Kelly Prather and D.A. Duras in the 2015 Bromont CC12*. Photo by Leslie Wylie.
The search for America’s next top event horse has made big strides in recent years, particularly in the realm of identifying and developing budding equine talent.
The USEA’s Young Event Horse program is, obviously, leading the way, with the first group of U.S. horses eligible for the Holekamp/Turner Young Event Horse Lion d’Angers Grant just now coming of age. The grant, founded by Tim and Cheryl Holekamp and Christine Turner, enables the highest scorer of the USEA Young Event Horse 5-year-old Championship to travel to the FEI World Breeding Eventing Championship in France as a 7-year-old if the horse obtains the proper CCI2* qualifications.
America’s ambassador for the 2015 Championship, October 16-19, will be Debbie Adams’ D.A. Duras, ridden by Kelly Prather. Kelly imported the Dutch gelding by Numero Uno from the Netherlands as a 4-year-old and has been methodically bringing him up the levels since. They were the high score winner at the 2013 USEA Young Event Horse Championships and have had several promising finishes in FEI competition, most recently an 8th place in the Bromont CCI2* in June.
Kelly is at Richland Park this week with three horses: Truly Wiley in the CIC3*, D.A. Duras in the CIC2* and D.A. Calimero in Open Prelim. We caught up with her this morning to see how her Le Lion preparations are going:
Best of luck to Kelly and her horses this weekend, and to Kelly and D.A. Duras at Le Lion! We look forward to watching this exciting pair show jump later this afternoon.
Such was the case this afternoon at Richland Park. While Chinch’s reputation for being a schmoozy, outgoing sort of fellow precedes him, today he demonstrated that he also possesses stealthy ninja skills. See if you can find him lurking in each course walk photo — heaps of EN karma to anyone who can spot them all!
As for this year’s CIC3* course, it’s precisely the track riders will be looking for in advance of their autumn CCIs. In classic Ian Stark fashion, it’s a big, open, galloping gauntlet that will reward the riders who are coordinated enough to think and kick at the same time. Those who get the job done will be rewarded with horses who come off course feeling confident and ready to grab the rest of their season by the horns.
The reward for NOT getting the job done, on the other hand:
Photo by Leslie Wylie.
A few spots to watch:
The first combination, a brush down a slope to the turtle pictured above, shows up at #4 and should be a nice introduction to the more technical combinations on course. There’s a job-well-done oxer at #5, then the first water at #6 which should prove influential. The B-element vertical three strides in doesn’t invite a forward ride but riders will want to be positive to it to ensure a good jump at the C-element corner.
The sunken road at #9ABC is the next serious question, with a bounce down, a stride across, and the #10 corner coming up fast on the other side. A few galloping fences later, Ian has dug out the takeoff of the keyhole for a fun ditch-and-wall twist.
The double of corners at #15AB will require an accurate ride, of course, while riders should be able to gallop on to the offset ditch/rails at #18AB thanks to the combination’s well-defined ground lines. The final two combinations, the #20ABC water complex and #22AB offset cabins, will ensure that nobody lets their guard down at the end of the course.
The going is super and should (knock-on-wood) remain so until the FEI and Advanced divisions run on Sunday. There’s no rain in the forecast for tomorrow and even with a 60% chance of thunderstorms on Sunday afternoon the ground is ripe to handle it. With the stratospheric number of horses running at this year’s event, cross-country began today with the Training divisions and will continue tomorrow with Novice, Prelim and the CIC1* and CCI2*.
Alright, you furry figment of EN’s collective imagination, let’s play some CIC3* hide-and-go seek:
1. Feeder
2. Palisade Oxer
3. Log
4A. Palisade Brush
4B. Turtle
5. Oxer
6ABC. Gecko, Ducks in a Row, Brush Corner
7. Slab Table
8. Hay Rack
9ABC. Sunken Road
9C. Sunken Road and 10. Angled Brush
11. Palisade
12. Amish Wagon
13. Keyhole
14. Feeder
15AB. Double of Corners
16. Brush Oxer
17. Offset Ditch/Rails
18A. Double of Oxers
18B. Double of Oxers
19. Table
20A. Water Complex
21. Bunker
22AB. Offset Cabins (23. Flower Box not pictured)
Note to riders: Chinch got distracted before the last jump by a butterfly or something so fence #23 is not pictured. Hopefully you guys walk your courses and don’t just piece it together in your hotel room the night before by looking at photos posted on EN, but just in case.
Richland Advanced dressage leader Kim Severson gets her portrait taken with Chinch. Photo by Leslie Wylie.
Cooley Cross Border is like a little kid we’ve been watching grow up over the years. Eventing Nation has been following his career since…
“Forever!” Kim laughs. “I’ve been very, very slow with him.”
Kim Severson imported the now 8-year-old Irish Sport Horse when he was a barely-broke 4-year-old from Richard Sheane, the man behind the Cooley name. He first announced his presence to the event world in 2012 when he won the Young Event Horse 5-Year-Old East Coast Championships.
Kim had a hunch from the get go that Cross was something special. In April 2013, as he was wrapping up his first successful season at Prelim, EN featured Cross in its “EN’s Got Talent” series, and Kim had this to say: “I’m really excited about this horse. He’s an extraordinarily nice horse, and it’s a super opportunity for me and the States if I can make it work. We need more horses like this; that has to happen for the U.S. Here’s a horse of the quality that we need that hopefully can go on and perform at the highest level for us.”
Fast-forward to this week’s Richland Park Horse Trials, where Kim and Cross are the overnight Advanced leaders on a score of 30.90 in dressage. This will be Cross’s second crack at Advanced, technically — Kim started him in the Advanced at Millbrook H.T. in July but withdrew him after the dressage due to sore feet. They handily won the Intermediate at Fair Hill H.T. a couple weeks later, laying down a dressage score of 22.70 and double-clear jumping rounds.
Kim was obviously pleased with Cross’s dressage test yesterday. “He was very good and did everything he was supposed to,” she says, noting that the horse’s flying changes were coming along.
She sounds confident that Cross will rise to the occasion over Richland’s big-kid fences and says she likes the cross-country courses. “They look great, the footing is great, they’re hard but they’re good,” she says. “They’re Ian (Stark) courses so you have to ride forward, which is good for us.”
