Tag Archives: Rio 2016

*Featured/Spotlights, Dressage, Olympic Games

Japan Pips South Africa by the Narrowest of Margins

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A sixth-place finish for Masanao Takahashi and Fabriano clinched a qualifying spot at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games for the Japanese team. (FEI/Karl Heinz Freiler)

Perl (GER), 12 September 2015 – There was joy and heartache in equal measure at the special Olympic qualifier staged in Gestut Peterhof in Perl, Germany yesterday where Japan pipped South Africa by the narrowest of margins for a coveted team slot at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.

In a competition that swung in favour of both sides at various stages, it seemed the result could go either way. But in the end Team Japan came out on top by just 0.06 percentage points to clinch it. There was some compensation for the disappointed South Africans when Tanya Seymour, who produced a lovely test to finish fourth in the competition with Ramoneur, earned her country one of the two individual qualifying spots on offer, the other going to Korea when Dongseon Kim finished eighth with Bukowski.

A total of 34 athletes from 17 nations lined out in the 2* Grand Prix competition staged within the framework of the CDI4* Dressage Gala at the charming German venue, and 21 were chasing the Olympic qualifying slots. There were only two countries in contention for the single team berth – Japan and South Africa – while competitors from Indonesia, Iran, Kazakhstan, Korea, Morocco, Palestine, Philippines, Singapore and Chinese Taipei also battled it out for the individual qualifying places. This special qualification event was open to competitors from FEI Olympic Groups F and G and to the FEI Olympic Group C countries Kazakhstan, Kyrgystan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.

Good start

Kazuki Sado got the Japanese effort off to a good start when posting 65.180 with the 11-year-old gelding Ziroco, and when Akane Kuroki scored 66.280 with Don Luka and Shingo Hayashi earned 65.640 with Ramses der II they already had the edge.

The South Africans, however, were chasing them hard, a big score of 68.880 from Tanya Seymour and Ramoneur seriously boosting her side’s chances when added to Denise Hallion’s 63.220 with Wervelwind, and Katherine Berning’s 63.180 with Brisbane. With three riders gone for each team, the leaderboard showed Japan out in front on a total of 197.1 but the South Africans were less than two points adrift on 195.82.

There was huge pressure on the last competitor from each side, and a great 68.420 from the final South African partnership of Nicole Smith and her 17-year-old mare, Victoria, really put it up to Japanese anchorman Masanao Takahashi.

The 33-year-old has only been partnering the experienced Fabriano for a few months now, the 16-year-old stallion previously competing at two European Championships, the London 2012 Olympic Games and the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2014 in Normandy, France with Austria’s Renate Voglsang on board. Takahashi, who was a team bronze medallist at the Asian Games in Doha, Qatar in 2006, produced progressively good results with the horse at Wiesbaden, Capelin and Verden this summer, however, and yesterday their 68.600 was good enough to fill sixth place in the competition and to swing the pendulum of good fortune in his country’s direction by the tiniest of margins.

Surprised but happy

Japanese Chef d’Equipe, Shinichi Terui, said afterwards, “I was surprised today but very happy we are going to Rio! The South Africans were very strong, and their last rider was particularly good, so in the end I think we are lucky!” However, he commended his team for their great result. “All four riders did a very good job today. They were under a lot of pressure, and I’m really happy with how they coped with that,” he pointed out.

South African Chef d’Equipe, Jenny Neill, said, “It was so tight with the marks, but I’m very pleased with our performance; our team has come so far and I am excited by how well they did today and very happy that we have qualified one individual for Rio. Hopefully we might also get another individual qualified as well. But while I’m very excited I’m also very disappointed – in the end, however, it is what it is!” she added.

She said she wasn’t surprised that Tanya Seymour had produced such a strong result to finish fourth in the class that was, predictably, dominated by German riders – Uta Graf taking top spot with Lawrence followed by Stella Roth in second with Rubin Action while Hendrik Lochthowe finished third with Maggie’s US Latin.

“Tanya can do a 69 or 70 (percent score) and Nicole (Smith) also. Our riders are all based across Europe but Tanya was born in South Africa, then her parents moved to Australia before coming to Germany. She and the other riders all come back frequently to South Africa to support our sport with clinics and training,” she explained. And in true sporting fashion, Jenny Neill concluded, “We wish the Japanese all the best; they have lovely horses and good riders.”

Full result here.

Facts and Figures:

Today’s special qualification event was open to competitors from FEI Olympic Groups F and G and to the FEI Olympic Group C countries Kazakhstan, Kyrgystan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.

2 nations were represented by teams: Japan and South Africa.

21 competitors from 11 nations competed for the Olympic qualifying spots.

Japan claimed the single team qualification spot, pipping South Africa by a narrow margin of just 0.6 percent.

2 individual qualifying spots were earned for their countries by South Africa’s Tanya Seymour who finished fourth with Ramoneur and Korea’s Dongseon Kim who finished eighth with Bukowski.

The full list of teams now qualified for Dressage at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games is: Australia, Brazil, France, Germany, Great Britain, Japan, Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and USA.

Canada and Mexico have also earned individual qualifying slots.

