Tag Archives: Olympic Games

*Featured/Spotlights, Dressage, Eventing/H.T., Olympic Games

Fox-Pitt Forges the Early Lead in Olympic Eventing

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William Fox-Pitt and Chilli Morning. (FEI/Dirk Caremans)

Rio de Janeiro (BRA), 6 August 2016 – It’s not everyone’s idea of the perfect rehab for a serious head injury, but Britain’s William Fox-Pitt defied all the odds to take the early lead as Olympic Eventing got underway at Deodoro Olympic Park in Rio de Janeiro (BRA).

Riding the 16-year-old stallion, Chilli Morning, the man, who spent two weeks in a coma after a fall while competing in France last October, threw down a great dressage score of 37.00.

“All along Rio has been my target, totally. It was unrealistic, but it was mine. I was in a coma for a couple of weeks and my sight was quite dodgy; I went from blind to seeing double so when I started jumping there were two jumps. It’s been a journey, but I’ve had so much support!” said the 47-year-old rider.

He was chasing the target of 37.60 set by Australia’s Christopher Burton and his regal nine-year-old gelding, Santano B, whose expressive performance was greeted by a roar of approval from the crowd. But when Fox-Pitt went out in front, the gentlemanly Brit was rewarded with another huge response from the spectators. His result, added to the 47.20 achieved by Gemma Tattersall with Quicklook V, leaves Team GB in third before the remaining 31 horse-and-rider combinations take their turn in the dressage phase Sunday.

Just behind Burton in the individual rankings is defending team and individual Olympic champion Michael Jung from Germany who scored 40.90, and with his compatriot Sandra Auffarth in fourth with Opgun Louvo the Germans head the team rankings followed by Australia in runner-up spot. There is plenty of pressure on the remaining team members Sunday, because just 1.4 points separate the two leading sides, with the British only 0.3 further behind.

Leading

A total of 33 horse-and-rider combinations stepped into the arena and it was Auffarth, ninth to go, who set the leading score at 41.60 before the lunch-break. Her test was not flawless, however – “I made a mistake and that made me make another one!” admitted the rider, who took team gold and individual bronze at the London 2012 Olympic Games.

Burton’s young Hannoverian drew gasps of delight from the crowd as he floated through extravagant extended trot to go out in front, but Fox-Pitt swept the 44-year-old Australian off the top of the leaderboard with a test the British rider said “is what dreams are made of!” And when the man they all fear most, the phenomenally consistent German Michael Jung, had a hiccup with his Badminton winner Sam, then the top of the first-day leaderboard wouldn’t change. “I made a stupid mistake in canter. It wasn’t because he was nervous; we just lost a little bit of communication,” Jung explained.

Fox-Pitt was his usual modest self. Talking about his ride with Chilli Morning, he said, “He’s good on the flat, capable of doing a very good test and I didn’t want to let him down. Today he felt happy and calm, but there are a lot of good horses to come and it will be what it will be,” he pointed out, looking forward to the next two phases.

Cross-country track

Pierre Michelet’s cross-country track is a major talking point. Fox-Pitt described it as “a decent course, the biggest Olympic course I’ve walked, but Chilli is more than ready. I just hope I can do him justice.”

He continued, “It’s a true Michelet course, four corners and four skinnies, always committing you so that if you are not right on line then you will have a run-out, always encouraging you to attack it. The distances are all on the long side; it’s the most difficult Olympic Games I’ve seen but that’s how it should be. It will be a pretty good feeling if I go clear!”

He feels Chilli Morning will tackle it without difficulty, however. “There are no worrying fences out there for him, fence six (brush corners) is ugly, but the one I really don’t like is the corner to the gate (fences 23/23, The Malmesbury Cottage), there are just four strides to do it in, and with Chilli that’s a big question because he’s big and strong,” he added.

Fox-Pitt will have plenty of support when he heads out on cross-country day, because his story is one of tremendous success along with enormous courage, determination and resilience. And he just happens to be one of the most popular competitors in the sport. “It was great to have Rio to aim for,” he said. “The Games have come at the perfect time. I’m just ready in time; I’ve been very lucky with my rehab, and my physical and mental fitness is back on track.”

He has two team silver and one bronze Olympic medal already in his trophy cabinet, but an individual one has proved elusive during his spectacular career. He has given himself every chance of putting that to rights this time around, but there is another day of dressage to go before the individual and team leaderboards take shape ahead of what looks set to be a thrilling cross-country challenge on Monday and a nail-biting conclusion in the jumping arena on Tuesday.

Quotes:

William Fox-Pitt GBR: “Chilli is lean, he’s fit and well but he lost some weight on the journey here; he’s an older horse and it’s kind of his metabolism. I’ve never lost an event because I’ve been on a skinny horse! He felt good and very together; he can be a bit sprightly so I was pleased with how we went today.”

German Chef d’Equipe, Hans Melzer, talking about the decision to replace Andreas Ostholt and So is Et with Julia Krajewski and Samurai du Thot in his team: “Sport is tough. This was a tough decision which does not earn you a lot of friends but somebody has to take responsibility. Andreas was great in training; that is why we took him, but we can’t take the slightest risk regarding the horse’s health. I can relate to his feelings, but the decision stands.”

Mark Todd NZL, talking about his test with Leonidas ll: “I was hoping for better; he was a little bit distracted and got excited before we started; the trot was tense but it got better and he went well in canter. The cross-country track is very strong… you’ll know after (fence) six if you are in with a chance or not.”

Results after Eventing Dressage, Day 1 here

FEI OLYMPIC HUB: For further information visit the FEI Olympic Hub which is dedicated to all things Olympic and Paralympic, both old and new: here.

Support Olympic Equestrian using social tags #Equestrian #Eventing #Jumping #Dressage #ParaDressage #Rio2016 #Olympics #TwoHearts

Equestrian in the Olympics

Equestrian sport has been part of the Olympic Games since 1912. Team and individual medals are awarded in three disciplines – Dressage, Eventing and Jumping.

The equestrian events in Rio will be staged in the Deodoro Olympic Park, the second largest Olympic cluster, alongside basketball, BMX, canoe slalom, fencing, hockey, modern pentathlon, mountain biking, rugby sevens and shooting.

The countries represented in Equestrian in Rio are: Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Chinese Taipei, Colombia, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Morocco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Palestine, Poland, Peru, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Republic of South Africa, Russia, Spain, Switzerland, Sweden, Turkey, Ukraine, Uruguay, USA, Venezuela and Zimbabwe.

They will compete in:

Jumping: 27 countries, 15 teams, 75 horse/rider combinations
Eventing: 24 countries, 13 teams, 65 horse/rider combinations
Dressage: 25 countries, 11 teams, 60 horse/rider combinations

By Louise Parkes

Media Contacts:

Rio 2016:

Anja Krabbe
Venue Media Manager
anja.krabbe@rio2016.com
+55 (21) 97556 1218

FEI:

Shannon Gibbons
Manager Press Relations
shannon.gibbons@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 46

Ruth Grundy
Manager Press Relations
Email: ruth.grundy@fei.org
Tel: +41 787 506 145

Leanne Williams
Manager Press Relations
leanne.williams@fei.org
+41 79 314 24 38

Competitions, Eventing/H.T., Olympic Games

Swedes Steal the Show as Horse Inspection Gets Olympic Eventing Underway

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Sweden’s Frida Andersen (left) and Sarah Algotsson Ostholt (right). (FEI/Richard Juillart)

Rio de Janeiro (BRA), 5 August 2016 – The Swedish contingent set the photographers alight as Olympic Eventing got underway with the first horse inspection at Deodoro Olympic Park in Rio de Janeiro (BRA). A total of 84 horses, including reserves, were trotted up in front of the Ground Jury which is headed up by USA’s Marilyn Payne, and all were passed fit to compete.

It was the eye-catching bright yellow dresses worn by Frida Andersen and Swedish sisters Sara Algotsson Ostholt and Linda Algotsson that got the shutters snapping. However, reserve rider Linda Algotsson’s inclusion in the side has come about at the expense of Anna Nilsson whose 17-year-old gelding, Luron, was withdrawn. The fourth member of the Swedish team is the equally dashing Ludwig Svennerstal.

Another reserve partnership called up was New Zealand’s Tim Price and Ringwood Sky Boy after Jock Paget’s Clifton Lush was also declared a non-runner. Tim joins his wife, Jonelle Price (Faerie Dianimo), Mark Todd (Leonidas ll) and Clarke Johnstone (Balmoral Sensation) in the New Zealand side.