In addition to Cross Kim has Fernhill Fearless in the CIC3*, where they sit in 14th place, as well as two horses, Hope Cove and Cooley Streetwise, in Open Prelim. Final scores just came in for Open Prelim and Kim is leading by a landslide on Hope Cove, having scored a 22.70.
Kim Severson and Fernhill Fearless. Photo by Leslie Wylie.
Buck Davidson and Ballynoe Castle RM. Photo by Leslie Wylie.
Buck Davidson loves Ballynoe Castle RM. Like, LOVES him. Somewhere on Buck’s farm, there is probably a tree with their names carved in it. I wouldn’t be surprised if they had matching red-and-yellow friendship bracelets. In Buck’s eyes “Reggie” walks on water — and today at Richland Park the dressage judges seemed to agree.
The pair swooped in at the end of the day to best a field of 45 CIC3* competitors with their score of 38.40. By the time Buck swung his leg over Reggie he’d already ridden the test four times on other horses: Carlevo (tied for 2nd), Wundermaske (tied for 7th), Copper Beach (10th) and Be Mine (11th), not to mention four others in the CCI2*, CIC2* and Advanced divisions.
When we caught up with him after Reggie’s test, before he even knew his score, he wasn’t bashful about picking favorites — or favorite, rather. If he was judging, he said, he’d put Reggie “about 20 points ahead of all of them.”
“He’s just a competitor and if I was judging he could have stood on his hind legs and I’d still put him ahead,” Buck says.
Buck and Reggie are one of American eventing’s longest running bromances. Together they’ve taken a crack at two World Equestrian Games, seven CCI4*s and 41 FEI competitions. Buck knows Reggie, now 15, like the back of his hand and it shows when they’re on stage.
Buck says that he didn’t have quite enough time today to give Reggie his usual warmup, as he literally hopped off Copper Beach and onto Reggie.
“He wanted to cough a little bit at the beginning,” Buck explains. Even those of us watching, though, could see the horse trying to stifle it, like one might while at church or sitting through a monologue at a play.
“He tries his best. When he coughs now he coughs when it doesn’t matter — on the short side or when a movement is over.”
It will be fun to watch them doing their thing out on cross-country Saturday, but no doubt Buck and Reggie will be having the most fun of all.
“I just have to every time sort of pinch myself at how lucky I am,” Buck says. “He’s just a joy and I’m so thankful to have the relationship with him.”
Buck Davidson and Ballynoe Castle RM. Photo by Leslie Wylie.
Lurking 2.9 points behind Reggie is his barnmate Carlevo, who is tied for 2nd with Emily Beshear and Shame on the Moon.
Carlevo, an 8-year-old Holsteiner gelding owned by Carlevo LLC, is a relatively new ride for Buck. He came over from Germany earlier this year having previously competed with Dirk Schrade through the CIC2* level. Buck moved him up to Advanced at Jersey Fresh in May, where they jumped clear and nearly on the time cross-country.
Buck describes the horse as steady, rideable and capable of a better score than the 41.30 they turned in today.
“I didn’t feel like I did a terrific job,” Buck says, explaining that he too would have benefited from a bit more warm-up. “I’m disappointed in myself but excited about the horse… There’s way more improvement in there, which is exciting. It’s kind of fun for me to have a horse where you’re disappointed with a 41, but we still have two more phases.”
Buck Davidson and Carlevo. Photo by Leslie Wylie.
Sharing the runner-up seat is Emily Beshear and “Delta,” the striking silver mare with whom she came 2nd in the Bromont CCI3* in June.
“I was thrilled with Delta today,” Emily says. “She was very good. If anything though she was really lazy, which is a new thing.”
Delta’s classic modus operandi has been to go in the ring and get a bit distracted and flighty. Not today, though.
“I was having to kick quite a bit,” Emily explains. “That was a new thing and I think I gave away a few points here and there, lacking expression and small things.”
Emily and Delta knocked the rust off in the Intermediate at Fair Hill a couple weeks back, having spent the summer improving overall strength and confirming their flying changes: “They still could be smoother but at least now she seems a lot more comfortable and confident doing them.”
“This is definitely her first time stepping back up and she feels like she’s even better than she left off at Bromont, which I’m really excited about,” Emily says.
Emily Beshear and Shame on the Moon. Photo by Leslie Wylie.
Should we put on our sunglasses? Should we get out an umbrella? Lots of questions up in the air here at Richland Park Horse Trials, some of them involving erratic weather and others regarding who’ll be besting the leaderboards by the end of the day.
At the lunch break Emily Beshear and Buck Davidson are sharing the CIC3* lead on twin scores of 41.30.
Shame on the Moon‘s last big outing was Bromont in June, where the pair held the lead through cross-country then dropped to second after a couple unfortunate rails. They knocked the dust off with an easy lope around Fair Hill a couple weeks ago and nobody is surprised that Emily and Delta have come out guns blazing here at Richland.
Emily Beshear and Shame on the Moon. Photo by Leslie Wylie.
In typical Buck fashion he has nine horses running in FEI divisions this weekend, five of which are in the CIC3*. Carlevo was his first ride of the day, and it’s the horse’s first 3*. We’ll look forward to seeing this big, attractive 8-year-old Holsteiner tackle the big-kid jumps here this weekend.
Buck Davidson and Carlevo. Photo by Leslie Wylie.
Mikki Kuchta and Rubens D’Ysieux round out the top three on a 43.10…
Mikki Kuchta and Rubens D’Ysieux. Photo by Leslie Wylie.
Followed closely by Selena O’Hanlon and Foxwood High (43.30)…
Selena O’Hanlon and Foxwood High. Photo by Leslie Wylie.
And it’s Elisa Wallace and Simply Priceless in fifth on a 45.40.
Elisa Wallace and Simply Priceless. Photo by Leslie Wylie.
Simply Priceless looking quite pleased with himself on the way out of the ring. Photo by Leslie Wylie.
Elsewere Clayton Fredericks and FE Bowman will take the overnight CCI2* dressage lead on a 30.50, while Peter Barry and Long Island T are currently topping the CIC2* on a 42.3.
Peter Barry and Long Island T, Photo by Leslie Wylie.
Clayton Fredericks and RF Cool Play. Photo by Leslie Wylie.
Richland Park Horse Trials started off on the right foot today with 22 of 22 horses passing the CCI2* jog. Both the CCI2* and CIC1* are new additions for the 2015 event, which also features a CIC2* and CIC3* along with Novice through Prelim and Advanced horse trials divisions.
