Dressage Horses From Around World Undergo Olympic Inspection

Olympic team and individual gold medalists Valegro led by rider Charlotte Dujardin. © 2016 Ken Braddick/dressage-news.com

RIO DE JANEIRO, Aug. 8, 2016–Dressage horses from around the world underwent inspection from veterinarians and judges Monday two days before Olympic competitions starts at the Deodoro equestrian center.

Germany is favored to take team honors this year with three combinations capable of attaining 80 per cent at Grand Prix that with the Grand Prix Special will seal the deal.

Kristina Bröring-Sprehe and Desperados, world No. 1 and on Germany's team at London in 2012. © 2016 Ken Braddick/dressage-news.com

Isabell Werth with Weihegold OLD could make history by earning one medal for Germany that will match Anky van Grunsven's record medal haul., two would putr the German rider at the top. © 2016 Ken © 2016 Ken Braddick/dressage-news.com

The United States is looking to return to the medals podium after an absence of 12 years and has performed a remarkable resurgence.

Steffen Peters with Legolas, the top American combination and the backbone of the country's high performance teams for the past decade. © 2016 Ken Braddick/dressage-news.com

Laura Graves on Verdades has been at the top of the new group of top American combinations. © 2016 Ken Braddick/dressage-news.com

Kasey Perry-Glass on Dublet has emerged even more recently among Americans and backed up their early Grand Prix successes this year with strong results in Europe. © 2016 Ken Braddick/dressage-news.com

Allison Brock keeping Rosevelt, a powerful stallion, on the straight and narrow showing why she made her first United States championship team. © 2016 Ken Braddick/dressage-news.com

With the Dutch considered a medal contender yet again, Adelinde Cornelissen eyes the flapping tongue of Parival that she rode to team and individual medals at London four years ago and is back with impressive results despite the the gelding's age of 19 years. © 2016 Ken Braddick/dressage-news.com

Ouch! Patrik Kittel showing the effect of Deja stepping on the Swedish rider that led to the joke the rider could be sent to the holding box (where horses are assigned when they don't pass the veterinary check first time). But the multi Olympian on a team that also includes seven-time Olympian Tinne Vilhelmsson Silfven laughed it off. © 2016 Ken Braddick/dressage-news.com

Lyndal Oatley of Australia with her 2012 Olympic mount Sandro Boy jogged through the inspection without a problem so no doubt gave some soothing care to Patrik, her husband. © 2016 Ken Braddick/dressage-news.com

Kristy Oatley, Lyndal's cousin, with Du Soleil, the second Olympics the two family members have competed together on Australian teams. © 2016 Ken Braddick/dressage-news.com

Fiona Bigwood with Orthilia on the British team, another rider facing a family contest. © 2016 Ken Braddick/dressage-news.com

Anders Dahl, her husband, is on the Danish team with the American-bred Selten HW. It is Anders' first Olympics. © 2016 Ken Braddick/dressage-news.com

The Americas are represented by three nations other than the United States and host Brazil.

Veteran international rider Bernadette Pujals of Mexico is riding Rolex. © 2016 Ken Braddick/dressage-news.com

Yvonne Losos de Muniz is riding Foco Loco W for the Dominican Republic in her first Olympics. © 2016 Ken Braddick/dressage-news.com

Belinda Trussell, an Olympian and World Games rider for Canada, is one of two Canadians at Rio. © 2016 Ken Braddick/dressage-news.com

Megan Lane with Caravella that earned the second spot for Canada. The pair were on Canada's 2014 World Games team. © 2016 Ken Braddick/dressage-news.com

Jose Daniel Martin Docks's mount, Grandioso, has ties to the United States though the PRE stallion is ridden for Spain in his second Olympics. The owner is Kimberly van Kampen of Wellington, Florida. © 2016 Ken Braddick/dressage-news.com

Beatriz Ferrer-Salat of Spain on Delgado will be looking to repeat their European Championship Freestyle bronze medal performance from 2014. © 2016 Ken Braddick/dressage-news.com

Inessa Merkulova on Mister X making an appearance at the Olympics with the blessing of the International Equestrian Federation that found no record of doping that kept so many Russians from the Games, including a blanket ban of the para dressage riders by the Internaytional Paralympic Committee. The action drew a sharp rebuke from the FEI for not providing riders their right to show they're not guilty of doping. © 2016 Ken Braddick/dressage-news.com

 

 

Australia Takes Lead in Olympic Eventing After Cross Country Takes Its Toll on Field

Chris Burton on Santano II on the Olympic cross country course. © 2016 Rebecca Ashton

RIO DE JANEIRO, Aug. 8, 2o16–Eventing was turned on its head on a cross-country course that could have been an episode of “Survivor” with Australia moving to the top of the standings with the multiple Olympic gold medalist Mark Todd of New Zealand putting his team into second place one rail back in his seventh Olympics.

