Teams from 19 countries lined up at Baji Koen Equestrian Park today to claim one of 10 qualifying spots for the show jumping finals that will yield the medals tomorrow, as the Tokyo Olympics draw to a close.
This is the USA’s only chance for a show jumping medal, as none of its three contenders–Kent Farrington (Gazelle), Laura Kraut (Baloutinue) and Jessie Springsteen (Don Juan van de Donkhoeve)–were fault-free on Tuesday to go through to Wednesday’s individual medal finals. Kent Farrington has been been switched out for McLain Ward and Contagious. McLain will be in his usual spot as anchor.
In the U.S. Equestrian Team Foundation book, “Riding for the Team,” Mclain told me what it takes to be an anchor: “Most people would say there’s more pressure for an anchor rider than a lead-off rider, because you understand the consequences of any penalties you accumulate pretty clearly and know what has to be done.
“You’ve been put in that position because they’re expecting a certain performance from you. The pressure is greater for the anchor rider, but someone who has more experience and been in more positions can bring that to the table. You’re using all that knowledge to be mentally and physically in the right place.”
McLain is always up to the challenge. Under the new format that takes some getting used to for these Games, he is among riders from 15 countries who were switched onto their teams following the individual finals. Those usually are held after the team competition. There can also be another switch before the finals on Saturday, so Kent is staying on board as an alternate. To find out more about the substitutions, read the article “Major switches on key Olympic teams” on this website.
The course for the team jumping qualifier, designed by Santiago Varela of Spain. The time allowed is 82 seconds.
What are my picks for team medals? I think the USA is very strong; the performance in the individual qualifier wasn’t indicative of the horse and rider talent on this squad. But I’ll be interested to see how the Swedes do. Remember, they qualified all three of their riders for the jump-off in the individual finals, and Peder Fredricson claimed the individual silver (as he did in Rio) on All In.The Swiss, with 2012 individual gold medalist Steve Guerdat (Venard du Cerisy) and European Champion Martin Fuchs (Clooney) should find a place on the podium also.
There are several others to look at as well. I don’t believe, as I said during the eventing, you should ever count out the French, so keep an eye on them.
The British, however, aren’t nearly as strong as they could have been with Scott Brash, a member of the country’s 2012 Olympic gold medal team, who rode on that squad with Ben Maher. Ben just claimed the individual gold with Explosion W, but Scott, whose horse had an injury, was replaced by Olympic first-timer Harry Charles (son of Peter Charles,another London 2012 team member) on Romeo 88. (see the feature story on this site for what the riders have to day.) Harry retired from the individual final after a series of knockdowns.
Ireland lost a key member when Cian O’Connor withdrew his Kilkenny after the horse had a nosebleed in the individual final. He is being replaced by Shane Sweetnam riding Alejandro, who has plenty of experience, so it will be interesting to see how that goes.
It’s 6 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time and action is under way in Japan, which is 13 hours ahead of EDT. I’ll try to blog every round as I have done in the past, but for sure I’ll be giving you information about major players as the countries they ride for jockey for a spot in the finals, where all teams will start on zero penalties. I’ll do the same with tomorrow’s competition, starting at 6 a.m. EDT.
I’ll be blogging in reverse order, with the most recent rounds first, but if you want to see how the day developed, just go down the list.
9 a.m.: Here are the qualifiers for tomorrow’s team medal round, where everyone starts with a clean slate. Sweden leads the way, followed by Germany and Belgium, tied for second; Switzerland fourth, U.S. fifth, France sixth; Britain seventh, Brazil eighth, the Netherlands ninth and Argentina last. Israel, Ireland, Mexico and Japan were all eliminated after they had riders who withdrew or were eliminated. To see the full list of results, click on this
8:40 a.m.:Maikel van der Vleuten, the individual bronze medalist for the Netherlands, has two rails and can’t risk another as he goes down the final line with Beauville Z. He makes it and finishes on 8 penalties to qualify his team in ninth place.
World number one Daniel Deusser of Germany rides a nicely planned round on Killer Queen to end with a single time penalty and put his team in a good spot for tomorrow’s jumping order. It’s tied for second behind Sweden with Belgium on 4 penalties. Gregory Wathelet of Belgium has just two time penalties as he took care not to rush Nevados S to bring his team’s total to 4.
Switzerland goes through to the finals in fourth place on 10 penalties after 2012 individual Olympic champion Steve Guerdat has two rails and one time fault with Venard de Cerisy.
Rodrigo Pessoa has 16 jumping penalties for Brazil and two time penalties with Carlito’s way, but the country still manages to qualify in ninth place with 25 penalties.
