S. doesn’t really figure among the hottest favorites for the team medals, as I said, handicapping is tough because of the three-member format, the heat horses will face cross-country through the morning (dressage and jumping will be held during cooler times of the day) and how the substitutions will figure in the picture. But America has three good horse/rider combos (four if you count the talented alternate) and the determination to make their mark.
The U.S. team: Phillip Dutton (Z), Boyd Martin (Tsetserleg), Doug Payne (Vandiver) and Tamie Smith (Mai Baum). (Photo courtesy of U.S. Equestrian)
The short odds are for the British, with Oliver Townend on their side. Also a factor are the Germans, led by three-time Olympic gold medalist Michael Jung (two individual golds and one team gold). The husband/wife team of Tim and Jonelle Price will make New Zealand a nation to watch in term of medal possibilities. And Australia, with veteran Andrew Hoy leading the way, can be dangerous as well.
But the withdrawal of the formidable Chris Burton after his horse suffered a slight injury means that nation won’t be quite as much of a contender as it would be with him on its roster.
Meanwhile, keep an eye on the Japanese–I was impressed at the 2018 WEG, when those riders took the short way out of a troublesome water complex, which made me think they could put in a bid.
Individually, Ollie and Michael Jung are the big players, along with Tim Price, number two in the world. But there’s always room for a dark horse or two in eventing, so maybe Boyd or Phillip will find a spot to slide onto the podium.
I put the medalists in the headline, but to find out how they got to the podium and what happened to the other riders, follow my live blog.
It’s 4:30 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time as the final dressage competition of the Tokyo Olympics gets under way at Baji Koen Equestrian Park. An elite group of 18 starters will be dancing to their own music for another shot at the medals.
If you didn’t want to wake before dawn to watch the freestyle, I’m covering it for you, so you can check my blog to see what’s happened when you do get up. And if you want to see the highlights, they’ll be on NBCSN at 3:45 p.m..
The USA’s Adrienne Lyle, the lowest scorer on her silver medal team but still impressive with Salvino, elected not to ride today. In a statement, she said, “This morning, Salvino did not feel quite like his usual self and last night’s historic team medal was an extraordinary accomplishment, and we are proud of the team’s incredible effort.”
Adrienne was replaced by Canada’s Brittany Fraser-Beaulieu and All In, the first starter on the roster today. The white-legged chestnut earned 72 percent for technical marks and 80.2 for artistic, with a toal of 76.404 for their routine to lovely orchestral music that reminded me of an ocean wave in its swells of sound.
Germany’s Isabell Werth, the number one-ranked dressage rider in the world with an Olympic medal record unmatched by any other equestrian, normally would be odds-on for another gold with her favorite horse, Bella Rose. But during the team competition yesterday and the Grand Prix over the weekend, she had to take a back seat to her teammate, Jessica von Bredow-Werndl with TSF Dalera, who was the high score rider of the team competition as Germany won its 14th gold. Her mark of 84.666 set a new Olympic record.
You have to figure these women will be 1-2 in either order, leaving only one place for someone else to claim an individual prize. Jessica obviously is one to watch, but never underestimate Isabell. I’m guessing she has plenty in reserve and a clever freestyle in her quest for more gold.
Another rider of great interest is three-time Olympic gold medalist Charlotte Dujardin of Great Britain. Although her mount Gio is young and inexperienced, he is not only correct in his form but brilliant. A mistake going into the one-tempis in yesterday’s Grand Prix Special meant she couldn’t break 80 percent, so the silver medal slipped away and the U.S. took it as Britain settled for bronze. But word is that Charlotte has a freestyle with a high degree of difficulty, which will help her score if she executes it as planned.
After receiving the team medal on Tuesday, Charlotte said of Gio, “This last few days, he’s literally tried his heart out. I can’t really ask much more.
The round little chestnut, only 16 hands high, is appropriately known as Pumpkin and has a hold on Charlotte’s heart.
“This might look like bronze,” she said of her team medal, “but for me, with my horse, it feels like a gold medal.”
As we handicap the individual medals, let’s not forget Sabine Schut-Kery of the U.S., a first-time Olympian with the stallion Sanceo, who clinched silver for her adopted country (she’s a native of Germany).with a personal best, marked at more than 80 percent, another first for her. Technical advisor Debbie McDonald always said she believed Sabine and Sanceo could achieve 80 percent and as usual, she was right. The two are really on a high and perhaps they’ll surprise with a medal. After all, they were third in the Special.