By Louise Parkes

Media Contacts:

Grania Willis
Director Media Relations
Grania.willis@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 42

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

FEI, Olympic Games, Show Jumping

Japan and Australia Qualify Teams, Taipei’s Wong Clinches Individual Olympic Slot

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Isheau Wong claimed an individual qualifying spot for Chinese Taipei at the Group G FEI Olympic Games qualifier staged in Hagen (GER) today. (FEI/Fotodesign gr.Feldhaus)

Hagen (GER), 25 August 2015 – Japan and Australia claimed the last two team berths in Jumping for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Group G FEI qualifier in Hagen, Germany today. And it was a big afternoon for Isheau Wong, when the 26-year-old rider from Chinese Taipei clinched the sole individual place on offer.

A total of 27 athletes from 12 nations – Australia, Brunei, Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, China, the Philippines, Korea, Singapore and Thailand – lined out in the competition staged at Hof Kasselmann. There were five countries in contention for the team qualification, and this was the biggest ever Group G qualifier. Only four countries competed in the same event in Aachen (GER) four years ago, two with teams and two individuals.

Held the lead

The Australians held the lead on an eight-fault scoreline at the end of the first round today, but they only had a single-point advantage over the Japanese in second place. The three-member Hong Kong side of Reanea Leung (Lalik), Kenneth Cheng (Jockey Club Caballo) and Jacqueline Lai (James Brown) were next in line with 24 on the board, while Chinese Taipei brought up the rear with 39. The Philippines’ Lucas Lorenzo (Lobelia), Joker A Arroya (Concept) and Marie Antoinette Leviste (Maximillian) were also only a three-strong side, so Lorenzo’s elimination left them on the sidelines at the halfway stage.

And it was three great second-round clears that clinched pole position for Japan, Toshiki Masiu recovering from a 12-fault first effort to leave the course completely intact second time out with Taloubetdarco KZ, and Daisuke Fukushima and Cornet adding nothing to their four-fault first effort. Tadahiro Hayashi and Corana’s M&M collected five faults on their first tour of the arena but when they were foot-perfect in round two the Japanese had already sealed their berth for Rio, so Taizo Sugitani and Avenzio, clear in round one, didn’t have to go again.

Disappeared from the reckoning

Australian anchor Jamie Kermond (Quite Cassini) didn’t compete either in the second half, because the rest of the opposition had disappeared from the reckoning so his country’s passage to Rio was already secured.

Elimination for Reanea Leung put paid to Hong Kong’s chances, and when Po-Hsaing Huang (Cassilia) who was eliminated in round one, didn’t return to the ring, and then Tina Lu (Cobos) was eliminated during her second effort, only Jasmine Chen (Vegas de Sainte Hermelle) and Isheau Wong (Zadarijke V) completed for Chinese Taipei.

And with just four faults to her scoreline, collected at the water jump in the second round, Wong found herself in a two-way battle with New Zealand’s Samantha McIntosh in the battle for the individual qualifying spot.

It was something of a dilemma for Wong. “Sam was my trainer for a long time so I had very mixed feelings about the fact that we were up against each other. We would always both want the best for each other, but today I had to be her rival on the field of play. I didn’t see her round against the clock so I just tried to be as fast as I could!” the Dutch-based rider explained afterwards. Breaking the beam in 36.38 seconds she was more than three seconds quicker than the considerably more experienced Kiwi contender.

Talking about her 11-year-old Dutch mare, Zadarijke V, Wong said, “I got her two years ago; she was competing with a Young Rider and had never done anything very big. She’s bred for dressage, not jumping, but from the very start we were the perfect match. We have formed a great partnership, and I have to thank her for everything!” the rider said.

Interesting link

There was an interesting link between the Rio-bound individual rider and the winning Japanese team. “I don’t have a trainer just now, but I used to train with Taizo Sugitani and went back to him for a few lessons before coming here and it really helped me. It’s great that now both of us are qualified for Olympics!” Wong said.

Japanese Chef d’Equipe, Hirokazu Higashira, was thrilled with his side’s performance. “Our aim was to win and to qualify for Rio and we did exactly what we came here to do!” he said. About his team, he continued, “All of our riders are based in Europe and Toshiki is with Piet Raymakers in Netherlands and has been competing in the Global Champions Tour. Taizo has a lot of experience and the other two are still young, but they are very talented,” he added.

Delighted

Australian Chef d’Equipe, Irishman Stevie Macken, was delighted with the result posted by Edwina Tops-Alexander (Lintea Tequila), Scott Keach (Fedor), Julia Hargreaves (Vedor) and Jamie Kermond (Quite Cassini) who completed on a 20-fault tally. “There was a lot of pressure here today, and they handled the pressure well enough and we achieved our goal, although on the day the Japanese were a better team,” he said. About his side, he explained, “Edwina’s horse had been going very well and competed in the Grand Prix at Valkenswaard last week, and Jamie was at the World Equestrian Games last year. Julia jumped really good today and Scott Keach is fairly new to us, but he has a lot of experience; he competed as an eventing rider at the Olympic Games in Seoul,” Macken explained.

Based in Ocala in Florida, USA, 50-year-old Keach is making quite a come-back, it seems. “His horse is a nine-year-old with lots of potential, although he was a bit flat today. He travelled over from the US a week or two ago and maybe the travelling contributed to that, but Scott and his horse will be staying over and will compete in Barcelona,” said Macken, referring to the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping Final 2015 which begins on 23 September.

