Rio Olympic Day 2 Afternoon Live Updates

By on Aug 7, 2016 3:27 pm -

We have just 16 of 65 athletes left to complete the dressage phase of Rio Olympic eventing. Headlining the grand finale, there are several team and individual storylines up in the air and exciting performances still to come. This is about as nail-biting as dressage gets, folks!

Are you pumped? Brian O’Connor and the gang at Morningside Training Farm sure are.

Jenni is tweeting the action ringside in Rio; you can check out her lunch report here and of course she’ll bring us a full wrap-up at the end of the day. For those of us following along from home, here’s how to watch the live stream.

The competitors are performing OG 4* Test B – Short Version and will be judged by Marilyn Payne of the United States at C, Andrew Bennie of New Zealand at E, and Sandy Phillips of Great Britain at M.

Be sure to check out Maggie Deatrick’s “Dressage Powerhouses of Rio: Day Two,” wherein she spotlights the combinations that we’re likely to see at the top of the leaderboard at the end of the day. And be sure to cheer extra loud (even if you’re just sitting at home alone — it still counts!) for the North American contingent.

Sunday U.S. ride times:
12 p.m. BRT (11 a.m. EST): Lauren Kieffer and Veronica
3:38 BRT (2:28 EST): Phillip Dutton and Mighty Nice

Sunday Canadian ride times:
10:16 a.m. BRT (9:16 a.m. EST): Colleen Loach and Qorry Blue a’Argouges
1:54 p.m. BRT (12:54 p.m. EST): Rebecca Howard and Riddle Master

Keep refreshing and checking back for photos, social links and behind-the-scenes info. Go Eventing!

#Rio2016: Website, Schedule,Dressage Ride Times, Individual Scores, Team Scores, EN’s Ultimate Guide to Rio, How to Watch Live, EN’s Coverage,Twitter, Instagram

Live updates: 

2:46 p.m. EST: That’s a wrap for dressage! Here’s the leaderboard scene as we head into cross country…

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2:46 p.m. EST: Marcio Jorge Carvalho and Lissy Mac Wayer (BRA) The Brazilian combinations have been some of my favorites to watch this weekend. Not necessarily because they’re blowing it out of the water, but because the riders have clearly enjoyed strutting their stuff in front of the rabidly enthusiastic Brazilian fans. After that final salute, all bets are off!

2:38 p.m. EST: Phillip Dutton and Mighty Nice (USA)

Phillip showed why he’s our anchor rider today, collecting an encouraging score for a team that didn’t quite live up to its potential in the dressage this weekend. “Happy” isn’t a particularly flash horse, but with Phillip piloting him around he was rock-solid and stubbornly consistent. As commentator John Kyle put it, “His trot work doesn’t set the world on fire, but he’s not throwing any marks away.” They earned 7.0 after 7.0 for a final score of 43.6, good for 15th place. Too bad there isn’t a coefficient for amazing ears! His big floppies would bring the house down.

2:30 p.m. EST: Ludwig Svennerstal and Aspe (SWE)

2:22 p.m. EST: Ingrid Klimke and Horseware Hale Bob (GER)

Ingrid and Hale Bob danced in step with William Fox-Pitt’s score for the beginning of their test, but there were just a few too many “meh” sixes to keep them from truly giving the leader a run for his money. They go out with a bang, collecting a nine for their final halt, and move into fourth position.

From high hopes…

… to a still-impressive and competitive score:

2:14 p.m. EST: Jonelle Price and Faerie Dianimo (NED)

When this mare is on, she is ON, but she doesn’t seem to be in the mood to play in Rio. They are penalized by a string of twos for their not-extended extended trot, and it was a roller coaster ride from that point on with marks running the gamut from eight to four. They’ll be New Zealand’s drop score but will be useful to the team tomorrow; Jonelle is one of the fastest cross country riders in the world — she posted the fasted time at the notoriously muddy 2014 WEG in Normandy — and she’ll do well to put that to use around Pierre Michelet’s twisty, turny Rio course.

2:06 p.m. EST: Merel Blom and Rumour Has It (NED)

A tense and ultimately disappointing test for Merel and Rumour Has It in their Olympic debut. This horse is a cross country machine, though, and this isn’t a dressage show!

