I popped onto a Facebook Live interview with EquiRatings‘ Nicole Brown and Horse & Hound‘s Catherine Austen to recap the first day on the ground in Paris. Tune in for some thoughts on the venue and the official unveiling of Pierre Le Goupil’s cross country course (stay tuned for Tilly Berendt’s full preview coming later!).
Tom Jackson and Capels Hollow Drift. Photo by 1st Class Images.
Britain’s Tom Jackson has taken a convincing lead in the Holme Dodsworth Metals CCI4*-S class at Burgham International Horse Trials (24-28 July), presented by Project Pony, with a personal-best score of 22.9 on Patricia Davenport’s Capels Hollow Drift.
Tom and the 13-year-old grey were part of the British squad at the 2023 European Championships in France, and finished second in the CCI5* at Defender Burghley in 2022.
“I was so pleased with him,” said Surrey-based Tom. “We’ve just taken the pressure off him a little bit since Badminton [where he finished fifth], and he felt really happy in the arena. I think that was the best test I’ve had with him. He’s been flirting around the mid-20s mark before at this level, but he’s gone and smashed that today.”
Tom plans to take Capels Hollow Drift back to Burghley in September.
“We’ll try to go one better than last time!” he said.
The 31-year-old added: “We’ve been coming to Burgham since nearly the very beginning of the event, when there were about four stables up in the top corner of the field – it has grown so much. We come back every year because the courses are fantastic, the going is fantastic and it’s a lovely event to be at.”
Tom has an impressive margin of nearly six points in hand over second-placed Harry Meade with Jane Dear and Charlotte Opperman’s Away Cruising (28.7). Third is Irish rider Lucy Latta on her 2024 Badminton runner-up, Lesley Crampton’s RCA Patron Saint.
Izzy Taylor, a former winner of the feature CCI4*-S class at Burgham, is first and second in section B of the Hambro Sport Horses CCI3*-S on Caroline Wilson’s eight-year-old Hathaway Royale (24.1) and Johnny Hornby’s seven-year-old Barrington Alice (24.4).
“I’m delighted with my two grey girls,” said Izzy. “They are very different to each other – Hathaway Royale is a little horse who is really learning to shine, and Barrington Alice is a taller, younger mare who is still learning at this level. It’s great to be at Burgham with such exciting horses excelling in a big class.”
Ibble Watson, 21, is on top in CCI3*-S section A with a mark of 24.4 on her own Aristotoles S Z, ahead of the USA’s Jenny Caras (Sommersby, 28.2).
Of the four British Eventing Open Intermediate and Intermediate sections at Burgham today, two were won by Tokyo Olympics team gold medallist Oliver Townend, who will be hoping to challenge the CCI4*-S leaders on Friday when he does his dressage test on his 2024 Defender Kentucky CCI5* champion Cooley Rosalent.
Burgham’s Friday programme features the showjumping and cross-country phases of the Hambro Sport Horses CCI3*-S, while dressage continues for the Holme Dodsworth Metals CCI4*-S and starts for the NIS Group Services Ltd CCI2*-S.
Saturday and Sunday at Burgham not only offer top-class sport with the jumping phases of the CCI4*-S topping the bill, but also great fun for families, friends and children. From 10.30am on Saturday in the Burgham Park Arena, visitors can take part in “have a go” dog agility and the newly popular pastime of “hobby horsing”, and there’s also a fun charity dog show. On Sunday, the dog show, dog agility and “hobby horsing” will take place in the afternoon following the conclusion of the Thoroughbred and Ex-Racehorse Show in the Burgham Park Arena.
Burgham also features great tradestands and lots of delicious, locally-produced food and drink and public bars. It is situated in beautiful, tranquil Northumbrian countryside not far from the A1 between Morpeth and Alnwick.
If you’re looking for a family day out that’s really affordable this summer, you can’t do better than Burgham International Horse Trials (24-28 July) – visit www.burghaminternationalhorsetrials.co.uk to find out more and to buy tickets.
All four days of cross-country from Burgham – Thursday, 25 July to Sunday, 28 July – will be livestreamed on ClipMyHorse.tv – visit www.clipmyhorse.tv/ to watch.