EN is live on the scene, ready to drop bombs of dazzling insight, astute analysis and riveting commentary you won’t find anywhere else. (Probably because nowhere else would publish it.) Starting with this observation: Clayton Fredericks is the Fred Astaire of eventing.
Seriously, I watched him make two different horses look like Ginger Rogers out on the jog strip today. Their footwork was impeccable, an exquisitely synchronized two-step that made me want to throw roses at their feet.
Behold:
Clayton Fredericks and FE Bowman. Photos by Leslie Wylie.
Clayton Fredericks and RF Cool Play. Photos by Leslie Wylie.
Impressive. Several competitors, in fact, showed pas de deux potential. The “also-rans”…
Doug Payne and Vandiver. Photo by Leslie Wylie.
Rebecca Hoos and Little Cruz. Photo by Leslie Wylie.
Samantha Elsenaar and Banbury Sky. Photo by Leslie Wylie.
Buck Davidson and Approved Power. Photo by Leslie Wylie.
Arden Wildasin and Kineo. Photo by Leslie Wylie.
Ryan Wood and Powell. Photo by Leslie Wylie.
Other pairs, well, they’ve got some work to do before they win “Dancing with the Equine Stars.” The least synchronized performance of the day belonged to…
Joy Meyer and South Paw. Photo by Leslie Wylie.
The complete performance, courtesy of The Horse Pesterer:
Stallions have prima donna moments sometimes, too. Perhaps he’d prefer a solo dance career?
Dressage for the FEI divisions kicks off tomorrow at 8 a.m. with Advanced dressage in the afternoon.
Keep it locked on EN throughout the week for all the latest news and breaking nonsense from Richland Park. Keep an eye on Instagram as well (@goeventing) as there’s no telling what shenanigans Chinch will be getting into out here in the wilds of Michigan!
What’s YOUR problem? Tweet it, Instagram it or share it on Facebook with the hashtag #EventerProblems for inclusion in the next edition of this series.
The moment every equestrian dreams of: when a big bomber horse fly finally lands on your horse and you can kill it. #EventerProblems — Thrifty Equestrian (@thriftyeqblog) August 13, 2015
Trying to get full seat breeches off in August after a long, hot, lesson is like trying to peel a layer of skin off. #EventerProblems — Devyn (@Devyn_Burgert) August 11, 2015
“Pull horse’s mane” and “Order supplement” are high priority on the to-do list but “Grocery shop” and “Haircut” have ?’s #EventerProblems — Tori (@ConfessionsOfWS) August 10, 2015
My legs are so pale that they practically glow in the dark… #EventerProblems
Rachel W.: “When you fall off at an event and tag along on the ice run to get the required Advil and Ben & Jerry’s . . . #eventerproblems”
What’s YOUR problem? Tweet it, Instagram it or share it on Facebook with the hashtag #EventerProblems for inclusion in the next edition of this series.
On Saturday afternoon as I was finishing my cross-country report at the Aquece Rio Olympic Test Event, an event official walked into the press center and told us we needed to leave.
“When?”
She glanced down at her watch. “Now.”
What?
As we made our way to the shuttle used to transport media from the Olympic Equestrian Centre to our hotel about 40 minutes away, a Brazilian journalist filled me in. In a nutshell, Rio police had just shot and killed a major drug lord (alias: “Playboy”) and there was some worry that there may be retaliatory gang violence or riots.
A fleet of armored military vehicles screamed past as we climbed into the bus. I hunkered down in my seat, trying to channel my inner Anderson Cooper, but the Brazilian seemed nonplussed. She shrugged: “This sort of thing happens all the time.”
‘It’s Complicated’
As you’d expect for a city with some 12 million people, Rio de Janeiro is a patchwork quilt of social, political and economic diversity. And it’s prone to ripping at the seams.
We’re staying in Centro, the center city business district, a bustling hive of commerce, fast-walking people and honking cabs propped up against a hazy backdrop of craggy bluffs. They tell me that even here it’s dangerous to walk around alone, but there are worse places to hole up than our hotel.
Photo by Leslie Wylie.
Photo by Leslie Wylie.
You don’t have to wander far, though, to see — or hear — the other side. That night I was awoken by a series of deep booms followed by the sound of sirens. Related or not, it was a reminder that in Rio, you’re always closer than you think.
Rio’s favelas, or slums, are everywhere. The hills surrounding the city are covered in what look like shabby shoeboxes piled atop one another, as though stuck together with bubble gum. I snapped some photos on the shuttle ride to the venue:
Photo by Leslie Wylie.
Photo by Leslie Wylie.
Photo by Leslie Wylie.
Photo by Leslie Wylie.
There are over 600 favelas in Rio alone, many of them controlled by drug traffickers or militias. There’s been an effort in recent years to reclaim them; “Playboy,” for example, had been driven out of his territory and was in hiding when the police caught up to him this week. But to quote another local I spoke with this week, “Rio is complicated.” The lines between the good guys and the bad guys are blurred, and there’s widespread animosity toward the city’s notoriously corrupt police.
Photo by Leslie Wylie.
First-World Sport in an Emerging Nation
Rio isn’t all shades of grey. At the Olympic Equestrian Centre, for instance, the dividing line between upper-crust equestrian sport and abject poverty is a wall — literally. I joked about it in my cross-country course walk post — “Don’t worry, that concrete wall topped with razor wire isn’t part of fence #2” — but it was nervous laughter. Humor tends to be my modus operandi when I find myself face-to-face with dark, deeply troubling questions. Sometimes you just run out of words.
Photo by Leslie Wylie.
Photo by Leslie Wylie.
The last leg of our daily commute winds through the military base upon which the venue is situated. Each morning I am surprised once again to see tanks and camouflage-wearing, gun-wielding soldiers by the dozens walking alongside the road. A handful of them guard the gate to the venue, carrying riot batons and wearing the hardened expression of sentinels who know they aren’t just there for decoration.
Photo by Leslie Wylie.
Inside the Olympian Equestrian Centre, however, the atmosphere turns clean, bright, even cheery. Between the relentless sunshine and the familiar setup that every eventer knows by heart — dressage letters in their right place, start box a facsimile of a hundred other start boxes, show jumps in familiar shapes and crayon-box hues — you could almost trick yourself into believing that you’re at an event in Ocala or California.
