www.eventingetc.com

Germany Leads the Team Competition on 158.10
Australia is Second - 162.00
Great Britain is Third - 173.70
4. Italy - 198.40
5. Swedan - 200.50
6. New Zealand - 210.90
7. USA - 234.00
8. Ireland - 265.10
9. Canada -287.00
10. Brazil - 295.10
Elim: France

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

August 11, 2008

Miles and Dutton within Ten Points of Individual Lead; US Drops to Seventh as Germans Impress in Eventing at 2008 Olympic Games

By Joanie Morris

Hong Kong, China – It was an interesting cross-country day at the Beas River venue today as 70 horses took on Mike Etherington-Smith’s eight minute cross country course. Not one horse achieved the optimum time, and Australia’s Shane Rose (riding All Luck) was the only pair to have single digit time penalties. The Germans, on 158.10, took a slim lead over dressage winners, Australia (162.00), in the team portion of the competition. Great Britain rebounded to third on 173.70.

The American team had a some unfortunate mistakes that proved to be incredibly costly. They plummeted from third after the dressage to seventh on a score of 234.00. Veteran rider Amy Tryon set off on Mark Hart’s Poggio in her usual role as the pathfinder; but, a mistake at fence 10, where the 16-year-old Thoroughbred left a leg, stumbled badly twice and Tryon was ejected. With the new FEI rule (fall of rider is cause for elimination) enforced beginning August 1, Tryon walked home after falling off.

‘I’m not sure what happened,” said Tryon, from Duvall, WA. “I need to watch the tape to figure out exactly what happened. The course was riding like we expected up to that point. It’s busy and the time is going to be hard to make.”

Tryon’s prediction proved accurate as no one got close the optimum time. The terrain played a huge role, the course was twisty and undulating. Temperatures were moderate for this time of year, fortunately the sun never appeared and it rained intermittently throughout the day.

Miles was the next American on course, riding 17.3 hand McKinlaigh – the giant horse was one of the few that was able to find a rhythm and his giant stride ate up the ground. Miles, from Creston, CA has never had a jumping cross-country penalty on Thom Schulz and Laura Coats’ Irish Sport Horse gelding, and they never looked in danger of changing their record.

“He’s amazing,” said Miles. “He stays so rideable. The turns are hard to negotiate and it was hard to go as fast. I think he’s the best horse in the world. He can do it all.”

The pair sits fifth on a score of 56.10 after adding 16.8 time faults. They are tied with Great Britain’s Mary King and Call Again Cavalier. Hinrich Romeike and Marius lead the way on 50.20, half a point ahead of his teammate Ingrid Klimke (on Abraxxas) so the competition remains very close going into show jumping.

“It was very hard work and very twisty” said Romeike. “I was smiling when he was jumping so well and he did what may have been the job of his life.”

Becky Holder and Courageous Comet looked phenomenal in the early part of the course as they cruised through the Beas River countryside only to misjudge their line at 21a, the first element of the dragon fence. The 13-year-old Thoroughbred gelding ran out to the right and when Holder tried to correct her mistake she inadvertently crossed her tracks.

“I didn’t stick to my plan; but, my horse was really good,” said Holder after she picked up 60 penalties for her mistake.

In a split second, the US hopes for a medal changed. (At the right below, a horse enjoys the cooling fan in the cooling tent after Cross Country

Veteran Karen O’Connor set out on relatively inexperienced Mandiba with all the pressure for a quick clear round from Joan Goswell’s 9-year-old Irish Thoroughbred gelding. Unfortunately they ran into trouble at fence 9, a massive downhill brush four strides to a narrow. Mandiba misread the second element and ran out.

“I knew going out, that what I needed to do was stretching the educational capabilities of my horse,” said O’Connor, 50. “I knew the goal was to go clear and within the minute of the time. That exercise came up too quick for him.”

Mandiba cruised around the rest of the course confidently until the second to last fence two angled brushes on a two-stride line that proved troublesome all day.

“My horse was giving me a magnificent round as I came down the hill I had some choices,” said O’Connor. “I had a 20; but, I was galloping pretty strong, I and the US had nothing to lose and everything to gain if I could have gotten it done.”

