Have a good ride! Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Bonjour tout le monde! It is officially the best day of the entire Olympic Games, and yes, I am including the Opening Ceremony, the 100m final, the 4×100 relay, and the 50m freestyle in that bold statement, because, well, eventing is the best – cross country is the bestest of the best – and we all know it.
Oh yes, it’s cross country day at the Palace and the scene is set by the Grand Canal for an epic day’s sport. And I’m going to be here, with you ENers, for all of it. Welcome to our signature live blog, but not as you know it…
Just in case you missed yesterday’s explanation of why things are looking different in our live blogs for the Olympics, here’s what you need to know:
For those of you who are avid followers of our live blogs (we salute you eventing nerds!), you’ll notice that things are a little different this time around. In order to adhere to the strict media rules for the Olympics, we’re not able to bring you live commentary. We can, however, keep you totally informed with regards to who’s heading out onto the cross country course today, what their form is coming into the Games, their hobbies and favorite foods (amongst other, um, horseplay), and how they’re likely to perform in each phase based on the available data, so you’ll be securely in the know as you watch the live stream.
I’ll also be bringing you the riders’ reactions following their rounds, courtesy of our roving reporters extraordinaire – Sally Spickard and Tilly Berendt – who are somewhat inconspicuously scraping croissant debris from the roof of their mouths in the Chat Zone, probably. So buckle up and prepare to be hit with absolutely everything you didn’t know you need to know about the horses and riders of the Paris Olympic Games.
Before we get down to official Olympic business, here are some links of interest:
▶️ If you missed yesterday’s dressage companion guide,you’ll find it right here.
▶️ The substitute rule and scoring is, shall we say, a little complicated, at the Olympics, but never fear, EN is here with a natty explanation of how things will work should a team run into trouble on the cross country.
▶️ Here’s everything you need to know about the Olympic cross country phase.
▶️ There’s info and links galore in our Ultimate Guide to Eventing in Paris.
▶️ We’ve been chinchilla-ing away backstage to bring you all the Paris content you can possible handle, and we’re not done yet, oh no! For now though, click here for our view from between the flags – IYKYK.
Please remember to keep this page refreshed so that you don’t miss a thing. I’ll be adding in the riders’ reactions to their rounds as they come in, and the scores periodically, so keep flicking through to gather all the goodies.
*Updated to include scores below as things stand directly after cross country. There are potentially some reviews in progress.
Croissants a go go, let’s go cross country!
#Paris2024: [Website] [Equestrian Schedule, Timing, Scoring] [Peacock for U.S. Viewers] [How to Watch Guide] [Ticket Resale Market] [Spectator Guides] [EN’s Coverage]
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FIRST TEAM ROTATION
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🇩🇪 Julia Krajewski and Nickel 21
Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Julia is, understandably, very excited about this young horse, who, at just 10-years-old has already proven his talent in all three phases. He’s got just one non-completion with Julia on his record and no cross country jumping penalties. Oh yeah, he’s at the Olympics right off the back of a superb, winning run at Aachen.
Form, Facts & Stats:
Julia’s championships experience:
🔥 Individual 🥇 Tokyo 2020 – Team 🥈 Rio 2016
🗺️ Team 🥇 & Individual 🥈 Pratoni 2022 – Tryon 2018 (Team)
🔴 Julia has been presented with the highest sporting award in Germany – the Silver Laurel Leaf – not once, but twice.
Cross Country 📈 In 17 FEI runs with Julia, this guy has never had a cross country jumping, flag or frangible device penalty – not a single one. There is one – wet – blip on his record, courtesy of that water at Boekelo last season, which took the scalp of a number of combinations that day. Up until their dunking, they were in the lead. He hasn’t been inside the time for a good while, but he’s often very close, and time penalties are very much in the single figures. Trust me, this combination is one to watch 👀
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“It’s not Mandy [her Tokyo gold medalist], he’s not there to take me around — I’m there to take him around, and take his hand and make it happen.”
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How did things go out there for the reigning Olympic champion?
“I’m beyond proud of Nickel … You just set off on him and it’s as if you’ve done an Olympic course on him twice before. He’s such a genuine horse — he’s trusting. I maybe was a little bit careful in the beginning with the ground because it changes a lot. It’s not that it’s actually bad, but it’s a bit softer in the turns — there are little hills on the tracks, so you do lose bit of time here and there. For me, the most important was that he’s happy and fit for the last three minutes, so I didn’t want to push him too much in the beginning, and that worked out perfectly. He did everything actually perfect. In the last water, he took me along a bit; I was brave and said, ‘Okay, we do it on five and five’, and didn’t take the safe option because I thought, ‘Okay, the time’s running away’, and he just did it like a pro. That makes me very, very proud of him.”
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Score for Julia Krajewski and Nickel 21 – 4.8 XC penalties – Overall 31.7 – 14th
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🇦🇺 Shane Rose and Virgil
Given that Shane is heavily involved in racehorses as well as being an eventing legend, you won’t be surprised that he’s no slouch out on the cross country. This long-term partnership had a superb spin ‘round the Tokyo course on their way to team silver. They contested their first FEI competition back in 2011 and we all know that eventing’s all about the relationship between horse and rider, which will stand them in very good stead as they look to add another medal to their haul.
Form, Facts & Stats:
Shane’s championships experience:
🔥 Team 🥈 Tokyo 2020; 10th individually – 🥉 Rio 2016 – Beijing 2008 (Team)
🗺️ Pratoni 2022 (Team); 13th individually – Tryon 2018 (Team) – Caen 2014 (Team) – Aachen 2006 (Ind.) – Rome 1998 (Ind.)
🔴 Shane’s a five-time winner of the Anna Savage Medal, presented to the best and fairest Australian eventing rider.
Cross Country 📈 They were clear inside the time at Tokyo and added just 2.8 time at the World Championships in Pratoni. More recently, they finished on their dressage at the Horse of the Year event in New Zealand on their way to taking the win, and were just one second over the time in the Adelaide 5*, which they also won. In 48 FEI competitions across his career, Virgil’s had a 20 out on cross country on just five occasions, with just one 11 for a breaking a frangible device, two eliminations and two withdrawals before cross country – seriously, this guy is one to watch 👀 He’s also speedy – the most cross country time he’s added since the beginning of the 2019 season is 5.6. Dependable, honest as the day’s long, and quick, all the attributes of the great event horse that this guy has proved he is, time and again, as Shane’s brought him up through the levels since his first event back in 2011.
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“He feels amazing; he finished like he could have gone around again. He was awesome.”
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Virgil’s a veteran of the sport at nineteen, and it’s amazing to see these experienced horses come out looking so fabulous. Shane talked about how they’ve prepped for Paris and how things went out there:
“We had a really specific plan for this championship with him to try and get him so that he jumps as well as he can tomorrow — as well as today. So far, he feels amazing. He’s traveled really well — I think he’s carrying more condition, which is one of the things we’ve worked on, and I think he looks and feels much better for it. He was typical Virgil on course, keen to run and jump, not so keen to slow down and listen, but he was foot-perfect. The only fence that I would say wasn’t perfect was he just did not see the ditches at the bank. I don’t know whether it was [that] the ground line was a similar color to the rocks in the ground — he just did not see them. Luckily, at the first one I was a little more aware. I could get the distance that I chose, and the second one was a tight three, and I just expected him to back up and chip in and he just literally cantered across it — which was a little bit of a heart palpitation — but fortunately he landed quite well -balanced.”
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“He sees a jump and jumps it.”
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Score for Shane Rose and Virgil – 2.8 XC penalties – Overall 37.4 – 23rd
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🇨🇦 Michael Winter and El Mundo
Mike Winter and El Mundo. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.
There’s nothing more important than the relationship between horse and rider as they’re galloping and jumping across the country, and this combination have one of the closest. ‘Roberto’ was supposed to be a produce and sell prospect, but Mike struggled to find a buyer for him, and then the gelding was injured and had to be put on box rest. Mike appointed himself full-time carer for the big guy and of course, selling was totally off the table after that. And here they are, at the Olympics. Bet Mike’s very glad that Roberto stayed firmly in his barn.
Form, Facts & Stats:
Mike’s championships experience:
🔥 Beijing 2008 (Team) – Athens 2004 (Team)
🗺️ Pratoni 2022 (Team)
🔴 Outside of eventing, Mike’s hobbies are snowboarding, and tractors.
Cross Country 📈 In 31 FEI competitions, this pair have had cross country jumping penalties on just five occasions, the most recent being at the World Championships in Pratoni in 2022. They added 7.6 time at the Pan-Ams in Santiago last season, where they won team gold, and are generally between about that and low-teens in terms of time penalties. They kept it to 10 in the 4*-L at Bramham last season, a notoriously tough track, and added 8.8 there in the 4*-S this year. The Olympics are kind of in between a long- and short-format in terms of number of jumping efforts, length and time allowed (it’s 4* in terms of the obstacles), so that gives us a bit of a picture of El Mundo’s relevant form when it comes to time penalties.
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Mike took on the role of pathfinder for the Canadian team, here’s what he had to say about what that meant to him:
“I tried to be a good caretaker of my position of going first and put a score on the board and a good caretaker of my horse’s wellbeing and give him the best possible ride I could around there and bring him home safely with a score that can contribute to the team.”
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What’s he taking back to the team after his trip ‘round the Olympic track?
