It’s 4 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time and the eventing stadium jumping is under way at Baji Koen Equestrian Park.
We’re starting out with the lowest-placed riders after cross-country, as the competitors proceed in reverse order of merit.
Designer Santiago Varela’s colorful course begins with six fences that get riders into the task, and becomes increasingly more difficult as they go on, especially with a time allowed of 79 seconds to cope with.
The temperature is 85 degrees with 78 percent humidity, but will become somewhat cooler as the competition continues, since Japan is 13 hours ahead of EDT and it’s heading into the evening there.
Here’s a look at Santiago’s course for the team medals:
The top 25 after the team medal round will proceed to the individual round over a different course. It’s a lot of work for the horses who qualify, after they have done dressage and cross-country in the heat. But having two jumping tests is required, because the International Olympic Committee won’t allow awarding two medals for one competition, as is done in the World Championships.
A view of the first eventing show jumping course.
4:15 a.m. EDT: Colleen Loach of Canada had two rails with Qorry Blue D’Argouges to finish on 50.80 penalties incorporating her cross-country score. She will finish 28th and not make the cut for the individual test.
Another rider we’ve been watching, the stylish Fouaad Mirza of India, had 8 penalties for a total of 47.20. He did make the cut and would wind up 23d over all.
4:30 a.m. EDT: We have our first clear round, Ryuzo Kitajimo on Feroza Nieuwmoed. He is the reserve Japanese rider, filling in for Yoshiaki Oiwa, who had a fall cross-country and was eliminated. Ryuzo was added so Japan could finish as a team, an accommodation for the first yearthe Games has run with a three-member squad and no drop score. Japan winds up 11th.
Ryuzo is one of a number of substitutes, including the next rider to go fault-free over the course, Eveline Bodemuller, filling in for Switzerland’s Robin Godel, whose horse, Jet Set, was euthanized after sustaining an injury on cross-country. Switzerland ended in 10th place.
4:45 a.m. EDT: The first U.S. rider, Doug Payne, had a rail at the initial element of the double with Vandiver, but rode a very competent round–as one would expect from a man who spends a lot of time competing in grand prix show jumping. With the four penalties added, he stands at 43.80 penalties and may be able to come back for the top 25.
4:50 a.m. EDT: France’s Nicolas Touzaint on Absolut Gold went clean over the jumps with a time fault to end on 33.90 and keep France in bronze medal position.
4:55 a.m. EDT: Kevin McNab of Australia was fault-free to keep his team in silver medal position with his score of 34.90 penalties..
5 a.m. EDT: Britain’s Tom McEwen and Toledo de Kerser are insuring their country stays at the top of the standings at this point with a clean round that puts them in first place with 28.90 penalties. If Britain wins gold, it will be the first time the country has claimed the title since 1972. and in my mind there’s not doubt about who will wear gold here.
They were the favorites–Britain’s Oliver Townend, Laura Collet and Tom McEwen show off their medals. (Photo courtesy FEI)
Tom McEwen of Great Britain and Toledo de Kerser at the colorful double.
5:15 a.m EDT: The cute dun mount of Ireland’s Sam Watson, Flamenco, dropped two rails, including the middle pole of the triple combination to add 8 penalties and finish on a total of 55.30 penalties.
5:20 a.m. EDT: Michael Jung, who saw his dream of being the first three-time individual gold medalist end with a frangible pin penalty on cross-country, had a fault-free trip on Chipmunk. He is standing eighth on 32.10.
Michael Jung and Chipmunk.
5:25 a.m. EDT: The USA’s Phillip Dutton dropped the third part of the triple and the first part of the double with Z, whose total is 43.30. The USA has fallen to sixth place behind Germany now. Phillip will be back for the individual test, however.
5:30 a.m. EDT: Shane Rose of Australia tipped the first part of the double, which can be costly, as his country, France and New Zealand are all close for what Great Britain leaves of the medals to be contested. He’s at 35.70.
5:35 a.m. EDT: Britain has such a good lead of nearly 18 penalties in the team fray that Laura Collett’s mishap at the liverpool with London 52 scattering the rails didn’t make a dent. She came close to the 79-second time allowed in 78.79 seconds, but squeaked through and has 29.80 penalties.
5:45 a.m. EDT: What a disappointment for China. Alex Hua Tian, the country’s best rider, had a very sudden stop with Don Geniro at the last fence. In addition to 4 jumping penalties, he collected. 4.8 time penalties, but will be back for the individual carrying his score of 44.70..
5:50 a.m. EDT: Julia Krajewski of Germany goes into the individual lead on 25.60, having put only 0.4 onto her dressage score when she was one second over the optimum time on cross-country. She is fault-free in this jumping round and could become the first woman to win Olympic eventing individual gold.
5:55 a.m. EDT: No medal for the U.S. Boyd Martin had the first part of the double down with Tsetserleg, and Germany has moved ahead of America in the standings. Boyd will be back for the individual jumping. He is the third U.S. team member to have penalties in the final phase of the event. He is on 38.70 in 15th place.
5:55 a.m.EDT: Three rails down (including two in the triple) by Tim Price on Vitali puts New Zealand behind Germany in the race for the bronze medal. New Zealand is off the podium. It’s a total of 38.80 for the number two rider in the world rankings. Tim was fourth after cross-country and is now 16th.
6 a.m. EDT: It’s bronze at least for France, the 2016 Olympic champions, as Christopher Six goes clear with a score of 31.20.
6:05 a.m. There’s no pro like an old pro. A clear round from 62-year-old Andrew Hoy, still on his dressage score of 29.60, keeps Australia atop the podium in silver, while France takes bronze. Then it’s Germany, New Zealand and USA, sixth on 125.8 penalties.
Oliver Townend led Great Britain to team gold.
6:10 a.m: Oliver Townend of Great Britain has a rail at the first part of the troublesome double, putting him behind Germany’s Julia Krajewski individually.
But it does no harm to Britain’s lead, as that nation takes its first Olympic eventing team gold in 49 years. Here are the totals: Britain 86.3, Australia (silver) 100.2, France (bronze) 101.5; Germany fourth, 114.2, New Zealand fifth, 116.4, USA sixth, 125.8.
6:45 a.m.: All three U.S. riders qualified for the top 25. Boyd Martin was 15th, Phillip Dutton 19th and Doug Payne 20th.
