Ingrid Klimke and Butts Abraxxas are tied for the lead, photo via Kit Houghton/FEI
Course designer Sue Benson’s Olympic cross-country course lived up to every prediction that it would shake up the Olympic leader board today at Greenwich Park. Overnight leader Yoshiaki Oiwa of Japan suffered a heartbreaking end to his weekend when Yoshi popped out of the tack after the Royal Greenwich Borough drop at #20B. Yoshi’s horse trotted off the drop and, although horse landed with decent balance and didn’t seem to slip significantly, Yoshi just couldn’t quite sit back enough on the landing. Stefano Brecciaroli of Italy, second after the dressage, finished with a clear round aboard the lovely Apollo VD Wendi Kurt Hoeve, but they picked up a costly 11.6 time penalties. Mark Todd’s horse Campino was one of many today to slip in multiple places around the soft footing covering the hilly Greenwich terrain. As Campino started to look exhausted with a few minutes to go, Toddy stepped up with what has to be considered one of the greatest rides of his career to get home just one second over the time. That one second proved costly however, because it will keep him in his overnight bronze position.
Ingrid Klimke of Germany and Sara Algotsson-Ostholt of Sweden were tied before the cross-country in 4th place and they remain tied after both producing double-clears on the cross-country, but this time they are tied for the Olympic lead. As Kate pointed out earlier, Sara’s mare Wega is the daughter of her sister and fellow Swedish team rider Linda Algotsson’s mare La Fair.
The individual competition is extremely tight heading into the show jumping. The top six pairs are separated by less than a rail. The top 12 pairs are separated by less than two rails. Remember the Olympic format features two show jumping rounds. The first is the team round, which is followed by a round by the top 25 pairs that only counts toward the individual totals. The best three scores from each team comprise the team score.
Olympic XC Individual Results:
1T. Ingrid Klimke and Butts Abraxxas (GER) +0 39.3
1T. Sara Algotsson-Ostholt and Wega (SWE) +0 39.3
3. Mark Todd and Campino (NZL) +0.4 39.5
4. Michael Jung and Sam (GER) +0 40.6
5. Tina Cook and Miners Frolic (GBR) +0 42.0
6. Mary King and Imperial Cavalier (GBR) +1.2 42.1
7. Ludvig Svennerstal and Shamwari (SWE) +0.4 44.1
8. Sandra Auffarth and Opgun Luovo (GER) +4.8 44.8
…
12. Phillip Dutton and Myster Whisper (USA) +2.8 47.1
24T. Karen O’Connor and Mr. Medicott (USA) +5.6 53.8
26. Boyd Martin and Otis (USA) +3.6 54.3
28. Jessica Phoenix and Exponential (CAN) +2.4 57.2
42. Tiana Coudray and Ringwood Magister (USA) +25.6 77.6
46. Will Coleman and Twizzel (USA) +36.4 82.7
58. Michelle Mueller and Amistad (CAN) +63.2 120.2
RF Hawley Bennett and Gin & Juice
RF Rebecca Howard and Riddle Master
RF Peter Barry and Kilrodan Abbott
[Full Individual XC Results]
Team Great Britain produced a heroic day of cross-country on their home soil with their countrymen cheering on. The British finished the day with all five riders home clean and three coming home inside the time (Tina Cook, Nicola Wilson, and Zara Phillips). Imperial Cavalier was extremely strong in the bit for Mary but she fought her way around valiantly for just 1.2 penalties. William Fox-Pitt rode beautifully but Lionheart became exhausted towards the end of the course and it was all William could do to get home with 9.2 time penalties. Team GBR added just 10.4 penalties for all five of their riders combined, which was better than most single riders added. Great Britain closed the gap to overnight leading Germany from 8.9 to 5.5 points and moved from bronze to silver position.
The German team rode brilliantly to fend off the charging British–finishing with two double-clears from Ingrid Klimke and Michael Jung, who sit tied for first and in fourth respectively. Despite a great performance today, Ingrid Klimke has to be extremely nervous tonight. Her horse Butts Abraxxas has never finished an FEI event without a rail in the show jumping and lost the lead in the European Championships last year with 24 penalties in the show jumping. Michael is in a very different position, riding a very good show jumper in Sam and with the experience of winning WEG 2010 on a clear show jumping round.
Sweden has emerged as the dark horse country of these games. They are just 6.7 points behind Germany after five clear rounds today. New Zealand is third after the aforementioned brilliance from Mark Todd, a double-clear from XC master Andrew Nicholson, and just 4.8 time penalties from Jock Paget.