Until you run into this kind of thing on cross-country:
Photo by Leslie Wylie.
Photo by Leslie Wylie.
Rio’s Muddled Resume
Can Rio handle the 2016 Olympic Games? Brazil has pulled off major international sporting events in the past, most recently the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup and 2014 FIFA World Cup, so we know it is capable of stepping up to the plate. What seems to have gotten lost in translation, however, are the grim details.
Both championships were plagued by controversy. Protests that began in 2013 against a bus fare increase quickly evolved into a panoramic condemnation of injustice: social stratification, systemic corruption and, last but not least, the massive amount of public money being spent on new infrastructure for the FIFA events.
Two million people took to the streets in the the months leading up to the Confederations Cup, resulting in at least 10 casualties, 250 injuries and 650 arrests. Urban riots were the background noise of the Cup, reaching a fever pitch when protesters clashed with police during the final match, Brazil vs. Spain.
As Rio and other host cities across Brazil neared the 2014 FIFA World Cup, public dissent lost steam but gained focus. This time all fingers were pointed at the World Cup, specifically the government’s spending of billions of reais on new stadiums coupled with allegations of shady backdoor dealings. It flew in the face of Brazil’s struggling economy and, to make matters worse, some of the country’s poorest citizens were displaced by new construction.
There were more than 20 protests and 180 arrests across various Brazilian cities during the first week of the World Cup alone. As in 2013, the grand finale came on the last day when military police corralled hundreds of Rio protesters in an to keep them from Maracanã Stadium.
At least 10 journalists were injured by police with clubs and shrapnel from tear gas grenades; another two CNN journalists were injured that day by police-thrown gas grenades and rubber bullets. So if the whole drug lord assassination incident on Saturday left me a little jumpy, you can understand why.
Photo by Leslie Wylie.
What It Means For 2016
This isn’t meant as a scare piece. (Although I’m probably not doing Jenni’s anxiety levels any favors as she prepares to cover the Olympic Games next year.) Despite its issues, Rio is one of the most colorful, vibrant cities in the world, a direct reflection of the majority of the citizens who live there. And it is clearly hard at work getting ready for the world to arrive on its doorstep.
During my stay in Rio, I quizzed several Brazilians about their predictions of how the 2016 Olympic Games will unfold. Nearly all of their appraisals were preceded by a sharp intake of breath and a pause, followed by a response that carried both skepticism and hope.
The criticism host cities face in the lead-up to an event on the scale of the Olympics has become almost cliche — remember last year’s Winter Games in Sochi? Yet when push came to shove, the chaos fell by the wayside. Taking its place: a once-every-four-years worldwide effort to set aside differences, at least temporarily, in the name of good sport.
There’s a superstition in the theater that a bad dress rehearsal will equal a good opening night. Hopefully the saying doesn’t hold true for the Olympic eventing dress rehearsal just concluded in Deodoro, which offered a promising preview of what’s in store for next year’s Games.
The Test Is Complete
As we noted earlier this week, reviews of the venue from riders and team delegates in attendance at the Aquece Rio Olympic Test Event were largely positive. It appeared that no stone was being left unturned in ensuring that everyone will be as prepared as possible for the real deal next year.
From a enactment of the medals ceremony…
Aquece Rio Olympic Test Event top three finishers Marcio Jorge (1), Marcio Appel (2) and Marcelo Tosi (3). Photo by Leslie Wylie.
…to dry runs of emergency procedures…
Don’t worry — there’s no horse in there. Photo by Leslie Wylie.
…and biohazard protocol…
Venue visitors were required to step in disinfectant and use hand sanitizer upon entry. Photo by Leslie Wylie.
…various aspects of the Games were rigorously tested to ensure that when August rolls around next year, nothing is left to chance.
Of course, as we’ve emphasized before, there’s a big difference between a modestly attended 18-horse CIC2* and an international championship with tens of thousands of spectators. And some logical concerns, such as spectator transport to and from the event, are largely out of the venue’s hands. But for being a year out, the system they had going seemed surprisingly organized and effective.
Following cross-country we talked to several riders and national delegates about their impressions of the event and the venue. Remarks from organizers seemed to echo their sentiments, emphasizing that while the Test Event garnered a largely positive response there is still room to raise the bar.
A sampling of their comments:
“We are very happy with the test event. It’s an excellent tool to put the team together and it’s where you start to build up the team through integration of the different parties – sport, government and the organizing committee. It’s why we do a test event, so that we can correct things and make sure everybody understands everything for next year, and Rio has delivered on that.” — IOC Director Gilbert Felli
“We’ve seen great progress with infrastructure completed in time for the test event and an efficient competition delivered. However there is still a lot of work to do to scale the venue up for next year and to ensure the standard of facilities, services and general experience for our human and equine athlete is of a true Olympic standard in 2016.” — Tim Hadaway, FEI Director, Games & Championships
“Overall, I’m very pleased with the results of the equestrian test event. It culminates many months of hard work and preparation. More importantly, it gives us a very clear idea what areas require improvement in order to deliver the Olympic and Paralympic competitions next year.” — Mike Laleune, General Manager of the Deodoro Olympic Park
“I’m very happy with how the test event went, and I want to say a big thank you to my team who worked so hard to produce the results we had here this week, and to the volunteers that helped us so much. But we have a lot of work still to do to achieve the standard we need for the Games. The best athletes in the world will be here next year, so we need to have the best facilities for them and for their horses, so that they can produce the best results.” — Ataide Pereira, Olympic Equestrian Centre Sports Manager at the Olympic Equestrian Centre
A Look Around the Show Jumping Venue
Sunday’s show jumping finale, like dressage, was held in the main arena. While the grandstand was more than sufficient for the Test Event, I expect that additional temporary bleachers will be erected around the arena to handle next year’s crowd, similar to the arena setup at Le Pin National Stud during the 2014 World Equestrian Games in Normandy.
I snapped some panoramic shots to give you an idea of the layout:
Photo by Leslie Wylie.
Photo by Leslie Wylie.
Photo by Leslie Wylie.
Photo by Leslie Wylie.