“Some of the French crowds are really enthusiastic which is great. It gives us a lot of energy. It’s very exciting. And I think in the first part of the course it takes the horses by surprise, but later I think it encourages them on and they enjoy it. [I’ll tell them about] the crowds at the beginning, and that the middle section through the woods is a bit wetter, a bit slippery – be cautious there, but also keep the energy level up in your horses because at 21ABC, that’s a bit energy sapping through there with the wet ground — but then they get a second wind as they come out of there and back into the open.”
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And how did things go out there for him and El Mundo?
“I would say when it gets later on in the course, normally [El Mundo’s] turning isn’t as good; I probably was overly cautious there. He actually responded much better than I thought. I was worried I wouldn’t be able to bring him around in the six [strides], and instead I almost ended up there in five because he was so obedient and he turned so well. It’s information for the future, I think, as he matures, and the training and the strength. These horses are incredible natural athletes, but the time that goes into the training, the suppleness, the strength and conditioning training they have so that they can be their best athlete – year on year, they build in confidence and obedience and strength and it’s just an amazing thing.”
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“Everywhere where I was concerned that maybe was something he hadn’t seen or was difficult for him to pick up on, he was just amazing.”
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Score for Michael Winter and El Mundo – 14.4 XC penalties – Overall 49.6 – 38th
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🇮🇪 Sarah Ennis and Action Lady M
Sarah’s a pretty speedy kind of lady, and she’s sat on another speedy kind of lady, so it seems like they make the perfect match. They sure are a mighty combination. It sure will be exciting to watch this pair – blink and you’ll miss ‘em!
Form, Facts & Stats:
Sarah’s championships experience:
🔥 Tokyo 2020 (Team)
🗺️ Team 🥈 Tryon 2018, 5th individually – Caen 2014 (Team)
🔴 Sarah will be totally fine galloping alongside and crossing the Grand Canal – she’s a qualified scuba diving instructor to dive master level.
Cross Country 📈 In 16 FEI starts this pair have sixteen completions, fourteen of them coming after jumping clear across the country. Add to that the fact that this pair are pretty quick, and you’re onto an eventing winner. They added just one second of time to their dressage score in the 4*-S at Ballindenisk this season, where they finished third. In their most recent long-format run, which came at Blenheim last year, they added just 3.6 time penalties on cross country day.
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Sarah sums up what it’s like out on cross country at a French Olympics:
“I have never seen so many people.”
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Action Lady M got a bit hot in the huge atmosphere yesterday, but today the crowd’s enthusiasm came in handy for Sarah:
“It’s funny, whereas the crowds weren’t good in the dressage ring, the crowds out there [on course] helped, because she’d be spooking at them it helped me in every turn because she backed away from the people, and I could ride her around the turn, saying, “You have to turn now,” and she’s like, ‘Woaooooh!’”
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Fair to say, the dressage was subjected to a deluge of rain all day yesterday. How’s the ground out on course?
“You could hear it [the ground] being a bit ‘ploggy’. The only place I slipped, and I actually saw somebody slip on the TV there, is that bit in the woods. We did the first skinnies fine, it’s getting to the second skinny and landing after is very, very slippy. I slipped just before that skinny, so I was lucky to get over. We went to get over it sideways. That’s the only really bad bit of ground, but the rest of it was grand. You can hear the wetness, but you weren’t disappearing.”
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Sarah, her leg, and Action Lady M were having a good chat on the way ‘round, it seems:
“All the way round, I stuck to Plan A. I think I was close to the flag at the corner coming out of the top water. My leg was like, ‘Uugh!’ and she went, ‘Like this!’ and I was like, ‘I’m not touching that!’”
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All in all, it appears Sarah had a grand ol’ time out there:
“I had walked six [strides] between the two houses along the canal and it was a moving six, and Dag [Albert] said ‘That could five,’ and I was like, ‘Hmmm, I think I’ll stick to my six.’ I came to it, I was like, ‘Oh my god there’s five!’. I was laughing to myself about that but he [Dag] was dead right.”
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“I’m very proud … She was on it all the way, she was incredible.”
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Score for Sarah Ennis and Action Lady M – 3.2 XC penalties – Overall 41.2 – 29th
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🇨🇭 Mélody Johner and Toubleu de Rueire
Photo by Tilly Berendt.
This horse is a cross country machine with so, so many clear rounds under his cinch over his decade-long career. It must feel so good to be sat on such an experienced horse as you leave the Olympic start box, and to be on one so consistently careful cross country, well, Mélody’s one lucky lady.
Form, Facts & Stats:
Mélody’s championships experience:
🔥 Tokyo 2020 (Team); 17th individually
🗺️ Pratoni 2022 (Ind.)
🔴 Mélody’s sporting motto is very apt for a team Olympian: “Do the best you can and give your best. For yourself and for your teammates.”
Cross Country 📈 Since this pair got together, they haven’t had a single cross country jumping penalty, not even a flag. In fact, this gelding has only ever had one 20 in ten years. Seriously, he’s a true eventer’s eventer. They were just one second over the time in Tokyo, and added 8 penalties at the World Championships in Pratoni. and just a few more at the Europeans last season, 15.6. There is some variation on how quick this pair seem to go, from very, to moderate. We’ll have to wait and see what plays out in Paris.
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Score for Mélody Johner and Toubleu de Rueire – 3.2 XC penalties – Overall 41.6 – 30th
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🇺🇸 Caroline Pamukcu and HSH Blake
Photo by Sally Spickard.
HSH Blake comes here in hot hot hot form 🌶️ He won the 4*-L in Tryon last time out, where he finished on his dressage. He was clear inside the time on his way to winning individual gold at the Pan-Ams in Santiago last season and clear inside the time at the Young Horse World Championships in 2022. This guy sure knows how to step it up when things get serious.
Form, Facts & Stats:
🔴 HSH Blake lost a shoe in the 4*-S at Kentucky and still pulled off a fast clear for fifth place.
Cross Country 📈In 22 FEI competitions, this pair have never had a cross country jumping penalty – not a single one. Totally clear, all the way. And they’re quick too. Since the start of the 2023 season, they have five clears inside the time on their record, and when the did have time penalties, they were very much in single figures. This is an exciting prospect for Team USA. Eyes on 👀
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“The biggest thing is that I’m fighting for the team. I’m riding for the team.”
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Caroline picked up penalties after taking a long route. Caroline explained what happened out there.
“[Blake]’s a phenomenal athlete. The course was riding like a dream, and then we came to that bank and he fell in the ditch — so I did the smartest option and said ‘Going long’ and jumped the different element. If I were individual, I’d fight and try to jump the skinny, but we’re on a team, so I did the best option I could.”
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Score for Caroline Pamukcu and HSH Blake – 32 XC penalties – Overall 62.4 – 47th
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🇵🇱 Malgorzata Korycka and Canvalencia
Photo by Tilly Berendt.
This pair have plenty of 4* experience, with twenty-one runs at the level since 2019. It must feel good to be setting off on your Olympic debut with so much practice under your belt.
Form, Facts & Stats:
Malgorzata’s championships experience:
🗺️ Pratoni 2022 (Ind.)
🔴 Malgirzata and Canvalencia were third at the 4*-L Olympic qualifier in Poland last season.
Cross Country 📈 This combination’s cross country record isn’t without its blips. They had an 11 for breaking a frangible device on their most recent run, one of two they’ve had this season. They also have the odd 20 on their record. They jumped a steady clear at the World Championships in Pratoni in 2022, where they added 32.4 time penalties. More recently they’ve been quicker, with time penalties ranging from 6.4 to 18.
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Score for Malgorzata Korycka and Canvalencia – 21.2 XC penalties – Overall 60.6 – 44th
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🇸🇪 Sofia Sjöborg and Bryjamolga van het Marienshof Z
This pair aren’t here to win the dressage, they’re here to show their jumping mettle with the probability of a clear, and possibly quick, round in the cross country.
Form, Facts & Stats:
Sofia’s championships experience:
🗺️ Pratoni 2022 (Team)
🔴 Bryjamolga van het Marienshof Z’s name in the barn is ‘Belle’.
Cross Country 📈 This pair haven’t had a problem out on the cross country since 2021. They jumped clear at the European Championships last season and at the World Championships in Pratoni; they added 10.4 time at the Europeans, finishing up in thirteenth place; at the Worlds they added 14.8. In their three 4*-S runs this season, they’ve made the time once and added just a smidge at the other two events; they were also clear inside the time in the 4*-S at Luhmühlen last season.
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“That was very cool.”
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Sofia was totally delighted with her horse after their round:
“It was amazing. She came out the startbox — she’s always been a quick horse, but we’ve just put a little bit more gallop work into her, and she just flew, really. She’d be around 50% [blood] – around half, but she’s quite jumping bred. I think she just gets better and better cross country. I spent a lot of her youth riding quite slowly. She’s quite a hot horse and she could get strong. But she spent a lot of years consolidating, learning to wait for me and now, when she’s been going fast, the last two or three years, she’s really got quicker in her brain and quicker in her legs. Today, it really felt like we had another step forward.”
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And how did she find the ground out there?
“It didn’t feel bad — the horses felt quite surefooted. There was one turn into that first ditch at fence four in the woods — she just lost her backend a little bit there — but everywhere else it felt pretty good. If anything, they go to a few of the crossings and you almost feel like, ‘Whoa!”, but actually the going was very good.”