While my brain has decided to play “Les Champs-Elysées” on repeat, life does indeed go on outside of the Olympics. A fact that I have had to strongly remind myself of several times this week. What can I say? I feel as excited as a kid counting down the days until summer break, which doesn’t lend itself nicely to sitting down at my desk and working.
Anyways, outside of thinking about the Olympics and getting “Les Champs-Elysées” stuck in my head, I’ve been on the hunt for exercises to teach my clumsy OTTB how to use her brain in the pasture instead of racking up vet bills for dear old mum (aka me, how lucky am I?). The most recent interesting exercise I’ve found is “Pick Up Sticks” for horses. While Gen Z may not remember this game, I’ve certainly played it a time or two growing up, Victorian Child that I am. Essentially, the idea is you drop some sticks on the ground and try to pick up a stick without touching or moving the other sticks. Whoever has the most sticks, wins. The horse version is a little different. Here’s the long and short of it from Centaurus Osteopathy for your perusing pleasure.
Last minute changes made to the Olympic lineup. Whoever makes the decisions for these teams obviously have no respect for the EN form guide. We’re back to editing it once again, as Will Coleman substitutes Off the Record for Diabolo and Sandra Auffarth is out, while Julia Krajewski is in for the German team. Get the full scoop here.
Just because they’re Olympic athletes, doesn’t necessarily mean they’re graceful… Irish eventer Susie Berry takes behind the scenes of the taking of this adorable photo. Never have I ever related more to professional athletes. This needs to be one of those memes. Which Irish Olympian best describes how you’re feeling today?
Trainer Lockie Phillips has a thoughtful take on Charlotte Dujardin’s suspension and the video that has been circulating around the internet faster than a wildfire. In an era where equestrian sports is under a microscope, it’s more important than ever that we all refrain from fighting amongst each other and take a moment to do some introspection. How can you make a difference in the future of equestrian sports right now? Read Lockie Phillips’ take on the controversy here.
Our very own Tilly Berendt is on the ground and ready to ruuuuuuuuumble! First up, she’s bringing us some of our first looks at Versailles from the ground. Fun fact: apparently, they did not tell the audience why they were being rearranged for the photo of the stands. See Versailles through Tilly’s eyes here.
Of course, we’ve kept an eye abroad as we get ready to tune into the Paris Olympics starting up over the next few days. But, we can’t miss all of the excitement happening right here in the U.S., with the wildly beautiful event running at Millbrook Thursday, July 25th – Sunday, July 28th.
2023 Advanced winners at Millbrook Horse Trials, Sharon White riding Claus 63. Photo by Amber Heintzberger.
With a variety of competitors, from the local eventer starting out to seasoned Olympic riders, there are plenty of horse and rider combos to cheer on, as well as activities at the facility that make it a great trip for the family.
Plan your visit
In addition of the excitement with competition ranging from Beginner Novice through Advanced, there are plenty of ways to enjoy the horse trial.
WEDNESDAY PREFIX DINNER FOR RIDERS: Wednesday, July 24 • 3:00 – 8:00 pm
2024 PURINA & TRIPLE CROWN PARTY FOR COMPETITORS & VOLUNTEERS: Saturday, July 27 • 6:00 – 8:00 pm. Pick up your free tickets to the party when you pick up your package at the secretary’s office.
It’s set to be a busy weekend with nearly 400 competitors slotted to compete, with 40 riders in the Advanced division.
Looking at the entry list, it’s bound to be an exciting weekend, with some serious talent making the trek up north.
Ema Klugman and Bronte Beach. Photo by Abby Powell.
Ema Klugman is scheduled to be one busy rider, with four competing in the Advanced. She’ll be bringing Bronte Beach Z, Chiraz, RF Redfern, and Slieve Callan Alpha to Millbrook. Bronte Beach Z has competed through the 5* level with Ema, and has an impressive cross country record behind her name. RF Redfern, Chiraz, and Slieve Callan Alpha also have plenty of experience under Ema, each competing through the 4* level.
Evie, Olivia and Phillip Dutton with Santa at Millbrook. Photo by Jenni Autry.
We’ll also see two Duttons out and about, with Phillip competing with Denim and Possante, and Olivia with Sea of Clouds. We saw Olivia and Sea of Clouds out at Bromont in the 4*L most recently, and Phillip out earlier this month in the 3* at Maryland with both Possante and Denim, who finished 2nd and 4th respectively.
