Calendar of Events

Index, 2007, Jan-Mar

Links

The horses jogged by team, in alphabetical order by horse. Connaught (Phillip Dutton), Courageous Comet (Becky Holder), Mandiba (Karen O'Connor), McKinlaigh (Gina Miles) and Poggio (at Olympic Games number two) all looked very fit and sound when they were presented before the Gound Jury in the main arena at the Sha Tin venue.

These five horses make up one of 11 teams vying for medals out of 72 total horses from 24 countries. Sadly two horses from South America, Literal and Butterfly (ridden by Chile’s Ricardo Stangher and Brazil's Fabricio Salgado) were both spun.

2004 team bronze medalists: Tryon and Mark Hart’s Poggio will assume their typical lead-off role tomorrow morning, this will be the first US combination in the ring at 6.58 a.m.

Miles and Thom Schulz and Laura Coats’ McKinlaigh will go second for the US, Holder and Courageous Comet (who she owns with her husband Tom) will round out Saturday's session - going in the evening. O'Connor (at her fourth Olympic Games) and Joan Goswell’s Mandiba will go fourth for the US and (two-time gold medalist) Dutton will ride Rolex winner Connaught (owned by Bruce Duchossios) in the anchor spot.

The Olympic experience is not lost on O’Connor despite the fact that she rode in her first Games in 1988.

It is an honor to represent the country,” she said. “It is a great personal goal to have achieved. I’m really excited and I’m looking forward to the whole competition.”

Times will be posted as soon as they become available. The Welcome Ceremony will begin at 7 pm. A complete report will follow.

ENDS

Two Horses Fail First Horse Inspection 08/08/2008

There was disappointment for Chile's Ricardo Stangher and Brazil's Fabricio Salgado when their horses – Literal and Butterfly – failed to pass the first veterinary inspection for Eventing horses at the Olympic core venue at Sha Tin in Hong Kong this afternoon.

There was also a nervous moment for British fans when William Fox-Pitt's (GBR) ride, Parkmore Ed, was dispatched to the holding area for closer examination. A noticeable girth gall had attracted the Ground Jury's attention but, after some deliberation, Technical Delegate Giuseppe Della Chiesa, Ground Jury President Martin Plewa and Jury Members Marilyn Payne and Christian Landolt declared the 15-year old Irish-bred gelding fit for action along with the other 69 horses from 24 nations.

There was a real buzz of excitement in the air as the riders turned out smartly, many in specially-designed national uniforms, for this critical stage of the Eventing discipline but a hush descended when Fox-Pitt was asked to take his horse to the veterinary surgeon in the holding box. Parkmore Ed did not appear lame so there was great interest as onlookers debated what might be amiss. However the veterinary officials and Ground Jury were simply attending to the most important element of equestrian sport - the welfare of the horse - and having noted the wound were keen to ensure that it would not be a cause of discomfort to the equestrian athlete over the next few crucial days of Olympic competition.

Fox-Pitt explained afterwards that the gall had occurred following training a few days ago and that he had avoided riding Parkmore Ed more than was absolutely necessary over the past few days in order to allow the skin condition to heal.

There was an emotional moment for American rider Karen O'Connor (USA) also as she trotted-up the nine year old gelding Mandiba who earned a place on the US squad following the late withdrawal of Heidi White's team contender Northern Spy. Karen's hugely popular little pony, Theodore O'Connor, died tragically recently and was thus denied the opportunity to display his undeniable brilliance at Olympic level. But, as fate would have it, his rider has found her way to Hong Kong by other means and she will be sure to honour Theodore's memory with a good result despite Mandiba's relative inexperience.

Many of the horses were in "look at me!" mode this afternoon as they pricked their ears and extended their stride before the officials and spectators, and the riders will be hoping that this same magical quality will be on display when they ride into the arena to execute their dressage tests over the next two days.

Dressage begins in the state-of-the-art sand arena in Sha Tin tomorrow and continues on Sunday before the Eventing action moves to Beas River in the New Territories area, about 30 minutes away, for the cross-country phase on Monday. The medals will then be decided by the two final rounds of Jumping – one for team medals and one for the individual honours – on Tuesday night.

Mark Todd First To Go in the Dressage Phase of the Eventing Competition 08/08/2008

Mark Todd, the 54-year old New Zealand star who came out of retirement last January in an attempt to qualify for the 2008 Olympic Games, will realise his latest ambition when he is first into the arena tomorrow morning with Gandalf as the Dressage phase of the Eventing discipline gets underway at 6h30 local time.

The 11 participating teams have been drawn in the following order - New Zealand, Canada, Germany, Italy, USA, Australia, Ireland, Sweden, Great Britain, Brazil and France - and Australia's Clayton Fredericks is also included in the first tranche of riders to come before Ground Jury members Christian Landolt, Martin Plewa and Marilyn Payne.

British pathfinders, (GBR) and Springalong, will lead the second group which concludes with Germany's Frank Ostholt and Mr Medicott at 8h37 while Australia's Lucinda Fredericks, a Dressage specialist and hotly-tipped for the individual title, is included amongst the third and final morning group along with Britain's William Fox-Pitt and Parkmore Ed and the French partnership of Didier Dhennin and Ismene du Temple.

Tomorrow night three further groups of horses and riders show their paces while on Sunday morning the dressage phase concludes, with Jean Renaud Adde (FRA) and Haston D'Elpegere bringing down the curtain at 9h48.

Many of the horses looked on their toes and fighting fit today, and for both the equine and human Olympic athletes it will be a huge relief to get the action underway in the battle to decide the fate of those tantalising 2008 Olympic medals.