Full result here.

Facts and Figures:

27 athletes from 12 nations – Australia, Brunei, Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, China, the Philippines, Korea, Singapore and Thailand – lined out in today’s Olympic qualifying competition for athletes from Group G.

5 nations were represented by teams: Australia, Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong, Japan and Philippines.

Japan and Australia claimed the two available team qualifying spots.

Isheau Wong from Chinese Taipei claimed the single individual qualifying slot.

The full list of teams now qualified for Jumping at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games is: Australia, Argentina, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Great Britain, Japan, Netherlands, Qatar, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine and USA.

By Louise Parkes

Media Contacts:

Grania Willis
Director Media Relations
Grania.willis@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 42

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

Art/Photography, Community/Charity, Dressage, Eventing/H.T., Olympic Games, Para-Equestrian, Publications/Media, Show Jumping

Rio 2016 FEI Reportage Photobook – Share and Enjoy

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Lausanne (SUI), 13 August 2015 – The Rio 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games are now just around the corner, and to celebrate the first Games to be held in South America, the International Equestrian Federation (Fédération Equestre Internationale, FEI) has specially commissioned a stunning online Rio 2016 FEI Reportage photobook.

The Rio 2016 FEI Reportage photobook – www.fei.org/reportage/rio2016testevent – celebrates the passion, joy and athleticism of Olympic and Paralympic Equestrian at Rio, where the sport will mark 104 years in the Olympic movement and 20 years in the Paralympic Movement, and all in one of the most culturally diverse countries in the world.

Images by Raphael Macek

All images in the Rio 2016 FEI Reportage photobook are by Brazilian photographer Raphael Macek. His father, a veterinarian and horse breeder, instilled a passion and love for animals in in him from a young age. After graduating with a fine art degree from New York Institute of Photography, it was not long before Macek’s inspiration turned back to his family roots. Macek now travels the world capturing the beauty and emotions of animals and horses.

Share & enjoy #Rio2016 images

All images in the Rio 2016 FEI Reportage photobook can be shared on Facebook and Twitter with the hashtag #Rio2016.

The Rio 2016 Olympic equestrian action gets underway the day after the Opening Ceremony on 5 August 2016. The world’s best horses and riders will compete for medals in the Olympic disciplines of Eventing, Dressage and Jumping over 12 days of intense competition at the Olympic Equestrian Centre in the Deodoro Olympic Park.

Para-Equestrian Dressage is then set to be a major highlight at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games, which start on 7 September, and promise to be the largest celebration yet of high-performance sport for people with an impairment.

rio2Equestrian at Deodoro Olympic Park

The Deodoro Olympic Park is the second largest Rio 2016 Games cluster. Deodoro’s nine venues will host the Olympic sports of basketball, BMX, canoe slalom, fencing, hockey, modern pentathlon, mountain biking, rugby sevens, shooting and the Paralympic sports of wheelchair fencing, Football 7-a-side and shooting alongside Jumping, Dressage, Eventing, and Para-Equestrian Dressage: www.rio2016.org/en/the-games/map-of-the-venues-0.

Rio 2016 Olympic Games – qualified nations

Brazil, as host nation, earns automatic team qualification for Rio 2016. Full details on qualified nations will be updated at http://fei.org/fei/games/olympic/rio-2016 & www.fei.org/fei/games/paralympic/rio-2016. The following nations have so far qualified Olympic team spots for Rio 2016 Olympic Games:

Jumping: Argentina, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Netherlands, Sweden, Ukraine, USA, Qatar
Dressage: Australia, Brazil, Germany, Great Britain, Netherlands, USA
Eventing: Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, Great Britain, Ireland, Netherlands, USA

The remaining equestrian team places at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games will be decided at continental qualifiers, including the FEI European Championships in Aachen (Dressage and Jumping) and the Longines FEI European Eventing Championships in Blair Castle (GBR), while individual places will be decided according to world rankings.

FEI Media contact:

Ruth Grundy
Manager Press Relations
ruth.grundy@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 45

Eventing/H.T., FEI, Olympic Games

Aquece Rio Equestrian Test Event Provides Ideal Preparation for 2016 Olympic Games

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Marcio Jorge (BRA) and Coronel MCJ, who claimed gold at the Rio 2016 test event – the Aquece Rio International Horse Trials – held at the Deodoro Olympic Equestrian Centre, was among those that gave the test event the “thumbs up”. (FEI/Raphael Macek)

Lausanne (SUI), 10 August 2015 – The Aquece Rio International Horse Trials, the test event that wound to a close at the Deodoro Olympic Equestrian Centre yesterday, has been widely acknowledged as a successful preparation for next year’s Rio 2016 Olympic Games, with the opportunity to test field of play, stabling and cross country operations.

Also tested were results, scoring and timing technology, training facilities, veterinary and medical services, sanitary and biosecurity procedures, anti-doping (human and equine), accreditation and media operations.

IOC Director Gilbert Felli, who was in Rio for the one-year-to-go celebrations and to check in on the test event programme, said he was happy with how things had run at Deodoro for the equestrian test event.