8:30 a.m. EDT: Even an individual gold medalist can have a rail down, but there was only one knockdown, at the middle element of the triple, for Ben Maher and Explosion W, putting Britain into the finals on 20 penalties in seventh place.
McLain Ward at the Flamenco fence.
The USA has also qualified, as anchor McLain Ward on Contagious–making his first appearance at these Games–had a rail and one time penalty to bring his country’s total to a very respectable 13 penalties.The USA is fifth in the ranking, which only affects the order in which countries go tomorrow, since all start on zero penalties.
Sweden leads on zero and will have the best draw tomorrow after double silver individual medalist Peder Fredricson continues his record with All In of not having a rail down in either of his Olympic outings, in 2016 and this year.
It’s been a remarkable performance here for Sweden, which qualified all three of its riders for the jump-off for the individual finals, where Peder took silver. If they keep it up, at this rate, they’ll be on track for gold tomorrow. Speaking of herself and her teammates, Sweden’s Malin Baryard-Johnsson said, ““I think we all have the same feeling, that it felt quite easy every round in there–they are all jumping so well, every round!”
Peder Fredricson and All In. (Photo courtesy FEI)
8:10 a.m EDT: The troublesome wall (which memorializes a traffic jam at Shibuya Crossing, supposedly the busiest intersection in the world) brings a refusal for Morocco’s Abdelkebir Quaddar, who accumulates 21 with Istanbull to drop his nation in the standings with 37 penalties, behind Argentina (27) . Argentina had six penalties from Matias Albarracin on Cannavaro 9, but that nation seems heading toward qualification. Morocco is ahead of New Zealand, with 39 after Daniel Meech and Cinca 3 have nine penalties total.
8: 05 a.m. EDT: Patricio Pasquel of Mexico and Babel, who is Mexican-bred, have five penalties. Two Mexicans have a total of six, but their second rider was eliminated for two refusals at the narrow Shibuya wall.
China’s Zhenquiang Li wisely shows Uncas that tricky narrow grey Shibuya wall before starting his round. He is the father of Yaofeng Li, who rode in the first group. The 2008 Olympic veteran has 7 penalties, making China’s total 35.
Israel has indeed dropped out, as has Japan, joining Ireland in that situation.
7:55 a.m. EDT: Marc Houtzager on Dante for the Netherlands has a job to do, after the country’s first rider had 13 penalties. He isn’t perfect, but a rail and time make the Dutch total 18. That country stands 11th, with only 10 teams to come through to the finals.
Maurice Tebbel of Germany on Don Diarado has two time penalties to make his team’s total 3 so far. Better to take some time and leave the fences standing than rush and have more expensive jumping penalties.
Belgium gets one more time fault in an otherwise clean round from Jerome Guery on Quel Homme de Huis, putting that team on 2 penalties total after two riders.
7:50 a.m. EDT: Switzerland has just a single penalty in its total, from Martin Fuchs’ ride in the first half of the class, as Bryan Balsinger is clear in his first appearance at the Games with Twentytwo des Biches.
Pedro Veniss of Brazil on Quabri De L’Isle has a rail and time to make his team’s total 5 penalties.
Britain’s Harry Charles, who withdrew in the individual competition, had three rails with Romeo 88. He replaced Scott Brash, whose Jefferson came out of the individual after straining a front leg.
7:45 a.m EDT: A well-ridden round by Jessie Springsteen of the U.S. on Don Juan, with just a rail at the A of the double, a combination that is the next-to-last test. That puts the U.S. on 8 penalties, with McLain Ward yet to come.
Sweden is amazing. Two clears to its credit as Malin Baryard-Johnsson is fault free on Indiana. Remember, all the Swedes were clear in the individual medal contest. Sweden leads on zero penalties after two riders have gone.
7:40 a.m. EDT: France now leads on 6 penalties after Penelope Leprovost on Vancouver de la Lanilore has a rail and time for a total of five.
We’re on a break for a few minutes now. Not every team has had two riders go as of yet, so the score only tell us where we are half-way through, with so many key countries awaiting their second and third riders.
7 a.m. EDT: Mohamed Talaat, who wasn’t in the individual competition, rides for Egypt on the stallion Darshan by Diamant de Semilly. Two rails and time added to the country’s other score gives Egypt 17 penalties.