Another to watch is Denmark’s star, Cathrine Dufour with Bohemian. Though I don’t think she’ll get into the medals, she’ll be close.And we can’t forget the third German, Dorothee Schneider with Showtime, who earned 80.213 in the Special. Can you imagine if the Germans swept the individual medals?
The second rider to go, Nanna Skodborg Merrald of Denmark on Blue Hors Zack, had a canter half-pass to a pirouette as a highlight. She was marked at 76.3 for technical, 85.4 artistic and 80.893 overall.
The USA’s Steffen Peters offered an impressive compilation with the 18.2-hand Suppenkasper, his menu set to his familiar “We can dance” music from his 2009 World Cup Finals victory with Ravel. The floor plan included such interesting moments as a double pirouette into piaffe and half-pass passage, as well as extended trot to a half-turn in piaffe, demonstrating the horse’s ability to stretch out and instantly shorten. It was worth a score of 80.968 percent. His artistic mark was 85.8 and technical was 80.
Steffen Peters and Suppenkasper.
Speaking about the U.S. team competition, Steffen said of winning the silver medal, “I’ve been competing for 45 years. That was probably the most special day of my equestrian career. Mopsie (Suppenkasper’s nickname) gave everything yesterday, every ounce of energy and every ounce of cooperation. Yesterday, he fought for our team.
“I wouldn’t say he was tired today but not as brilliant as yesterday. But it was still a clean test.and almost an 81 percent, there’s nothing wrong with that.”
Rodrigo Torres of Portugal and the gray Lusitano stallion Fogoso, a name that reflects his coloring, received rousing applause from the few in the stands (spectators are barred due to Covid, but the owners, grooms, riders and other staff are watching closely).
Rodrigo Torres of Portugal and Fogoso.
His personal best score of 78.943 percent to me seemed a bit low for his routine that made much of the piaffe and passage in which this breed excels. The artistic mark of 83.743 percent far outstripped the technical total of 74.143 percent.
Spain’s Beatriz Ferrer-Salat rode Elegance, a horse with no international freestyle experience. He made an honest effort but was perhaps a bit tense. Her technical mark was 72.607, artistic 82.457, with a score of 77.532.
5:30 a.m. EDT: After six of 18 starters have gone, Great Britain’s Carl Hester on the Jazz son En Vogue leads the way with 81.818 percent. The technical score was 77.750, the artistic an impressive 85.886 percent. It was En Vogue’s first international freestyle, but he was guided by a master in his sixth Olympic Games, the man who piloted the British to the top of the international standings with his program.
Carl offered tempi changes on a bending line, including more steps than required to increase the degree of difficulty, which should have made up for missing a beat in the one-tempis. The passage zig-zag was pure brilliance, and a great way to end the confidence-building ride.
5:55 a.m.: Hans Peter Minderhoud, a stalwart of the Dutch team, rode Dream Boy to a score of 80.862 percent.
6 a.m. EDT: Sabine Schut-Kery, who clinched silver for the U.S., had her usual mind meld with Sanceo to take the lead on 84.300 percent. She was marked at 88.457 artistic for her routine to, appropriately, music from the movie “The Last Samurai.” Her technical score was 80.143.
Sabine Schut-Kery and Sanceo.
While some of the other horses have appeared a bit tired, understandable after competing in the Grand Prix and the Special in Tokyo’s heat and humidity, Sanceo looked unfazed by the weather as he and his rider put in a personal best.
A piaffe pirouette to passage and performing the walk in two sections was innovative. There was a little break before a pirouette, but it was nothing compared to the overall excellence of this effort.
Sabine did note that “the last time I rode the freestyle was 2018. I cannot ask for anything more, other than next time, I have to come more polished. He was really good, sometimes they have that extra little edge and maybe that was not quite there. Because I wasn’t as polished in the floor plan and having not ridden it, I think I, if anything, was not as fluid and I was in his way.”
Sabine was involved in entertainment exhibitions at shows before she started on her road to the big time in international competition, so that experience has helped her learn to present herself and her horse in the best form to her audience and the judges.
Here’s a shot of Sabine Schut-Kery as part of the exhibition at the 2007 World Cup Finals. How cool is this? And look at her now!
Of the stallion she brought from Training Level to Grand Prix, she said, “He’s there for me and I feel like we definitely do have a partnership. He’s sensitive but not overreactive. He lets me guide him and be the leader.”