“We are very happy with the test event,” he said. “It’s an excellent tool to put the team together and it’s where you start to build up the team through integration of the different parties – sport, government and the organising committee. It’s why we do a test event, so that we can correct things and make sure everybody understands everything for next year, and Rio has delivered on that.”

Tim Hadaway, FEI Director, Games & Championships, also felt that the test event had been hugely beneficial. “We’ve seen great progress with infrastructure completed in time for the test event and an efficient competition delivered,” he said. “However, there is still a lot of work to do to scale the venue up for next year and to ensure the standard of facilities, services and general experience for our human and equine athlete is of a true Olympic standard in 2016.”

Mike Laleune, General Manager of the Deodoro Olympic Park, which is hosting 15 sports across the Olympic and Paralympic Games, commented from the Rio 2016 Organising Committee perspective. “Overall, I’m very pleased with the results of the equestrian test event,” he said. “It culminates many months of hard work and preparation. More importantly, it gives us a very clear idea what areas require improvement in order to deliver the Olympic and Paralympic competitions next year.”

Ataide Pereira, Sports Manager at the Deodoro Olympic Equestrian venue, was pleased with the way the competition had tested so many operational aspects. “I’m very happy with how the test event went, and I want to say a big thank you to my team who worked so hard to produce the results we had here this week, and to the volunteers that helped us so much. But we have a lot of work still to do to achieve the standard we need for the Games. The best athletes in the world will be here next year, so we need to have the best facilities for them and for their horses, so that they can produce the best results.”

Ruy Fonseca (BRA), team silver and individual bronze medallist at the Toronto 2015 Pan American Games, had planned to ride at the test event but his horse Quaint Normand was not accepted at the first horse inspection. Fonseca stayed on-site to support his team mates in the competition.

“I was here three years ago and thought we need to do a lot of work on the place to make it an Olympic venue,” he said, “but I’ve been very impressed with what’s been done, the effort that’s been put into the venue and how amazing it looks already, 12 months out from the Games. And I’ve heard the same comments from everybody.

“For sure things still need to be done, things need to be polished up, but in my view it’ll be a very special Games. It’s the first in South America and it’s going to provide a really important legacy for our continent for all sports, not just for equestrian. The equestrian venue is one of the best I’ve seen and hopefully it will keep going after the Games as part of the legacy, not just for Brazil but for the whole continent.”

Lars Roepstorff, the FEI appointed footing analyst, was in Deodoro to conduct scientific testing on the all-weather footing. “The material and installation definitely has the potential to provide excellent footing for next year’s Olympic Games,” he said, “but it is vital that the correct maintenance is done over the next 12 months, right up to and during the Games. Everything is in place for excellent Olympic competition next year and as it’s a pre-existing equestrian facility, all our athletes – human and equine – will be really well looked after.”

An official Observers Programme was run concurrently with the Test Event, with representatives from 16 National Olympic Committees and National Federations attending three-days of presentations and meetings.

Australia, Brazil, Canada, Czech Republic, Finland, France, Great Britain, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Switzerland, Sweden and the United States of America all sent delegations to Rio, and the general consensus was that the Observers Programme had been extremely informative.

Will Connell, USEF Director of Sport Programs, commented: “The observers programme, from the equestrian side, has given us everything we need, and it was probably more beneficial being here without horses than with them, as we’ve able to get on with things and go to meetings.

“Having seen this venue for the first time back in 2011, the development and progression has been pleasantly surprising, and they deserve great credit for what’s been achieved. There are of course areas that need working on, but it was encouraging that these had already been identified by the venue management team. They’re not big things and are easily curable. If they carry on developing the venue at this rate it will be one of the best Olympic and Paralympic venues we’ve seen.”

#1yeartogo #Rio2016

Equestrian at Deodoro Olympic Park

The Deodoro Olympic Park is the second largest Rio 2016 Games cluster. Deodoro’s nine venues will host the Olympic sports of basketball, BMX, canoe slalom, fencing, hockey, modern pentathlon, mountain biking, rugby sevens, shooting and the Paralympic sports of wheelchair fencing, Football 7-a-side and shooting alongside Jumping, Dressage, Eventing, and Para-Equestrian Dressage: www.rio2016.org/en/the-games/map-of-the-venues-0.

Rio 2016 Olympic Games – qualified nations

Brazil, as host nation, earns automatic team qualification for Rio 2016. Full details on qualified nations will be updated at http://fei.org/fei/games/olympic/rio-2016 (see “Qualification System” link per discipline). The following nations have so far qualified team spots for Rio 2016:

Jumping: Argentina, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Netherlands, Sweden, Ukraine, USA, Qatar
Dressage: Australia, Brazil, Germany, Great Britain, Netherlands, USA
Eventing: Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, Great Britain, Ireland, Netherlands, USA

The remaining equestrian team places at Rio 2016 will be decided at continental qualifiers, while individual places will be decided according to world rankings. All athletes competing at the Games must obtain the minimum eligibility requirements.

Share images, video, experiences using hashtags #1yeartogo & #Rio2016.

Rio 2016 Organising Committee is also making images, video, athlete quotes and news available on www.rio2016.com/en and Rio 2016 social media channels. Images of the Rio 2016 Organising Committee programmes and events can also be accessed through the dedicated press room: http://goo.gl/y7dDZs and videos of the Rio 2016 venues and transformations taking place across the city can be found on the Rio City Hall ´Cidade Olimpica´ website: www.cidadeolimpica.com.br/en.