1:58 p.m. EST: Kitty King on Ceylor L A N (GBR) A couple of mistakes — a break in the medium trot and a botched flying change — prove costly for Kitty and Ceylor L A N, who had an otherwise lovely test. This is Kitty’s Olympic debut, and this will be 9-year-old Ceylor’s first crack at a four-star track. While their ice in their veins may not quite be solid, yet, they’re clearly a talented pair and we wish them luck in the remainder of the competition.

1:50 p.m. EST: Aleksandr Markov and Kurfurstin (RUS) Despite what was surely a stressful and uncertain leadup to the games — the Russian equestrians didn’t get official clearance to compete until Thursday afternoon — Aleksandr and Kurfurstin looked at ease in the ring today. All of their trot work earned at least one seven, although their walk was a bit lacking in overstep with not enough differentiation between the medium and extended.

1:26 p.m. EST: Shane Rose and CP Qualified (AUS)

Consistency has been richly rewarded in this phase of the competition, and Shane leaves nothing on the field in his test with last year’s Adelaide CCI4* winner CP Qualified. Not a brilliant test but a rock-solid one, good for 12th place as we head into the final dressage session after the break.

1:18 p.m. EST: Stefano Brecciaroli and Apollo Van De Wendi Kurt Hoeve (ITA) Stefano and Apollo put themselves at the front of the leaderboard after dressage at the London Olympics with a beautiful test that scored 38.5. Their test today was on track to shake up the tip top of the leaderboard, but a stray low mark here and there kept their score from being their personal best. It’s still good enough for the top 10, though, and he looks happy with that!

Italian is such a sexy language. Mandatory tweet in native tongue:

Swoon! 1:10 p.m. EST: Mark Kyle and Jemilla (FRA) Now three-time Olympian Mark may feel that he could have done a bit more out there today but will take comfort in the fact that their score of 58.7 is his personal Olympic best.

1:02 p.m. EST: Mathieu Lemoine and Bart L (FRA) It’s been a big day for the French! Mathieu and Bart’s very consistent test — they’ve got “7.5” down to an art — earns an excellent score of 39.2 that will rattle the top of the leaderboard and move them into bronze position. They’ve been trending lower on the flat in each of their FEI appearances for the past two years, and this test follows in that trend, their best yet at the level.


12:54 p.m. EST: Rebecca Howard and Riddle Master (CAN)

Rebecca and “Rupert” have come such a very long way together in their partnership and now find themselves on the world’s biggest stage, contesting their first Olympic Games. Their test is fairly consistent, averaging marks of 6.5 and 7, but their flying changes will hold them back from a better score today. Rebecca tends to pick apart even the smallest mistakes, and she probably stomped her way back to the barns today, but that’s what makes her such a fierce competitor. We expect to see them jump their way up the scoreboard over the next couple days.

Beady eyes, furry heart, can’t lose!

Chinch loves Rebecca, Rupert and Canada! #Rio2016 #eventing #equestrian #TwoHearts #JoinTheJourney A photo posted by Eventing Nation (@goeventing) on


12:46 p.m. EST: Pawel Spisak and Banderas (POL)

Pawel puts in a workmanlike test in his fourth appearance on the Olympic stage. He’s riding Banderas, a horse he’s produced from a youngster, and their lack of that final bit of polish coupled with a bum flying change — penalized by marks of 1, 4 and 2 — will relegate them to the lower end of the scoreboard today.


12:38 p.m. EST: Karin Donckers and Fletcha van ‘T Verahof (BEL)

Karin and “Fletcher” never throw away a mark, and their consistency throughout the test boosts them into the top five.

My very punny friend Mary Hollis Baird continues to be on point in the afternoon session:

12:30 p.m. EST: Alex Hua Tian and Don Geniro (CHN) What an elegant picture this pair presents. Alex is a lovely, classically correct rider and his horse is green to the level, with only one CCI3* completion on his resume at Boekelo last fall, but looks as keen as they come. They pick up some great judges’ marks today, including a 9.5 on his extended walk, but a couple blips will keep them from the tip-top of the scoreboard.