At the Olympic Test Event in July at London’s Greenwich Park, rider criticisms of the arena footing emerged as a problem that would have to be carefully and completely addressed in advance of the “real” Olympics this summer. Since then, getting the footing right has been a problem-solving exercise for organizers and contractors. – See more at: http://equusmagazine.com/blog/whats-underneath-the-london-olympics-footing-story-truckloads-of-international-equestrian-problem-solving#sthash.iiyTQaif.dpuf
At the 2012 Olympic Test Event in London, the arena footing came under fire from riders and officials and had to be replaced entirely before the Games. Since then special care has gone into ensuring that Rio’s footing is up to snuff. The consensus among the riders I talked to was that, not unlike the new cross-country turf, it was off to a good start and should be even better after a year of settling in.
Lars Roepstorff, the FEI appointed footing analyst and researcher, was at this week’s event to conduct testing of the surface.
“The material and installation definitely has the potential to provide excellent footing for next year’s Olympic Games,” he says, “but it is vital that the correct maintenance is done over the next 12 months, right up to and during the Games. Everything is in place for excellent Olympic competition next year and as it’s a pre-existing equestrian facility, all our athletes – human and equine – will be really well looked after.”
Olympic show jumps tend to be works of art in and of themselves, usually reflecting the identity and landmarks of the host city. It was exciting to get a preview of what we can expect for 2016 at the Test Event:
Photo by Leslie Wylie.
Photo by Leslie Wylie.
Photo by Leslie Wylie.
At the Olympic Test Event in July at London’s Greenwich Park, rider criticisms of the arena footing emerged as a problem that would have to be carefully and completely addressed in advance of the “real” Olympics this summer. Since then, getting the footing right has been a problem-solving exercise for organizers and contractors. – See more at: http://equusmagazine.com/blog/whats-underneath-the-london-olympics-footing-story-truckloads-of-international-equestrian-problem-solving#sthash.iiyTQaif.dpuf
Final Aquece Rio CIC2* Results
Cross-country leader Marcio Jorge, riding his grey Brazilian-bred gelding Coronel MCJ, topped the field of 18 starters. The horse, who won his first CIC3* at Colina SP earlier this year, showed a lot of class over the course; the pair went in with a very generous four rails in hand but used none of them, laying down one of the day’s four double-clear trips to finish on a score of 44.50.
Marcelo’s goal now is to ready the horse for Rio next year. “Now we will compete in a four-star event for the Olympic Games,” he explains. “I have some plans to do some competitions in Europe with him and my other two horses.”
Marcio Jorge and Coronel MCJ. Photo by Leslie Wylie.
Marcio Jorge and Coronel MCJ. Photo by Leslie Wylie.
At the press conference following his win Marcelo gave the Olympic Test Event a positive review. “The competition was very good,” he said. “I liked the stables; they were very suitable. We’ve also got a very beautiful course for the cross-country test. The course designer (Pierre Michelet) has done a very good job.”
Marcelo Tosi and Glenfly, who were second after cross-country, crashed around the course a bit, taking down five rails to finish third.
“My horse did not jump well today,” he said. “I have a new trainer for show jumping and I will be working on this after today. Jumping is always harder for this horse, always. Some days he can jump well and clear but today it was not the right day.”
Marcio Appel moved into second place riding Cross Rock on a four-fault round. He’s aiming at a spot on Brazil’s Olympic squad and said of the program, “We have a real shot at an Olympic medal. Since the last Olympic Games, we’ve been training really hard and a lot of investment has gone into the team.”
Marcio Appel and Cross Rock. Photo by Leslie Wylie.
Aiken-based eventer Nilson da Silva, whom we interviewed after dressage, is another Olympic hopeful and finished fifth on his catch ride Tiger Lu.
EN’s furry foreign correspondent enjoyed a pilgrimage to his homeland this week via a trip to the Aquece Rio Olympic Test Event. Chinchillas are native to South America, and if we didn’t have him scheduled to jet off to Aachen with Jenni this evening he’d have probably moved in.
A photo posted by Eventing Nation (@goeventing) on
Jetlag be darned, Chinch is packing his bags as we speak for the Aachen CICO 3*. Running from August 12-14, the event is the German leg of the 2015 FEI Nations Cup Eventing Series. Be sure to keep up with all his adventures (and misadventures) via Instagram @goeventing.
The world’s most high-profile eventing championship is no easy party to throw. But if this week’s Aquece Rio Olympic test event is any indication, the host site’s game plan is right on track.
Of course, there’s a big difference between a modestly attended 18-horse CIC2* and an international championship with tens of thousands of spectators. The point of the exercise is to watch how the venue, Deodoro’s Olympic Equestrian Centre, handles logical challenges and to test it in action.
As Tim Hadaway, FEI chief coordinator for the Rio Games, explained earlier this week, “They want to be confident that the facilities are in place and that their athletes will have the best possible conditions to perform to their best at the Olympics next year.
“They will be studying everything from the stabling, the bedding, the transport routes and the training areas to the footing of the arena and cross-country course.”
By all appearances the test event is running relatively smoothly and the buzz surrounding the venue is overwhelmingly positive thus far.
Representatives from 16 national federations, including athletes and officials, traveled here to take part in the Observers Programme, which runs concurrently with the test event. After seeing a preview of the cross-country track in action this morning, here’s a survey of their impressions.
Mike Etherington-Smith, course designer for the 2000 and 2008 Olympic Games, TD of the 2004 Games, and course designer of the 2010 World Equestrian Games:
Joanie Morris, USEF managing director for eventing:
Staffan Lidbeck, chef d’equipe for Sweden:
Clayton Fredericks, 2008 Olympic Games team silver medalist for Australia and current chef d’equipe for Canada: “It’s in a very good state. I think it will be a great Games. There is plenty of coverage of grass and the ground is in good order.”
Looking up a green galloping lane being prepared for the Games. Photo by Leslie Wylie.
Nick Turner, former international British eventer and current performance manager for Ireland: “I am very optimistic that is is going to be a good Games. The infrastructure is here now and there is nothing serious, nothing worrying.”
The stabling area is utilitarian but just look at that backdrop! Photo by Leslie Wylie.
Marius Lips, chef d’equipe for the Netherlands: “The course is awesome. The footing is very good and there is irrigation everywhere, so they can keep it to the right level. There is a lot of space. When all the flags are up for the Games, it will be beautiful here. It’s a pity we couldn’t come with the horses. The traveling was really difficult and expensive.”
A table being built for the Games. Photo by Leslie Wylie.