Buoyant

There was a buoyant mood around the arena, with riders singing the praises of the facilities at Deodoro which British team-member, Pippa Funnell, described as “fantastic”. The 47-year-old, who is a double Olympic team silver medallist and who claimed individual bronze at the Athens Olympics in 2004, said, “We didn’t know what to expect when we came here, but so far it’s just unbelievable! It’s really super for the horses; the stables are so spacious and so cool, they are really happy because where they are living is so quiet, and there’s no noise or fuss. They’re loving it!”

Dressage is first up Saturday and first into the ring at 10.00 local time will be Canada’s Jessica Phoenix with A Little Romance, who will be followed by Frenchman Astier Nicolas (Piaf de B’Neville) and then Ireland’s Padraig McCarthy (Simon Porloe). A total of 33 horse/rider combinations will take their turn Saturday, and the remaining 32 will do their tests on Sunday.

Cross-country

However, riders are already thinking ahead to Monday’s cross-country challenge. Course designer, Pierre Michelet (FRA), has given them plenty to think about, particularly through his clever use of the terrain at the Brazilian army sports venue at Deodoro where the 2007 Pan-American Games were staged. “It’s quite tricky and big enough,” said Funnell, who will partner the home-bred Billy the Biz. “He (Michelet) has used the hills a lot, and this is definitely an Olympic track. The competition definitely won’t be a dressage test!”

She described the mood of her team, which also includes William Fox-Pitt (Chilli Morning), Kitty King (Ceylor LAN) and Gemma Tattersall (Quicklook V), as “quietly excited. We have a team of good young horses; three of the four are stepping up a level but if they can make that step up they are all very capable.”

Ireland’s Mark Kyle, also competing at his third Olympics, had plenty of good things to say about the organisation at these equestrian Games too. “Our horses all travelled brilliantly; they arrived last Saturday (six days ago) and we took them for a walk the following day and they felt great!” He also pointed out the feel-good factor for the horses who appeared to be glowing with good health in the bright sunlight. “The facility here is really good, lots of arenas and open exercise areas, so the horses are very relaxed.”

Cool

Talking of relaxation, Germany’s Michael Jung was his usual cool self, having sailed through the horse inspection with his faithful 16-year-old gelding, the spring-heeled Sam. “He’s in brilliant form,” said the man who has won all before him and who returns to defend Olympic team and individual gold with the horse he rode to glory in London (GBR) four years ago. Sam wasn’t his first choice for Rio, but when the nine-year-old Takinou was unable to compete, the 34-year-old rider had his older friend on call-up.

“He’s really ready. He won Badminton this year and he was always my second horse and did all the same training,” said the man who will lead Team Germany in chasing down a third consecutive team title here in Rio. Reserve rider Julia Krajewski (Samourai du Thot) has now been called up due to the withdrawal of Andreas Ostholt, and the remaining members of the German team are Ingrid Klimke (Bob OLD) and Sandra Auffarth (Opgun Louvo).

Jung can be expected to produce a stunning test when he enters the dressage arena Saturday at 14.58, but he also has Monday’s cross-country run on his mind. “This is a really tough course, not just because the fences are technical but because the hills will really test the condition of the horses. They will need to be very fit.”

And when asked if he felt less pressure competing at his second Olympic Games with a horse he knows so well and which has brought him such extraordinary success, he replied wisely, “Yes, I can be a bit more relaxed, but I know I still need to concentrate fully. It’s easy to have a run-out, even at the simple fences, or to make a mistake if you don’t keep your mind on your job!”

Startlist for Eventing Dressage here

FEI OLYMPIC HUB: For further information visit the FEI Olympic Hub which is dedicated to all things Olympic and Paralympic, both old and new: here.

Support Olympic Equestrian using social tags #Equestrian #Eventing #Jumping #Dressage #ParaDressage #Rio2016 #Olympics #TwoHearts

Equestrian in the Olympics

Equestrian sport has been part of the Olympic Games since 1912. Team and individual medals are awarded in three disciplines – Dressage, Eventing and Jumping.

The equestrian events in Rio will be staged in the Deodoro Olympic Park, the second largest Olympic cluster, alongside basketball, BMX, canoe slalom, fencing, hockey, modern pentathlon, mountain biking, rugby sevens and shooting.

The countries represented in Equestrian in Rio are: Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Chinese Taipei, Colombia, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Morocco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Palestine, Poland, Peru, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Republic of South Africa, Russia, Spain, Switzerland, Sweden, Turkey, Ukraine, Uruguay, USA, Venezuela and Zimbabwe.

They will compete in:

Jumping: 27 countries, 15 teams, 75 horse/rider combinations
Eventing: 24 countries, 13 teams, 65 horse/rider combinations
Dressage: 25 countries, 11 teams, 60 horse/rider combinations

By Louise Parkes

Media Contacts:

Rio 2016:

Anja Krabbe
Venue Media Manager
anja.krabbe@rio2016.com
+55 (21) 97556 1218

FEI:

Shannon Gibbons
Manager Press Relations
shannon.gibbons@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 46

Ruth Grundy
Manager Press Relations
Email: ruth.grundy@fei.org
Tel: +41 787 506 145

Leanne Williams
Manager Press Relations
leanne.williams@fei.org
+41 79 314 24 38

*Featured/Spotlights, Dressage, Eventing/H.T., Olympic Games

US Olympic Eventing Team Ready to Begin Equestrian Competition in Rio

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Boyd Martin and Blackfoot Mystery (Shannon Brinkman Photo)

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil – The eventing horse inspection officially kicked off equestrian competition at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Friday. Over the next 14 days, 204 athlete-and-horse combinations in the three equestrian disciplines of eventing, dressage, and show jumping will compete for coveted Team and Individual medals at Rio’s Deodoro Olympic Equestrian Center. The U.S. Olympic Eventing Team of Phillip Dutton and Mighty Nice, Lauren Kieffer and Veronica, Boyd Martin and Blackfoot Mystery, and Clark Montgomery and Loughan Glen were deemed fit and ready to compete and will join a total of 65 combinations representing 24 countries. The U.S. Team will be led by U.S. Eventing Coach David O’Connor, the 2000 Olympic Games Individual Gold medalist.

“We are in pretty good spirits and have had a great prep,” said O’Connor. “The horses traveled really well and are relaxed. They have done a great job here in Brazil welcoming us and the horses. We feel good with our two lead-offs tomorrow in Boyd and Clark; both horses look like they’ve really come on and are great. Then we finish strong with Lauren and Phillip on day two. I am actually quite pleased and confident with how the horses have been going.”

The U.S. has drawn 12th in the starting order among the 13 countries participating in team competition. The U.S. riders will compete in the following order.

Dressage Day One, Saturday, August 6:

Leading off for the U.S. will be Martin (Cochranville, Pa.), a 2012 Olympic veteran, and highest-placed U.S. rider at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games in 2014 and 2010, and Team Gold medalist at the 2015 Pan American Games. Martin will ride the Blackfoot Mystery Syndicate LLC’s Blackfoot Mystery, a 2004 Thoroughbred gelding. This partnership is only a year old but has already proven its merit with a top-ten finish at the 2015 The Dutta Corp./USEF Three-Star Eventing National Championship. In 2016, Martin and ‘Big Red’ placed sixth at the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event presented by Land Rover.

Next in the order is Montgomery (Bryan, Texas), a first-time Olympian, who will ride Holly and William Becker, Kathryn Kraft, and Jessica Montgomery’s Loughan Glen, a 2003 Irish Sport Horse gelding. This pair has been based in England for the last three years, gaining significant competitive experience. Montgomery and ‘Glen’ had an impressive 2015, winning the CIC3* at the Belton International, CIC2* at Somerford Park International, and CCI3* at Blenheim Palace International, along with a sixth-place finish at Luhmühlen CCI4*. Most recently, this pair won the 2016 Land Rover Great Meadow International presented by Adequan.

Lauren Kieffer and Veronica (Shannon Brinkman Photo)
Lauren Kieffer and Veronica (Shannon Brinkman Photo)

Dressage Day Two, Sunday, August 7:

First into the arena for the U.S. on day two will be Kieffer (Middleburg, Va.), a first-time Olympian, who will ride Team Rebecca LLC’s Veronica, a 2002 KWPN mare. ‘Troll’, as she known in the barn, is a tough, sassy mare that has won the heart of Kieffer in their three-year partnership. This duo helped bring home a Team Bronze medal at the 2015 CICO3* at Aachen. Most recently, they were winners of the 2016 Rolex/USEF CCI4* National Championship at the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event presented by Land Rover.

