From dressage dramas to family ties and fake winners, we take a look at 10 things to keep an eye out for during the eventing at Rio
Michael Jung’s horse at the presentation
Which one is La Biosthetique Sam?
Yes, it seems presumptuous but....!!
At the presentation for the 2016 Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials Michael Jung swopped horses. He entered the arena on his winning horse La Biosthetique Sam and did one lap, then exited to return on another horse, a borrowed hunter wearing the famous rug who took the accolades at the presentation in Sam’s place
Kiwis wearing safety helmets
"If you wear one of my hats guys you might win gold" Charlotte Dujardin Photo: Kit Houghton/FEI
Since the announcement by Equestrian Sports New Zealand that top hats have been banned from eventing competition, we assume that the Kiwi competitors will be following their country’s new rule and will don safety helmets. All the team members have previously competed in top hats so it will be a new look for them however no doubt Sir Mark Todd’s dressage coach Charlotte Dujardin, who really brought safety headwear into focus at London 2012, will be pleased
Dressage dramas
Tina Cook was only worried about her top hat
We know that the cross country will be fast and thrilling with some highly unexpected twists and turns for some riders and that the show jumping day has us on the edge of our seats (see below), but the dressage, isn’t that pretty tame?
Well, not at London 2012 where the heavens opened, the thunder rolled and Kristina Cook showed how Brits deal with rain and minor problems such as parts of the judges’ boxes coming apart as she performed her test completely unfazed (earlier this year at the International Eventing Forum, Tina was asked by Lucinda Green what was going through her mind at the time and Tina replied that, as she doesn’t have an indoor arena and her horses are used to things flying around in the wind and rain, she just got on with it adding “I just didn’t want my hat to blow off”. Sterling stuff)
Another drama ensued from this when the Ground Jury held the riders after Tina whilst the weather settled and the judges’ boxes checked. Andrew Nicholson was furious at the delay and blamed the judges’ decision for a test which was below his normal standard
In Hong Kong (Beijing Olympics 2008) Australia’s Shane Rose experienced one of those dressage tests you would rather forget when his horse All Luck appeared to have a bug in his ear and spent most of his time in the arena with his nose in the air and his head tilted in an attempt to get rid of the offending insect. So, if you’re planning to go do some shopping while the dressage is on, you might miss out on something interesting ........
First time for Zimbabwe
Camilla (Millie) Kruger and Sam the Man at Boekelo 2015
Zimbabwe will be sending a combination to compete in eventing at an Olympic Games for the first time at Rio. 29 year old Camilla Kruger, who was born in Zimbabwe but is based in England will be competing as the first equestrian competitor for Zimbabwe with her 10 year old gelding Biarritz II, also known as Sam the Man.
Biarritz II was sourced from Richmond Sport Horses who also found Kitty King’s Rio ride Ceylor LAN for her
Watch Camilla and Biarritz II at Rockingham International Horse Trials #XCVideo
Family ties
Luca Roman with Castlewoods Jake at Blair Castle European Championships
Sweden and Switzerland are both fielding competitors that could cause some sibling rivalry. 25 year old Ben Vogg riding Noe of Vatys and 26 year old Felix Vogg riding Onfire will be competing as individuals for Switzerland while Luca Roman with Castlewoods Jake and Pietro Roman with Barraduff will be competing as part of the Italian team
Luca and Pietro are part of a bigger Olympic family history with their father, Euro Federico Roman winner of the individual gold medal at the Moscow Olympics in 1980
Young horses
Santano II won his first CCI3* start at Saumur Photo: Pauline Chevalier
Aged only nine, Chris Burton’s horse Santano II will be one of the youngest in the eventing competition. To compete at the Olympic Games a horse must be at least eight years old; Santano II was born on 24th April 2007. At the other end of the spectrum, Stuart Tinney's ride Pluto Mio will be one of the oldest at 18 years of age
Dramatic endings
Silver for Sara when the very last fence fell in London
At the London 2012 Olympic Games, Sweden’s Sara Algotsson and Wega hit the final fence to lose individual gold. Sara could afford only a single time fault, and seemed destined for the ultimate prize with her lovely mare, Wega, jumping quick and clean all the way but she made a mistake on the last line of fences. That final oxer meant the difference between Olympic gold and silver, with Michael Jung claiming the title.
At the Barcelona 1992 Olympic Games, Andrew Nicholson and Spinning Rhombus had eight fences in hand to clinch team gold for New Zealand, but dropped nine to relegate team New Zealand to silver behind Australia
At the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens Bettina Hoy crossed the start line twice in the show jumping but had the penalties removed by appeals panel. Later however Bettina and the German team lost their gold medals after the Court of Arbitration for Sports ruled that the FEI appeals panel had overstated their jurisdiction in removing her time penalties giving France the team gold and Britain's Leslie Law receiving the individual gold medal
Experienced Olympians
Sir Mark will be trotting up again in Rio Photo: Kit Houghton/FEI
Eventing competitors Karin Donckers and Sir Mark Todd are both the most capped Olympians to represent their countries in Rio
45 year old Karin Donckers will be representing Belgium at her sixth Olympics while 60 year old Sir Mark Todd representing New Zealand will be competing at his seventh Olympic Games. Sir Mark won individual eventing gold at the 1984 and 1988 Games, riding the brilliant but tiny Charisma. His fifth Olympic medal - won in the team competition at London 2012 - equalled the Olympic record for the longest gap, 28 years, between medal successes.
Alex Hua Tian - one of the coolest men in eventing
Just watch this video – what more can we say?
Surprise packages
Major championships usually throw up some surprises and no doubt Rio will be the same. At London 2012, the dressage phase was led by Japan’s Oiwa Yoshiaki (sadly eliminated on cross country but still a pretty good effort) and Sweden’s Sara Algotsson Ostholt broke the German dominance by winning individual silver.
At the 2014 World Equestrian Games in Normandy the young team in orange from The Netherlands could hardly believe it when they found themselves on the podium winning team bronze and Jonelle Price suddenly shot into focus as the top placed New Zealand rider, finishing fourth on Classic Moet
Who will be the surprise package in Rio? We’ll have to wait and see ....
It has to be a selfie! The young team from The Netherlands in Normandy