Antonius Van der Headen, team performance director for the Netherlands: “The one thing I am worried about is the new road from Deodoro to the Olympic Village — it has to be finished. It will be chaotic if not.”
Construction of the new road connecting the Deodoro with the Olympic Village. Photo by Leslie Wylie.
Tip Lips, two-time Olympian and 2016 hopeful for the Netherlands: “Compared with London and Hong Kong, it is fantastic. It is so much bigger here, there is so much space. It suits our horses because we have horses that turn really well and it’s not too hilly, so that’s good for us. We have a really good feeling.”
The Olympic track has more terrain than the CIC2* Aquece Rio Test Event track but it’s flowing and fair — and beautiful. Photo by Leslie Wylie.
And last but not least…
Chinch, international eventing celebrity and American Olympic hopeful: “Hey Pierre, whaddya think about making this ditch-and-wall you’re working on a little narrower?”
Brazilian eventers are nothing if not ballsy, so it seems fitting that they be the ones to have a crack at a scaled-down CIC2* version of next year’s Olympic cross-country track.
Overnight leader of the Aquece Rio International H.T. and Olympic Test Event Marcelo Tosi elected to withdraw Briefing DB Z before the start, explaining, “Briefing is a 3* horse and there was no point in riding him today. I will save him for the next event.”
Their exit left the door wide open for second-placed Marcio Jorge and Coronel MCJ, who overtook the the leaderboard after turning in one of only two double-clear rounds.
“Coronel was amazing,” Marcio says. “That was an easy course for him, easily within the time. He was very comfortable with the fences. He is not tired; I think he could do another one now.”
Marcio Jorce and Coronel MCJ. Photo by Leslie Wylie.
Marcelo did get his chance to test-drive the course on his other ride, Glenfly. A double-clear moved them from third to second.
Both Marcio and Marcelo left the track with positive impressions, noting that the new sandy turf footing is off to a good start but will require some time to reach Olympic quality.
“In one year’s time the grass will be good. It needs one more summer to make it better,” Marcelo says. “With the summer heat and rain it will improve.”
Marcelo Tosi and Glenfly. Photo by Leslie Wylie.
Rounding out the top three is Marcio Appel on Cross Rock, who added 6.80 time faults to their dressage score. Here they are through the second water complex:
Followed by an exuberant exit on the second pass through (that’s not even an up-bank, buddy!):
Marcio Appel and Cross Rock. Photo by Leslie Wylie.
There were enough issues on course that clear rounds carried a big payoff. Aiken-based eventer Nilson Moreira da Silva, whom we interviewed after dressage, bounded from 16th to fourth on his catch ride Tiger Lu after collecting no jump and 0.80 time on course.
Nilson says he was impressed by the quality of the course. “The cross-country course is just like the ones in Europe and the USA. The jumps are amazing.”
As a native Brazilian, he is proud of his country for defying expectation: “The international observers seem to really love the place. This is really positive for us because always people from other countries come to South America and don’t expect these amazing venues.”
A slow-mo video of Nilson and Tiger Lu through the first two elements of the keyhole combination, one of the most unique features on the course:
It appears that there may be a variation on the bamboo theme in the works for next year’s Olympic course. A mound, perhaps?
Photo by Leslie Wylie.
There was definitely some scrappy, seat-of-the-pants riding out there today. Some of the horses appeared quite green to the level but all managed to live and learned from their mistakes:
A modest crowd of locals came out to spectate or volunteer, including this crew of enthusiastic kids.
Photo by Leslie Wylie.
Photo by Leslie Wylie.
The weather this week in Rio has been unseasonably hot, climbing well into the 80s despite average August temperatures of around 75. A cooling tent with big fans and water was available at the end of the course for the horses, although it was later commandeered by volunteers looking to beat the heat.
Photo by Leslie Wylie.
And unlike yesterday’s course walk, gunshots were blessedly kept to a minimum. Something else you probably won’t see on an American cross-country course: the military.
Photo by Leslie Wylie.
Photo by Leslie Wylie.
Well, I spoke too soon. Now they’re herding us out of the media center and onto a shuttle to our hotel because — I kid you not — the Rio police have captured some big drug dealer and they are afraid there will be protests in the streets.
I’m out of here, y’all. This isn’t how I want to die. Once I’m safely locked in my hotel room with a cold beer from the minibar in hand, I’ll be back to upload team reactions to the course and venue.
The Aquace Rio International Horse Trials and Olympic Test Event concludes with show jumping tomorrow.
What’s YOUR problem? Tweet it, Instagram it or share it on Facebook with the hashtag #EventerProblems for inclusion in the next edition of this series.
Fence #1 offers a friendly welcome to the course, set against a dramatic backdrop that must have taken somebody forever to paint. Just kidding! It's real. We think.
Part CIC2* course, part wildlife safari, the unveiling of Pierre Michelet’s cross-country course at the site of the 2016 Olympic Games is everything we hoped it would be and more.
It manages to combine real-life elements of Rio culture — not-so-distant gunshots, random monkeys, razor wire as far as the eye can see — with all the trappings of a first-class international event: a sculpture garden of festively decorated, beautifully built jumps positioned just-so along a sandy, gently undulating track.
To give you guys a better idea of the lay of the land, I climbed up into this hilltop tower…
…not realizing that the plywood floor was rotten until it literally started cracking beneath my feet like thin ice. No kidding, I had to crawl out on my hands and knees — but I by-God got my photos. Panning from left to right, if you imagine them all connected:
And that was just the beginning. Let’s go for a stroll, shall we? For a narrated tour, click on the thumbnails.
Why does Chinch look so nervous? And what’s with the pepper spray? Guess we’re about to find out!
Fence #1 offers a friendly welcome to the course, set against a dramatic backdrop that must have taken somebody forever to paint. Just kidding! It’s real. We think.
Don’t worry: The cinder block wall topped by razor wire beyond fence #2 is not part of the course.
It’s to keep out the neighbors.
Kicking on up the hill to fence #3.
Photo by Leslie Wylie.
Fence #4 is an inviting bending line through the water…
…followed by a galloping trakehner.
And then, out of nowhere, the eighth natural wonder of the eventing world: an ABC combination whose centerpiece is a giant bamboo keyhole. Also out of nowhere, shouting and not-too-distant gunshots.
Beyond the keyhole, a skinny and more gunshots. Probably just the adjacent military base, right?