Another young rider we’ll see in the lineup is Cassie Sanger with Redfield Fyre. Despite her young age, Cassie has had ample experience at the upper levels, and was a team member for the U.S. in the FEI Eventing Nations Cup Poland CCIO4*-NC-S in Strzegom in 2023.
Another FEI Eventing Nations Cup Strzegom team member, Andrew McConnon, will be in Millbrook this weekend with Ferrie’s Cello and Wakita 54.
Other pairs to watch include Ariel Grald and Isla de Coco, Will Faudree and Mama’s Magic Way, Allison Springer and No May Moon, and Meghan O’Donoghue and Palm Crescent. Additionally, Rachel Lawson will be bringing High Tide to the division, a duo that spends plenty of time training and schooling bridleless.
This week, we’ll be bringing you a breakdown of each phase and its Olympic nuance with the help of several experts who were gracious enough to lend us some of their time and knowledge. So far, we’ve published a breakdown of the unique Olympic dressage test as well as the cross country phase. Now, let’s wrap this series up with some thoughts on the show jumping.
Traditionally speaking, show jumping culminates the three days of eventing as a final test of endurance and accuracy for both horse and rider. Coming into show jumping, horses and their riders will be feeling the exertion of the past two days, particularly at an intense event like the Olympics.
The show jumping is particularly influential at the Olympics for one big reason. Let’s dive in.
What makes show jumping at the Olympics unique?
Julia Krajewski and Amande de B’Neville. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.
Unlike all other competitions for eventing, the Olympics requires two show jumping rounds to determine medals. The International Olympic Committee does not hand out multiple medals off the results from one event. You can see this mirrored in other events such as gymnastics and swimming. So, the eventing show jumping works as follows:
Round 1: All remaining team riders and individuals, including any substitutes, will jump in this round. In the first round, fences can be set up to 4* max height, which is 1.25m. This round will see anywhere from 11-13 numbered fences, with a maximum of 16 jumping efforts.
Round 2: The top 25 individual riders, regardless of nation/team, will move forward to the final individual round. Substitute riders cannot go forward to this round. This round can see fences up to 5* height, which is 1.30m. The number of fences decreases for a maximum of 9 fences and 12 jumping efforts.
The second round will come after a short break for rearranging the course, meaning there isn’t a ton of time in between for recovery.
Factors to consider
Laura Collett and London 52. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.
I sat down with Michel Vaillancourt, who’s an Olympic individual medalist in show jumping and a Show Jumping Hall of Fame member, as well as a course designer for major events like Spruce Meadows and the Pan American Games, for some intel on things to consider when looking at show jumping through the eyes of a designer.
“Adding the two rounds changes the outcome of the competition for the individual riders a lot,” he remarked. “The second round is a little shorter, which is kind of a blessing, but a lot of the factor for me will come to the fitness level.”
As the schedule currently stands, there will be about an hour and a half or two hours in between the conclusion of the team round and the start of the individual final. This can be advantageous for some, and challenging for others.
“It really depends on the horse you’re on,” Michel said. “The break gives the horses a chance to rest, but it also gives them a chance to get a little tighter or to mentally switch off. None of these horses will be anticipating jumping again — that’s not how it works in eventing as a standard. As a rider, I would prefer to come back an hour later, especially looking at everything you would have done to that point. At the same time, you don’t want to break that zone.”
Boyd Martin and Tsetserleg TSF. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.
The designer for Paris will be Spain’s Santiago Varela, assisted by co-designer Gregory Bodo of France. Santiago is a lifetime student of the sport, earning the title of “Local Course Designer” at just 15 years of age in Madrid. He’s since gone on to design at World Championships, World Cup and Nations Cup competitions, as well as the last Olympics in Tokyo. There, his jumps received much recognition for their beauty and attention to detail. He’s been teamed up with Gregory since the 2014 World Equestrian Games in Normandy, France.
While we certainly see an increasing number of courses designed by designers who spend most of their time in the show jumping space, there is a level of nuance involved with the two different sports.
“It’s very different to design an eventing show jumping,” Michel noted. “The horses are a little more fatigued on this last day. There has been a lot of rideability that was lost during the cross country phase, so when you come into the show jumping you’re not as sharp as you would be if show jumping was first.”