Suddenly a team medal wasn’t the priority for the anchor rider.

Phillip Dutton set out on Bruce Duchossios’ Connaught with his foot to the floor. The flamboyant jumper isn’t the best galloper; but, jumping is never an issue.

“Unfortunately our team isn’t having a good day,” said Dutton. “So I was riding for myself. I knew I had to take some chances to go as quickly as possible.”

Owned by Bruce Duchossios, the 15-year-old Irish Thoroughbred gelding picked up 19.60 time faults despite every effort by Dutton to go as fast as he could.

“I went as quick as I possibly could,” said Dutton who rode for Australia in the last three Olympic Games (winning two Gold medals). “He not the fastest horse, I can’t see where I could have gone faster. The ground really backed the horses off and they didn’t want to go. He is a magnificent jumper, even if he is tired, he still jumps very well.”

The pair is in 14th place on 60.20, exactly 10 points from a gold medal.

Two teams got all their riders around clear, the Australians and the Swedes, the first German rider, Frank Olstholt had one refusal; but, they certainly learned from his mistake and it was the only one they made all day.

The dressage leader, Australian Lucinda Fredericks picked up too many time faults to hold on, 27.20 time faults dropped her down to 11th.

The biggest jump up the leaderboard of the day was Rose who after being a disappointing 46th after the dressage to 16th on his masterful round before 18,000 ticket holders. The course claimed veterans and rookies alike, Andrew Nicholson (NZL) and Lord Killinghurst fell at the second to last after looking certain to have the fastest time of the day.

The final horse inspection is at 4 p.m. giving the horses plenty of time to recover from their round trip to Beas River from Sha Tin. They arrived back to Sha Tin this afternoon. Show Jumping begins under the lights at 7.15 tomorrow evening.

The dressage horses all passed their first horse inspection Sunday afternoon, the US Team looked particularly good. Brentina (Debbie McDonald), Mythilus (Courtney King-Dye), Neruda (Michael Barisone) and Ravel (Steffen Peters) looked incredible fit and beautifully turned out. Their first day of competition is Wednesday, August 13th. The competition begins at 7.15 pm and the US drew 11th out of 11 teams.

The show jumpers all will spend 10 minutes per team in the main arena for familiarization tonight. They begin competing on August 15th.

ENDS

Individual Standings after Cross Country:

Hinrich Romeike (GER) leads
Ingrid Klimke (GER) is second
Megan Jones (AUS) is third

Gina Miles is the highest placed American in equal fifth
Phillip Dutton is equal fourteenth
Becky Holder is forty-eighth with 60 jumping faults
Karen O'Connor is fifty-fourth with 40 jumping faults
Amy Tryon is eliminated for a fall of rider

Editor's Note: The scores below have been edited to reflect to two phase scores for Dressage and Cross Country scores. (1:45 PM Monday, August 11th)