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Score for Sofia Sjöborg and Bryjamolga van het Marienshof Z – 15 XC penalties – Overall 48.3 – 37th
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🇬🇧 Tom McEwen and JL Dublin
Photo by Tilly Berendt.
‘Dubs’ finished on his dressage when he became European Champion with Nicola Wilson in 2021, with an incredible finishing score of 20.9. Tom’s not quite reached those levels with the gelding since taking over the ride in 2022, but it’s coming, that’s for sure. They’ve been second at Kentucky 5* twice and third at Pau. Tom knows what it’s like to win both a team and individual medal at a Games, and there’s no doubt he’ll be hankering for the same for Dubs, and Nicola, who he always credits for producing Dubs so beautifully.
Form, Facts & Stats:
Tom’s championships experience:
🔥 Team 🥇 & Individual 🥈 Tokyo 2020
🗺️ Team 🥇 Tryon 2018; 12th individually
3️⃣ Tom is currently World No. 3
🔴 Tom has been incredibly busy lately – he got married last year and is expecting a mini McEwen this year!
Cross Country 📈 Since having an unlucky, and surprise, rider tumble at the European Championships last season, this pair have finished either first, second or third in each of the events they’ve done – not a bad comeback at all. They had a 20 in the 4*-S at Aachen last year, but really, that should be put down to the pair learning one another’s ways in the early stages of their relationship. In their last five FEI competitions they’ve jumped clear on cross country day, with time penalties kept well and truly within single figures, and that includes two 5*s.
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“It is amazing; they’re cheering for you before, over, and after the fence.”
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Tom elaborated on how his round went with ‘Dubs’:
“I’m very lucky my horse is a European champion in his own right with Nicola — he is a phenomenal horse, and I’ve done enough five-stars on him now to have a lot of experience … It is a fantastic Olympic course. It allows you to be really open and free to begin with, and then requires the riders to think where you need to close up. Actually, it’s been such a great course that I changed my mind on some of the elements, just as we were about to start, from how they were jumping. It was great, and for me — I call it the Leaf Pit — the two drops where there’s an option, that’s a big question. I jumped through the two verticals and the two egg things — and I had a huge slip just on the flat coming out there after a lovely ride through there. You’ve got to stay with them; you’ve got to stay connected and give them all the confidence.
I was up [on time] all the way around. Obviously, having watched Sarah Ennis get time penalties — that was a bit of a shock — thinking, ‘Crikey, this is gonna be a very, very fast time,’ but actually, if you can keep a rhythm — which is obviously harder said than done. The time is obviously achievable; the ground is good. You’ve got to feel your way around, and I think for me as a kid and having so much experience in Britain with so many tracks, there’s plenty of fresh ground that’s actually really good.”
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“I must say a massive thank you to the whole team at Versailles. Considering we had not British weather, but Irish weather yesterday, they’ve done the most incredible job preparing the ground. Everyone’s worked unbelievably hard, so for the horses, it’s absolutely perfect.”
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Things must be feeling pretty cool in the Team GB camp right now. Tom talked a little about being part of the team that’s defending their title from Tokyo:
“Obviously, it makes the rest of the day for me less stressful, but I’m here now fully supporting the girls — giving them any support or words they need from me. It’s definitely easier being first than third — I can now chill out and watch the girls [Laura and Ros] do an incredible job — but the two girls are probably the two best riders in the world at the moment, so that will be fantastic to watch around this course.
I thought Laura’s dressage test was probably the best eventing dressage test I’ve ever seen — and by quite a long way, and I’ve seen some good ones. It was amazing. We know we’re a great team. It’s easy for me to stand here now and say I have a lot of confidence. The girls still have to get their job done, but they are amazing riders, so touch wood! Hopefully, I can give them some great feedback to maybe help their rides — or I’m sure they know what they’re doing without me to be honest.”
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Score for Tom McEwen and JL Dublin – Clear inside the time – Overall 25.8 – 6th
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🇧🇷 Carlos Parro and Safira
Photo by Tilly Berendt.
This pair have been together since 2018, but Carlos has taken his time with the mare, only stepping her up to 4* last season. And what a season they had – a team bronze medal from the Pan-Ams in Santiago must have them feeling good as they set out on their Olympic journey in Paris.
Form, Facts & Stats:
Carlos’ championships experience:
🔥 Tokyo 2020 (Team) – Rio 2016 (Team); 18th individually – Sydney 2000 (Ind.)
🗺️ Pratoni 2022 (Team) – Aachen 2006 (Ind.) – Rome 1998 (Team)
🔴 Carlos is part owner of this mare, along with John and Juliet Chambers of Springfield Stud, who bred her by their homebred stallion.
Cross Country 📈 In 18 FEI competitions, there’s just one rider fall is this horse’s list of clear cross country jumping rounds, and Carlos wasn’t in the irons that day. This pair were clear inside the time at the Pan-Ams last season, where they won team bronze, and they added just 2.4 time penalties in the 4*-L at Sopot, Poland, in their most recent run. They had 23.3 time in the 4*-S at Strzegom earlier this year, and as the Olympic course is a bit longer than a short-format, but not as long as a long-format, we can perhaps expect somewhere in between for this combination.
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Score for Carlos Parro and Safira – 22.4 XC penalties – Overall 60.1 – 42nd
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🇳🇿 Jonelle Price and Hiarado
Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Known as one of the fastest women on the eventing circuit, Jonelle sure doesn’t hang about when she’s galloping across the country. Hiarado wouldn’t be one of the faster horses that Jonelle’s piloted, but she’s proving to be very consistent in delivering clear rounds that are there or there abouts.
Form, Facts & Stats:
Jonelle’s championships experience:
🔥 Tokyo 2020 (Team); 11th individually – Rio 2016 (Team); 17th individually – Team 🥉 London 2012
🗺️ Team 🥉 Pratoni 2022; 10th individually – Tryon 2018 (Team); 19th individually – Caen 2014 (Ind.); 4th
8️⃣ Jonelle is currently World No. 8
🔴 In 2022, Jonelle and her husband Tim were the first married couple to be World No.1 and 2.
Cross Country 📈 This pair have one 20 on their card in eight FEI runs, which came at their second event together. They were clear with 12 time on the mare’s 5* debut at Pau last year and head to Paris with two clear rounds at 4*-S this season, one with 7.2 time and the other with 14. Their best result came at Kilguilkey House in Ireland, when they were second in the 4*-L last season, where they added just one second of cross country time to their dressage score to finish on 31.4.
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🇳🇿 Score for Jonelle Price and Hiarado – 28.4 XC penalties – Overall 59.2 – 41st
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🇯🇵 Ryuzo Kitajima and Cekatinka
Form, Facts & Stats:
This pair are coming to Paris in hot form, off the back of a second place in the 4*-L at Ballindenisk this season and a win in the 4*-S at the Spring Tour in Portugal. That’s gotta have you feeling good as you set out onto an Olympic cross country course.
Form, Facts & Stats:
Ryuzo’s championships experience:
🔥 Tokyo 2020 (Team) – Rio 2016 (Ind.)
🗺️ Pratoni 2022 (Team) – Tryon 2018 (Team)
🔴 Ryuzo’s based in the UK with Angela Tucker.
Cross Country 📈 They were clear inside the time in the 4*-L at Ballindenisk and jumped clear with 10 time penalties at the World Championships in Pratoni, before unfortunately withdrawing before the final horse inspection. This horse’s cross country jumping record is something to behold – in 32 FEI competitions there are zero jumping penalties on his card – zero. That’s with four different riders. The only blips on his incredible record are two rider falls, both Paris Olympian Ros Canter, way, way back in the day.
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Safe to say, Ryuzo is very, very pleased with Cekatinka:
“Oh she was amazing! It’s an amazing feeling. She’s so brave, with a big heart and she knows the cross country phase.”
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“Just at the beginning when we started, she was a little bit, ‘Whoa’, but after the first of couple minutes, she was like, ‘Oh cross country phase!’ She knows the job.”
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“She looks for the flags, boom, straight, and go.”
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Score for Ryuzo Kitajima and Cekatinka – 6.4 XC penalties – Overall 40.9 – 28th
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🇮🇹 Pietro Sandei and Rubis de Prere
They may have had a slightly circuitous route to lining up as part of the Italian team, via the traveling reserve slot, but Pietro and ‘Rubis’ are ready to add an Olympics to their card, which already contains a European Championships, multiple Nations Cup appearances and two 5*s. Pietro has stepped up to the plate following the elimination of Emiliano Portales following his dressage test.
Form, Facts & Stats:
Pietro’s championships experience:
🗺️ Tryon 2018 (Team)
🔴 This combination have been together since 2011 and Pietro has brought ‘Rubis’ right through the levels, all the way up to 5*.
Cross Country 📈 This pair jumped clear ‘round the the 5* at Luhmühlen last month, adding 11.2 time penalties and finishing in the top-10. They were clear inside the time in the 4*-S at Pratoni the previous month, which they won. They finished up last season with another 4*-S win, so Pietro’s got to be feeling confident as he sets off out of the start box in Paris.
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Pietro’s stepped up for the Italian team following the elimination of Emiliano Portales after the dressage, and understandably, it’s been an emotional Olympic debut for him:
“Yesterday I was very disappointed for Emiliano, for this accident. I know that it’s difficult to to get over, but today is another day. Our team asked me to jump in the saddle and try to support the Italian Federation — I accept this and answer yes. Today the feeling was amazing, because it’s a mix of emotions — Olympic emotion, emotion with my old friend always, and also because at home, my girlfriend is pregnant.”