The softly rollling terrain gives the horses just enough work to do.
Scattered throughout the course are a few jumps and features like this that aren’t being used this weekend but presumably will show up on next year’s Olympic course.
Fence #7, immaculately decorated in South America chic.
Heading back down the hill toward fence #8 and some fake trees. Just kidding, again. Probably.
Chinch’s new Rio summer home, fence #9AB.
Either fireworks or some sort of automatic weaponry now echoing from the beyond the trees, but how about this scenery?
You know where you are? You’re in the jungle, baby. And you’re gonna…
… run into some random monkeys chilling beside the galloping lane.
Hey monkey.
Don’t look into its eyes.
Phew! Back to civilization. #10 is a little wake-up call after your safari sightseeing tour.
Now approaching the main water complex.
Be sure to dodge the little islands on your way to #11B and C.
Looping around and over a table en route to our second pass through the water.
A drop down over 13A…
…and more islands to dodge. The baby sprout-y plants will be all grown up by the Games.
A panoramic view of the water, which you should definitely not drink.
Your reward for making it this far on course without being being shot by a drug lord or maimed by an evil monkey: fence #14, adorned with flowers and an assortment of tropical fruit.
Now turning toward the direction of home over fence #15AB, a line of angled brushes.
Followed by a corner at #16. That’s the backup plan to the left.
More photoshopped backdrop.
One last combination to go.
Lots of watering going on to quench the sandy footing’s thirst and trick the grass into a greener hue.
Just a couple jumps left.
Course complete! Now let’s get out of here.
There’s no telling how much obstacle crossover there will be between the test event and next year’s Olympic Games, and the CIC2* course is only about half the distance that competitors will face next year. Still, the track covers much of the same ground and everyone is looking forward to seeing how it rides.
The first rider leaves the box at 10 a.m. GMT-3, or 9 a.m. ET. The leader board following dressage:
Nilson Moreira da Silva and Tiger Lu. Photo by Leslie Wylie.
Nilson Moreira da Silva may ride under the Brazilian flag but ever since he moved to the States in 2011, he’s been embraced as one of our eventing community’s own.
Based in Aiken with Laura VanderVliet, he’s done well for himself on American turf. He has two horses competing at the Advanced level: L & N Equestrian’s Magnum’s Martini, with whom he finished third in the Chattahoochee Hills CIC3* in May, and The Phoenix Syndicate’s Muggle, who narrowly missed a top-10 finish in the Jersey Fresh CCI3* this year and came fourth in the Poplar Place CIC3* in March.
Nilson Moreira da Silva and Muggle at Millbrook last weekend. Photo by Jenni Autry.
He left his own horses at home this week, however, to catch a ride on a his fellow countryman Luciano Miranda Drubi’s Tiger Lu at the Olympic Test Event in Rio de Janeiro. The 9-year-old Brazilian bred gelding has a CIC and CCI apiece at the one- and two-star levels under his belt.
Observation: Brazilian eventers seem to be quite generous about sharing their mounts with riders based abroad, who in turn seem quite brave to take them up on the offer! Ruy Fonseca’s Aquece Rio mount Quaint Normand, who was unfortunately spun at the first horse inspection, was a catch ride as well.
Nilson Moreira da Silva and Tiger Lu (with Marilyn Payne, president of the 2016 Olympic ground jury, in the judge’s box!). Photo by Leslie Wylie.
Tiger Lu, a 9-year-old Brazilian bred gelding, has completed one CIC and one CCI apiece at the one- and two-star levels. Nilson tactfully piloted him through this morning’s dressage test, which scored a 63.3 for 16th place.
The horse was a bit low in the bridle and reluctant to really push forward into the contact, but Nilson says he’s looking forward to tomorrow’s cross-country course and expects that it will catch a few riders out so the pair may well climb up the leaderboard yet — although it seems to me that making it through the finish flags on a catch ride is an accomplishment in and of itself!
Nilson kindly took a few moments to chat with us about his Olympic ambitions, his plans for the rest of the year and the strategy behind Brazil’s increasingly competitive eventing program:
Ringside at the Olympic Test Event in Rio. Photo by Leslie Wylie.
A total of 18 horses divided amongst 11 riders are buffed up, braided and ready to stride down the center line here at Aquece Rio International Horse Trials, a CIC2* serving as the Olympic test event.
The competition will be contested by Brazilian pairs only, with a few names in the mix that might ring a bell. Perhaps most familiar to the North American contingent is Ruy Fonseca, who was recently outfitted with a Individual Bronze at the Pan American Games riding Tom Bombadill Too.
Ruy was just married in Brazil on Tuesday and wasn’t originally planning on competing in the event — his new wife must be a good sport!
Sadly his catch ride, Quaint Nomad, was spun at yesterday’s jog on account of sore ligaments in his left front leg. The horse belongs to Marcio Jorge, also a member of the Team Bronze Medal winning Brazilian squad at the Pan Ams.
“I called him just a couple days ago and asked him to come and ride,” Jorge said. “Now he’s coming and it’s a shame he won’t be riding.”
All other horses passed on first inspection.
Photo by Leslie Wylie.
Photo by Leslie Wylie.
Jenni named Marcio, along with teammate Carlos Paro, as “riders to keep on your radar” after watching their performances in Toronto. (You can check out her complete list here.) Marcio is the highest FEI ranked athlete in the field, at #59, and Carlos was the highest-placed finisher of any Brazilian eventer at an Olympic Games, placing 21st at Sydney in 2000. Both riders have two horses competing here in Rio.
Ruy Fonseca, Carlos Paro, Marcio Carvalho Jorge and Henrique Plambon accept their team silver medals. Photo by Jenni Autry.
The most experienced rider we’ll see this week is Seguei Fofanoff, who has four Olympic Games under his belt having competed in 1992, 1996, 2000 and 2012. He is also among the five riders competing two horses, riding Estiva TW and Yankee Deapper.
The dressage competition is just underway in the main arena. Andrew Bennie, Marilyn Payne and Sandy Phillips are sitting at E, C and M respectively.
Photo by Leslie Wylie.
While the stands are fairly empty, there is quite a large international contingent here this weekend. Observers from 16 countries, including coaches, officials and national federation delegates, are roaming about, hoping to catch a glimpse of what the 2016 Olympic Games will look like here in Rio.
We’ll be checking in throughout the day so keep it locked here!