“One thing the designers may do is go with slightly deeper cups or slightly heavier rails [that what you would see in pure show jumping]. I remember very well when we did Kentucky for instance, we weighed all the rails and kept the lighter ones for the show jumpers and the heavier ones for the eventers. But at an event like the Aiken Showcase, I use lighter rails and shallower cups. At the Games, you might just want to give them a bit of a chance — or not! It is the Olympics.”
Speaking to what he’s observed of Santiago’s design style, Michel says he looks forward to seeing what he lays out for our eventers. “I would say he’s a very classic course designer,” he said. “If you’ve done your homework and are totally prepared, I’d say you can do really well. Some course designers might suit certain types of horses and riders and not so much others. I don’t think that’s really going to be the case with Santiago, I think he will give us a real quality of work.”
What can we take away from watching?
Tom McEwen and Toledo de Kerser. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.
Michel will be the first to tell you — regardless of what level you compete at — that practice in the jumping ring is invaluable. Many eventers now dedicate portions of their competition calendar to some extra time doing jumpers. This will pay off in Paris, he says.
“I do praise the guys that do it,” he said. “Show jumping is becoming more and more important in this discipline, and there was a time when the riders weren’t spending enough time on it. It’s different at an event. You have no opportunity to come back in, fix an issue, solve a problem. You go back home and then you’re getting ready for your next dressage test or conditioning. I would suggest to at least twice or three times a year to give yourself a block of three weeks where you do show jumping and nothing else. And then you go back to your routine. But really take advantage of the jumping show, and that includes everybody. You can be a Beginner Novice rider and go in the ring and jump four rounds and then come back and do it the next week. In two weeks, you’ve jumped the equivalent of eight events. It can only help you.”
And that practice will pay off for many this weekend. In Tokyo, just four pairs came away with two clear show jumping rounds. One pair, Nicolas Touzaint and Absolute Gold HDC, jumped clear in the second round but had one second of time. Seven of the top 25 jumped clear in the first round but had rails down in the second round. 80% of the individual field had at least one rail down. This goes to show just how influential the final phase stands to be (as it should be!), and it will make for some fascinating, nail-biting action.
“It comes down to slight little mistakes and errors,” Michel said. “But the top riders will make every technicality look very simple. Many of our eventers now are good enough that they could blend in as show jumpers. There was a time when jumps got demolished in this phase. Not so much anymore. The cream will rise to the top, it always does. There are no lucky winners in the Olympics.”
With that, our breakdown series concludes and we hope you are feeling prepped and ready for the action to begin in just a couple of days! We’ll see you very soon. For more from EN on the Olympics, click the banner below.
Will Coleman and Diabolo win the Cosequin Lexington CCI4*-S. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
We’re just two days away from the first horse inspection – and the Opening Ceremony – of the 2024 Paris Olympics, and today’s moving-in day for horses at the Versailles stabling. It’s a big day by anyone’s reckoning, but one made even bigger by changes made to two of the biggest national contenders for team medals.
Team USA’s Will Coleman will now ride his direct reserve horse, Kentucky CCI4*-S winner Diabolo, a twelve-year-old Holsteiner gelding (Diarado x Aljano 2) owned by the Diabolo Group, instead of the stalwart Off The Record. No reason has been made public yet for this swap, and the dynamics of the rest of the team remain the same, with Liz Halliday and Cooley Nutcracker retaining the travelling reserve spot at this time.
Julia Krajewski and Nickel 21. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
In team Germany, the changes are slightly bigger: Sandra Auffarth and Viamant du Matz, who were part of the Tokyo 2020 team, have withdrawn following ‘abnormalities’ in the Tuesday evening veterinary check in the final trot-up. That means that reigning Olympic champion Julia Krajewski is now on the team of three with her Aachen winner, ten-year-old Nickel 21, and 23-year-old Olympic debutant Calvin Böckmann and The Phantom of the Opera, who made their five-star debut at Kentucky this spring and were runners-up at Aachen, are now in the travelling reserve role.
We’ll keep you updated with all the breaking news from the ground in Paris as we get it. Go Eventing!