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He’s not displeased to have missed out on the dressage phase, fair to say:
“For me it is the best way, because I don’t like very much dressage! It’s the perfect Olympic games because I start in the cross country, tomorrow show jumping, and for me, it’s the best way. I am an eventer — I know that that dressage is a part of the competition — but I try to be focused on the on this day and tomorrow, and to try to do my best.
I try to walk the cross country like a normal competition, try to be relaxed, not too much problem if I ride or not ride. For me, it’s amazing, because when I walk the competition, I have an idea and then to end today, I made the idea true with my friend.”
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🇳🇱 Janneke Boonzaaijer and Champ de Tailleur
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Photo by Tilly Berendt.
This combination really did run into some eventing bad luck on their Olympic debut in Tokyo, having a 20, an 11 for activating a frangible device, and then being eliminated for missing a fence. But Jenneke’s a gutsy competitor and will be back to show the world just how things usually work out for her and her long-time partner, seventeen-year-old ‘Champ’.
Form, Facts & Stats:
Janneke’s championships experience:
🔥 Tokyo 2010 (Ind.)
🔴 As well as being an Olympic eventer, Janneke has a degree in Sports Marketing.
Cross Country 📈 Since Tokyo, there’s nary a cross country jumping penalty on this pair’s record; in fact, since this pair got together way back at the beginning of the 2018 season, they’ve only had jumping penalties on four occasions. They added 19.2 time at the European Championships, but that’s the most they’ve had in quite a long while. It does tend to vary between events, and swings back and to between low-single figures and low-teens, but there’s no difference between long- and short-format events, on the whole.
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Score for Janneke Boonzaaijer and Champ de Tailleur – Clear inside the time – Overall 31.9 – 16th
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🇫🇷 Karim Laghouag and Triton Fontaine
Photo by Tilly Berendt.
With five Europeans, two Worlds and two Olympics in his locker, it’s safe to say that Karim knows a thing or two about representing France. And now he’s in Paris, competing under the French flag at a home Games. Listen out for the cheers as he makes his way ‘round the course; he’s in for one heck of a ride today, whatever the outcome, but based on this pair’s form, they’re on track for a big one.
Form, Facts & Stats:
Karim’s championships experience:
🔥 Team 🥉 Tokyo 2020; 12th individually – Team 🥇 Rio 2016
🗺️ Lexington 2010 (Ind.) – Aachen 2006 (Ind.) 10th
🔴 This pair have been runners-up at Pau 5*, where they added just 0.4 show jumping time to their dressage score.
Cross Country 📈 You have to go back to 2022 to find a cross country jumping penalty on this combination’s record. They were clear inside the time at Pau 5*, where they were runners-up, and clear inside the time at Tokyo. They’ve had just a smidge of time at each of their two 4*-S runs this season, we’re talking 1.2 and 3.2 penalties. They did add 16.4 at the 4*-L European Championships last year, but that’s the most time added by quite a bit across all the competitions they’ve done. Clear inside the time coming up for them in Paris? Maybe so.
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EN’s boss lady and Paris roving reporter Sally Spickard has translated Karim’s reaction to his Olympic round:
“”SCREAM OF JOY*”
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… More to follow…
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“You’re Triton — you do your thing, you’re Pegasus.”
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Once he’d finished screaming for joy, Karim elaborated on what it was like to ride ‘round his home Olympics cross country:
“I was pretty sure about the course; it was always the number 16 obstacle that I was a bit wary of because of the drop. It’s something we’re not used to as well, so I was wondering how Triton was going to react. I was apprehensive in the beginning before coming up to it. It was always the one that I was wary of coming into the course. Once we got there, I was like, ‘You’re Triton — you do your thing, you’re Pegasus, so you get us over there and then we’ll keep going.’ But as I just said, it’s a sport for the two of us, so I let him do his thing and then we went on together to finish the course.”
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“It’s been seven years that we’ve been together. Already within the first six months of riding together, we already won our first four-star. I just knew that this was going to be a partnership that was going to go a long way.”
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The home crowd gave Karim “goosebumps”. Us too, Karim, even sat at home around the world watching through the screen, it’s fabulously electric:
“Even 30 seconds before coming into the course — before starting to gallop — I could hear the crowd calling my name. That really was just amazing; that is the most incredible feeling.”
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Score for Karim Laghouag and Triton Fontaine – Clear inside the time – Overall 29.6 – 10th
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🇧🇪 Karin Donckers and Liepheimer Van’t Verahof
Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Karin’s championships experience speaks for itself; she’s a total stalwart of Belgian eventing and has been a superb representative over her long career, taking on her first international event in 1988. That was around the time I started following eventing, so I literally don’t know an eventing without Karin being an eventer. This combination are coming in hot for a clear round, with ‘nil points’ added for jumping penalties across their 28 FEI competitions together 🌶️
Form, Facts & Stats:
Karin’s championships experience:
🔥 Rio 2016 (Ind.) – London 2012 (Team); 15th individually – Beijing 2008 (Ind.); 9th – Athens 2004 (Team); 16th individually – Sydney 2000 (Team); 9th individually – Barcelona 1992 (Team); 8th individually
🗺️ Pratoni 2022 (Team) – Tryon 2018 (Team); 17th individually – Caen 2014 (Team); 5th individually – Lexington 2010 (Team); 4th individually – Aachen 2006 (Team); 13th individually – Jerez de la Frontera 2002 (Ind.); 19th – Rome 1998 (Ind.) – Den Haag 1994 (Ind.)
🔴 Liepheimer Van’t Verahof is the only stallion in the field.
Cross Country 📈 In 28 FEI competitions, there’s nary a cross country jumping penalty on this combination’s card. They do add a handful of time, which, interestingly, doesn’t alter much between long- and short-format competitions. In their two FEI runs this season, both 4*-S, they added 8.4 and 8.8. In the 4*-L at Boekelo last year they kept it to 6.
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Even the super experienced Karin Donckers has never seen a crowd like the French at their home Games:
“What a crowd there is! It’s unbelievable. We walked this course between 7 and 9 am, and there was nobody and then when you come out now, there are people everywhere.”
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She talked about how her round went with the only stallion in the field:
“Personally, I hoped to be maximum, between 10 to 15 seconds over the time. I’m 18 [seconds] out, so I am a little disappointed maybe, but in the end, you have to ride it clear, you’re the first one to go. We didn’t see much from other people, you don’t have so much information, so you have to ride your own course and I think [Leipheimer Van’t Verahof] did very well.
I think course-wise, it rode like I expected, but I think the crowds and everything around was very impressive to me. Especially when you start, the noise everywhere, but then — especially when you came out of fence four and you come more into the open area — that was really where I felt a bit like, “Whoa,” and I picked it up that it’s not a normal cross country.”
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Every day’s a school day and Karin’s already reflecting on her own performance:
“There were one or two fences where I maybe didn’t ride good enough — to ten a, b for example, I didn’t show him the line so well. But he clicked on straightaway and he said “Okay, if you tell me a real line, I still solve it for you.” So in that way, I’m very proud of my stallion. You have to ride every combination well. You need a straightforward horse that trusts you and it’s important as a rider to tell your horse very clearly and show them very clearly what to do. That’s where I maybe blame myself a tiny little bit, that I could have done that better [shown her horse where to go] but I’m very proud of how ‘Leipy’ helped me with that.”
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Score for Karin Donckers and Liepheimer Van’t Verahof – 7.2 XC penalties – Overall 33.8 – 21st
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INDIVIDUAL RIDERS
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🇪🇸 Carlos Diaz Fernandez and Taraje CP 21.10
Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Carlos is making his Olympic debut with his World Championships ride, ‘Taraje’. They’re in Paris off the back of some decent recent form, with a win, a sixth place, and two thirds coming in their last four FEI events.
Form, Facts & Stats:
Carlos’ championships experience:
🗺️ Pratoni 2022 (Team) – Tryon 2018 (Team) – Caen 2014 (Team)
Form, Facts & Stats:
🔴 Carlos has represented Spain at three World Championships and four European Championships.
Cross Country 📈 This combination were clear inside the time at the 4*-L in Romania last fall, which set them up for the win. In 26 FEI competitions, there’s just one cross country jumping penalty on their record, which came way back in their first ever event in 2019. There’s also a fall on their card, which came at the World Championships in Pratoni. Other than that, their clear cross country jumping rate is really excellent. They’re fairly quick too. They added just 6.8 time in their most recent run in the 4*-S Nations Cup leg in Montelibretti on their way to third place, and 4 time penalties in the 4*-L at the same venue last fall. Apart from one short-format competition, time penalties have been firmly in single figures since 2021.
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Score for Carlos Diaz Fernandez and Taraje CP 21.10 – 17.6 XC penalties – Overall 47.8 – 35th
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🇭🇺 Balász Kaizinger and Herr Cooles Classico
Photo by Tilly Berendt.
This pair are, for sure, here for the cross country (aren’t we all?) and we’ll likely see them climb the leaderboard after today’s competition, all being well.
Form, Facts & Stats:
Balász’s championships experience:
🗺️ Pratoni 2022 (Ind.)
🔴 Balász is the first Hungarian eventer at an Olympics since 1996.