The sun setting over the cross country course at the Olympic Equestrian Centre. Photo by Gustavo Nascimento/FEI Photos.
From ski slopes to river rapids to cross country courses, whenever a relatively untested venue is named as the site of an international sporting event on the scale of the Olympics, there are going to be question marks up in the air. What’s it going to look like? Can they pull it off?
Rio de Janeiro may not be known as a hotbed of equestrian sport but for 13 days in 2016, the world’s best horses and riders will be gathered there to fight for medals on the world’s most visible sporting stage. In exactly one year from today the 2016 Olympic Games will be underway and with it the first Olympic equestrian competition ever held in South America.
The Olympic test event for eventing, the Aquece Rio (“Warm Up Rio”) International Horse Trials, is taking place this week at the Olympic Equestrian Centre in Deodoro. And, because we’re dying of curiosity, Eventing Nation is live on the scene to check it out.
Throughout the week we’ll be bringing you photos, interviews, event coverage and commentary as we catch a first glimpse of the site. Here’s a rundown of what’s going on.
What it is
This weekend’s event is a CIC2* limited to Brazilian horse/rider combinations. In addition to feeling out the “field of play,” the goal is to test a wide range of logistical and technological concerns: results, scoring, timing, stabling operations, sanitary and biosecurity procedures, spectator flow and management, accreditation and media operations. Both human and equine anti-doping processes will also be conducted.
“As equestrian is one of the first major test events for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, it will play an important role in establishing the Organizing Committee’s systems and processes,” FEI Secretary General Sabrina Zeender explained last month. “The test event is a vital stage in the preparations to assess operational readiness, and a huge amount that needs to be tested will be tested.”
A few components remain to be ironed out, including accommodations for athletes, grooms and National Olympic Committees, and arrival/departure procedures for the horses since there will only be national horses at the event, but the FEI expresses confidence that everyone is in good hands. Guess we’ll find out!
Where it is
The Olympic Equestrian Centre is one of nine venues in Deodoro, a neighborhood in the west of Rio that will play host to the second largest concentration of competition venues during the Games. Since hosting the 2007 Pan American Games the grounds have been relatively quiet, providing cavalry unit stabling for the surrounding military base and hosting a few competitions here and there.
Everyone is, of course, especially interested in seeing the Pierre Michelet-designed cross country course. In recent years Olympic cross country courses have seemed almost like sculpture gardens showcasing the host nation’s culture and history — remember London in 2012? — and we can’t wait to see what Rio has to offer, especially if the photos course builder extraordinaire Tyson Rementer has been posting to social media are any indication.
Representatives from 16 national federations, including athletes and officials, are traveling to the Olympic Equestrian Centre in Deodoro to take part in the Observers Programme, which runs concurrently with the test event.
Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Czech Republic, France, Great Britain, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Switzerland, Sweden and the United States of America are all sending delegations to the test event. Canadian coach Clayton Fredericks will attend the Test Event for Canada, and the U.S. is sending a delegation of five. Marilyn Payne, president of the ground jury for Rio, will be present as well.
All five technical delegates will be present at the Test Event: Tim Randle (veterinary), Jacques Van Daele (dressage), Alec Lochore (eventing), Santiago Varela (show jumping) and Amanda Bond (para-equestrian dressage); along with John McEwen, chair of the FEI Veterinary Committee; and the FEI sports directors of the three Olympic disciplines: John Roche (show jumping), Trond Asmyr (dressage) and Catrin Norinder (eventing).
The test event will also be attended by 12 international technical officials and a large team of national technical officials, with the second group including FEI stewards, dressage scribes, judging assistants and eventing cross country officials.
And, of course, one very well-known chinchilla is also making the trip. Keep it locked on EN as we take you behind the scenes at the Olympic Test Event in Rio!
What’s YOUR problem? Tweet it, Instagram it or share it on Facebook with the hashtag #EventerProblems for inclusion in the next edition of this series.
What’s YOUR problem? Tweet it, Instagram it or share it on Facebook with the hashtag #EventerProblems for inclusion in the next edition of this series.
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Likewise, their struggle is a universal one. When I ran “LORTEVEJR på vej til stævne” through Google Translate, it came up as “$H!T WEATHER on their way to events.” Been there, done that!
Why do we do this thing again? Here are 29 more #EventerProblems to which eventers around the globe will be able to relate:
What’s YOUR problem? Tweet it, Instagram it or share it on Facebook with the hashtag #EventerProblems for inclusion in the next edition of this series.
When your horse is tied up and being iced so he’s constantly begging you to scratch his leg for him #eventerproblems — Abbey Huffman (@abbey_huffman) July 19, 2015
Casually wondering when these lines on my legs from my breeches will go away… #eventerproblems
Had to plan a dinner date around my mare getting her feet done. Let’s see how much horse crazy he can take. #EventerProblems#isheakeeper? — Beth (@BethPaige0507) July 18, 2015
#EventerProblems I tried to unlock my phone with my fingerprint while riding. Took about five seconds for me to realize I had gloves on. — Thrifty Equestrian (@thriftyeqblog) July 22, 2015
What’s YOUR problem? Tweet it, Instagram it or share it on Facebook with the hashtag #EventerProblems for inclusion in the next edition of this series.
Two months and well over 300 #EventerProblems later, your struggles are threatening to take over the horsey Internet. Here are 30 more problems only eventers will understand.
Via Tom Kimmel: When we XC school, Flyzilla, the infamous “B-52 Fly” is our nemesis in the fields, it’s loud buzzing clearly audible when inbound for horseflesh. #eventerproblems
When your SmartPak cart comes to $651 without the new cross country saddle you need to go with everything. #eventerproblems
wishing I was into underwater basket weaving..A hell of a lot less hot and I’d actually make $ instead of spending it all! #eventerproblems — Jennifer Boyer (@JenniferBoyer21) July 15, 2015
OMG lack of appropriate riding weather has me contemplating a kitchen remodel. It’s cheaper than an indoor #eventerproblems — Hollyn Mangione (@clotheshorseeq) July 16, 2015
A video posted by Sarah Sargent (@sarahjsargent) on
What’s YOUR problem? Tweet it, Instagram it or share it on Facebook with the hashtag #EventerProblems for inclusion in the next edition of this series.
Kelly Prather and D.A. Duras in the 2015 Bromont CC12*. Photo by Leslie Wylie.
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