Morocco–Morocco!–is in the lead after two riders with a team score of 16 following a determined ride from El Ghali Boukaa on Ugolino duo Clos, who had a rail and two time penalties. Nice to see a country not among the favorites heading the standings. Don’t forget, though, that this round is only for qualifying for the finals and scores do not carry over. All the teams that make the top 10 start on zero penalties tomorrow.
The flag on the left side of the narrow gray wall goes down, one of three jumping penalties for Mario Dopazo of Argentina on Quintno. He has three rails and time, his team now has 21 penalties after two riders.
It’s elimination for Mexico’s Eugenio Garza Perez on Armani after two refusals at the wall. It is odd-looking, surprised more horses haven’t questioned it. So two eliminations in a row
6:55 a.m. EDT: Teddy Vlock on Amsterdam for Israel has a fall with his horse at the oxer that is fence number eight, but luckily his air vest goes off and he walks out of the ring. He is eliminated, so Israel joins Ireland at the bottom of the rankings. Ireland has withdrawn; Israel may follow suit.
China stands on 28 penalties after two riders. Xinglis Zang has three rails and time with For Passion.
6:50 a.m. EDT:It’s a total of 32 penalties after two team riders for the Czech Republic have gone, as Anna Kellernova has four rails and time with former German team horse, Catch Me If You Can.
William Greve, a member of the Netherlands’ winning Nations Cup team on home ground in Rotterdam this year, has three rails and a time penalty.
6:45 a.m. EDT: Andre Thieme of Germany, who has won several $1 million classes in the U.S., is just over the time in 82.92 for a single time fault with Chakaria. There are now five nations that have no jumping faults and a single time fault.
Another with a time fault and no rails down, Pieter Devos of Belgium on Claire V. This course demands a high degree of being careful, which so often is resulting in those time penalties.
Oh Marcus Fuchs–how could the European champion have a time fault? Strategy. Better to take your time and have time penalties than a rail down. Otherwise, the Swiss is fault-free on the fabulous gray, Clooney.
Marlon Modello Zanotelli has our second double-clear, riding well for Brazil on Edgar M.
6:40 a.m.EDT: Holly Smith of Great Britain makes her debut at these Games with former event horse Denver. The Flamenco fence, a tribute to course designer Santiago Varela’s Spanish national heritage, has a rail drop. Holly is free of time faults for a very neatly ridden round that finishes on four faults.
6:35 a.m. EDT: A rail falls at fence 10, the liverpool, for Laura Kraut of the USA and Baloutinue, her ride only since April. No time penalties, though.
Laura Kraut, USA, and Baloutinue.
6:30 a.m. EDT: The shoeless King Edward and Henrik von Eckermann demonstrated the style that got him into the jump-off for the individual on Wednesday and gives us our first double-clear. Remember what I said above about Sweden as a real medal threat?
It’s one time penalty and no jumping penalties for France’s Simone Delestre on Berlux Z.
Egypt has its first Olympic show jumping team since the 1960 Olympics in Rome. Nayel Nasser, the lead-off rider, drops two rails but has no time penalties with Igor van de Wittemore.
6:25 a.m EDT: Cian O’Connor’s replacement (his Kilkenny had a nosebleed in the individual) is Shane Sweetnam for Ireland with Alejandro. He has a fall at a liverpool after a series of rails down and is eliminated. That’s it for Ireland, since there is no drop score with the three-member teams. This nation can’t qualify for the final tomorrow.
“He’s an experienced horse, normally he’s very good but he pulled his shoe off going into the triple combination, I don’t know whether that hurt him but it definitely rattled him, and then after that you could see he was very unsettled and wasn’t like himself at all”, said Shane.
New Zealand’s Bruce Goodin on Danny V has 16 and 1.
6:20 a.m. EDT: It’s the first time in the ring at Baji Koen for Golden Lady, ridden in a hackamore by Ali Al Arach (riders were able to change horses from the individual if they liked). The Moroccan has 8 jumping, two time.
A quiet round from Jose Maria Larocca of Argentina on Finn Lente has only one rail down, but three time penalties.
6:15 a.m.: The first with no jumping faults is Enrique Gonzalez, a member of Mexico’s Aga Khan trophy winning team in Dublin, but he has one time penalty on Chacna, a daughter of Chacco Blue.
Israel’s Alberto Michan rides free of time penalties, but is another with 12 jumping faults.
6:10 a.m. EDT: Japan’s Daisuke Fukushima, who was clear in the jump-off for the individual to finish sixth, is back on Chanyon, the son of Chacco Blue (Explosion’s sire as well).He’s good until the end, with 13B and 14 down. Best so far.
The first two riders, from the Czech Republic and China, each had three rails with 3 time penalties.