6:37 a.m. EDT: Sweden’s Therese Nilshagen and Dante Weltino Old were marked at 79.721, but her teammate, Juliette Ramel on the impressive Buriel KH who followed her upped the ante with an entry that involved passage to a piaffe pirouette and a pirouette into the canter half-pass, but was not quite with her music at one point. She earned 81.182 percent, with 76.679 for technical and 85.686 for artistic.
6:45 a.m. EDT: Charlotte Fry of Great Britain wraps up the second group with the quirky stallion Everdale. He usually only shows his aggressive side in the horse inspection, but during her freestyle, he half-reared before settling into the half-pass after going around a corner. He had some impressive moments, though, including a zig-zag to a piaffe pirouette. He was scored at 80.614, with 75.714 for technical marks and 85.414 for artistic.
At this point, with the competition two-thirdsinished, the USA’s Sabine Schut-Kery still leads the way with Sanceo. She stands 52d on the world ranking list, the same number as her age.
7: 10 a.m. EDT: But that didn’t last long. Denmark’s Cathrine Dufour on Bohemian rode magnificently to the music from Les Miserables. I loved the way she blended the two tempis into the ones on the same line.She was marked at 87.507 to take the lead. Her artistic score was an awesome 93.086, with technical at 81.929.
7:20 am. EDT: And then we had Jessica von Bredow-Werndl of Germany, living up to being the leader in the first two phases her with TSF Dalera. With a light touch on the reins of her mare, her score was 91.732 percent with an incredible 97.571 percent for artistic with 85.893 for technical. Can Isabell beat that? We’ll see, but it will take some doing. And interesting to note that in 2008, when the Olympics were in Hong Kong, the winner’s score was 78 percent. How far the sport has come!
Jessica was under the utmost pressure as she rode to the music from the movie “La La Land,” noting, “At times. I felt like I was riding in and out of a fire, on the edge of a knife.
“How far can I go, how much risk can I take? But it all worked out.”
7:30 a.m. EDT: The Netherlands’ Edward Gal did all he could with his 9-year-old Totilas son, Total US. This is a horse for the future. We likely will see him at the Paris Games in 2024, when he will be more polished. His biggest mistake was a stop before the transition into passage from the canter, but just wait until he is seasoned. His score was 84.157 percent, with an artistic mark of 89.1. She got loads of 10s for harmony, choreography and music.
Jessica von Bredow-Werndl and TSF Dalera ended their freestyle one-handed on the way to gold.
7:40 a.m. EDT: Isabell came out blazing on her fighter, Bella Rose, yet she couldn’t overtake her teammate Jessica. Isabell scored 89.657 to “Ode to Joy” with a one-handed finish, like Jessica, heading toward the final halt.
She had all 10s but for one 9.5 in choreography and only two 10s for harmony; you could have fooled me. I thought she and Bella Rose were definitely on the same wavelength.
So it looks like there’s a new Olympic champion and Isabell has to settle for silver, just as she did at Rio and London in the last two Olympics.
7:50 a.m. EDT: Charlotte Dujardin, the champion from London and Rio, slotted Gio into third place with 88.543 percent and an artistic mark of 94.086. She had four 10s for music, one for music and high 9’s for difficulty, with the exception of one 9.5. She’s in bronze at the moment, with one more German, Dorothee Schneider and Showtime to come. Are we in for a German sweep?
7:55 a.m. EDT: I’m guessing no German sweep. No score yet, but too many mistakes for Dorothee and Showtime, including a big fumble in the one-tempis and a lack of energy at the end, leading to a mark of 75.607..
8 a.m. EDT: As I said, Dorothee obviously was out of the medals and dropped down to 15th.Charlotte Dujardin is bronze, the same spot she was in at the 2018 World Equestrian Games with Mount St. John Freestyle. Cathrine Dufour of Denmark takes fourth and Sabine Schut-Kery ends her first Olympics in fifth place with Sanceo, what a fabulous finish. The other American competitor, Steffen Peters, was 10th.
The medalists: Jessica von Bredow-Werndl, gold (center), Isabell Werth, silver (left) and Charlotte Dujardin, bronze.
This is the Olympics that many (but not me) doubted would happen. For many reasons–the amount of money involved for Japan and the IOC, the need to provide a venue for athletes who had worked so hard–the Games that already had been postponed for a year needed to go on.