Cross Country 📈 In 14 FEI runs together, this combination have had cross country jumping penalties on just one occasion, and one 11 penalties for breaking a frangible device. They’ve jumped clear at both 4*-L and 4*-S, although they don’t have a ton of 4* experience, having stepped up to the level just last season. They incurred just 4.8 time penalties in the 4*-L at Sopot, in Poland, this season, but that was pretty quick for them; they added 17.6 in the 4*-S at Luhmühlen last month.
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Score for Balász Kaizinger and Herr Cooles Classico – 16 XC penalties – Overall 61.8 – 45th
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🇨🇿 Miroslav Trunda and Shutterflyke
Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Miroslav and Shutterflyke are making their second Olympic appearance in Paris, making this the third time they’ve been on the world stage under the Czech flag, having also contested the World Championships in Pratoni in 2022. They haven’t had a cross country clear jumping round at a championships, yet, despite having plenty in other competitions. Will today put that right?
Form, Facts & Stats:
Miroslav’s championships experience:
🔥 Tokyo 2020 (Ind.)
🗺️ Pratoni 2022 (Ind.)
🔴 Miroslav is one of a few riders in Paris who have full-time jobs outside their eventing career. In Miroslav’s case, he’s an equine veterinarian, specializing in soundness problems.
Cross Country 📈 This pair had a 20 at Tokyo and at the World Championships in Pratoni, but these seem to be unfortunate blips in an otherwise pretty clear record. They’ve jumped clear at both 4*-L and 4*-S recently. In terms of time, they obviously added a fair bit in their two championships appearances due to those 20s, but generally they’re around the mid-teens. They can be quicker, we’ll just have to wait and see where they land in Paris.
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Score for Miroslav Trunda and Shutterflyke – 72 XC penalties – Overall 125 – 56th
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🇪🇨 Ronald Zabala Goetschel and Forever Young Wundermaske
Photo by Leslie Threlkeld.
Ronald is a self-confessed horse nut (aren’t we all ‘round here?!) and has come to Paris with his veteran eventer, who is 21-years-old, yet ‘Forever Young’. Despite that, he’s not actually a full-time eventer, instead spending his days heading up several businesses and finding time to, you know, qualify for the Olympics outside of office hours. There’s nothing like having an experienced old pal beside you as you set out of the start box on cross country day, and Ronald’s guy has got 50 FEI competitions under his cinch as he makes his Olympic debut.
Form, Facts & Stats:
Ronald’s championships experience:
🔥 London 2012 (Ind.)
🗺️ Tryon 2018 (Ind.)
🔴 At 21, Wundermaske is the oldest horse in the competition by two years.
Cross Country 📈 This pair have had a bit of a spate of eliminations and withdrawals recently, with just one completion in five starts this season. He was pretty consistently clear cross country jumping last season though, and he went clear in his most recent run in the 4*-S Nations Cup event in Avenches last month. Realistically, we can expect time penalties in the high-20s, at least.
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Score for Ronald Zabala Goetschel and Forever Young Wundermaske – Eliminated XC (rider fall)
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🇫🇮 Veera Manninen and Sir Greg
There’s nothing quite like taking to a cross country course with a long-time partner, and Veera’s in that enviable position as she makes her Olympic debut. Together since Juniors, Veera’s brought Sir Greg right up through the levels and it’s safe to say that this pair know each other inside out, a real advantage when it comes to their biggest test yet.
Form, Facts & Stats:
🔴 Veera’s just 24 but her and Sir Greg have been going eventing together for almost a decade.
Cross Country 📈 This pair consistently pull out clear cross country jumping rounds, with just three occasions when they’ve incurred a 20 and one elimination in 29 FEI competitions. They were clear inside the time in the 4*-S at Sopot, Poland, last season on their way to fourth place, but generally they do tend to pick up time. It was 12.8 penalties in their most recent run in the 4*-S Nations Cup event in Strzegom, where they finished sixth, and 16 in the run before that.
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Score for Veera Manninen and Sir Greg – 18.4 XC penalties – Overall 55.2 – 39th
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🇩🇰 Peter T. Flarup and Fascination
Photo by Tilly Berendt.
This pair have been on a run of very hot form over the last season, with 8 FEI runs and results in the top-8 in all of them. They honed their skills going arena eventing over the winter and come to Paris on a streak of 8 cross country clear jumping rounds. If you’re into numbers games, check out all those eights.
Form, Facts & Stats:
Peter’s championships experience:
🔥 Tokyo 2020 (Ind.) – Beijing 2008 (Ind.)
🗺️ Caen 2014 (Ind.) – Lexington 2010 (Ind.) – Aachen 2006 (Team) – Rome 1998 (Team)
🔴 Fascination is known as ‘Cooper’ in the barn.
Cross Country 📈 This combination haven’t had a cross country jumping penalty since 2022, and that includes at both long- and short-format events and arena eventing. They had 14 time penalties in their most recent run, the 4*-S Nations Cup event in Strzegom, but they can be quite a bit quicker than that, and added just 2.8 in the 4*-L at the same venue last season. They did have 40 jumping penalties in Tokyo, and added 27.2 time, and they retired after 20 jumping and 11 for breaking a frangible device on their 5* debut at Luhmühlen in 2022. But more recent form suggests that they’ve put all that behind them and will be going for the clear in Paris.
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Score for Peter T. Flarup and Fascination – 33.6 XC penalties – Overall 66 – 48th
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🇪🇸 Esteban Benitez Valle and Utrera AA 35 1
Esteban’s here as an individual after a Herculean effort by Spain to have a team in Paris that, sadly, didn’t quite come together in the end. But it’s great that there are two Spanish representatives, and although he’s making his Olympic debut, Esteban has European and World Championships experience on his side.
Form, Facts & Stats:
Esteban’s championships experience:
🗺️ Pratoni 2022 (Team)
🔴 Esteban’s World Championships horse is now going eventing for fun, doing 1*s with Esteban’s girlfriend.
Cross Country 📈 This pair only have one cross country jumping penalty on their card from 23 FEI competitions. That came in the 4*-S Nations Cup leg in Arville last season. They’re pretty speedy to boot; they went clear inside the time in the 4*-S at Kronenberg last year, where they finished third, and added just 4.8 in the 4*-L at Strzegom a little later in the year. We only have that one long-format run to go off, although they’ve been quick enough to pick up just 2.8 time penalties in the 4*-S Nations Cup event at Montelibretti this year.
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Score for Esteban Benitez Valle and Utrera AA 35 1 – 29 XC penalties – Overall 68.9 – 50th
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SECOND TEAM ROTATION
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🇩🇪 Christoph Wahler and Carjatan S
Photo by Shelby Allen.
Christoph and Carjatan S played a huge part in Germany’s team gold medal at the World Championships in Pratoni and will no doubt be aiming for more of the same as they take to the course by the Grand Canal. This really is an exciting horse to watch – he’s striking, gutsy and classy, a real eventer’s eventer. Eyes on 👀
Form, Facts & Stats:
Christoph’s championships experience:
🗺️ Team 🥇 Pratoni 2022
🔴 Christoph doesn’t just have a senior medal in his bling cabinet, he also has a bunch of Junior and Young Rider medals too.
Cross Country 📈 In 48 FEI competitions this pair have had problems out on cross country on just six occasions. They activated two frangible devices in the 4*-S at Marbach this season, but before that we’re going back to 2021 to find cross country penalties – a rider tumble at the Nations Cup event in Arville. They jumped clear at the European Championships last season, adding 13.2 time and finishing 4th; were clear at the World Championships in Pratoni, where they incurred 9.6 time penalties; jumped clear at Badminton in 2022, where they had just 3.6 time, and were clear inside the time at Luhmühlen on their way to second place in the 5* in 2021. They looked to be producing a very classy round in their final run prior to Paris, the 4*-S at Aachen, before pulling up on German team orders. Saving the very best for when it matters most, it seems. Shrewd.
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Score for Christoph Wahler and Carjatan S – Eliminated XC (rider fall)
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🇦🇺 Kevin McNab and Don Quidam
Photo by Shelby Allen.
Here with his Tokyo Olympics and Pratoni World Championships mount, Kevin took team silver at the last Games, with a clear and quick round on cross country day contributing to their success. He’ll be hoping for more of the same as he takes his turn in Paris.
Form, Facts & Stats:
Kevin’s championships experience:
🔥 Team 🥈 Tokyo 2020; 14th individually
🗺️ Pratoni 2022 (Team)
🔴 This pair suffered a tack malfunction at the World Championships, where a broken cheek piece resulted in 20 penalties and a slew of time faults.
Cross Country 📈 This pair had that 20 out on course at the World Championships in Pratoni, but were clear and quick in Tokyo, adding just 2.8 time faults and finishing 14th individually, an expensive second round of show jumping dropping them down the order. He very nearly finished on his dressage at his most recent complete run in the 4*-S at Marbach, where he was two seconds over the time to add 0.8 to his dressage of 33.9. Since Kevin took on the ride in 2018, he’s had 16 clear cross country rounds from 21 competitions. This guy’s got 5* form as well – he jumped clear inside the time at Kentucky in 2021 on his way to sixth place.