FEI Media contacts:

Ruth Grundy
Manager Press Relations
ruth.grundy@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 45

Malina Gueorguiev
Manager Press Relations
malina.gueorguiev@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 33

*Featured/Spotlights, Eventing/H.T., Olympic Games, Show Jumping

Jorge Claims Emotional Gold at Aquece Rio Equestrian Test Event

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Marcio Jorge (BRA) and Coronel MCJ on their way to a flawless Jumping round to claim gold at the Aquece Rio International Horse Trials, the test event held at the Deodoro Olympic Equestrian Centre. (FEI/Raphael Macek)

Lausanne (SUI), 9 August 2015 – Marcio Jorge (BRA) and Coronel MCJ were popular and convincing winners of the Aquece Rio International Horse Trials, the test event that wound to a close at the Deodoro Olympic Equestrian Centre today. In front of a huge contingent of voluble fans, Jorge steered the talented grey to a supremely confident clear over the coloured fences to claim victory – and the gold medal – by a huge margin over runner-up Marcio Appel (Cross Rock), with Marcelo Tosi (Glenfly) in bronze.

Jorge had taken over the lead after cruising round Saturday’s cross country course well inside the time, but had only a slim 2.7 penalty lead over his main rival and compatriot Marcelo Tosi going into the final day. But Jorge and Coronel never faltered in today’s Jumping phase to complete on the mark of 44.5 that they earned in the Dressage two days earlier. The winners were the only pair to finish on their Dressage score, leaving them 18.8 penalties – four fences – clear of the opposition.

Going into the Jumping test, Marcelo Tosi had a three-fence advantage over Marcio Appel, and looked set to claim silver, but Glenfly took a brick out of the wall at the third and then lowered poles from a further four fences to rack up 20 penalties and drop to bronze.

Marcio Appel and Cross Rock faulted only once, kicking out the top rail at the Brazilian green and yellow triple bar and, with a final score of 63.3, held on for the silver ahead of Tosi. And Appel’s good form continued, as he also slotted his second ride, Iberon Jmen, into fourth with a clear Jumping round, overtaking Nilson Da Silva and Tiger Lu who added eight faults to their total when taking out the first two parts of the combination.

After the presentation ceremony, with medals presented by Nawal el Moutawakel, Chair of the IOD Coordination Commission for Rio 2016, and the lap of honour, Marcio Jorge talked of his determination to be a part of the Brazilian team for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.

“There’s strong competition to get in the team and it will be a tough selection, but we’re in a good position now as we had very few at this level in the past and we had no substitutes,” he said. “The Rio 2016 legacy will be spectacular, not only for equestrian, but for all other sports. It will be a great incentive to get a new generation into sport. And of course it also helps the high-performance athletes. I think the Olympics will leave us among the best sporting countries.”

Silver medallist Marcio Appel was bullish about Brazil’s chances of a place on the medal podium next year. “We have a real shot at an Olympic medal. Since the last Olympic Games, we’ve been training really hard and a lot of investment has gone into the team. Having the Olympic Games here in Brazil means that you’re a lot happier to get up early in the morning and work hard.”

With only Brazilian horses competing at the Test Event it was always going to be a victory for the host country, but the quality of the competition, and the impressive Deodoro venue with its dedicated back of house team and welcoming volunteers was a win for Brazil too. Roll on Rio 2016!

Aquece Rio International Horse Trials (final results) – 1, Coronel MCJ (Marcio Jorge), BRA, 44.5 penalties; 2, Cross Rock (Marcio Appel), BRA, 63.3; 3, Glenfly (Marcelo Tosi), BRA, 67.2; 4, Iberon Jmen (Marcio Appel), BRA, 68.4; 5, Tiger Lu (Nilson da Silva), BRA, 72.1; 6, Estiva TW (Serguei Fofanoff), BRA, 72.1.

#1yeartogo #Rio2016

Equestrian at Deodoro Olympic Park

The Deodoro Olympic Park is the second largest Rio 2016 Games cluster. Deodoro’s nine venues will host the Olympic sports of basketball, BMX, canoe slalom, fencing, hockey, modern pentathlon, mountain biking, rugby sevens, shooting and the Paralympic sports of wheelchair fencing, Football 7-a-side and shooting alongside Jumping, Dressage, Eventing, and Para-Equestrian Dressage: www.rio2016.org/en/the-games/map-of-the-venues-0.

Rio 2016 Olympic Games – qualified nations

Brazil, as host nation, earns automatic team qualification for Rio 2016. Full details on qualified nations will be updated at http://fei.org/fei/games/olympic/rio-2016 (see “Qualification System” link per discipline). The following nations have so far qualified team spots for Rio 2016:

Jumping: Argentina, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Netherlands, Sweden, Ukraine, USA, Qatar
Dressage: Australia, Brazil, Germany, Great Britain, Netherlands, USA
Eventing: Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, Great Britain, Ireland, Netherlands, USA

The remaining equestrian team places at Rio 2016 will be decided at continental qualifiers, while individual places will be decided according to world rankings. All athletes competing at the Games must obtain the minimum eligibility requirements.

Share images, video, experiences using hashtags #1yeartogo & #Rio2016.