And so far, so good. There are Covid cases, of course, but I have no information on how serious they are. I know our equestrians have been incredibly careful (and I hope they will continue to be at their celebration tonight.)
With one equestrian discipline in the history books, it’s time to turn to another. Eventing begins tomorrow with its dressage phase. Follow along with another live blog on this website.
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.
A new partnership has been formed between Global Equestrian Group, headed by Andreas Helgstrand and Wellington Equestrian Partners, whose CEO is Mark Bellissimo, with plans for an 11-acre expansion of WEP’s Palm Beach International Equestrian Center showgrounds.
The parties also are evaluating further investment opportunities in Wellington, including “a new state of the art” Global Dressage Festival showgrounds. WEP plans originally called for Global Dressage Festival’s shows to move from its current facilities to the nearby International Polo Club, but that never came to fruition.
The concept of the arrangement is to further develop international equestrian sport. GEG is acquiring PBIEC, home of the Winter Equestrian Festival, and investing in “equestrian lifestyle initiatives.”
Palm Beach International Equestrian Center in Wellington, Fla.
Meanwhile, WEP will invest in Global Equestrian Group and its key partners, Bellissimo, Roger Smith, Lisa Lourie of Spy Coast Farm, Marsha Dammerman and WEP President Michael Stone will continue in their roles. Bellissimo and Stone will remain as management along with CEO Dave Burton.
GEG is part of Waterland Private Equity, a private equity firm that manages a global investment portfolio in excess of $11 billion. The GEG initiative will launch major investments in all areas of PBIEC, aimed at ensuring it will “continue to be the pre-eminent sport horse venue in the world with increased exposure in Europe, Asia, and South America.”
To ensure continuity, WEP required a 50-year deed restriction on the venue that guarantees USEF- and FEI-sanctioned shows on the property.
USEF CEO Bill Moroney stated in that regard, “As always, we are pleased to see a continued investment in U.S. equestrian sport. This significant commitment to world class facilities, horse and rider welfare, and USEF and FEI competitions further validates the market’s demand, at all levels, for organized sport.”
Andreas Helgstrand, a Dane who was a top dressage rider and now is co-owner and CEO of GEG declared, “The Winter Equestrian Festival and PBIEC are fantastic brands within international equestrian sport.
“Together, we will strengthen the offering and create a global market leader spreading our passion for equestrian sport and lifestyle to new markets.”
GEG’s other investments include Helgstrand Dressage, which often has presented its horses during exhibitions at the Global Dressage Festival; Ludger Beerbaum Stables, carrying the name of the famed German show jumper–who allied with Helgstrand in January; Helgstrand Jewelry and the apparel and accessories company, Kingsland Equestrian. The total revenue of all of these is $180 million.
PBIEC hosts shows for 40 weeks a year. The 13-week WEF, offering $12 million in prize money, is the world’s largest and longest-running equestrian sports event, bringing together 4,000 families, 8,000 horses, and 250,000 spectators from 43 different countries. An economic study put WEF’s annual economic impact on Palm Beach County at $279 million in total expenditures and 150,000 bed nights.
GEG will now have event venues in the US, Germany and Denmark. The partnership enables the Group to leverage PBIEC’s experience and create a European equestrian sports event company.
“Our goal is to enhance equestrian sport by providing superior venues and top sport so riders across the world can live out their passions and dreams,” said Beerbaum, four-time Olympic gold medalist in jumping and co-owner of Global Equestrian Group.
“With the acquisition of PBIEC, we now have the perfect setting to do this in the US and with our current expansion of Riesenbeck International in Germany we will have two top professional and attractive show grounds.”
Bellissimo added, “We are pleased to be collaborating with both Andreas and Ludger, whose passion and commitment to equestrian sport is extraordinary. Opportunities abound to take the sport to a new level.”
Bellissimo will be announcing a comprehensive strategy and a series of investments to elevate Wellington as” the world’s premiere equestrian lifestyle destination, thus strengthening its international appeal.”
Although he started as the traveling reserve for the Olympic eventing team, I always had a feeling Doug Payne would make the squad. And today he did, with his longtime partner, Vandiver, owned by Doug; his wife, Jessica, and Debi and Kevin Crowley.