Germany dropped to fourth place more than 20 points or five rails behind the leading team with the star Christopher Burton on Santano II, a Sandro Hit x Brentano II gelding that was switched out of dressage to eventing because the walk wasn't considered good enough.

However, the pair ended cross country as individual leaders on 37.60 after being second after dressage behind Britain's William Fox-Pitt on Chilli Morning.

Britain dropped to seventh place way out of contention while the United States was eliminated when Phillip Dutton on Mighty Nice and Boyd Martin on Blackfoot Mystery were the only Americans to make it through the cross country. Both riders previously competed for Australia.

Results:

RANK	TEAM		RESULT
1	AUS	Australia	150.30
2	NZL	New Zealand	154.80
3	FRA	France	161.00
4	GER	Germany	172.80
5	NED	Netherlands	238.60
6	SWE	Sweden	243.10
7	GBR	Great Britain	252.10
8	IRL	Ireland	278.40
9	ITA	Italy	296.00
10	BRA	Brazil	311.70
11	CAN	Canada	331.10
12	USA	United States	1097.70
13	RUS	Russian Federation	3000.00

 

Germany Holds On To Slender Lead Over France After Olympic Eventing Dressage, Australia 3rd, Britain 4th

Ingrid Klimke of Germany on Hale Bob OLD. Photo Courtesy The Horse Magazine/© Rebecca Ashton

RIO DE JANEIRO, Aug. 7, 2016–Germany held on to a slender lead over France Sunday after two days of Olympic Eventing dressage with Australia third and Great Britain fourth heading into cross country.

William Fox-Pitt of Great Britain on Chilli Morning maintained the overnight individual top score of 37.00 as did Australia's Chris Burton in second on 37.60.

Mathieu Lemoine on Bart L posted a score of 39.20 to move into third individually and bump the French team to 122.20, just 0.20 behind Germany. Ingrid Klimke on Hale Bob OLD on 39.50 in fourth place was the highest scoring German with defending Olympic and world titleholder Michael Jung on Sam FBW on 40.90 for fifth.

Ireland was in fifth place while the United States moved up to tie New Zealand for sixth.

Cross country is scheduled for Monday.

Complete team and individual results after dressage:

TEAM
1	GER	Germany	122.00
2	FRA	France	122.20
3	AUS	Australia	126.40
4	GBR	Great Britain	127.70
5	IRL	Ireland	135.60
6	NZL	New Zealand	137.50
6	USA	United States	137.50
8	ITA	Italy	140.90
9	BRA	Brazil	144.10
10	SWE	Sweden	144.20
11	NED	Netherlands	146.60
12	CAN	Canada	150.80
13	RUS	Russian Federation	174.80

INDIVIDUAL

Saturday, August 6, 2016

Britain's William Fox-Pitt Leads After Olympic Eventing Day One, Germany Tops Teams So Far

William Fox-Pitt after taking lead after first of two days of eventing dressage. © 2016 FEI/Dirk Caremans

RIO DE JANEIRO, Aug. 6, 2016–Great Britain's William Fox-Pitt, two weeks in a coma after a head injury last fall, took the lead after the first of two days of Olympic evening dressage Saturday.

On Chilli Morning, a 16-year-old stallion, William produced a score of 37.00 in the first of three phases to top a score of 37.60 set by Australia's Christopher Burton and his nine-year-old gelding, Santano II.

Added to 47.20 logged by team mate Gemma Tattersall on Quicklook V, Great Britain was third before the remaining 31 horse-and-rider combinations in Sunday's second day of dressage.

Defending Olympic champion Michael Jung on Sam, the horse he rode to spearhead the German team and individual gold four years ago was on 40.90 with compatriot and reigning world champion Sandra Auffarth on Opgun Louvo fourth on 41.60 to be at the top of the team standings. Australia was second among the 13 teams.

“All along Rio has been my target, totally,” William said. “It was unrealistic, but it was mine.

“I was in a coma for a couple of weeks and my sight was quite dodgy. I went from blind to seeing double so when I started jumping there were two jumps. It's been a journey, but I've had so much support. Mentally I was very tired, I probably still am. I feel like I'm waking up, but slowly.”