Rio 2016 Organising Committee is also making images, video, athlete quotes and news available on www.rio2016.com/en and Rio 2016 social media channels. Images of the Rio 2016 Organising Committee programmes and events can also be accessed through the dedicated press room: http://goo.gl/y7dDZs and videos of the Rio 2016 venues and transformations taking place across the city can be found on the Rio City Hall ´Cidade Olimpica´ website: www.cidadeolimpica.com.br/en.

FEI Media contacts:

Ruth Grundy
Manager Press Relations
ruth.grundy@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 45

Malina Gueorguiev
Manager Press Relations
malina.gueorguiev@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 33

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

Tosi Tops the Field in Aquece Rio Equestrian Test Event

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Under the sun: Rio 2016 Olympic Games Test Event – the Aquece Rio International Horse Trials – off to a great start with the Dressage phase of Eventing at the Olympic Equestrian Centre today in Deodoro. (Raphael Macek)

Lausanne (SUI), 7 August 2015 – Marcelo Tosi (BRA) performed the winning test in the Aquece Rio International Horse Trials after a supremely confident Dressage performance with the 11-year-old Briefing DB Z in the Olympic Equestrian Centre today.

Tosi, who celebrates his 46th birthday next Friday, performed to a soundtrack of Mozart clarinet concerto to score 37.60 and secure a 6.9 penalty lead over compatriot Marcio Jorge with the impressive grey Coronel MCJ, but Tosi has decided not to ride Briefing in tomorrow’s Cross Country. He has a second chance of success, however, as he is also in third with Glenfly on 47.2, while Jorge, who was a member of the silver medal team at last month’s Pan American Games in Toronto (CAN), is fourth with Winner on a mark of 48.8.

Tosi, who competes in all three Olympic disciplines – Eventing, Jumping and Dressage – was based in Great Britain for four years, but moved back to Brazil last October in preparation for next year’s home Games.

Like the rest of the Brazilian team, Tosi is trained by Anna Ross for Dressage and double Olympic gold medallist Mark Todd for Cross Country and Jumping. Briefing, which finished 10th in the test event for last year’s Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ is a world-class horse, according to Todd, and Tosi hopes he’ll be his ride at next year’s Rio 2016 Olympic Games. “The Olympics will be great; having them in your own country, it keeps us motivated.”

Tosi enjoys a friendly rivalry with team mate Marcio Jorge: “We’re friends in and out of the arena. We always try to beat each other; it’s the best way to improve. There aren’t lots of riders at the same level to compete with here like in Europe, so it’s great to have him to compete with.”

Marcio Jorge will be first out on the Cross Country tomorrow, with the first of his two rides Winner, when the action kicks off at 10.00. Pierre Michelet’s track covers much of the same ground as that being prepared for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, but at 3.1km is substantially less than the distance horses and riders will tackle next year.

Aquece Rio International Horse Trials (Olympic Test Event) – 1, Briefing DB Z (Marcelo Tosi), BRA, 37.6 penalties; 2, Coronel MCJ (Marcio Jorge), BRA, 44.5; 3, Glenfly (Marcelo Tosi), BRA, 47.2; 4, Winner (Marcio Jorge), BRA, 48.8; equal 5, CDC Super Star (Andre Paro, BRA and Cross Rock (Marcio Appel), 52.5.

#1yeartogo #Rio2016

Equestrian at Deodoro Olympic Park

The Deodoro Olympic Park is the second largest Rio 2016 Games cluster. Deodoro’s nine venues will host the Olympic sports of basketball, BMX, canoe slalom, fencing, hockey, modern pentathlon, mountain biking, rugby sevens, shooting and the Paralympic sports of wheelchair fencing, Football 7-a-side and shooting alongside Jumping, Dressage, Eventing, and Para-Equestrian Dressage: www.rio2016.org/en/the-games/map-of-the-venues-0.

Rio 2016 Olympic Games – qualified nations

Brazil, as host nation, earns automatic team qualification for Rio 2016. Full details on qualified nations will be updated at http://fei.org/fei/games/olympic/rio-2016 (see “Qualification System” link per discipline). The following nations have so far qualified team spots for Rio 2016:

Jumping: Argentina, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Netherlands, Sweden, Ukraine, USA, Qatar
Dressage: Australia, Brazil, Germany, Great Britain, Netherlands, USA
Eventing: Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, Great Britain, Ireland, Netherlands, USA

The remaining equestrian team places at Rio 2016 will be decided at continental qualifiers, while individual places will be decided according to world rankings. All athletes competing at the Games must obtain the minimum eligibility requirements.

Rio 2016 useful links:
www.rio2016.com/en/the-games/olympic
https://twitter.com/rio2016_en
www.facebook.com/rio2016
www.youtube.com/rio2016
https://instagram.com/rio2016

Share images, video, experiences using hashtags #1yeartogo & #Rio2016.

Rio 2016 Organising Committee is also making images, video, athlete quotes and news available on www.rio2016.com/en and Rio 2016 social media channels. Images of the Rio 2016 Organising Committee programmes and events can also be accessed through the dedicated press room: http://goo.gl/y7dDZs and videos of the Rio 2016 venues and transformations taking place across the city can be found on the Rio City Hall ´Cidade Olimpica´ website: www.cidadeolimpica.com.br/en.