Anchoring the U.S. Team will be Dutton (West Grove, Pa.), who is contesting his sixth Olympic Games, having earned Team Gold medals in 2000 and 1996 for his native Australia. He is also a two-time Pan American Games Team Gold medalist for the U.S. and will ride HND Group’s Mighty Nice, a 2004 Irish Sport Horse gelding. Mighty Nice, known as Happy, was imported by Dutton and Bruce Duchossois in 2010. Following Duchossois’ passing in 2014, friends put together the HND Group in order to support Dutton’s goals of competing Happy at the highest levels of the sport. The pair has been consistently demonstrating its athletic prowess, earning the Reserve Championship title at the 2015 The Dutta Corp./USEF Three-Star Eventing Championship and placing fourth at the 2016 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event presented by Land Rover.

The eventing competition commences with the dressage phase, August 6-7. The cross-country phase follows on August 8, and the competition concludes on August 9 with show jumping.

Dressage Starting Order

NBCOlympics.com Livestream

Keep up-to-date on equestrian competition at the Rio Olympic Games on the USEFNetwork.com. Coverage includes links to live streams and TV coverage, athlete bios, behind-the-scenes photos, and more.

Classic Communications/USEF Communications Department

Olympic Games

Complete Guide to 2016 Olympic Games Now Offered on USET Foundation Website

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Gladstone, N.J. – Aug. 4, 2016 – The Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil kick off on Friday, and the United States Equestrian Team (USET) Foundation is pleased to offer a space dedicated solely to the Olympics and the U.S. Olympic equestrian team on its website www.uset.org.

Under the “Newsroom” tab, users may click on “Olympic Games” in the dropdown menu to access U.S. equestrian team member bios, press releases and updates regarding the Games, a complete schedule for Olympic equestrian events, live streaming and a blog from USEF Director of Sport Will Connell. The page provides U.S. equestrian fans with a comprehensive guide to the 2016 Olympic Games all conveniently located in one place!

The USET Foundation is a vital part of equestrian sport in the United States. For more than 65 years, equestrian athletes have represented the United States in international competition, bringing home medals that have clearly established the United States as among the world’s equestrian elite. However, dedication, hard work and dreams alone do not bring home medals. The costs of fielding international teams are enormous. Training, coaching and transporting of human and equine athletes around the world in order to compete against the sport’s best athletes is a daunting undertaking, requiring a huge commitment of time and money.

Be a part of history and show your support of the 2016 U.S. Olympic and Paralympic equestrian teams by donating to the USET Foundation during the 2016 Olympic Games! Your contributions will help our athletes bring home medals and demonstrate the excellence of American horsemanship for the entire world to see.

The United States Equestrian Team Foundation (www.uset.org) is the non-profit organization that supports the competition, training, coaching, travel and educational needs of America’s elite and developing international, high-performance horses and athletes in partnership with the United States Equestrian Federation.

Contact: Rebecca Walton
USET Foundation
phone 561.753.3389 fax 561.753.3386
rjw@phelpsmediagroup.com
PhelpsMediaGroup.com

FEI, Olympic Games

All Five Russian Equestrian Athletes Cleared to Compete at Rio 2016

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Rio de Janeiro (BRA), 4 August 2016 – The FEI has received confirmation from the IOC that all five Russian equestrian athletes have been cleared to compete at the Olympic Games in Rio. The news comes following a detailed submission by the FEI, including confirmation that all five had no previous anti-doping rule violations.

The five Russian equestrian athletes that are now cleared to compete in Rio are:

Eventing: – Aleksandr Markov and the horse Kurfurstin; Andrey Mitin with Gurza; and Evgeniya Ovchinnikova and Orion.

Dressage: – Inessa Merkulova with Mister X; Marina Aframeeva and Vosk.

Following a meeting on 24 July 2016, the IOC Executive Board (EB) declared that Russian athletes would only be accepted as eligible for the Rio 2016 Games if they met a set of stringent criteria, including individual analysis of each athlete’s individual anti-doping record. The IOC EB also ruled that any Russian athlete that had ever been sanctioned for doping, even if they had served the sanction, would not be eligible to compete in Rio.

FEI President Ingmar De Vos welcomed the news. “This has been a very difficult time for our Russian athletes, who all have clean anti-doping records under both human and equine testing regimes, so we are very happy to have confirmation today from the IOC that all five are now declared eligible to compete.

“Our sport is not implicated in the McLaren Report, we also have confirmation from the IOC that there have been no equestrian positives in the re-testing of athletes from Beijing 2008 and London 2012, and WADA has no cases against Russian athletes in equestrian sport, but obviously we still had to go through the process as outlined by the IOC Executive Board last month.

“All five riders have been tested and we did individual analysis of their anti-doping history, which we submitted to the IOC. That documentation has undergone a detailed assessment by the CAS expert and the full process has now been signed off by the Review Panel set up by the IOC specifically to deal with the issue of Russian athlete eligibility.

“The good news has come just in time as the Eventing starts tomorrow morning with the first horse inspection at 8.30!”

International Federations were asked by the IOC Executive Board to submit detailed documentation on all Russian athletes entered for their sport, which would then be reviewed by an expert selected from a list of arbitrators at the Court of Arbitration for Sport, independent from any sports organisation involved in the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.

The IOC subsequently delegated the final review of entries of Russian athletes to a Review Panel composed of three IOC EB members: Uğur Erderner (Chair of the Panel & Medical and Scientific Commission), Claudia Bokel (Chair of the Athletes’ Commission) and Juan Antonio Samaranch. This panel has now confirmed the eligibility of all five Russian equestrian athletes.

FEI Media contacts:

Grania Willis
Director Press Relations
grania.willis@fei.org
+41 787 506 142

Leanne Williams
Manager Press Relations
leanne.williams@fei.org
+41 79 314 24 38

*Featured/Spotlights, Olympic Games, Show Jumping

Olympic Champion Guerdat Goes for the Golden Double

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Switzerland’s Steve Guerdat and Nino des Buissonnets. (FEI/Kit Houghton)

Rio de Janeiro (BRA), 3 August 2016 – If defending champion, Switzerland’s Steve Guerdat, can claim back-to-back individual gold in Rio de Janeiro (BRA) then he will be the very first Jumping athlete to do so in the history of the Olympic Games. Since Belgium’s Aime Haegeman steered Benton ll to victory in Paris (FRA) in 1900, no rider has succeeded in coming back and doing it again, and Guerdat’s achievement would be all the more remarkable for the fact that he will be partnering the horse that carried him to glory at Greenwich Park in London (GBR) four years ago, the enigmatic Nino des Buissonnets.

Guerdat’s individual Jumping gold was the first for Switzerland in 88 years, the previous one claimed by Lt. Alphonse Gemeseus and Lucette in Paris (FRA) in 1924. It was quite a moment for the 30-year-old rider, who was just edged out for the honours in the closing stages of the FEI World Cup™ Jumping Final three months earlier. “But that was an important step to this medal,” he said after claiming the London 2012 title. “He (Nino des Buissonnets) had a big break after the World Cup and just four shows before he came here. I wanted to keep him fresh and confident. I know I have a freak of a horse under me and I knew that if I took time with him it would be easier when he came here (to London).”

Well-planned

Now 34, Guerdat is a veteran of three Olympic Games as he arrives in Rio with the 15-year-old Nino who has been given a well-planned lead-in to the big event once again. Their last major victory together was in the Grand Prix at Geneva (SUI) in December, with the brave and quirky horse otherwise mainly kept under wraps apart from a stunning double-clear in the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping leg in Rotterdam (NED) in June where the Swiss team finished second.

And Guerdat is in exactly the right frame of mind himself, having secured the prestigious Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping title for the second time in two years at the Final in Gothenburg, Sweden in March. However, he will be facing formidable opposition when he rides in to the Deodoro Arena for the first Olympic competition on 14 August. And arguably the greatest threat to his quest for double-gold will come from America’s McLain Ward.

Ask any of the other top riders and his name pops up every time. The 40-year-old from Brewster, New York is also a three-time Olympian, taking double team gold in Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008. Riding with supreme confidence and with a fabulous string of horses, he has been like an unstoppable train with wins in both the US and across Europe this year. And in the 10-year-old mare, Azur, he has a willing and able partner as he sets off on his Olympic glory trail.

Stunning

It’s interesting to note, however, that one other who has been attracting a lot of positive attention is Sweden’s Peder Fredricson with the 10-year-old gelding All In, runner-up in the Grand Prix in Rome (ITA) in May before throwing down two stunning double-clears at the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping legs in St Gallen (SUI) in June and Falsterbo (SWE) in July. Anyone who has studied this horse in action knows the ease with which he tackles the biggest tracks. And this has possibly contributed to the sense that the Swedes could come out with all guns blazing in the Olympic team event. Malin Baryard-Johnsson has a fantastic new ride in Cue Channa, and with Rolf-Goran Bengtsson (Unita) and Henrik von Eckermann (Yajamila) also on call-up, they look set to make a serious impact.