Well, we, the greater equestrian sport, are not off to a great start in terms of social license ahead of the Olympics this weekend. In case you missed it, yesterday the horse world was rocked with the news of Charlotte Dujardin’s withdrawal from this Olympic Games followed by her suspension from FEI and British Equestrian competition after a years-old video of her using training methods not in line with the FEI’s principles of horse welfare was submitted to the FEI. Of course, this news has hit mainstream media including the New York Times and The Guardian. And of course, this is not the kind of publicity that equestrian sport was hoping for ahead of taking the world stage once again.
This means it’s even more important for everyone to be equestrian’s biggest hype person throughout this Olympics. We know that the IOC monitors viewing figures and they’re very likely keeping an eye on the amount of social media chatter via hashtag use as well. So get your friends and and family and your next door neighbor to watch, watch, watch, and share, share, share. We’ve tried to make it as easy as possible to figure out how to tune in, even breaking it down by time zones. Yes, for anyone in the Americas it’s a bit of an ask to wake up and watch that early but even tuning in halfway through a phase is better than not at all. Peacock will also have replays of all events at some points.
Do your part to help keep equestrian sports in the Olympics and HYPE IT UP.
In better mainstream media coverage, the US eventing horses flying off to Paris have hit the Associated Press. Get an inside look at the horse’s journey through the The Ark at JFK International Airport and onto their planes, plus what goes into packing and travel from the grooms and team veterinarian. Read to the end for a great quote from Steph Simpson, a most relatable queen.
Another Olympic preview show for you: RideiQ brings us Kyle and Jen Carter, who’ll walk us through their predictions, the format, and the buzz around the Versailles cross country course. Listen/ watch here.
WEC is widening its reach. A deed filed earlier this month reports that the same family that developed the World Equestrian Center and Golden Ocala neighborhood purchased Classic Mile Park, a 700 acre facility, which is just a ten minute drive from WEC. We don’t know what the plans for the property are yet, but it sounds like the perfect place to host a new event if you ask me.
Today is the last day to win yourself an EPIC prize bundle, including a $200 shopping spree and VIP tickets to Maryland 5*, amongst other, amazing prizes?! The be sure to enter EN’s Summer Sweepstake, our biggest giveaway yet! But be quick – the entries close July 24, with the winner notified the following week, July 29. An Olympic hangover cure, if you will. It’s super simple to enter too, simply fill in the entry form and you’re in with a shout. Good luck!
Everyone has their own ‘Olympics’. For some it’s, well, the actual Olympics. But for most of us who will never reach that level, a more attainable goal that still takes a whole lotta work can be extremely fulfilling and feel like just as big deal to achieve. For many, a classic three-day is that goal. Here are some tips for your first classic series event!
Morning Video Break: Here’s Boyd Martin checking in from Team USA’s Olympic training camp:
Before we dive into Paris, let’s take a moment to do some digging on the teams and individuals, and how we feel things will shake out come Monday.
Our friends at EquiRatings have been hard at work with tons of preview content on their various podcasts, and we’ve got two episodes to share with you today. We highly recommend diving into their full roster of shows, though, so be sure to look up EquiRatings wherever you get your podcasts.
The Team Preview
Tune in to this episode where we break down the teams heading to Paris! Hosts Nicole, Sam, Diarm, and Rosie dive into the top teams and dark horses, giving you all the insights you need to follow the action. From analyzing past performances to predicting future triumphs, this episode is packed with data and expert opinions.
Highlights Include:
Detailed analysis of teams
Predictions and potential game-changers
Behind-the-scenes insights into preparation and strategy
The Individual Preview
Get ready for an exciting dive into the equestrian world’s most anticipated event – the Paris Olympics! Join Nicole Brown, Catherine Austen and Sally Spickard as they bring you exclusive insights and expert analysis on who could claim the coveted individual titles.
What to Expect:
Top Contenders: Who will stand on the podium? Will it be the consistent Ros Canter, the dynamic Laura Collett, or the ever-impressive Michael Jung?
Course Challenges: How will the unique Paris course impact the competition?
Expert Opinions: Hear from industry leaders on what it takes to win gold at the Olympics.
Surprise Elements: Who could be the dark horse that surprises everyone?
This week, we’ll be bringing you a breakdown of each phase and its Olympic nuance with the help of several experts who were gracious enough to lend us some of their time and knowledge. Yesterday, we published a breakdown of the unique Olympic dressage test. Now, let’s continue with some context on Olympic cross country.