FEI Media contacts:

Ruth Grundy
Manager Press Relations
ruth.grundy@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 45

Malina Gueorguiev
Manager Press Relations
malina.gueorguiev@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 33

Dressage, Eventing/H.T., FEI, Olympic Games, Show Jumping

Rio 2016 Equestrian Test Event Underway

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The Rio 2016 Olympic equestrian test event is underway. After yesterday’s horse inspection (pictured – Brazilian Olympic athlete Marcelo Tosi with Glenfly), the Dressage phase takes place today (7 August), followed by Cross Country on Saturday (8 August) and the final Jumping phase on Sunday (9 August), all in the stunning Deodoro Olympic Park venue. (Raphael Macek)

Lausanne (SUI), 7 August 2015 – At Rio 2016 equestrian sport will celebrate 104 years in the Olympic movement at the first Games to be held in South America.

The world’s best horses and riders will compete for medals in the Olympic disciplines of Eventing, Dressage and Jumping over 12 days of intense competition at the Olympic Equestrian Centre in the Deodoro Olympic Park.

Brazilian photographer Raphael Macek is working with the International Equestrian Federation (Fédération Equestre Internationale – FEI) on his home turf, putting the spotlight on Olympic Equestrian in Rio and on a sport he adores (http://raphaelmacek.com/horse-photographer-about).

Share Equestrian’s 1 Year to Go video: “365 Days ‘til Heroes Are Made”: https://goo.gl/0H6Sti.

#1yeartogo #Rio2016 #Falta1ano @myfei_home @olympics English: @Rio2016_en Português:@rio2016 Español: @rio2016_es

Equestrian at Deodoro Olympic Park

The Deodoro Olympic Park is the second largest Rio 2016 Games cluster. Deodoro’s nine venues will host the Olympic sports of basketball, BMX, canoe slalom, fencing, hockey, modern pentathlon, mountain biking, rugby sevens, shooting and the Paralympic sports of wheelchair fencing, Football 7-a-side and shooting alongside Jumping, Dressage, Eventing, and Para-Equestrian Dressage: www.rio2016.org/en/the-games/map-of-the-venues-0.

Rio 2016 Olympic Games – qualified nations

Brazil, as host nation, earns automatic team qualification for Rio 2016. Full details on qualified nations will be updated at http://fei.org/fei/games/olympic/rio-2016 (see “Qualification System” link per discipline). The following nations have so far qualified team spots for Rio 2016:

Jumping: Argentina, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Netherlands, Sweden, Ukraine, USA, Qatar
Dressage: Australia, Brazil, Germany, Great Britain, Netherlands, USA
Eventing: Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, Great Britain, Ireland, Netherlands, USA

The remaining equestrian team places at Rio 2016 will be decided at continental qualifiers, while individual places will be decided according to world rankings. All athletes competing at the Games must obtain the minimum eligibility requirements.

Rio 2016 useful links:
www.rio2016.com/en/the-games/olympic
https://twitter.com/rio2016_en
www.facebook.com/rio2016
www.youtube.com/rio2016
https://instagram.com/rio2016

Share images, video, experiences using hashtags #1yeartogo & #Rio2016.

Rio 2016 Organising Committee is also making images, video, athlete quotes and news available on www.rio2016.com/en and Rio 2016 social media channels. Images of the Rio 2016 Organising Committee programmes and events can also be accessed through the dedicated press room: http://goo.gl/y7dDZs and videos of the Rio 2016 venues and transformations taking place across the city can be found on the Rio City Hall ´Cidade Olimpica´ website: www.cidadeolimpica.com.br/en.

About Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) www.fei.org

The FEI is the world governing body for horse sport recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and was founded in 1921. Equestrian sport has been part of the Olympic movement since the 1912 Games in Stockholm. The FEI is the sole controlling authority for all international events in the Olympic sports of Jumping, Dressage and Eventing, as well as Driving, Endurance, Vaulting and Reining. The FEI became one of the first international sports governing bodies to govern and regulate global para sport alongside its seven able-bodied disciplines when Para-Equestrian Dressage joined its ranks in 2006. The FEI now governs all international competitions for Para-Equestrian Dressage and Para-Driving.

FEI Media contacts:

Ruth Grundy
Manager Press Relations
ruth.grundy@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 45

Malina Gueorguiev
Manager Press Relations
malina.gueorguiev@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 33

Dressage, Eventing/H.T., FEI, Olympic Games, Show Jumping

Equestrian Sport Joins One-Year Countdown to Rio 2016 Celebrations

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The Rio 2016 Olympic equestrian action gets underway on 6 August 2016. As always, Eventing will open the Olympic equestrian sports, and the Cross Country phase will be a huge attraction in the Deodoro Olympic Park venue with a course featuring stunning water jumps. (Gustavo Nascimento)

Lausanne (SUI), 5 August 2015 – Today marks the one-year countdown to the Opening Ceremony of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, where equestrian sport will celebrate 104 years in the Olympic movement at the first Games to be held in South America.

The world’s best horses and riders will compete for medals in the Olympic disciplines of Eventing, Dressage and Jumping over 12 days of intense competition at the Olympic Equestrian Centre at Deodoro.