Of course the Dutch team will be hoping to continue the run of form that has seen them crowned world champions in 2014 and European champions last summer. To pile Olympic gold on top of that would be quite an achievement for Harrie Smolders, Maikel van der Vleuten, Jur Vrieling and the man who also claimed individual gold on both of those occasions, Sydney 2000 individual gold medallist Jeroen Dubbeldam.

Defending champions

The defending team champions from Great Britain send out two of their 2012 side in Nick Skelton and Ben Maher. The age profile of the majority of the British side is on the upper end of the scale, and 58-year-old Skelton joked recently that some of them might have to be “stretchered” into Rio, but nobody is going to underestimate the threat they pose. Skelton has nursed his London 2012 partner, Big Star, back to good health ahead of these Games and they have produced some seriously impressive recent performances. Meanwhile, although it may be 32 years since the legendary Whitaker brothers Michael (56) and John (60) took Olympic team silver in Los Angeles (USA), they are also right on top of their game.

However, there has been a glitch in the preparations for the defending champions because Michael Whitaker is suffering from broken ribs following a freak fall at home while training a horse just a few days ago. So often in sport the greatest plans are turned upside down by unexpected incidents and accidents, but the younger Whitaker insists he will be ready for action with Cassionato when the moment arrives.

The team competition looks set to be a fierce contest between 10 powerful nations, and the hosts from Brazil have plenty to be excited about because one of their quartet, 25-year-old Stephan de Freitas Barcha, has been really impressive with the 13-year-old gelding Landpeter de Feroleto in recent months.

With 75 of the world’s best horses and riders fighting for the individual title, the flags of 27 nations flying high and 15 countries battling it out for the team honours, the Jumping competitions at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games look set to be classics

What is jumping?

Jumping is an equestrian sport in which horse-and-rider combinations jump fences consisting of poles inside an arena, with penalties for knock-downs, refusals, horse and rider falls and for going over the time limit. There are a variety of competitions including speed events, and some will conclude with a jump-off for horse/rider combinations that have been penalty-free over previous rounds. The jump-off can be compared to a penalty shoot-out in soccer, and the result is just as unpredictable.

How it will play out….

After a horse inspection on 12 August, the first competition gets underway on 14 August with one round of jumping, and no jump-off against the clock. The starting order is decided by a computerised draw. The second competition is run over two days (16 and 17 August) – a qualifying round and a final round – over different courses, with the first day open to all, and the second open to the top eight teams.

If the scores for any of the medal placings are equal, teams will jump a shorter course against the clock and if there is still a tie, the times of the best three athletes per team are added together to decide the winning team. There is also the possibility of a jump-off for the bronze medal and this will take place before the jump-off for gold.

The horses still in contention for individual honours undergo another horse inspection on 18 August, before the individual final the following day, 19 August. The individual final is open to the top 35 horse/rider combinations after the first three days of competition. All participants start the individual final on zero (0) penalties. The top 20 from this round then go through to the final round to decide the individual medals, with the horse/rider on the lowest score winning gold

If there is more than one clear round, the medals are decided by a jump-off against the clock. If jumping penalties are the same over a shortened course, then the fastest time wins

Facts and Figures – Jumping:

75 horse-and-rider combinations

27 nations

15 teams

12 countries represented by individuals only

The London 2012 individual Olympic Jumping champions, Switzerland’s Steve Guerdat and Nino des Buissonnets, will defend their title at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.

The previous 5 Olympic individual Jumping champions have also been selected – Ludger Beerbaum (GER) Barcelona Olympic Games 1992, Ulrich Kirchhoff who took gold for Germany at Atlanta in 1996 and who is now competing under the Ukrainian flag, Sydney 2000 gold medallist Jeroen Dubbeldam (NED), Athens 2004 champion Rodrigo Pessoa who is reserve rider for the Brazilian squad and Beijing 2008 champion Eric Lamaze (CAN).

Kirchhoff was also member of the winning German team at the Atlanta 1996 Games along with Ludger Beerbaum, who claimed the first of his three team golds in Seoul (KOR) in 1988 and the last in Sydney (AUS) in 2000.

USA took the team title at Athens (GRE) in 2004 and Beijing 2008. McLain Ward and Beezie Madden were on both of these teams and line out again in Rio de Janeiro alongside Will Simpson who was on the winning Beijing side and Lucy Davis, with 2008 team gold medallist, Laura Kraut, in reserve.

The British are defending team champions, and just one of the London 2012 gold medal winning horse/rider combinations will line out in Rio – 58-year-old Nick Skelton with Big Star. He is joined by two members of the Olympic silver medal winning team in Los Angeles (USA) in 1984 – brothers Michael (56) and John (60). Completing the British side is Ben Maher (33) and reserve is Jessica Mendoza (20).

The Netherlands come to the Rio 2016 Olympic Games with team and individual gold from both the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2104 in Normandy (FRA) and last summer’s FEI European Championships at Aachen (GER).

Germany’s Hans Günter Winkler holds the record for most Olympic Jumping medals. He claimed 7 during his long and illustrious career, 3 of those with the great mare, Halla.

No female athlete has ever won individual gold in Jumping, but Britain’s Marion Coakes and the extraordinary pony, Stroller, came closest, taking individual silver at Mexico City in 1968.

Jumping at the Olympic Games goes back to 1900 when Alme Haegeman from Belgium took the individual title with Benton ll in Paris.

Germany leads the medal tables in Jumping, with 5 individual and 8 team titles since 1912.

The Jumping Officials

Technical Delegate for Jumping at the Olympic Games is Spain’s Santiago Varela Ullastres, and course designer is Brazil’s Guilherme Jorge.

The Jumping Ground Jury consists of Stephan Ellenbruch (GER), President, and members Elaine Zander (BRA), David Distler (USA), Alfred Boll (SUI) and Kazuya Hirayama from Japan. The footing expert is Germany’s Christian Bauer who will work alongside FEI footing specialist Lars Roepstorff.

Venezuela’s Cesar Hirsch is both Overall Chief Steward and Chief Steward for Jumping. The team of Jumping Stewards is Maria Hernek (SWE), Eric Straus (USA), Shigeru Hashimoto (JPN) and Kate Horgan (IRL).

Other Officials

President of the Veterinary Commission is Brazil’s Dr Thomas Wolff and he will be assisted by Associate Members Dr Kirsten Neil from Australia and Mexico’s Dr Sergio Salinas. There will be two thermography vets, Germany’s Dr Gerit Matthesen and Tracy Turner from the USA.

Tim Randle (GBR) is Foreign Veterinary Delegate. The FEI MCP veterinary experts are Britain’s Colin Roberts and Hungary’s Dr Miklos Jarmy.

The Appeal Committee is headed up by Pierre Ketterer from France with Colombia’s Yolanda Matallana as Vice-President. The Jumping member of the Appeal Committee is Belgium’s Freddy Smeets. Henrik Arle from Finland is Chairman of the FEI Tribunal.

The FEI Medical Officer is Great Britain’s Peter Whitehead.

The Teams

Argentina: Matias Albarracin (Cannavaro 9), Jose Maria Larocca (Cornet du Lys), Bruno Passaro (Chicago Z), Ramiro Quintana (Appy Cara). Reserve: Jose Maria Larocca (Eliot DWS).

Australia: Scott Keach (Fedor), James Paterson-Robinson (Amarillo), Edwina Tops-Alexander (Lintea Tequila), Matt Williams (Valinski S).

Brazil: Stephan de Freitas Barcha (Landpeter do Feroleto), Alvaro de Miranda Neto (Cornetto K), Eduardo Menezes (Quintol), Pedro Veniss (Quabri de l’Isle). Reserve: Rodrigo Pessoa (Cadjanine Z).

Canada: Yann Candele (First Chioice), Tiffany Foster (Tripple X), , Eric Lamaze (Fine Lady), Amy Millar (Heros). Reserve: Kara Chad (Bellinda).

France: Roger Yves Bost (Sydney Une Prince), Simon Delestre (Ryan), Penelope Leprevost (Flora de Mariposa), Kevin Staut (Reveur de Hurtebise). Reserve: Philippe Rozier (Rahotep de Toscane).

Great Britain: Ben Maher (Tic Tac), Nick Skelton (Big Star), John Whitaker (Ornelaia), Michael Whitaker (Cassionato). Reserve: Jessica Mendoza (Spirit T).