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Score for Kevin McNab and Don Quidam – Retired XC
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🇨🇦 Karl Sleazak and Hot Bobo
Hot Bobo already has a gold medal to her name, after triumphing with the Canadian team at the Pan-Ams in Santiago, and Karl will be itching to add another, this time of the Olympic variety. Incredibly, Karl had planned to sell Hot Bobo on, but she was so spooky it was tough to find a buyer and now, well, Karl must be very, very pleased about that.
Form, Facts & Stats:
Karl’s championships experience:
🗺️ Pratoni 2022 (Team)
🔴 Hot Bobo was actually an impulse buy when Karl’s hand ‘slipped’ at the Monart Sale seven years ago.
Cross Country 📈 Hot Bobo sizzles on the cross country on her day. This pair were clear inside the time at the Pan-Ams in Santiago last season, on their way to winning team gold and coming fourth individually, and they won the 4*-S at Kentucky after finishing on their dressage score. Time penalties can rack up into double figures, but that’s at short-format competitions, at every long-format event they’ve done, they’ve either been clear inside the time or just a couple of seconds or so over. There are a couple of jumping penalties on their record; in 15 FEI competitions, they’ve had jumping penalties on four occasions – a 20 in a 4*-S this year and 60 in their season opener, the 4*-S at TerraNova, as well a 20 in the same event last year. The other one’s way back in her first everf FEI run. So a clear round isn’t a given, but is likely. When she’s hot, she’s hot. Is she hot for Paris?
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Score for Karl Sleazak and Hot Bobo – 4.8 XC penalties – Overall 40.6 – 27th
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🇮🇪 Susie Berry and Wellfields Lincoln
Susie’s making her Olympic debut for Ireland but she knows a thing or two about being on the team, having represented Ireland at every stage of her career, from Ponies to Young Riders through to Seniors. She’s been on the path to success for some time, having been in the first cohort of riders selected for the Wesko Foundation program, where she was mentored by none other than every horsegirl’s eventing hero, Pippa Funnell. So it may be her first time, but she sure is well-prepared.
Form, Facts & Stats:
Susie’s championships experience:
🗺️ Pratoni 2022 (Team)
🔴 Wellfields Lincoln is known as ‘Slinky’ to his friends.
Cross Country 📈 This pair have been prone to the odd 20 in the cross country phase, but they’re on a streak of four clear rounds coming into Paris, their longest streak yet. They’ve had three FEI runs so far this season, showing a speedier turn of foot at short-format than long-format. They had 7.6 and 3.6 time penalties in their two short-format runs, and added 20 in the 4*-L at Kronenberg, which was still good enough for fourth place.
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“The amount of Irish flags I saw when I was cantering round — it was really special; it was class.”
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Susie talked about her Olympic round:
“I had to do a long route at the end; that definitely wasn’t Plan A — I just landed a little bit more left than I needed to over the first log. I probably could have done it as a risk if it was doing it for myself, but as a team, you need to get home. I felt a little bit frustrated [crossing the finish line] if I’m honest. We’re so competitive by nature — I could have just been a bit quicker, but it was a matter of getting around and putting a clear round down.
[Wellfields Lincoln] was incredible — I could have gone another five minutes. But he is like that — he’s quite chunky to look at, but he’s a lot of blood; he gallops really well. He just felt a little bit like he was running a bit away from me to start with. Not that he was strong, just the atmosphere — he was like, ‘Go, go, go!’. I just had to take a little bit of time in the middle to be like, ‘No, you have to come back and listen, and look where you’re going.” He was so straight everywhere — he was brilliant. He was really full of running. I had to be like, ‘Whoa,’ to finish, which is a lovely feeling. He’ll go back to the stables now and Crisy [Salmon] — my head girl — she’ll make sure he has everything he needs. A lot of ice on and washed, and have a little lunch, most importantly! He felt brilliant finishing, so I really am happy.
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And what’s it like in the Team Ireland camp?
“The support network has been incredible this week. These three riders are three riders I’ve looked up to from being quite young. To ride alongside them and learn from them has been an experience in itself.”
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Score for Susie Berry and Wellfields Lincoln – 15.2 XC penalties – Overall 48.2 – 36th
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🇨🇭 Robin Godel and Grandeur de Lully CH
Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Robin and ‘Grandeur’ are here on hot form, having won their two most recent runs 🌶️ They’ve been together since 2015 and there’s no denying the power of a long-term partnership when it comes to going cross country, particularly at the Olympics.
Form, Facts & Stats:
Robin’s championships experience:
🔥 Tokyo 2020 (Team)
🗺️ Pratoni 2022 (Team); 15th individually – Tryon 2018 (Team)
🔴 Robin says the most influential person in his career is his mom.
Cross Country 📈 This pair jumped clear at the World Championships at Tryon and Pratoni, and also pulled clear rounds out of the bag at all three of their European Championships appearances. In 44 FEI competitions, they have just one non-completion which came waaaaay back in 2017. There’s a 20 on their card from 2021 and then you have to travel back in time to 2016 to find another one. This combination really are clear round machines. They do add time, most of the time. It was 7.2 penalties at Tryon and 20.4 at the Europeans last season. In their two 4*-S runs this season they’ve kept time faults to single figures though.
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Robin talked about his Olympic round:
“I’m very happy. For sure, we could be faster, but we know that he’s not the fastest horse. He was a lot behind me because of the people — he was a bit surprised. He’s used to doing championships, but it’s the first time with so many people. At the end, he was very fit — he was not so tired at the end. I’m happy with that, and sure we have some [time] points, but we did our best — and it’s not finished yet.”
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Score for Robin Godel and Grandeur de Lully CH – 9.6 XC penalties – Overall 38.7 – 26th
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🇺🇸 Elisabeth Halliday and Nutcracker
Photo by Sally Spickard.
Liz hasn’t had a lot of time to get her head around the fact that she’ll be leaving the start box on cross country day, but boy, I best she’s so ready for it. This pair have had eight top-9 finishes since stepping up to 4* and jumped clear ‘round Kentucky 5* in the spring.
Form, Facts & Stats:
🔴 Speed demon Liz isn’t just quick on cross country, she’s also competed in motor racing, including the 24 hour race in Le Mans.
Cross Country 📈 In 21 FEI competitions, this pair have just one non-completion, two 11 penalties for breaking a frangible device, and no other jumping penalties. That’s nine clear jumping rounds, including one at Kentucky 5*, where they finished eighth. They haven’t always been super speedy, Nutcracker’s just a ten-year-old, but just 6.4 time penalties in your first 5* ain’t half bad. They added 9.6 in the 4*-L at Galway Downs on their way to the win last fall, and just 3.6 in the 4*-L at Tryon a little earlier in the year, which they also won.
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“I’ve dreamed of coming to this Olympics for a long time.”
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Liz talked us through her round with Nutcracker:
“The ground is definitely influential — I had huge studs in, and he still slipped on me pretty early on .. that’s where I would say all my time faults came from — just being a little bit careful on the turns, because he’s a big powerful horse and power’s up behind, and I really wanted to get the job done well [but] it’s also his future. Honestly, all the jumps rode to plan, and he was outstanding.
There weren’t any instructions other than to stick to the plan. We had discussed maybe going the opposite way, or the left side of that bank. Actually, I had a split second in my brain — because he tripped in the first ditch — I went, ‘No, he’s careful, that’ll tune him up for the next one,’ and he did it perfectly. I think it’s the design of it, and maybe the color as well — there’s this ditch, and then there’s just this bright sand and I don’t think they understand what they’re supposed to be doing. I think they look at the white, and they don’t think about the ditch.”
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“I’m a little annoyed I wasn’t a bit quicker, but I know I rode smart too, and that was also important today.”
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Liz also noticed the awesome crowds lining the course at Versailles:
“They’re immense — the crowds are incredible! I will say he noticed it between fence 2 and 3. He’s a sharp, sensitive horse, and I just gave him a bunch of pats and I talked to him — I just said, ‘You’re alright buddy, we”ll settle in, it’s okay.’ I was a little slow to fence 3 because I just gave him a bit more time and that kind of suited him there, but once he did the first water, he settled in and he never looked at them again. He was just on his job, one hundred percent.”
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“… you want to finish the Games with a horse who’s fresh and happy.”
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And how did Nutcracker seem after his efforts for the team?
“He’s kind of a freak of a horse — he’s just so powerful and he’s relentless; he can gallop forever. He was plenty fit for Kentucky, so I just did a similar gallop plan without overdoing it — because I was a little concerned about him being too fit, if I’m honest. He had plenty of running left and is fresh as anything right now. The girls are struggling to hold on him…”
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“Just to walk around and be standing at a cross country jump and see the Palace of Versailles and recognize that we we’re actually on those grounds, it’s something I will never experience again in my life. It’s a moment that I will cherish..”
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Score for Elisabeth Halliday and Nutcracker – 6 XC penalties – Overall 34 – 22nd
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🇵🇱 Jan Kaminski and Jard
Photo by Tilly Berendt.
This duo jumped clear ‘round Tokyo but had a 20 in Pratoni. Jan’ll be channeling those Tokyo vibes as he heads out of the start box in Paris.
Form, Facts & Stats:
Jan’s championships experience:
🔥 Tokyo 2010 (Team)
🗺️ Pratoni 2022 (Ind.)
🔴 Jan and Jard (say it fast, it’s fun) won the 4*-L at Baborowko in Poland last season, which gave them their Paris chance.
