Ryuzo Kitajima and Cekatinka at the First Horse Inspection in Paris. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Sunday trot-ups are always high in potential for tension with the massive efforts made on cross country the day before. After we saw multiple holds and an elimination in the First Inspection, it was hard to know what to expect this morning. Generally, however, today’s Final Horse Inspection was far less drama-filled, a huge testament to both the conditioning and care of the horses as well as the incredible work of the grooms and support staff through the night to help the horses recover well from cross country.
We do, however, have one major shake-up to the team podium after a withdrawal from the holding box on the part of Japan’s Ryuzo Kitajima and Cekatinka.
Team Japan was poised to finish on the podium today, securing bronze medal position on a team score of 93.0. But when the team riders came to present their horses to the Ground Jury of Christina Klinspor (SWE), Xavier Le Sauce (FRA), and Robert Stevenson (USA), two were sent to the holding box: Cekatinka as well as Yoshiaki Oiwa’s MGH Grafton Street. It was then reported that Cekatinka had sadly been withdrawn from the holding box. MGH Grafton Street was re-inspected at the end of the trot-up and was subsequently accepted after a lengthy conferral amongst the Ground Jury.
Individual leaders Michael Jung (GER) and Chipmunk FRH. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
This means some big moves on the team standings. Japan will now have to activate Traveling Reserve pair Toshiyuki Tanaka and Jefferson to move a complete team to the final phase. This substitution will incur 20 penalties, putting Japan onto a team score of 113.0. This does not spell complete disaster, as the Japanese will now be in fifth position, but certainly makes the task at hand more difficult to move back up to the podium.
Switzerland will now move into bronze medal position with their team score of 102.4, while Belgium moves up to fourth on a 111.0. The remaining team standings, which can be viewed here, remain unchanged, pending any additional substitutions, of which we should see one or two yet.
Laura Collett (GBR) and London 52. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
In the trot-up, the only other hold we saw was Australia’s Shane Rose and Virgil, who were accepted upon re-inspection.
A handful of withdrawals were announced before the jog: Carlos Parro (BRA) and Safira, Sarah Ennis (IRE) and Action Lady M, Sanna Siltakorpi (FIN) and Bofey Click, and Carlos Diaz Fernandez (ESP) and Taraje CP 21.10.
Stephane Landois and Chaman Dumontceau. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
We do know that Germany will still send Christoph Wahler and Carjatan S, who parted ways on cross country yesterday, forward to show jumping rather than activating Reserve pair Calvin Boeckmann and Phantom of the Opera, incurring 200 penalties for failure to complete the cross country phase. Aofie Clark and Freelance will be activated as substitutes for Ireland after the withdrawal of Sarah Ennis and Action Lady M, incurring 20 penalties. Australia will also activate Reserve pair Shenae Lowings and Bold Venture after the retirement of Kevin McNab and Don Quidam on cross country, incurring 220 penalties. Brazil will activate Reserve rider Ruy Fonseca and Ballypatrick SRS after the withdrawal of Carlos Parro and Safira, incurring 20 penalties. Scratching your head on all these penalties? You can reference our Scoring Guide here.
Update: Poland has substituted Reserve rider Wiktoria Knap and Quintus 134 for Jan Kaminski and Jard, incurring 220 penalties as Jan retired on cross country yesterday and did not complete the phase.
Boyd Martin (USA) and Fedarman B. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Looking to the finale, which kicks off with the team final at 11 a.m. local time, followed by the individual final for the top 25 pairs at 3 p.m. local time, Great Britain will have a slim margin of 4.7 penalties over France after Ros Canter’s appeal to remove a missed flag (15 penalties) penalty yesterday was not accepted. France is in silver on a score of 87.2, followed by Switzerland on a score of 102.4. Full scores and standings can be found here.
We’ll keep you up to date on any additional changes, substitutes, and confirmations as the day proceeds. Stay tuned for our Companion Guide to show jumping coming later, as well as full reports on both rounds.
Update: Order of Go for show jumping in the first round can be viewed here. The Team Start List can be found here.
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