1. HinrichROMEIKE (GER),k MARIUS 0 12.80 = 50.20
2. Ingrid KLIMKE (GER), ABRAXXAS 0 17.20 = 50.70
3. Megan JONES (AUS), IRISH JESTER 0 15.60 = 51.0
4. Clayton FREDERICKS (AUS), BEN ALONG TIME 0 16.40 = 53.4
5T. Gina MILES (USA), MCKINLAIGH 0 16.80 = 56.10
5T. Mary KING (GBR), CALL AGAIN CAVALIER 0 18.00 = 56.10
7. Didier DHENNIN (FRA), ISMENE DU TEMPLE 0 14.00 = 56.80
8. Andreas DIBOWSKI (GER), BUTTS LEON 0 17.60 = 57.20
9. Karin DONCKERS (BEL), GAZELLE DE LA BRASSERIE 0 25.60 = 57.30
10. Kristina COOK (GBR), MINERS FROLIC 0 17.20 - 57.40
11. Lucinda FREDERICKS (AUS), HEADLEY BRITANNIA 0 27.20 = 57.60
12. Frank OSTHOLT (GER), MR. MEDICOTT 0 13.20 = 57.80
13. Sonja JOHNSON (AUS), RINGWOULD JAGUAR 0 13.60 = 58.80
14T. William FOX-PITT (GBR), PARKMORE ED 0 10.00 = 60.20
14T. Phillip DUTTON USA), CONNAUGHT 0 19.60 = 60.20
16. Shane ROSE (AUS), ALL LUCK 0 9.20 = 62.50
17. Roberto ROTATORI ITA), IRHAM DE VIAGES 0 22.80 = 62.60
18. Linda ALGOTSSON (SWE) STAND BY ME 0 22.80 = 64.30
19. Joe MEYER (NZL), SNIP 0 21.20 = 65.10
20. Peter FLARUP (DEN), SILVER RAY 0 13.20 = 66.30
21. Susanna BORDONE (ITA), AVA 0 28.80 = 66.60
22. Katrin NORLING (SWE), PANDORA 0 16.00 = 68.00
23. Magnus GALLERDAL (SWE), KEYMASTER 0 13.60= 68.00
24. Daisy DICK (GBR), SPRING ALONG 0 17.20 = 68.90
25. Vittoria PANIZZON (ITA), ROCK MODEL 0 18.40 = 69.00
26. Caroline POWELL (NZL), LENAMORE 0 21.20 = 69.20
27. Viktoria CARLERBACK (SWE), BALLY'S GERONIMO 0 26.40 = 72.90
28. Tim LIPS (NED), ONCARLOS 0 22.40 = 75.00
29. Mark TODD (NZL), GANDALF 0 27.20 = 76.60
30. Eric VIGEANEL (FRA), CORONADO PRIOR 0 26.00 = 79.00
31. Tiziana REALINI (SUI), GAMOUR 0 32.80 = 81.70
32. Kyle CARTER (CAN), MADISON PARK 0 18.40 = 81.90
33. Pawel SPISAK (POL), WERIUSZ 0 34.00 = 82.70
34. Sandra DONNELLY (CAN), BUENOS AIRES 0 24.00 = 84.20
35. Louise LYONS (IRL) WATERSHIP DOWN 0 28.40 = 85.80
36. Austin O'CONNOR (IRL), HOBBY DU MEE 0 34.40 = 87.20
37. MarceloTOSI (BRA), SUPER ROCKY 0 24.80 = 89.60
38. Sharon HUNT (GBR), TANKERS TOWN 20 27.60 = 91.10
39. Geoffrey CURRAN (IRL), KILKISHEN 0 30.40 = 92.10
40. Dag ALBERT (SWE), TUBBER REBEL 0 27.60 = 93.20
41. Niall GRIFFINL (IRL), ORGAINE 20 26.40 = 97.00
42. Samantha ALBERT (JAM), BEFORE I DO IT 0 41.60 = 97.90
43. Andre PARO (BRA), LAND HEIR 0 39.20 = 98.80
44. Peter THOMSEN (GER), THE GHOST OF HAMISH 20 25.60 = 98.90
45. Jeferson MOREIRA (BRA), ESCUDEIRO 0 50.80 = 106.70
46. Stefano BRECCIAROLI (ITA), CAPPA HILL 20 42.00 = 112.00
47. Patricia RYAN (IRL), FERNHILL CLOVER MIST 0 34.80 = 113.50
48. Becky HOLDER (USA), COURAGEOUS COMET 60 22.00 = 117.70
49. Joris VAN SPRINGEL (BEL), BOLD ACTION 20 46.40 = 118.40
50. Fabio MAGNI (ITA), SOUTHERN KING V 20 50.00 = 119.60
51. Selena O'HANLON (CAN), COLOMBO 40 36.80 = 120.60
52. Valery MARTYSHEV (RUS), KINZHAL 0 60.40 = 124.80
53. Mike WINTER (CAN), KING PIN 20 56.80 = 125.70
54. Karen O'CONNOR (USA), MANDIBA 40 44.80 =126.70
55. Yoshiaki OIWA (JPN), GORGEOUS GEORGE 40 36.40 = 128.80
56. Heelan TOMPKINS (NZL), SUGOI 40 35.20 = 130.80
57. Artur SPOLOWICZ (POL), WAG 20 54.40 = 131.40
58. Viachaslau POITA (BLR), ENERGIYA 20 55.60 = 134.70
59. Alena TSELIAPUSHKINA (BLR), PASSAT 0 59.60 = 137.0
60. Samantha TAYLOR (CAN), LIVEWIRE 40 69.60 = 180.30