Germany: Christian Ahlmann (Taloubet Z), Ludger Beerbaum (Casello), Daniel Deusser (First Class van Eeckelhem), Marcus Ehning (Cornado NRW). Reserve: Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum (Fibonacci).

Japan: Daisuke Fukushima (Cornet 36), Toshiki Masui (Taloubetdarco KZ), Taizo Sugitani (Imothep), Reiko Takeda (Bardolino). Reserve: Koki Saito (Capilot).

Netherlands: Jeroen Dubbeldam (Zenith), Harrie Smolders (Emerald), Maikel van der Vleuten (Verdi), Jur Vrieling (Zirocco Blue). Reserve: Gerco Schroder (London).

Qatar: Hamad Ali Mohamed Al Attiyah (Appagino), Ali Yousef Al Rumaihi (Gunder), Sheikh Ali Al Thani (First Devision), Bassem Hassan Mohammed (Dejavu). Reserve: Faleh Suwead Al Ajami (Armstrong van de Kapel).

Spain: Edduardo Alvarez Aznar (Rokfeller de Pleville), Sergio Alvarez Moya (Carlo), Pilar Lucrecia Cordon (Gribouille du Lys), Manuel Fernandez Saro (U Watch). Reserve: Gerardo Menendex Mieres (Cassino DC).

Switzerland: Romain Duguet (Quorida du Treho), Martin Fuchs (Clooney), Steve Guerdat (Nino des Buissonnets), Janika Sprunger (Bonne Chance). Reserve: Paul Estermann (Castlefield Eclipse).

Sweden: Malin Baryard-Johnsson (Cue Channa), Rolf-Goran Bengtsson (Unita), Peder Fredricsson (All In), Henrik von Eckermann (Yajemila). Reserve: Charlotte Mordasini (Romane du Theil).

Ukraine: Ulrich Kirchhoff (Prince de la Mare), Cassio Rivetti (Fine Fleur du Marais), Ferenc Szentirmai (Chadino), Rene Tebbel (Zipper). Reserve: Ference Szentirmai (Chaccland).

USA: Lucy Davis (Barron), Kent Farrington (Voyeur), Beezie Madden (Cortes C), McLain Ward (Azur). Reserve: Laura Kraut (Zeremonia).

The Individuals

Belgium: Jerome Guery (Grand Cru van de Rozenberg), Nicola Philippaerts (Zilverstar T).

Chinese Taipei: Isheau Wong (Zekerijke V).

Colombia: Daniel Bluman (Sancha LS), Rene Lopez (Con Dios lll).

Egypt: Karim Elzoghby (Amelia).

Ireland: Greg Broderick (Going Global).

Italy: Emanuele Gaudiano (Caspar).

Morocco: Abdelkebir Ouaddar (Quickly de Kreisker).

Peru: Alonso Validez Prado (Chief).

Portugal: Luciana Diniz (Fit for Fun).

Turkey: Omer Karaevli (Roso au Crosnier).

Uruguay: Nestor Nielsen van Hoff (Prince Royal Z de la Luz).

Venezuela: Emanuel Andrade (Hardrock Z), Pablo Barrios (Antares).

The Nations

Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Egypt, France, Great Britain, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Morocco, Netherlands, Peru, Portugal, Qatar, Spain, Switzerland, Sweden, Taipei, Turkey, Ukraine, Uruguay, USA and Venezuela.

The FULL list of horse/rider combinations are listed here.

FEI OLYMPIC HUB: For further information visit the FEI Olympic Hub which is dedicated to all things Olympic and Paralympic, both old and new: here.

Support Olympic Equestrian using social tags #Equestrian #Eventing #Jumping #Dressage #ParaDressage #Rio2016 #Olympics #TwoHearts

Equestrian in the Olympics

Equestrian sport has been part of the Olympic Games since 1912. Team and individual medals are awarded in three disciplines – Dressage, Eventing and Jumping.

The equestrian events in Rio will be staged in the Deodoro Olympic Park, the second largest Olympic cluster, alongside basketball, BMX, canoe slalom, fencing, hockey, modern pentathlon, mountain biking, rugby sevens and shooting.

The countries represented in Equestrian in Rio are: Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Chinese Taipei, Colombia, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Morocco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Palestine, Poland, Peru, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Republic of South Africa, Russia, Spain, Switzerland, Sweden, Turkey, Ukraine, Uruguay, USA, Venezuela and Zimbabwe.

They will compete in:

Jumping: 27 countries, 15 teams, 75 horse/rider combinations
Eventing: 24 countries, 13 teams, 65 horse/rider combinations
Dressage: 25 countries, 11 teams, 60 horse/rider combinations

By Louise Parkes

Media Contacts:

Rio 2016:

Anja Krabbe
Venue Media Manager
anja.krabbe@rio2016.com
+55 (21) 97556 1218

FEI:

Shannon Gibbons
Manager Press Relations
shannon.gibbons@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 46

Ruth Grundy
Manager Press Relations
Email: ruth.grundy@fei.org
Tel: +41 787 506 145

Leanne Williams
Manager Press Relations
leanne.williams@fei.org
+41 79 314 24 38

*Featured/Spotlights, Dressage, Olympic Games

Can Britain’s Golden Couple Do It Again?

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Charlotte Dujardin and Valegro. (Kit Houghton/FEI)

Rio de Janeiro (BRA), 2 August 2016 – You could hardly have scripted it better when Great Britain’s Dressage riders scooped Olympic team gold on home turf at the London 2012 Olympic Games in Greenwich Park. A day after their jumpers topped the team podium for the first time in 60 years, it was the turn of Carl Hester, Laura Bechtolsheimer and Charlotte Dujardin to bring spectators to their feet in celebration of the first-ever British Dressage medals in the history of the Games – and, even better, they were also golden ones. Dujardin went on to add the individual title and, four years later, the question is whether she and her wonderful gelding, Valegro, can do it again.

They arrived into the sport already on the crest of a wave of excitement created by the spell-binding Dutch partnership of Edward Gal and the fabulous black stallion, Totilas. This pair set the world of Dressage on fire on an August night in 2009 in the shadow of Windsor Castle (GBR) when they won the European Freestyle title, and nothing has ever been the same since.

The previously relatively sedate sport suddenly realised the entertainment value of the discipline, and Dujardin and Valegro have picked up that flag and flown it high ever since, with a passionate fan-base following their every hoofprint!

World records

The pair now holds all three world records in Grand Prix, Grand Prix Special and Freestyle. They took double-gold at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2014 in Normandy (FRA) and Grand Prix Special and Freestyle gold at the FEI European Dressage Championships in Aachen (GER) in 2015. They were also crowned champions of the Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage series in both 2014 and 2015. They have, quite simply, been all but unbeatable.

However, their margin of victory in the Freestyle at Aachen last summer was a very narrow one, with just 0.25 percent separating the British pair from Germany’s Kristina Bröring-Sprehe and Desperados FRH who is expected to give their main rivals a run for their money again in Rio.

Team Germany had to settle for bronze at the Europeans a year ago when the British took silver and the Dutch side of Diederik van Silfhout, Patrick van der Meer, Edward Gal and Hans Peter Minderhoud claimed the gold. But the Germans look super-strong for Rio 2016, where Bröring-Sprehe is joined by Sönke Rothenberger (Cosmo), Dorothee Schneider (Showtime FRH) and the inimitable Isabell Werth (Weihegold OLD).

Werth is a long-time legend with eight Olympic medals already in her trophy cabinet, dating all the way back to the Barcelona Games in 1992 where she took team gold and individual silver with Gigolo. Werth has found another magical partnership in the 11-year-old mare Weihegold, and there’s a whole new energy around the 47-year-old athlete as she heads into her fifth Olympics.

Spectacular

At the 2016 German Dressage Championships in Balve in June, Werth pinned her Rio team-mates Dorothee Schneider and world number one Bröring-Sprehe into silver and bronze with some spectacular results.

Carl Hester (Nip Tuck) joins Dujardin, Fiona Bigwood (Orthilia) and Spencer Wilton (Super Nova ll) in the British bid to defend that London 2012 title, while the Dutch send out Adelinde Cornelissen (Parzival), Edward Gal (Voice), Hans Peter Minderhoud (Johnson) and Diederik van Silfhout (Arlando),.

But somehow this time around, Team Germany – the country with the most outstanding record in Olympic Dressage with 12 team and seven individual titles to their credit – look set to be the real force to be reckoned with.

What is dressage?

Dressage is about training the horse to a high level and highlighting its athleticism and the beauty of its movement. At its best, horse and rider work in complete harmony and together they appear to “dance”!