How strong was my feeling? I ran into Doug’s mother, Marilyn Payne, on the Friday of dressage at Land Rover Kentucky in April and told her I dreamed the previous night that Doug was on the Olympic team. A no-nonsense trainer, rider, judge and Olympic official, she was polite, but perhaps a bit skeptical about my psychic powers.. So I was thrilled to be able to write her today and say, “I told you so.”
Doug, a native of Tewksbury Township, was named to replace Liz Halliday-Sharp when her Deniro Z was withdrawn from the team due to “veterinary concerns” following pre-travel horse evaluations before the horses left for Europe, where they will spend pre-export quarantine until heading to Tokyo.Tamie Smith and Mai Baum will now take Doug’s place as the traveling reserve combination.
According to the U.S. Equestrian Federation’s statement about Deniro, “it was determined it is in the best interest of the horse to be withdrawn from the team after confirming he has sustained an injury. He is expected to make a full recovery.”
Being on the Olympic team is another in a series of achievements for Doug, the father of two who has a mechanical engineering degree, is a pilot, author, a Pan American Games team gold medalist, and competes successfully in show jumping and dressage, even when those disciplines are not part of an eventing competition.
He noted that the Olympics is “the dream of every little kid, but it always seemed such a distant target. It’s a surreal experience; for sure, it’s something you always dreamed to do.”
At the same time, he emphasized, “you don’t want to go to just say you went, you want to go to compete. There’s definitely pressure to make sure we can do the best we can and if that’s good enough, that would be great.”
He added about the chances of being selected for the team, “If you’re able to have a string of horses you can develop to that level, odds are you’re going to make it and the chance is something you should savor for sure and we’ll try to make the most of it.”
Vandiver, known as Quinn, was bred by Debi Crowley in Alabama. The American-bred is paired with the only rider on the team who was born in America. The other two team members, Boyd Martin and Phillip Dutton, were born in Australia. Quinn. is by Windfall, as is Boyd’s mount, Tsetserleg.
At age 17, Quinn “is stronger, better now than he’s ever been.He’s a horse with about the biggest heart that I’ve ever worked with. It’s exciting,” said Doug, who has worked with the horse for more than six years.
The heat in Tokyo is expected to be a factor in the competition, but it plays to Quinn’s strength.
“He really handles the heat well. He’s a lighter, leaner type. He’s particularly well-suited for the environment,” Doug believes..
Now based in North Carolina, Doug is still proud of his roots in New Jersey, where his mother and father, Richard Payne, own Applewood Farm in Tewksbury. Doug pointed out he is an alumnus of the Somerset Hills Pony Club, while noting, so is Devin Ryan of Long Valley, who made the short list for the U.S. Olympic show jumping team. Ditto Alice Tarjan of Oldwick, who finished sixth among candidates for the U.S. Olympic dressage team.
In fact, when Alice was a kid, she owned a naughty pony named Licorice that she would ride in Pony Club lessons. When Licorice felt he had done enough, he would take off, scattering those watching at ringside in his wake.
The day the pony clubbers first switched horses was an eye-opener. Alice recalled Doug Payne getting on her pony while she got on his.
“Oh my God,” she realized after riding Doug’s pony, “he doesn’t run out of the ring!” Meanwhile, Doug was able to get Alice’s pony around the arena without disturbing spectators—or their chairs.
In a statement following the announcement that Deniro was off the team, Liz said,”Niro has always been such a fighter, and has continued to feel excellent in his training, but I know him so well and after the mandatory outing we were concerned that he was not completely right.
“With support from the excellent U.S. Eventing Team vets and farriers, we ultimately determined that he has some bone bruising, and it will not be in his best interest to be put under the pressure of the Olympic Games.
“While I am completely devastated to not get the chance to represent my country in Tokyo this year, Deniro is my friend and my partner above all else and it would not be fair to put him in an environment as intense as the Olympics if he is not 100 percent
“We feel confident that Deniro will be back in fighting form after a period of rest and rehab and we are already looking ahead to the World Championships in 2022 and beyond with this very special horse.”
We all know about horse farms that regrettably have been sold for development in the face of ever- increasing suburbanization.
The 350-acre Wildwood Farm, 20 miles from Memphis in Germantown, Tenn., would have seemed a likely candidate for that fate, but owner Lee Taylor was determined it wouldn’t happen to the property where his family had started an American Saddlebred show stable in 1934.
Lee Taylor and one of the foals bred and raised at Wildwood.