The Following did Not Finish:

Amy TRYON (USA) POGGIO II - Fall Of Rider
Igor ATROHOV (RUS), ELKASAR - ELIM
Jaroslav HATLA (CZE), KARLA - ELIM
Sergio ITURRIAGA (CHI), LAGO RUPANCO - ELIM
Alex HUA TIAN (CHN), CHICO - ELIM
Andrew NICHOLSON (NZL), LORD KILLINGHURST- Fall of Horse or Rider
Saulo TRISTAO (BRA), TOTSIE - ELIM
Jean Renaud ADDE (FRA), HASTON D' ELPEGERE Fall of Horse or Rider
Harald AMBROS (AUT), QUICK - Withdrew
Nicolas TOUZAINT (FRA), GALAN DE SAUVAGERE - Did Not Start

* * *

FEI Commentary on Cross Country Day

On a great day for the sport of Eventing, Germany took over at the top of both the team and individual leaderboards after the cross-country phase at the Olympic venue in Beas River, Hong Kong this morning when the Australians lost their grip.

Hinrich Romeike (GER) is now heading the individual rankings with Marius while fellow-German, Ingrid Klimke, lies close behind in second place with Abraxxas; but, the Aussies are stalking them, with Megan Jones in third and Clayton Fredericks in fourth.

Dressage leader Lucinda Fredericks (AUS) dropped to 11th when the expectation that Mike Etherington-Smith's 29-fence 39-jumping effort course would suit the Australian rider's brilliant little mare, Headley Britannia, failed to materialise. And the Australian team slipped to second, although they are only trailing the leaders by less than a three-point margin going into tomorrow's Jumping phase which should keep spectators on the edges of their seats.

Lurking ominously in fourth spot after Dressage, the British bounced up into bronze medal position when the American team was hit hard by the elimination of pathfinders Amy Tryon and Poggio II and refusals for both Rebecca Holder (Courageous Comet) and Karen O'Connor (Mandiba) which sent them nose-diving from third to seventh place. Meanwhile the Italians improved from fifth to fourth, while Sweden now lies fifth ahead of New Zealand in sixth.

SHOWING THE WAY

As if choreographed to perfection, returning New Zealand legend Mark Todd showed the way when first out on the course with Gandalf in ideal weather conditions. Gentle rain under cloudy skies created exceptionally horse-friendly temperatures, and although the rain became heavier toward the end of the competition, it failed to have much effect. When Britain's Mary King was asked how she coped with it during the brilliant second-from-last run with Call Again Cavalier, which moved her into joint-fifth place with America's Gina Miles (MacKinlaigh), she replied, "The rain? I didn't even notice it, I was concentrating on riding because it was a very busy course and it didn't affect me at all!" (Mary King's horse Call Again Cavalier is shown above in the cooling tent after having run Cross Country.)

Todd showed he has lost none of his dash since coming out of his eight-year retirement from the sport he so enjoys and, like all of the riders today, was warmly cheered by spectators along the way. It quickly became clear, however that, just as Etherington-Smith had predicted, the time-allowed of eight minutes would be impossible to get as the man crowned the Rider of the 20th Century by the FEI collected 27.20 time penalties on a foot-perfect, if sometimes exciting, run.

It didn't take long for one of the most influential fences to play its part - third to go, German pathfinder Peter Thomsen (The Ghost of Hamish) was the first of six riders to endure a run-out at the second of the two angled brush fences, numbered 27 and 28, which required great honesty from horses and total accuracy from riders at this very late stage on the track. "We learned from that," German team manager Hans Melzer commented afterwards.

IN A MUDDLE

Two horses later, American pathfinder Amy Tryon and the free-running Poggio II got into a muddle at The Birdcages table at fence 10 and parted company on the landing side. "It felt like he caught his right front knee on the way up and slipped across the top and then landed and stumbled and then stumbled again," she explained after this inauspicious start to the US effort. Clayton Fredericks (AUS) and Ben Along Time, however, cruised around to take the early individual lead when picking up just 16.4 time penalties, the twists and turns and undulating profile of the Beas River track continuing to take their toll.

