The horse inspection for the eventing element of the Games went ahead without any hiccups today. On a bright, clear day, the various teams congregated in the arena before the park’s maritime museum to trot up their horses before the ground jury.
It was great to see newbie and former second reserve Sam Griffiths take his place on the Olympic team after the withdrawal of first reserve Megan Jones.
Heading down the short side of the arena space, the riders aimed for a large, decorative flower pot at the end of the trot up strip, with just a few horses of the total of 75 (from all nations) being re-presented.
The teams all looked smart and patriotic, although in my mind the best turned out teams included the Canadians, with the ladies in their chic navy and white dresses and red pumps, and also the Belgians, with their dark suits with red piping. Belgium’s Virginie Caulier surely took the biscuit in terms of preparation and ultimate turn out, with her groom using a body brush to tidy up Virginie’s shoes, as well as her horse’s feet, before the trot up took place!
The full Australian team is now -
- Chris Burton and Holstein Park Leilani
- Andrew Hoy and Rutherglen
- Clayton Fredericks and Bendigo
- Lucinda Fredericks and Flying Finish
- Sam Griffiths and Happy Times
A pivotal phase
Thoughts now turn to the cross country course itself, designed by Sue Benson. Benson's 6km course promises to be the pivotal phase of the competition.
“I was engaged to build the course five years ago, and realised what a unique site it was,' she said today of Greenwich Park. “It's inspirational.”
Sue’s choice of jumps is very evocative of London and also Great Britain. My favourites include the chestnut log complex, fence five, which complements the abundance of chestnut trees in Greenwich Park. “The jumps are heavy, so siting them accurately became a challenge, as we needed to minimize ground damage,” Sue told me. (As I looked around the chestnut logs complex ahead of the competitions, some tame squirrels came to meet me and see if I had any food – let’s hope they steer clear of the jumps later on!)
Another wonderful obstacle is the water complex, a temporary feature at fence 8 abc. It has been built above ground to avoid earth penetration, and features a model of Badger, from the Wind in the Willows stories. The wood is reclaimed African Opepe timber.
Sue says the fences are currently the property of the London Organising Committee, but that the British Equestrian Federation will be taking over their ownership and will distribute some of them at UK horse trials events after the Games, including at Burghley.