How it will play out…

The team medals will be decided after the Grand Prix Special on 12 August, which is also the second individual qualifier from which the top-18 (and those tied for 18th place) will go through to the Freestyle Final two days later. The Freestyle to Music is a stand-alone competition to decide the individual champion. Only three athletes from each nation are eligible compete in the Freestyle.

A team is composed of three or four horse/rider combinations, with the best three results from the Grand Prix and the Grand Prix Special counting for the final team classification.

A computerized draw to decide the starting order in the Grand Prix will take place after the Horse Inspection on 8 August. Individual athletes will be drawn first, in reverse order of the World Dressage Ranking List, in two groups and with the highest-placed athletes drawn on the second day. Teams will be drawn in groups of five.

The starting order for the Grand Prix Special will be drawn in groups during the Chefs d’Equipe meeting on the day after the Grand Prix. The starting order of the athletes within a team will remain the same as in the Grand Prix.

The starting order for the Grand Prix Special will be drawn in the following groups during the Chef d’Equipe meeting on the day after the Grand Prix:

(i) 1st group: individual Athletes placed five to eight (5-8) in the Grand Prix;
(ii) 2nd group: Athletes of the teams placed four to six (4-6) in the Grand Prix;
(iii) 3rd group: individual Athletes placed one to four (1-4) in the Grand Prix;
(iv) 4th group: Athletes of the teams placed one to three (1-3) in the Grand Prix.

The starting order of the Athletes within a team will remain the same as in the Grand Prix.

The Dressage Tests are the FEI Grand Prix, the FEI Grand Prix Special and the FEI Grand Prix Freestyle.

Facts and Figures – Dressage:

25 nations

11 teams

13 countries represented by individual competitors

60 riders in total

The British are team and individual defending champions.

The British partnership of Charlotte Dujardin and Valegro won both team and individual gold at the London 2012 Olympic Games. They hold the world records in Grand Prix, Grand Prix Special and Freestyle. They took double-gold at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2014 in Normandy (FRA) and individual gold at the FEI European Dressage Championships in Aachen (GER) in 2015. They were also crowned champions of the Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage series in both 2014 and 2015.

Germany’s Isabell Werth is another phenomenon of the sport and looks ready to set a new record at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. She already has eight medals from Games dating back to Barcelona (ESP) in 1992 when she took team gold and individual silver. If she adds to her Olympic medal collection in Brazil then she will exceed the nine-medal target set by Anky van Grunsven (NED) during her spectacular career.

Anky van Grunsven also holds the record for taking three back-to-back Olympic titles – at Sydney (AUS) in 2000, Athens (GRE) in 2004 and Hong Kong (CHN) in 2008.

In the history of Olympic Dressage, Germany has dominated the medal tables, taking 12 team and seven individual titles.

There will be three separate competitions – Grand Prix, Grand Prix Special and Freestyle to Music.

The Dressage Grand Prix takes place on Wednesday 10 and Thursday 11 August followed by the Grand Prix Special on Friday 12 August. The Grand Prix Freestyle will bring the Dressage discipline to a close on Monday 15 August.

The Team medals will be decided after the first two competitions – the Grand Prix and Grand Prix Special – when the scores are combined.

The Freestyle will decide the fate of the individual medals.

The Officials

Dressage Ground Jury President is Mexico’s Maribel Alonso and the remaining members of the panel are Gary Rockwell (USA), Stephen Clarke (GBR), Eddy de Wolff van Westerrode (NED), Peter Holler (GER), Thomas Lang (AUT) and Susanne Baarup (DEN).

The Judges Supervisory Panel (JSP), was introduced by the FEI in 2011 to provide an official back-up system to correct marking errors at all major events, including Olympic Games. The JSP also evaluates the quality of work of leading Dressage judges, assists in selection of those officiating at the top end of the sport and acts as a link between judges and the FEI. The members of the JSP at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games are Mary Seefried (AUS), David Hunt (GBR) and Uwe Mechlem (GER).

FEI Delegate for Dressage is Belgium’s Jacques van Daele.

Dressage Chief Steward is Elisabeth Williams, who will be assisted by fellow-American Lisa Gorretta.

The Teams

Australia: Mary Hanna (Boogie Woogie 6), Kelly Layne (UdonP), Kristy Oatley (Du Soleil), Lyndal Oatley (Sandro Boy). Reserve: Susanne Hearn (Remmington).

Brazil: Luiza Tavares de Almeida (Vendeval 4), Giovana Prado Pasa (Zingaro de Lyw), Joao Victor Marcari Oliva (Xama Dos Pinhais), Pedro Manuel Tavares de Almeida (Xaparro Do Vouga). Reserve: Manuel Rodrigues Tavares de Almeida Neto (Vinheste).

Denmark: Anna Kasprzak (Donperignon), Agnete Kirk Thinggaard (Jojo AZ), Cathrine Dufour (Cassidy), Anders Dahl (Selten HW).

France: Stephanie Brieussel (Amorak), Ludovic Henry (After You), Karen Tebar (Don Luis), Pierre Voila (Badinda Altana), Alexandre Ayache (Axel).

Great Britain: Fiona Bigwood (Orthilla), Charlotte Dujardin (Valegro), Carl Hester (Nip Tuck), Spencer Wilton (Super Nova ll). Reserve: Lara Griffith (Rubin Al Asad).

Germany: Kristina Broring-Sprehe (Desperados FRH), Sönke Rothenberger (Cosmo), Dorothee Schneider (Showtime FRH), Isabell Werth (Weihegold OLD). Reserve: Hubertus Schmidt (Imperio).

Japan: Kilchi Harada (Egistar), Yuko Kitail (Don Lorean), Akane Kuroki (Toots), Masanao Takahashi (Fabriano 58).

Netherlands: Adelinde Cornelissen (Parzival), Edward Gal (Voice), Hans Peter Minderhoud (Johnson), Diederik van Silfhout (Arlando). Reserve: Madeleine Witte-Vrees (Cennin).

Spain: Claudio Castilla Ruiz (Alcaide), Beatriz Ferrer-Salat (Delgado), Severo Jesus Jurado Lopez (Lorenzo), Jose Daniel Martin Dockx (Grandioso). Reserve: Borja Carrascoa (Wonder).

Sweden: Patrik Kittel (Deja), Juliette Ramel (Buriel KH), Therese Nilshagen (Dante Weltino), Tinne Vilhelmson Silfven (Don Auriello). Reserve: Mads Hendelowitz (Jimmie Choo).

USA: Steffen Peters (Legolas 92), Laura Graves (Verdades), Kasey Perry-Glass (Dublet), Alison Brock (Rosevelt). Reserve: Shelly Francis (Doktor).

The Individuals

Austria: Victoria Max-Theurer (Della Cavaleria).

Belgium: Jorinde Verwimp (Tiamo).

Canada: Belinda Trussel (Anton), Megan Lane (Caravella).

Dominican Republic: Yvonne Losos de Muniz (Focoloco W).

Ireland: Judy Reynolds (Vancouver K).

Italy: Valentina Truppa (Chablis).

Korea: Dongseon Kim (Bukowski).

Mexico: Bernadette Pujals (Rolex).

New Zealand: Julie Brougham (Vom Feinstein).

Palestine: Christian Zimmermann (Aramis).

Republic of South Africa: Tanya Seymour (Ramoneur 6).

Russia: Inessa Merkulova (Mister X), Marina Aframeeva (Vosk).

Switzerland: Marcela Krinke Susmelj (Molberg).

Ukraine: Inna Logutenkova (Don Gregorius)

The Nations

Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, Dominican Republic, France, Great Britain, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Palestine, Republic of South Africa, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, USA.

All the horse/rider combinations are listed here.

FEI OLYMPIC HUB: For further information visit the FEI Olympic Hub which is dedicated to all things Olympic and Paralympic, both old and new: here.

Support Olympic Equestrian using social tags #Equestrian #Eventing #Jumping #Dressage #ParaDressage #Rio2016 #Olympics #TwoHearts

Equestrian in the Olympics

Equestrian sport has been part of the Olympic Games since 1912. Team and individual medals are awarded in three disciplines – Dressage, Eventing and Jumping.

The equestrian events in Rio will be staged in the Deodoro Olympic Park, the second largest Olympic cluster, alongside basketball, BMX, canoe slalom, fencing, hockey, modern pentathlon, mountain biking, rugby sevens and shooting.

The countries represented in Equestrian in Rio are: Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Chinese Taipei, Colombia, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Morocco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Palestine, Poland, Peru, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Republic of South Africa, Russia, Spain, Switzerland, Sweden, Turkey, Ukraine, Uruguay, USA, Venezuela and Zimbabwe.