The cross country test at the Olympics shares many commonalities with its 4* and 5* counterparts around the world, but there are some key differences in designing an Olympic track to be sure.
What makes cross country in the Olympics unique?
Małgorzata Cybulska and Chenaro 2. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.
The first element of uniqueness in the Olympics when we’re talking about cross country is the technical specifications.
The Olympics are, generally speaking, put onto pieces of land that are not ordinarily used for equestrian competition, or they are put on specifically-built venues that are new and have not been used for competition before. A recent example would be Sea Forest Island, the manmade island in Tokyo on which the cross country was built and has since been converted into public parkland. The most recent similar environment that comes to mind in direct comparison is London, during which cross country took place in Greenwich Park. This year, cross country will take place on the historic parklands of the Chateau de Versailles.
The reinforced mound that’ll afford further possibilities for interesting questions on cross-country.
For this reason, the maximum distance of the cross country is set out in the rules as 5800 meters. This is just a hair higher than the FEI 4* minimum distance of 5700 meters, making this course on the shorter side in terms of 4*-L-classified competitions, which the cross country at the Olympics is considered. The maximum amount of jumping efforts is 42, which is slightly higher than the 4* maximum of 40.
This ground is protected, which means there wasn’t much that could be done in terms of removing any of the existing horticulture or changing the makeup of the ground to, say, build up some terrain (though there was an artificial mound that was created to provide some change in terrain, as well as several crossings of the canal and other water questions). Much earlier on in the process, designer Pierre Le Goupil would have laid out the general track he would have wanted to use. Those areas were subsequently gated off to preserve and maintain the footing and keep it safe from the millions of visitors who frequent the Chateau and parklands each year. A layer of turf was also installed before any construction, including in the grandstand area, was begun, to ensure the protection of the grass underneath and to provide a level surface and avoid sloping ground.
Below is a very early map of the route that was planned, taken back in 2023 at the test event. The final route and course plan has yet to be revealed, but it should be set at about 5.3 km or a little over 3 miles.
The map of the cross-country track that’s been extensively prepped for 2024, with the chateau on the right-hand side and the back of house area on the left.
You can read much more on the work that’s gone into the creation of the equestrian venue and the cross country in our report from the 2023 “test event” here.
The unique challenge of designing at the Olympics
Andrew Hoy and Vassily de Lassos. Photo by Shannon Brinkman.
When you think about designing a cross country course on a venue that’s never had a course before, the challenge facing the designer becomes clear.
“The thing is that when you have an Olympic course, especially on a venue that has not been used, it’s like running a brand new event,” Derek di Grazia, who was the designer for the postponed 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, said. “You don’t know how a different piece of ground is going to ride. You have an idea, but you certainly don’t have full knowledge like you would if you’re designing at a venue like Kentucky or Badminton.”
Here, Derek references the importance of hosting a test event (Paris did not host a full test competition as is tradition, opting instead to send four riders to the venue in 2023 for a shortened test of the facilities) as a valuable information-gathering opportunity.
“It makes a huge difference to work the site so you understand where the deficiencies are and where the strong points are,” he said. “You can try to improve on those things in the time between the test and the Olympics. In Tokyo this was quite useful for me.”
“Flow” would perhaps be the word most riders or designers would toss out when asked to describe an ideal cross country course in one word. A course that allows horses to gain a rhythm and stay in it is invaluable (not to mention safer), but it’s not easy to do when you’re limited in space. Remember, even though this park isn’t small — it’s got about 2000 acres to call home — the usable space, with it being protected land, is much more limited.
Michael Jung and Chipmunk FRH. Photo by Shannon Brinkman.
“It’s apples and oranges,” Derek said when asked how a design here and its challenges would differ from another event. “When you go to a Burghley or a Kentucky or any sort of parkland course, it’s quite different than designing on these smaller venues. You’re always trying to create a course that flows and is at the level that you want, but the route to the end result is much different.”
Another aspect that must be considered is the competition you’re designing for. At the Olympics, we’ll see the cream of the crop from around the world, but as with any Olympic sport there will also always be competitors from countries that do not have the privilege of strong funding and opportunity for world-class preparation. This is true for any course, especially a championship: test the best, without punishing the rest.