The US team moved up two spots today after Japan and New Zealand faltered, but the US is still 22.8 points out of bronze. Boyd, Karen, and Phillip all stepped up with great rides, incurring just a handful of penalties each. Ringwood Magister started off looking a bit unsure of himself and backing off of the fences. He suffered a stop early at fence #3B, an angled vertical combination when he backed off of the second element and arrived on a half stride. They looked better and better as the ride progressed and finished with just 5.6 time penalties but unfortunately the damage was done. Will Coleman rode Twizzel spectacularly at every fence but one and unfortunately that once fence proved costly. Twizzel looked to be tiring slightly at the end of the course. He arrived at the edge of the drop at #20A and simply refused, picking up 20 penalties that will frustrate Will for a very long time. They jumped the element perfectly the second time and finished with 16.4 time to go with the 20 jumping penalties.
Team Results After XC:
1. Germany 124.7
2. Great Britain 130.2
3. Sweden 131.4
4. New Zealand 133.4
5. USA 155.2
6. Australia 173.4
[Team Standings]
Cross-country at the Olympics did not go as planned for Team Canada. Michelle Mueller and Amistad led things off and suffered a stop at the second Tower of London table (#16) in the main arena. Michelle took a good steady ride to the first jump, but tipped a bit forward on the landing and Amistad ducked out to the right at the left turning question.
Hawley Bennett-Awad and Gin & Juice fell at the third fence on course. Gin & Juice was seen galloping loose and looking fine. Hawley was shown sitting up after the fall but she was transported to the hospital in an ambulance. It has been widely reported by Canadian media and officials that Hawley is in stable condition and staying in the hospital overnight for observation. Fence 3A&B, a slanted vertical combination, caused a number of issues today.
Troubles for Canada continued when Kilrodan Abbott, a normally automatic cross-country horse, got off his line in the coffin and put his knees up on #11B. Kilrodan Abbott slid off the fence to the right, and rider Peter Barry slid off him to the left. Both horse and rider were up and walking away quickly. The lone bright spot of the day for Canada came from a brilliant round by Jessica Phoenix and Exponential. “Tucker” soared around the course with Jessie directing his every stride to perfection. Despite being held on course for 20 minutes, they finished with just 2.4 time penalties. Trouble for Canada continued when Rebecca Howard was popped off of Riddle Master at the skinny at The Sundials, #14B. Rebecca was jumped out of the tack a bit at the first element and fell of as Riddle Master made an effort to jump the narrow second element. Canada finished the day with just two completed rides and is thus out of the team competition. Nonetheless, I expect Jessie and Exponential to continue their great weekend tomorrow as they will surely be looking forward to both show jumping phases.
Nina Ligon is the youngest eventer at the Olympics at 20 years old. Nina started off her round aboard Butts Leon with a real sense of purpose normally reserved for veterans. Butts Leon was yet another horse to slip around several turns on course. They finished with 16 time penalties after a tremendous ride. I would say that was a great ride for Nina’s first Olympics, but it was a great ride period.
After heavy rain on Sunday, a number of horses slipped at various points around the cross-country course. Zara commented after her double-clear ride that the footing was very slippery, making it hard to ride in the corners. Clayton Fredericks and Bendigo had a fall before #20B, the narrow after the drop, when Bendigo’s hind end just slid out from under him. That is terrible luck for Clayton, he didn’t do a thing wrong and neither did his horse–they just lost their footing. Both horse and rider walked away. The Fredericks household, and therefore Team Australia had a tough day. Lucinda picked up a run-out at the skinny bank out of the 2nd water as they just barely lost their line.
One rider, Lionel Guyon of France, had 20 penalties removed from his score after challenging the original ruling that he had a refusal. That appeal put the French Team into 7th from 8th, narrowly ahead of the Irish.
Considering the show jumping skills of the other top contenders, Wega has jumped clear 4 of her last 6 FEI events but picked up 18 penalties in the European Championship show jumping last year. As for Campino, he has jumped clear in half of his last 6 FEI events, Jacky Green reports that he has been show jumping really well, and you have to love Mark Todd’s experience on the big stage tomorrow.
Camilla Speirs reportedly had a fall from Portersize Just A Jiff at the Rose Garden corner, #24, causing a lengthy hold on course. A human ambulance was seen approaching the fence on US TV and Twitter reports claimed that the screens had been put up. Team Ireland Equestrian reported on Facebook, “Unconfirmed reports Camilla Speirs and Portersize Just a Jif up after fall and gone for medical assessment. We believe no serious injury.”
Click here to read our open thread report on all of the notable rides and stay tuned for much more from London throughout the day. Go eventing.