Gina Miles (USA) and MacKinlaigh went some way toward restoring the American equilibrium when adding just 16.8 time penalties to her scoreline and this was always going to move them up the leaderboard; but, it quickly became clear that Lucinda Fredericks' (AUS) gold-medal-winning dream was beginning to fade. To the amazement of the more knowledgeable onlookers, Headley Britannia found enough space between the two houses in the middle of the Five coloured Lake water complex at fence six to put in two strides where most horses found it a short one-stride distance. "I thought the track would suit her, but it didn't, it was much easier for horses with a longer stride," a disappointed Lucinda pointed out afterwards. "I found it difficult to get her opened out at the start of the course; but, over the second part she stretched her little body and her heart-rate was really good when she finished – in fact she went to the vet-box trotting because she just didn't want to walk!" she added.

Despite all the pre-competition anxiety about the Hong Kong climate, albeit that this was the kindest of Hong Kong summer days, many horses finished full of running.

LIFTING FRENCH HEARTS

Meanwhile the determined Didier Dhennin (FRA) lifted French hearts with a great run from Ismene du Temple which added only 14.00 time penalties to his tally; but, for China's great hope, Alex Hua Tian, it all fell apart when he missed his stride with Chico at the Ya Hua Tai Rockery at fence eight and fell. Like a real professional however, the 19-year old accepted full responsibility for the mistake saying, "I am so disappointed in myself, it was completely my fault. The horse was perfect, I completely messed it up". Plenty of time for this talented young man to get it right in the coming years; however, and anyway he was in good company. Because one of the most experienced riders in the world, New Zealand's Andrew Nicholson, was the next to hit the dirt, although it was the bogey hedge at the end of the track that put a stop to his gallop.

Hinrich Romeike on the other hand simply sailed around to stop the clock in 8.42 minutes for just 12.80 time penalties with the amazing grey, Marius, who, at 14, is competing in the sixth championship competition of his career. Asked afterwards if this cross-country run was his horse's best championship performance to date, a delighted Hinrich said, "His best round is always his last round - every round he performs is always his best!".

American chances took another hammering when Rebecca Holder's Courageous Comet seemed unclear about his instructions and ducked out at the Crouching Dragons at fence 21, an angled double that presented little difficulty to anyone else throughout the day. And when Karen O'Connor's Mandiba had two refusals - firstly at the difficult narrow third element of the Yu Garden complex, which asked for a brave downhill ride from the previous hedge, and then at the penultimate Pagoda hedges at 27/28 - the US went into rapid decline. Disappointed and frustrated was how O'Connor described her feelings in the aftermath, but she believes she has a future star in this inexperienced nine-year old.

ON THE RISE

The British meanwhile were on the rise, bolstered by solid performances from Kristina Cook (Miners Frolic) and William Fox-Pitt (Parkmore Ed) and despite a 20-penalty addition for Sharon Hunt with Tankerstown at the dreaded penultimate hedge.

Eric Vigeanel kept French hopes alive when jumping clear with Coronado and as the closing stages were unfolding Andreas Dibowski ensured German supremacy with a classy tour of the track with Butts Leon. The Germans now had three excellent scores on the board although the Australians had one more card to play as Shane Rose produced the fastest round of the day when crossing the finish in 8.23 minutes for just 9.20 time faults.

Mary King then rode yet another of those inspired rounds for Britain, smiling with delight most of the way around the course and putting her team right back in the frame. But the luckless French, already without two of their team members due to injury, suffered the most cruel fate of all when, last man on the course, Jean Renaud Adde fell at fence four, the inoffensive-looking Tiger Hill Log, to put paid to any hope of a team finishing score.

Megan Jones (AUS), who had the ride of her life to slot into individual third place with Irish Jester, put the Australian effort into perspective when she said that, "Today the time was impossible to get; but, we went out there and gave it everything we had," and, although overtaken by the Germans, the Aussies will be fighting all the way to finish tomorrow. (Megan Jones and Irish Jester are pictured at the right above on the Cross Country course.)

Ingrid Klimke (GER) summed up the feelings of many of the best riders who took on the cross-country challenge today when she said "Those eight minutes passed so quickly that I just wished I could go out again because it was so much fun!".