The Rio 2016 Olympic equestrian action gets underway the day after the Opening Ceremony on 5 August. As always, Eventing opens the Olympic equestrian sport, and it is Eventing that features in the Aquece Rio (“Warm Up Rio”) test event, which starts tomorrow.

While this week’s test event is limited to Brazilian horses, a total of 200 equestrian athletes will join 10,300 athletes from 206 National Olympic Committees at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, which run from 5-21 August with 19 days of world-class sport.

“The world’s biggest sporting event is now just a year away,” FEI Director, Eventing & Olympic, Catrin Norinder said. “Our venue at Deodoro is absolutely stunning and we’re all set for this week’s test event, now that we’ve marked the one-year countdown to the Games. We’re all really looking forward to seeing equestrian sport, one of the only Olympic sports in which men and women compete against each other and which involves two athletes, the horse and the rider, at Rio 2016. The road to Rio is now a major focus in our sport, with qualifying events ongoing around the world.”

Rio-bound

Ten nations have so far qualified Jumping teams for Rio, with six nations through for Dressage. The next major opportunity for European nations to qualify for the Jumping and Dressage at Rio 2016 will be the FEI European Championships at Aachen (GER), which starts in just six days (11 August).

Eight nations have already booked their team Eventing slots for Rio, and all eyes are next on the Longines FEI European Eventing Championships at Blair Castle on 10-13 September. This event, which takes place in the grounds of Scotland’s most-visited castle, forms part of UK Sport’s £40 million National Lottery funded events programme, which is helping to build a strong legacy from the London 2012 Olympic Games and the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games.

#1yeartogo #Rio2016

“Rio de Janeiro will be the focus of the sporting world’s attention next year, when it becomes the first South American city to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games,” FEI President Ingmar De Vos said.

“Staged in one of the most culturally diverse countries in the world, the Games are going to be really spectacular. Rio will be making full use of its world-famous landmarks, just as London did, and equestrian sport will be rubbing shoulders with other exciting sports at Deodoro, including basketball, fencing, hockey, mountain biking, BMX, canoe slalom and rugby sevens.

“We are experiencing massive growth in equestrian sport around the world, and Rio will be our perfect platform, putting equestrian in the limelight at the greatest sporting event on the planet.”

Share Equestrian’s 1 Year to Go video: “365 Days ‘til Heroes Are Made”: https://goo.gl/0H6Sti

#1yeartogo #Rio2016 #Falta1ano @myfei_home @olympics English: @Rio2016_en Português:@rio2016 Español: @rio2016_es

Equestrian at Deodoro Olympic Park

The Deodoro Olympic Park is the second largest Rio 2016 Games cluster. Deodoro’s nine venues will host the Olympic sports of basketball, BMX, canoe slalom, fencing, hockey, modern pentathlon, mountain biking, rugby sevens, shooting and the Paralympic sports of wheelchair fencing, Football 7-a-side and shooting alongside Jumping, Dressage, Eventing, and Para-Equestrian Dressage: www.rio2016.org/en/the-games/map-of-the-venues-0.

Rio 2016 Olympic Games – qualified nations

Brazil, as host nation, earns automatic team qualification for Rio 2016. Full details on qualified nations will be updated at http://fei.org/fei/games/olympic/rio-2016 (see “Qualification System” link per discipline). The following nations have so far qualified team spots for Rio 2016:

Jumping: Argentina, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Netherlands, Sweden, Ukraine, USA, Qatar
Dressage: Australia, Brazil, Germany, Great Britain, Netherlands, USA
Eventing: Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, Great Britain, Ireland, Netherlands, USA

The remaining equestrian team places at Rio 2016 will be decided at continental qualifiers, while individual places will be decided according to world rankings. All athletes competing at the Games must obtain the minimum eligibility requirements.

Rio 2016 useful links:
www.rio2016.com/en/the-games/olympic
https://twitter.com/rio2016_en
www.facebook.com/rio2016
www.youtube.com/rio2016
https://instagram.com/rio2016

Share images, video, experiences using hashtags #1yeartogo & #Rio2016.

Rio 2016 Organising Committee is also making images, video, athlete quotes and news available on www.rio2016.com/en and Rio 2016 social media channels. Images of the Rio 2016 Organising Committee programmes and events can also be accessed through the dedicated press room: http://goo.gl/y7dDZs and videos of the Rio 2016 venues and transformations taking place across the city can be found on the Rio City Hall ´Cidade Olimpica´ website: www.cidadeolimpica.com.br/en.

About Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) www.fei.org

The FEI is the world governing body for horse sport recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and was founded in 1921. Equestrian sport has been part of the Olympic movement since the 1912 Games in Stockholm. The FEI is the sole controlling authority for all international events in the Olympic sports of Jumping, Dressage and Eventing, as well as Driving, Endurance, Vaulting and Reining. The FEI became one of the first international sports governing bodies to govern and regulate global para sport alongside its seven able-bodied disciplines when Para-Equestrian Dressage joined its ranks in 2006. The FEI now governs all international competitions for Para-Equestrian Dressage and Para-Driving.

FEI Media contacts:

Ruth Grundy
Manager Press Relations
ruth.grundy@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 45

Malina Gueorguiev
Manager Press Relations
malina.gueorguiev@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 33