They will compete in:

Jumping: 27 countries, 15 teams, 75 horse/rider combinations
Eventing: 24 countries, 13 teams, 65 horse/rider combinations
Dressage: 25 countries, 11 teams, 60 horse/rider combinations

By Louise Parkes

Media Contacts:

Rio 2016:

Anja Krabbe
Venue Media Manager
anja.krabbe@rio2016.com
+55 (21) 97556 1218

FEI:

Shannon Gibbons
Manager Press Relations
shannon.gibbons@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 46

Ruth Grundy
Manager Press Relations
Email: ruth.grundy@fei.org
Tel: +41 787 506 145

Leanne Williams
Manager Press Relations
leanne.williams@fei.org
+41 79 314 24 38

Competitions, Eventing/H.T., Olympic Games

Olympic Eventing: This Jung Man Could Be Very Hard to Beat

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Germany’s Michael Jung took individual gold in Olympic Eventing at London 2012, with Sara Algottsson Ostholt (SWE) in silver and Sandra Auffarth (GER) in bronze. (FEI/Dirk Caremans)

Michael Jung – the legend

Rio de Janeiro (BRA), 1 August 2016 – Some say that if you sent him cross-country wearing a blindfold and facing backwards on his horse that Germany’s Michael Jung could still bring home Olympic gold. The most phenomenal rider of the modern sport is the man they will all have to beat when the Eventing discipline of the XXXl Olympiad gets underway at the Olympic Equestrian Venue in Deodoro in Rio de Janeiro (BRA) on 6 August.

Jung arrived at the London Games four years ago hoping to become the first-ever rider to hold the World, European and Olympic titles at the same time, and celebrated his 30th birthday by winning not one, but two gold medals. He has since added team gold at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ in Normandy (FRA) in 2014, double-gold at last summer’s FEI European Championships in Scotland, and the CCI4* titles at Burghley (GBR) last September and both Lexington (USA) and Badminton (GBR) in May of this year. Just a few short weeks ago he finished first and sixth individually in the latest leg of the FEI Nations Cup™ Eventing 2016 series on the hallowed ground of Aachen (GER). It’s no wonder that fans of this sport are in awe of the formidable athlete and his consistent supremacy.

Jung won’t compete in Brazil with his intended ride, Takinou who picked up an infection recently, but the fact that he has had to switch to his 2012 Olympic ride, 16-year-old Sam, won’t diminish his chances, as it was this horse that cruised into the winner’s enclosure at both Burghley and Badminton.

Strong

As defending Olympic champions Team Germany look strong, with Jung joined by the 2012 golden girls Ingrid Klimke and Sandra Auffarth, along with Andreas Ostholt. However, they didn’t have things all their own way in Aachen where many Olympic contenders were giving their horses a run and the resurgent Australians sprang a major surprise by overwhelming their hosts.

Australia, Germany and the USA have all won the Olympic Eventing team title four times, and Christopher Burton, Sam Griffiths, Shane Rose and Stuart Tinney look set to fly that Australian flag high once again.

The closest their neighbours from New Zealand have come to the top of the podium is the bronze they claimed in London four years ago, and they certainly shouldn’t be under-estimated this time around either as three of that side are in action again, including the charismatic Sir Mark Todd who took back-to-back individual gold with the great Charisma in Los Angeles (USA) in 1984 and Seoul (KOR) in 1988. Only one other rider in Olympic history has ever achieved that distinction, Dutchman Charles Pahud de Mortanges with Macroix in Amsterdam (NED) in 1928 and Los Angeles (USA) IN 1932. However, Michael Jung could possibly join that elite if he and Sam reign supreme once more.

Busy man

Todd will be a busy man in Rio, because not only will he be chasing down medals for himself, but the 60-year-old athlete will also be taking a significant interest in the performance of the Brazilian team he has been training for the last few years.

Canada, France, Ireland, Italy, The Netherlands, Sweden and USA will also be in the race for the team title along with a Russian side fielding just three riders, and of course the British whose squad includes London 2012 team silver medallist William Fox-Pitt, as well as Pippa Funnell who took individual bronze in Athens (GRE) in 2004.

All three of the individual medallists from London will be in Rio, Germany’s Jung and Auffarth who claimed gold and bronze and Sweden’s Sara Algotsson Ostholt who separated them when taking silver.

In all, 29 of the 75 Eventing athletes are female and if one of them succeeds in winning individual gold she will be the first-ever female athlete to do so.

Jung, however, is unlikely to make it easy for anyone to spoil his seemingly unstoppable run.

What Is Eventing?

Once known as “The Military” because it was a test for cavalrymen and their horses, Eventing is the most comprehensive test of horse and rider, combining the separate disciplines of Dressage, Cross-Country and Jumping, with results from each phase totaled for a final score. And it’s the lowest score that wins, both for the team and individual medals.

An Olympic competition since 1912.

How it will play out…

The horse inspection follows the all-important draw, which will decide the running order for the first two phases of the competition. This takes place in the presence of the Ground Jury. As the draw is made, blocks of individual athletes will be interspersed between team members, with the fourth athlete from each team going in the final group.

Eventing Dressage takes place on Saturday 6 and Sunday 7 August, followed by Cross-Country on Monday 8 August. The Dressage Test is OG CCI 4-Star Test B, Short Version. If you want to be really clued up before the Games, you can check it out here.

After the second horse inspection the following morning, Tuesday August 9, the team medals will be decided in the first round of Jumping. The top-25 will then qualify for the Individual final in the afternoon, again competing in reverse order of merit and with only three riders from each nation permitted to make the cut.

FACTS AND FIGURES – EVENTING:

24 nations

13 teams

65 horse and rider combinations

New Zealand’s Sir Mark Todd will match the record held by Australia’s Andrew Hoy and USA’s Mike Plumb for most Olympic appearances in Eventing. Rio 2016 will be his seventh Games, and he was also team trainer at Athens 2004. Todd competed in two disciplines, Eventing and Jumping, at the Games in Seoul (KOR) in 1988, Barcelona (ESP) in 1992.

Sir Mark Todd and Mike Plumb share the record for the largest number of Olympic medals won in Eventing, with 6 each.

Teams consist of a minimum of 3 and maximum of 4 horse/rider combinations with 3 best results to count for team classification.

The Team and Individual competitions run concurrently.

Individual final Jumping test will take place after team Jumping on the same day, 9 August. The individual final is open to the top 25, including ties for 25th place, with a restriction of 3 horse/rider combinations per country.

The Cross-Country course is approximately 5,700 metres in length. The time-allowed is 10 minutes and the maximum number of jumping efforts will be between 42 and 45.

In the final Jumping phase, the fences for the first round which decides the team medals, will be up to 1.25m in height, with between 11 and 13 fences on the course.

The fences will be raised to 1.30m for the individual Jumping final.

One country, Russia, will be represented by a team of just three riders.

Germany won both the team and individual titles at the London 2012 Olympic Games and three members of that winning team are competing again in Rio de Janeiro – Ingrid Klimke, Michael Jung and Sandra Auffarth.

Jung and Mark Todd are the only former Olympic individual champions in the field. Jung is defending team and individual gold medallist, and Todd won individual gold at Los Angeles (USA) in 1984 and Seoul (KOR) in 1988.

THE OFFICIALS

Ground Jury President is America’s Marilyn Payne who will work alongside New Zealand’s Andrew Bennie and Great Britain’s Sandy Phillips, while Eventing Technical Delegate is Great Britain’s Alec Lochore who will be assisted by Australia’s Geoff Sinclair.

Course Designer is Pierre Michelet from France whose course-building team is headed up by Tyson Rementer and Levi Ryckewaert. Michelet previously designed the course for the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2014 in Normandy (FRA).

Of course no event can run smoothly without the limitless expertise of the stewards who often work in the background and attract little gratitude for their dedication to duty. Venezuela’s Cesar Hirsch is overall Chief Steward for the equestrian events at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, and Thierry Castelle from France fills the role of Eventing Chief Steward.

President of the Appeal Committee for all the equestrian disciplines is Pierre Ketterer from France while Brazil’s Dr Thomas Wolff is President of the Veterinary Commission.

You can find the full list of Olympic appointments here.

THE TEAMS

Australia: Christopher Burton (Santano ll), Sam Griffiths (Paulank Brockagh), Shane Rose (CP Qualified), Stuart Tinney (Pluto Mio). Reserve: Samantha Birch (Hunter Valley).

Brazil: Marcio Carvalho Jorge (Lizzie Mac Wayer), Ruy Fonseca (Tom Bombadill Too), Carlos Parro (Summon Up The Blood), Marcio Appel (Iberon Jmen). Reserve: Nilson Moreira da Silva (Muggle).