NICE SURPRISES

One of the first nice surprises of the day was the performance of Brazil's Jeferson Moreira. An army colonel, he competes only as an amateur; but, his sympathetic riding through the final stages of the course with the willing and brave Escudeiro reflected his comment when asked, after slotting into 51st place in Dressage, how he thought he and his horse might fare on cross-country day - "Oh, I think we'll do alright!". And he did, because, in the most elite of company, he is lying 45th going into the final day.

And the great clear round from Belarus rider Alena Tseliapushkina and Passat was another shot-in-the-arm for the sport which continues to attract and encourage the participation of sportsmen and women from nations not traditionally connected with this form of equestrianism.

As FEI President, HRH Princess Haya, said during the post-competition press conference, "This has been one of the most exciting days in our sport. The athletes have given us top-standard competition and the cross-country riding exceeded anything we have seen before. I am enormously proud and grateful to everyone for such a wonderful day."

"All went extremely well," says Foreign Veterinary Delegate Prof. Leo Jeffcott 11/08/2008

Call Again Cavalier or Cavi, the horse of Mary King (GBR) receives veterinary care
after completing the Olympic Cross Country. (c) Arnd Bronkhorst

Olympic Cross Country day, 11 August 2008, shall certainly be remembered as a day of spectacular success, which was brought by years of in-depth preparation, planning and results, but also helped by luck. “We were lucky with the weather,” Foreign Veterinary Delegate Prof. Leo Jeffcott, who has spent three years monitoring the climatic conditions in cooperation with the Hong Kong Observatory, said. Indeed, with a temperature of around 25°C (80 °F), a cloudy sky and light rain, the weather was by no means extreme. Moreover, it remained stable throughout the morning which allowed for all the participants to compete under equal conditions. Humidity was high at around 70%.

“The horses were tired, some more than others, but all did finish well,” Prof. Jeffcott explained. All were taken to the cooling installations – cooling box and misting fans - which functioned very well. Most teams took care of their own horses; but, help was provided whenever necessary; it proved very efficient. At approximately 41°C, the body temperature of some of the horses was rather high upon arrival. They were monitored until it went down to 38-39°C, a proof that the cooling had worked well. Some horses needed rehydration and were administered fluids.

“All went extremely well,” Prof. Jeffcott pointed out.

The only serious injury was that of Keymaster ridden by Magnus Gallerdal (SWE). Upon arrival in the cooling box, the horse seemed well. Subsequently, lameness on the right was noticed and a strained tendon was suspected. Ice and a bandage were administered. A horse ambulance was offered, but, Keymaster could walk by himself to the stable where the leg was X-rayed. A hairline fracture – a very small sliver or crack – on the pastern bone was diagnosed, which is not an uncommon injury at this level of competition. The horse was given painkillers and a strong bandage to support the injured leg. It will be transported to the equine clinic of the Hong Kong Jockey Club tomorrow by ambulance and an operation will be performed. In the meantime, Keymaster is comfortable and the Swedish team vet is well satisfied with the care provided.

Where the riders are concerned, there were several falls, but no injuries at all have been reported.

American baseball player Vernon Louis – Lefty – Gomez once said, “I’d rather be lucky than good.” Today horsesport in Hong Kong was both.

(c) Dirk Caremans

The cooling system used in Hong Kong is proving most efficient.
(c) Dirk Caremans

Eventing Horses Transferred Back to Sha Tin 11/08/2008

Only four hours after the completion of the Cross Country, the Eventing horses were transferred back to the stables at Sha Tin, 25 km away. The first convoy consisted of 60 horses. The eight remaining ones, which were those in need of some rehydration, followed in a second convoy. One horse – Keymaster ridden by Magnus Gallerdal (SWE)– is still in the stables at Beas River, venue of the Cross Country, from where he will be transferred tomorrow morning by horse ambulance to the veterinary clinic of the Hong Kong Jockey club to be operated further to an injury. All the horses travelled well and were back to their stables within an hour after leaving Beas River.

Contact

Malina Gueorguiev
FEI Communication Department
Fédération Equestre Internationale
malina.gueorguiev@fei.org
t +41 21 310 47 47
f +41 21 310 47 60