Results–Dressage Day 1

RANK	ATHLETE		HORSE	RESULT
1	GBR	FOX-PITT William	CHILLI MORNING	37.00
2	AUS	BURTON Christopher	SANTANO II	37.60
3	FRA	LEMOINE Mathieu	BART L	39.20
4	GER	KLIMKE Ingrid	HALE-BOB OLD	39.50
5	GER	JUNG Michael	SAM FBW	40.90
6	FRA	VALLETTE Thibaut	QING DU BRIOT	41.00
7	BEL	DONCKERS Karin	FLETCHA VAN'T VERAHOF	41.10
8	GER	AUFFARTH Sandra	OPGUN LOUVO	41.60
9	IRL	EVANS Jonty	COOLEY RORKES DRIFT	41.80
10	ITA	BRECCIAROLI Stefano	APOLLO VD WENDI KURT	41.90
11	FRA	NICOLAS Astier	PIAF DE B'NEVILLE	42.00
12	CHN	HUA TIAN Alex	DON GENIRO	42.40
13	AUS	ROSE Shane	CP QUALIFIED	42.50
14	FRA	LAGHOUAG Karim	ENTEBBE	43.40
15	USA	DUTTON Phillip	MIGHTY NICE	43.60
16	GBR	FUNNELL Pippa	BILLY THE BIZ	43.90
17	NZL	TODD Mark	LEONIDAS II	44.00
18	GER	KRAJEWSKI Julia	SAMOURAI DU THOT	44.80
19	SWE	ALGOTSSON OSTHOLT Sara	REALITY 39	45.40
20	NED	LIPS Tim	BAYRO	46.00
21	NED	NABER-LOZEMAN Alice	PETER PARKER	46.20
22	AUS	GRIFFITHS Sam	PAULANK BROCKAGH	46.30
23	NZL	JOHNSTONE Clarke	BALMORAL SENSATION	46.50
24	USA	MONTGOMERY Clark	LOUGHAN GLEN	46.60
25	SUI	VOGG Felix	ONFIRE	46.70
26	IRL	MCCARTHY Padraig	SIMON PORLOE	46.80
26	BRA	FONSECA Ruy	TOM BOMBADILL TOO	46.80
26	GBR	KING Kitty	CEYLOR L A N	46.80
29	NZL	PRICE Tim	RINGWOOD SKY BOY	47.00
29	IRL	ABBOTT Clare	EURO PRINCE	47.00
29	JPN	OIWA Yoshiaki	THE DUKE OF CAVAN	47.00
32	GBR	TATTERSALL Gemma	QUICKLOOK V	47.20
33	BRA	PARRO Carlos	SUMMON UP THE BLOOD	47.30
33	USA	KIEFFER Lauren	VERONICA	47.30
35	USA	MARTIN Boyd	BLACKFOOT MYSTERY	47.70
36	SWE	ANDERSEN Frida	HERTA	47.90
37	FIN	JANKARI Elmo	DUCHESS DESIREE	48.00
38	ITA	ROMAN Pietro	BARRADUFF	48.20
39	RUS	MARKOV Aleksandr	KURFURSTIN	48.90
40	CHI	LOBOS MUNOZ Carlos	RANCO	49.30
41	CAN	ROBINSON Kathryn	LET IT BEE	49.40
41	CAN	HOWARD Rebecca	RIDDLE MASTER	49.40
43	NZL	PRICE Jonelle	FAERIE DIANIMO	49.50
44	BRA	CARVALHO JORGE Marcio	LISSY MAC WAYER	50.00
45	IRL	KYLE Mark	JEMILLA	50.40
46	ITA	ROMAN Luca	CASTLEWOODS JAKE	50.80
47	SWE	ALGOTSSON Linda	FAIRNET	50.90
48	SWE	SVENNERSTAL Ludwig	ASPE	51.00
49	SUI	VOGG Ben	NOE DES VATYS	51.70
50	CAN	PHOENIX Jessica	A LITTLE ROMANCE	52.00
51	POL	SPISAK Pawel	BANDERAS	53.60
52	BEL	VANSPRINGEL Joris	LULLY DES AULNES	54.30
53	NED	BLOM Merel	RUMOUR HAS IT	54.40
54	ITA	SCHIVO Arianna	QUEFIRA DE L'ORMEAU	55.00
55	ECU	WETTSTEIN Nicolas Lionel	NADEVILLE MERZE	56.00
55	PUR	BILLYS Lauren	CASTLE LARCHFIELD PURDY	56.00
57	CAN	LOACH Colleen	QORRY BLUE D'ARGOUGES	56.50
58	AUS	TINNEY Stuart	PLUTO MIO	56.80
59	BRA	APPEL Marcio	IBERON JMEN	57.20
60	JPN	KITAJIMA Ryuzo	JUST CHOCOLATE	57.70
61	ZIM	KRUGER Camilla	BIARRITZ	59.40
62	RUS	MITIN Andrey	GURZA	59.90
63	ESP	HERMOSO FARRAS Albert	HITO CP	64.30
64	NED	VAN DE VENDEL Theo	ZINDANE	65.70

TEAM
1	GER	Germany	82.50
2	AUS	Australia	83.90
3	GBR	Great Britain	84.20
4	FRA	France	85.40
5	NZL	New Zealand	91.00
6	IRL	Ireland	93.80
7	USA	United States	94.30
8	SWE	Sweden	98.80
9	CAN	Canada	101.40
10	BRA	Brazil	104.50
11	ITA	Italy	105.80
12	NED	Netherlands	111.70
	RUS	Russian Federation	66.00