So how does a designer balance the need to challenge the best in the world (while also not having the freedom to design to the most difficult technical specifications, such as 5*), while also ensuring that those who did not have as stiff of preparation can finish safely?
“Long routes are key,” Derek said. “Especially when I was in Tokyo, the whole thing was being worried about how the heat was going to affect the horses. We knew it was going to have some effect and it certainly proved to, and so I think the one big thing was the long routes. We were really concerned about trying to make sure we kept the horses going and weren’t making them go in circles to eat up time. In fact, you’re designing a whole course within a course when you really start to think about it. You’re always designing what we call the straight way, at a real championship four-star level, and then you have your alternate routes where you need them. That’s the way I went about it.”
Of course, Pierre Le Goupil will have his own stamp and style and way of thinking about his designs. North American readers will likely have seen clips or watched footage from the 2023 Pan American Games in Chile, which was designed by Pierre. He also designed at the most recent European Championships last year at Haras du Pin. Team USA did send a small contingent of observers to this event to research Pierre’s design.
You can watch reigning European Champion Ros Canter and Lordships Grafflo around the Haras du Pin track below:
How riders and horses will stand out
One of the influential factors on cross country day can be the team’s draw and subsequent order of running. In a team competition, the placement of each rider’s round can be invaluable. Generally the final rider a team sends out will be the most experienced, but it remains a Chef d’Equipe and team decision to sort out what will be the best strategy.
We can also anticipate the optimum time to play a strong role, especially given the expected twisting nature of the cross country. While dimensionally not as imposing as a 5* event, this track will be mentally and technically challenging in particular and will task riders with managing speed where they can and accuracy everywhere. As with any course, a rideable horse will be faster and more competitive than a strong horse that requires much communication.
Crossings like this will feature for both spectators and horses.
We expect hot, humid conditions to be sure, but not quite to the excess that we saw in Tokyo. Fitness will of course play a large role, but the flatter topography and meticulously-maintained footing of this year’s Olympic course should not make this as grueling of a fitness challenge as some championships before.
Coming next, we’ll dive into the details of the two show jumping rounds that are unique to Olympic competition. Stay tuned and Go Eventing.
Now is the time to get a little sappy over some ‘where it all started photos’! US Eventing posted the above photos for Throwback Thursday last week, and I bet you can guess each of the US team members on their tiny ponies. As they trot down the center line in Paris this weekend, they’ll become (clockwise) a two-time Olympian, first-time Olympian, and four-time Olympian. And don’t miss these adorable pony-days photos of Laura Collett who, aboard London 52, will be headed back for their second consecutive Olympic Games and looking to defend their team gold medal.
In general Olympic news:LeBron James has been selected as one of the flag bearers for the US in the opening ceremony. A female flag bearer will be announced sometime today. Also, Snoop Dogg got his official Team USA headshots taken. We’re still awaiting word on whether he’ll get to meet the Rave Horse.
Beloved New England event rider and coach Anna Welch is in the ICU. Anna suffered severe injuries last week when a client’s horse landed on top of her and has since undergone surgery. Though her surgeons are happy with out the procedures went, it’s unclear how long Anna’s recovery will be and as a rider and coach how much income she will lose. Here’s how you can help her out.
Just a few years ago the USEF eventing program was completely restructured. As part of that restructuring, Bobby Costello was pinged to apply for the chef d’equipe/technical advisor position. Bobby had once thought he’d never, ever want to do that job and yet … here he is, leading a very strong US team to Paris this weekend. Get to know Bobby, his background, and his current duties as chef in this excellent COTH article.
Take your pick of Paris podcasts — there’s plenty of time to listen before the Games begin! The most recent Heels Down Happy Hour covers tips for learning from the watching the livestream, what it’s like to actually be an Olympic team, and more. And then there’s the EquiRatings podcast, they’ve got two Paris Preview Shows out right now: one for the teams and one for the individuals.
Dream job alert! Into academics and the equestrian industry? Mount Holyoke College in South Hadley, Massachusetts is hiring a new Director of Equestrian center, after their previous director of 20 years is stepping down. More details here.
Sponsor Corner: What is the best way to store your supplements in this heat and humidity? Will they lose their effectiveness? Powders and pellets tend to be more stable and can withstand environmental extremes better than pastes and liquids. Here’s how to store all of your supplements to maintain their efficacy.