Cross Country 📈 They’ve had a bit of a mixed bag of results thus far this season, with falls in two of their five FEI runs; they jumped clear in the other three events though. They were clear cross country jumping at Tokyo, adding 12.8 time penalties, but had a 20 at the World Championships in Pratoni, and 25.2 time, and ended up withdrawing before the final horse inspection.
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Score for Jan Kaminski and Jard – Eliminated XC
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🇸🇪 Frida Andersén and Box Leo
Photo by Tilly Berendt.
This pair have finished in the top-25 in all of their FEI starts together and have just one cross country jumping penalty on their record. They can be relatively quick too, although not often inside the time. Will they manage it in Paris?
Form, Facts & Stats:
Frida’s championships experience:
🔥 Rio (Team)
🗺️ Pratoni 2022 (Team)
🔴 Frida and Box Leo jumped clear with just two time penalties at the World Championships in Pratoni, finishing 17th individually and best of the Swedes.
Cross Country 📈 This pair are incredibly consistent on cross country day. They were clear with 14.4 time at the European Championships last season and were just five seconds over the time at the World Championships at Pratoni. They haven’t had a jumping penalty since 2022, and then there’s just the one on their record. All those clears include long- and short-format events and time penalties are generally kept well in single figures. They made the time in the 4*-S at Sopot in Poland this season, on the way to third place.
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Score for Frida Andersén and Box Leo – Clear inside the time – Overall 33.3 – 20th
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🇬🇧 Laura Collett and London 52
Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Three-time 5* winners with an Olympic team gold medal in their bling cabinet, this pair know what it’s like to come to a Games and deliver the goods. This horse has been such a dream for Laura, and I’ve no doubt she’s in no hurry to wake up. He’s finished on his dressage in two 5*s and added just one second of show jumping time in the third; he’s contested three 5*s and won them all. He’s not infallible, but he’s a darned good eventer who deserves all the glory that’s been bestowed on him thus far in his career, and more besides.
Form, Facts & Stats:
Laura’s championships experience:
🔥 Team 🥇 Tokyo 2020
🗺️ Pratoni 2022 (Team)
🔴 Laura has limited vision in one eye due to a serious fall in 2013 – that’s why she wears goggles when she’s going cross country.
Cross Country 📈 A random 20 penalties stands out on this pair’s record, because, well, they don’t have a 20 very often. It came at Pratoni and happened as the result of a drive-by at the skinny after the slide. They weren’t the only ones to pick up penalties there that day. Another unfortunate event was a 15 for going the wrong side of a flag at the European Championships, putting them out of contention when they’d been sitting on a dressage score of 22.4. But why do we notice these blips? Because there are so very few blips in their form. In their 16 FEI runs since 2020, they are the only cross country jumping penalties on their card; in 32 completions they’ve been clear inside the time at fifteen events, including at 5*s and the Tokyo Olympics. That’s a heck of a stat right there – almost half the time at the competitions they’ve completed they’re clear inside the time (sorry EquiRatings).
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“London is just my horse of a lifetime. He’s just incredible.”
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You’d may think that London 52 was born a champion, but it’s taken years of relationship-building to get him to where he is today:
“He’s just so talented. I think for me, knowing what he was like as a young horse and knowing how much he’s had to trust me and believe in me — he’s not an actual cross country horse, and then he goes around a course like that on railway tracks — it just shows what years of partnership you can build up. You can make him believe in you, and I have full faith in him now, and then you can go and enjoy yourself out there.”
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Laura picked up a smidge of time and has slipped behind Michael Jung in the standings going into tomorrow. How did Laura find the time?
“There are a couple of places where you can really let them gallop, but there’s an awful lot of twists and turns. He lost a shoe and we were slipping all over the place, so had to be quite careful on those turns and had to really kill the speed a bit to get around the trees … I don’t know where he lost a shoe — I think quite early because of the amount he was slipping – a front shoe, which is a bit annoying – not ideal, but it just shows what a good horse he is.”
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Team GB look to be in very strong shape to defend their title:
“At the end of the day, looking forward and just trying to get the job done — we’re here as a team and we want the team to do really well. We actually just focus on our team, not what everyone else is doing. We’ve got our plan and we stick to that.”
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Score for Laura Collett and London 52 – 0.8 XC penalties – Overall 18.3 – 2nd
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🇧🇷 Rafael Mamprim Losano and Withington
They may be a new combination, with Rafael having taken over the ride on Withington from Britain’s Sam Ecroyd just last year, but they’ve already got a team bronze medal in their trophy cabinet – that came at the Pan-Ams in Santiago in the fall, after they delivered a clear inside the time on cross country day.
Form, Facts & Stats:
Rafael’s championships experience:
🔥 Tokyo 2020 (Team)
🔴 Rafael was just 24 when he competed in Tokyo.
Cross Country 📈 They had an 11 penalties for activating a frangible device in the 4*-S at Marbach, after posting a PB in the dressage. Before that though, the gelding was on a streak of ten clear cross country rounds. They were clear inside the time at the Pan-Ams in Santiago on their way to team bronze, where they were 9th individually, at 4* though, we’re looking at double figures in terms of time penalties. They added 18 in the 4*-L at Montelibretti this season and 17.2 in the 4*-S at Marbach.
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Score for Rafael Mamprim Losano and Withington – 9.2 XC penalties – Overall 41.6 – 30th
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🇳🇿 Clarke Johnstone and Menlo Park
Photo by Eventing Nation.
UK-based Kiwi, Clarke, knows just what it’s like to take a medal home from a championships, having won team bronze at Pratoni. This pair have only had cross country jumping penalties once since teaming up in 2021 and have proved that they’re capable of finishing on their dressage. Will they pull off this elusive feat in Paris?
Form, Facts & Stats:
Clarke’s championships experience:
🔥 Rio 2016 (Team); 6th individually
🗺️ Team 🥉Pratoni 2022 – Lexington 2020 (Team)
🔴 Clarke was the highest-placed Kiwi at the Rio Olympics.
Cross Country 📈 They had a 20 at the World Championships in Pratoni, as well as 11 penalties for breaking a frangible device. But they’re the only cross country jumping penalties they’ve had in twelve FEI runs together. They finished on their dressage in the 4*-L at Kilguilkey House in Ireland last season, securing the win. More often than not, they do add time however, but it only ever converts to penalties in the single figures.
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“He honestly just skipped around and gave me a dream ride.”
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Clarke talked a little about his ride with Menlo Park:
“I had no idea how he was going to cope with the crowds being so loud and so close to the fence, and if anything, it helped me, because he just felt so motivated all the way around the course. Even towards the end of the course when I was asking him for a bit of extra effort, he was really giving it to me.”
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“I couldn’t fault him at all. He just left the start box and jumped every fence how I wanted. He was just on the job.”
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“It was so cool. It’s hard to pick out a voice in the crowd, but I did hear a couple of familiar Kiwi voices actually when I was going around. Weirdly, about the third minute marker, I made eye contact with a lady that was sitting on the ground beside the track. I don’t know why.”
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Score for Clarke Johnstone and Menlo Park – 4.8 XC penalties – Overall 30.5 – 12th
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🇯🇵 Yoshiaki Oiwa and MGH Grafton Street
Yoshiaki Oiwa and MGH Grafton Street. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Yoshi and MGH Grafton Street contested their first FEI event together this season and have just four runs under their cinch before embarking upon the Olympic Games. They’ve been good ones though.
Form, Facts & Stats:
Yoshi’s championships experience:
🔥 Tokyo 2020 (Team) – Rio 2016 (Ind.); 20th – London 2012 (Team) – Beijing 2008 (Ind.)
🗺️ Pratoni 2022 (Team) – Tryon 2018 (Team); 20th individually – Lexington 2010 (Team) – Aachen 2006 (Ind.); 18th
🔴 Yoshi’s taken on the ride on MGH Grafton Street from Great Britain’s Pippa Funnell.
Cross Country 📈 This new partnership have jumped clear in each of their four runs together this season, at both long- and short-format. They’ve steadily got quicker as they’ve gone, starting out with 12.4 time in the 4*-S at Kronenberg in the Netherlands, and finishing up with 3.2 in the 4*-S at Bramham in the UK, taking in the 4*-L at Ballindenisk in Ireland along the way, where they added 4.8 on their way to fourth place.
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“Everybody’s watching, cheering, the atmosphere is amazing.”
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Yoshi’s taken over the ride on ‘Squirrel’ from none other than British eventing hero Pippa Funnell, who’s a pretty cool source of info to have on your side:
“[Pippa] gave me a lot of advice, so many things — make sure my balance is back, not pointing down. It is a little thing, but this is very helpful — just to remind me a lot. I think Pippa is always with me as [MGH Grafton Street’s] ex-rider, and she is giving me all the advice — where is the button, and he’s like this, this, this. All the instruction I get from her all the time makes it possible for me to do this.”
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Score for Yoshiaki Oiwa and MGH Grafton Street – Clear inside the time – Overall 25.5 – 5th
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🇮🇹 Evelina Bertoli and Fidjy des Melezes
Photo by Tilly Berendt.
This combination are on a streak of ten cross country clear jumping rounds – that includes both long- and short-format, Nations Cup events, and European and World Championship appearances. Will they make it eleven alongside the Grand Canal on their Olympic debut? Time will tell.