Canada: Rebecca Howard (Riddle Master), Colleen Loach (Qorry Blue d’Aurgouges), Catherine Robinson (Let It Bee), Jessica Phoenix (A Little Romance).

France: Karim Florent Laghouag (Entebbe) Mathieu Lemoine (Bart L), Astier Nicolas (Piaf de B’Neville), Thibaut Valette (Qing du Briot). Reserve: Nicolas Touzaint (Crocket 30).

Great Britain: William Fox-Pitt (Chilli Morning), Pippa Funnell (Billy the Biz), Kitty King (Ceylor LAN), Gemma Tattersall (Quicklook V). Reserve: Tina Cook (Billy the Red).

Germany: Sandra Auffarth (Opgun Louvo), Michael Jung (Sam FBW), Ingrid Klimke (Hale Bob OLD), Andreas Ostholt (So is Et). Reserve: Julia Krajewski (Samourai du Thot).

Ireland: Clare Abbott (Euro Prince), Jonty Evans (Cooley Rorkes Drift), Mark Kyle (Jemilia), Padraig McCarthy (Simon Porloe). Reserve: Camilla Speirs (Portersize Just a Jiff).

Italy: Stefano Brecciaroli (Apolle VD Wendi Kurt Hoeve), Luca Roman (Castlewoods Jake), Pietro Roman (Barraduff), Arianna Schivo (Quefira de l’Ormeau).

Netherlands: Merel Blom (Rumour Has It), Tim Lips (Bayro), Alice Naber-Lozeman (Peter Parker), Theo van de Vendel (Zindane).

New Zealand: Mark Todd (Leonidas ll), Jonathan Paget (Clifton Lush), Jonelle Price (Faerie Dianimo), Clarke Johnstone (Balmoral Sensation). Reserve: Tim Price (Ringwood Sky Boy).

Russia: Aleksandr Markov (Kurfurstin), Audrey Mitin (Gurza), Evgeniya Oychinnikova (Orion).

Sweden: Sara Algotsson Ostholt (Reality 39), Ludwig Svennerstal (Aspe), Frida Andersen (Herta), Anna Nilsson (Luron). Reserve: Linda Algotsson (Fairnet).

USA: Philip Dutton (Mighty Nice), Boyd Martin (Blackfoot Mystery), Lauren Kieffer (Veronica), Clark Montgomery (Loughan Glen). Reserve: Lynn Symansky (Donner).

THE NATIONS

Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Ecuador, Finland, France, Great Britain, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, Puerto Rico, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United States of America and Zimbabwe.

All the horse/rider combinations here.

FEI OLYMPIC HUB: For further information visit the FEI Olympic Hub which is dedicated to all things Olympic and Paralympic, both old and new: here.

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Equestrian in the Olympics

Equestrian sport has been part of the Olympic Games since 1912. Team and individual medals are awarded in three disciplines – Dressage, Eventing and Jumping.

The equestrian events in Rio will be staged in the Deodoro Olympic Park, the second largest Olympic cluster, alongside basketball, BMX, canoe slalom, fencing, hockey, modern pentathlon, mountain biking, rugby sevens and shooting.

The countries represented in Equestrian in Rio are: Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Chinese Taipei, Colombia, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Morocco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Palestine, Poland, Peru, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Republic of South Africa, Russia, Spain, Switzerland, Sweden, Turkey, Ukraine, Uruguay, USA, Venezuela and Zimbabwe.

They will compete in:

Jumping: 27 countries, 15 teams, 75 horse/rider combinations
Eventing: 24 countries, 13 teams, 65 horse/rider combinations
Dressage: 25 countries, 11 teams, 60 horse/rider combinations

By Louise Parkes

Media Contacts:

Rio 2016:

Anja Krabbe
Venue Media Manager
anja.krabbe@rio2016.com
+55 (21) 97556 1218

FEI:

Shannon Gibbons
Manager Press Relations
shannon.gibbons@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 46

Ruth Grundy
Manager Press Relations
Email: ruth.grundy@fei.org
Tel: +41 787 506 145

Leanne Williams
Manager Press Relations
leanne.williams@fei.org
+41 79 314 24 38

*Featured/Spotlights, Olympic Games

Touchdown! First Olympic Horses Arrive in Rio de Janeiro

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Photo – Rio 2016/Gabriel Nascimento.

Rio de Janeiro (BRA), Saturday 30 July – The first Olympic horses are settling into their athletes’ village – the newly-built stables at the Olympic Equestrian Centre in Deodoro – with Team New Zealand’s Ringwood Skyboy winning the opening heat of the Rio 2016 Games to be the first to set foot on Brazilian soil.

It’s not just the human athletes that are flying into Brazil for Rio 2016. The Olympic horses touched down at Rio de Janeiro Galeão International Airport just before midnight last night after a near-12 hour flight from London (GBR).

The 34 Eventing horses may have been on a cargo plane, but it was a specially designed Emirates Boeing SkyCargo 777-F, and they all flew business class! And there’s no need for flat beds as horses sleep standing up, but that doesn’t stop some of them asking for extra legroom!

Just like the human athletes, they had to go through passport control (and a health check) at London Stansted Airport before boarding with their carry-on luggage and check-in bags.

Sporting the equine equivalent of flight socks (leg bandages), they received the full business class treatment, with special meals delivered by flight attendants (actually grooms), a drinks trolley (buckets) offering water (not fizzy) with a choice of mixers. Apple or carrot, sir?

Vets are also on board to ensure the precious equine cargo arrived in tip-top form. Which is important, as these four-legged athletes mean business!

Nathan Anthony, team vet for the Australian Eventing squad, was one of the six vets that flew with the horses. “Flying is actually easier on the horses than going by truck,” he said. “The only slightly difficult bit is the take-off, after that there are no bumps in the air! And we had a great captain on board who made the landing nice and smooth, and then the transfer to the Olympic stables with a police escort was really easy.”

Welcomed into Rio in the early hours of the morning, the horses were driven in specially kitted out trucks, complete with a full Federal highway police escort, under the watchful eye of Christ the Redeemer en route to the stables at the Olympic Equestrian Centre, where they rolled out the equine equivalent of a red carpet – black rubber matting!

Some of the equine stars clearly thought they were on a catwalk, with Zimbabwean horse Sam the Man strutting his stuff in a very fetching compression suit, colourfully emblazoned with his national flag. And Chilli Morning, the stallion that Britain’s London 2012 team silver medalist William Fox-Pitt will ride in Rio, was sporting an equine baseball cap, complete with sheepskin lining.

One that let his natural beauty shine without any adornments was Leonidas II, the horse that legendary Kiwi Mark Todd will ride. The 60-year-old Todd, who took individual gold at Seoul 1984 and Los Angeles 1988, is contesting his seventh Olympics and also training the Brazilian team on the side.

This in-bound flight, the first of nine during the Olympic period, transported horses from Great Britain, Ireland, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Zimbabwe, Brazil, Japan, Italy and China. And over the next couple of weeks, more than 200 horses from 43 nations will be arriving in Deodoro, ready to put in their bid for gold with their human partners in the three Olympic equestrian disciplines of Eventing, Dressage and Jumping.

More information is available (in English) from http://fei.org/fei/your-role/media.

FEI Media Contacts:

Grania Willis
Director Press Relations
grania.willis@fei.org
+41 787 506 142

Shannon Gibbons
Manager Press Relations
shannon.gibbons@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 46

Ruth Grundy
Manager Press Relations
Email: ruth.grundy@fei.org
Tel: +41 787 506 145

Leanne Williams
Manager Press Relations
leanne.williams@fei.org
+41 79 314 24 38

Eventing/H.T., Olympic Games, USEF

USEF Substitutes Horse on US Olympic Eventing Team

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Phillip Dutton and Mighty Nice (Mike McNally)

Lexington, Ky. – The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) has substituted a horse on the U.S. Olympic Eventing Team for the 2016 Rio Olympic Games. Phillip Dutton (West Grove, Pa.) has withdrawn Caroline Moran, Simon Roosevelt, and Thomas Tierney’s Fernhill Cubalawn, due to veterinary concerns. Dutton’s direct reserve, Mighty Nice, HND Group’s 2004 Irish Sport Horse gelding, will replace Fernhill Cubalawn. Fernhill Cubalawn sustained a minor injury while training and is expected to make a full recovery.

Further information regarding the U.S. Olympic Eventing Team selection process can be found on USEF.org. All nominations to the 2016 U.S. Olympic Team are subject to approval by the United States Olympic Committee.

From the USEF Communications Department