The farm evolved over the years and in 2017, Wildwood was placed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Lee, an avid polo player, made use of the property for his sport, with special attention to caring for the deep-rooted Bermuda grass turf. Wildwood even hosted the U.S. Polo Open Championships in 1968.
In later years, he and his wife, Melanie Smith Taylor, dedicated themselves to learning about improving the horse/human connection, bringing in specialists such as Ray Hunt and Buck Brannaman for clinics. An organized foundational program, Wildwood Horsemanship, was developed to gear all activities on the farm as a continuous study of the nature of the horse and the nature of the land.
Lee had wanted the farm to be preserved and go to charity after he and Melanie passed on, but ran out of time to make a decision on its future when he died of cancer in 2005. He was just 64, leaving Melanie the responsibility to carry out his wishes for the farm’s future.
Finding the right fit for Lee’s vision wasn’t easy. Melanie persisted in insuring that the property not only would stay intact, but also be used for causes dear to Lee’s heart.
Lee “wanted to be sure the farm continued to be enjoyed by me and the Wildwood family for the duration of my lifetime,” said Melanie.
“But he also hoped it would be a gift that keeps on giving and growing through scholarship, guardianship and friendship.”
A member of the 1984 U.S. Olympic gold medal show jumping team and now an analyst for NBC during the Olympics, Melanie gives numerous clinics that are geared to helping riders upgrade their skills in the saddle, while teaching them how to truly connect with their horses, especially emphasizing the importance of groundwork.
Melanie, who grew up in Germantown, remembers the equestrian-oriented area from her childhood as “the kind of place where a summer morning meant you jumped on your horse or pony after breakfast and took off for a friend’s house or the penny candy store a couple of miles away. You might not return home until dark.”
Through the years, despite development in the region, Wildwood remained a constant that harks back to those days and embodied the things that meant the most to Lee.
During Melanie’s mission to find a suitable future for Wildwood, in she began talks in 2015 with the University of Tennessee about a partnership. It came to fruition last month, as a letter of intent was signed that enables the university’s Martin branch to make Wildwood “a living classroom” for equestrian and agricultural pursuits.
Kerry Witcher, UT vice president for development and alumni affairss; Randy Boyd, UT president; Melanie Smith Taylor and Keith Carver, chancellor of UT Martin.
Although an appraisal of the property has not been completed, University of Tennessee President Randy Boyd said it is clear that the donation of Wildwood will be the largest gift received in the 225-year history of the university, calling the property “an oasis” amidst the region’s increasing urbanization. Randy and Melanie clicked immediately after he discovered they shared a mutual love of dachshunds.
Acknowledging the Land Trust for Tennessee plan for conservation, Melanie said the arrangement for Wildwood, “reflects a seamless transition from past to present to future” that will protect the property and benefit future generations through education.
It’s an idea that could be replicated in different forms around the country, insuring that some farms targeted for development could stay green in a partnership with a university or other institution dedicated to agriculture and horses.
During the signing ceremony, UT Martin Chancellor Keith Carver cited the Taylor family’s “multi-generational devotion to the preservation of Wildwood” and its landmark brick 20,000-square-foot, 32-stall barn, where Melanie and Lee were married in 1989.
Melanie and Lee Taylor.
Melanie will continue to pursue her interests, while enjoying “a front-row seat” to the benefits of Wildwood for students studying agriculture and those on UT Martin’s NCAA equestrian team, Keith said. He mentioned expansion of the horsemanship program and increasing internship opportunities, providing clinics and expanding soil and natural science research programs.
Summerfield (Skey) Johnston, a close friend of Lee’s who met his wife at Wildwood, has pledged $1 million seed money through his Tucker Foundation to go toward the capital campaign of $8 million for the facility’s endowment.
The transition will start with construction of a classroom and a laboratory for UT Martin’s vet tech program and agricultural research program. Melanie will be a part of this and would like to add a horsemanship component and eventually get that into some of the vet schools.
“Many kids now don’t grow up on farms like we did,” Melanie noted.
“They aren’t comfortable around horses. The whole idea of the groundwork is to connect with the horses, so they are relaxed and comfortable. When vets are working on them in stressful situations, you want the horse to be calm.”
She noted about the arrangement with UT Martin, “The exciting thing is that during my lifetime, I’ll be able to enjoy being a part of it.”
And she knows this is just what Lee would have wanted.
“He loved this farm so much, he felt like it was paradise on earth,” she said.
“And to be able to keep it intact for perpetuity is just beyond my greatest dream.”