Form, Facts & Stats:
Evelina’s championships experience:
🗺️ Pratoni 2022 (Ind.) – Caen 2014 (Team)
Form, Facts & Stats:
🔴 Sporty siblings alert – Evelina’s sister represented Italy in modern pentathlon at the Beijing Olympics in 2008.
Cross Country 📈 Clear jumping isn’t a worry for this pair, in 36 FEI competitions there are just two cross country jumping penalties on their record. They’ve had the odd flag penalty and a broken frangible device, but there are many, many, many more clears on their record than anything else. Time can be their undoing; it’s fair to say that they won’t be the quickest ‘round the course on cross country day. They added 21.2 time penalties at the World Championships in Pratoni and 20.4 at the 4*-L European Championships last season. They have proved they can be quicker over short-format courses though, as they were in the 4*-S at Pratoni del Vivaro this season, where they added 8.8 on the way to third place.
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Score for Evelina Bertoli and Fidjy des Melezes – 6.4 XC penalties – Overall 33 – 19th
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🇳🇱 Sanne de Jong and Enjoy
This pair have yet to come home clear on cross country day at a championships, so now’s the time to put that right. That’s not to say they don’t often jump clear, because they absolutely do, t just seems to be the luck on the big days that catches them out and upsets their long record of, otherwise, smart clear rounds.
Form, Facts & Stats:
Sanne’s championships experience:
🗺️ Pratoni 2022 (Ind.)
🔴 Sanne’s mom went eventing with Enjoy’s dam and granddam.
Cross Country 📈 This pair are a class act on the cross country and have the results to prove it. Unfortunately, the mistakes come in places you’re going to notice them – a 20 at last year’s Europeans, another one at the World Championships in Pratoni, a technical elimination at the Europeans in Avenches. In between though, they’re clear all the way. They won’t be the quickest out on course, but are unlikely to be the slowest, with time penalties recently ranging from 6.4 to 15.6 when they’ve jumped clear.
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Score for Sanne de Jong and Enjoy – 48.2 XC penalties – Overall 83 – 53rd
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🇫🇷 Stéphane Landois and Chaman Dumontceau
Photo by Tilly Berendt.
This pair know what it’s like to take a team medal home from a championships, having been part of the bronze medal winning French team at the Europeans last season. He’s not just here for himself though, there’s three people in this relationship, as Stéphane rides in honor and memory of his friend Thaïs.
Form, Facts & Stats:
🔴 Stéphane’s sporting motto is: “You have to be rigorous and work a lot. It’s really the work that pays off”.
Cross Country 📈 Since Stéphane began riding this gelding, they’ve had 14 FEI completions together, and within those competitions they’ve had cross country jumping penalties just once, back in 2020 during their first season as a pair. Going clear inside the time at both long- and short-format competitions isn’t outside their reach, and when they do have time penalties they keep them in single figures.
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Stephanè talked us through his Olympic experience:
“I stayed concentrated through the whole course, and went to my plan — the plan that was given to the whole team — and I did exactly what I needed to do. There is so much atmosphere and the crowd is so loud that actually I couldn’t even hear my watch properly, which goes off every minute to give the time frame. I didn’t even have a moment to look at it to know exactly where it was — I just kept going and stayed concentrating on the course.”
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Score for Stéphane Landois and Chaman Dumontceau – 2.8 XC penalties – Overall 27.2 – 7th
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🇧🇪 Tine Magnus and Dia van het Lichterveld Z
Photo by Tilly Berendt.
This combo is one to watch, both now, on cross country day at their Olympic debut, and in the future 👀 This is one of the really exciting pairings in eventing right now, with plenty of quick, clear round form. And Tine’s here as, essentially, an amateur – in her real life she works on her family’s farm.
Form, Facts & Stats:
🔴 Tine was Belgian national champion in 2022.
Cross Country 📈 In 26 FEI competitions, this pair have just one rider fall on their entire cross country record. They added 2.4 time penalties on their way to winning the 4*-S at Strzegom and 4 in the 4*-L at Saumur this season. Time faults have stayed in single figures for their last seven FEI runs.
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“I was like, ‘Come on, don’t f*** it up! Do your job!'”
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Tine talked about her talented mare and how she found the Olympic cross country:
“My mare was wonderful — she’s so, so good. If she sees a fence, she wants to jump. She was a bit impressed with the people — so many people, I never had that before and I don’t think I will have that again. It’s good for the sport to have so many people and you hear a name screaming all the time all the time. My horse a little bit like, What’s this?!’ but she was wonderful. I’ve had her from four years old. A friend of mine bred her and then I brought her in and did the championship five-, six-, or seven-year-old [Championships] in Belgium, and she won that. I did the World Championship twice and then she won twice also at four-star. We had a nice building up to here. She’s really a cross country machine.”
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“She’s so nice; she’s so beautiful, she’s really something special.
“
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Score for Tine Magnus and Dia van het Lichterveld Z – 2 XC penalties – Overall 46 – 34th
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INDIVIDUAL RIDERS
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🇫🇮 Sanna Siltakorpi and Bofey CLIck
Photo by Tilly Berendt.
There’s nothing quite like a long-time partnership on cross country day, and Sanna and ‘Click’ have been together for almost a decade. Until their most recent run, they hadn’t been placed outside the top-10 in an FEI competition since 2022, so they’ll chalk that 19th place in April down to experience, remember that they haven’t had a jumping penalty since 2015 – yes, really – and head out of the start box knowing that they’ve totally got this.
Form, Facts & Stats:
Sanna’s championships experience:
🗺️ Caen 2014 (Ind.) – Lexington 2010 (Ind.)
🔴 Sanna’s friend has been selling team merchandise to help raise the money needed for Finland to get to Paris, as well as helping to raise awareness of eventing in Finland.
Cross Country 📈 You have to go all the way back to 2018 to find anything like a problem out on cross country for this pair, and even then it was a retirement without penalties. In 43 FEI competitions they have just a single cross country jumping penalty on their record. Just one. And that came way, way, waaaaay back in 2015. What’s more, they’re pretty speedy too. They were just one second over the time in their most recent 4*-L run, and had 6.4 time penalties at their latest short-format event. This pair may well be ones to watch 👀
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strong>Score for Sanna Siltakorpi and Bofey CLIck – 21.8 XC penalties – Overall 57.2 – 40th
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🇿🇦 Alexander Peternell and Figaro des Premices
Photo by Tilly Berendt.
British-based South African rider, Alex, comes to his second Games with relative new kid on the block ‘Norman’. They have just 10 FEI competitions in their locker, and nine completions, so today’s cross country will very much be an educational opportunity, but what an exciting one!
Form, Facts & Stats:
Alexander’s championships experience:
🔥 London 2012 (Ind.)
🗺️ Caen 2014 (Ind.)
🔴 Alexander was the first South African rider to compete at Burghley (2009) and Badminton (2010).
Cross Country 📈 This combination have only had cross country jumping penalties once in their 10 FEI starts, a 60 in the 4*-S at Bicton this season, which saw them retire out on course. Other than that it’s been clear all the way for them at this early stage in their career together. ‘Norman’ is just a nine-year-old so Alexander has been taking things steady thus far, picking up time penalties in the twenties at all of their 4* runs.
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Score for Alexander Peternell and Figaro des Premices – 33.2 XC penalties – Overall 72.2 – 51st
🇨🇳 Alex Hua Tian and Jilsonne van Bareelhof
Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Alex is an excellent ambassador for equestrianism in China and is very passionate about improving access to horses, and inspiring Chinese riders to follow their dreams, just as he did when he set himself the goal of representing China at his home Olympics in 2008, a dream he realized. He won the Asian Games in Hangzhou last season and comes to Paris for his fourth Olympic appearance.
Form, Facts & Stats:
Alex’s championships experience:
🔥 Tokyo 2020 (Team) – Rio 2016 (Ind.); 8th – Beijing 2008 (Ind.)
🗺️ Pratoni 2022 (Ind.) – Tryon 2018 (Ind.) – Caen 2014 (Ind.)
🔴 Alex has set up a charity in the People’s Republic of China connecting kids to riding schools to help more people get into horses.
Cross Country 📈 You have to go back to 2021 to find a cross country jumping penalty on this pair’s card, although they do tend to take things a little steady out on course. They picked up 23.2 time penalties in their latest run in the 4*-S at Bramham, but kept it to 10 at their most recent long-format completion, the 4* in Montelibretti last year.
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Score for Alex Hua Tian and Jilsonne van Bareelhof – 20.6 XC penalties – Overall42.6 – 32nd
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🇵🇹 Manuel Grave and Carat de Bremoy
Manuel is making his Olympic debut with a late-allocated place, thanks to some changes in the qualification places. He’s got dad/coach/former Olympic eventer Carlos by his side as he takes on Paris with his twelve-year-old gelding.
Form, Facts & Stats:
Manuel’s championships experience:
🗺️ Lexington 2010 (Ind.)
🔴 Manuel’s dad represented Portugal at the Athens Games in 2004.
Cross Country 📈 They’ve jumped three clear cross country rounds this season, including both long- and short-format events. They have had their fair share of troubles out on course though, with five eliminations and a retirement after a 20, in 27 FEI competitions, and a further four cross country jumping penalties on their record. They added 6 time penalties in the 4*-L at Kronenberg in their most recent run, and just 2.4 in the 4*-S event at the Spring Tour in Portugal. They were clear inside the time in the 4*-L at Sopot, Poland, last season on their way to eighth place, and clear inside the time in the 4*-L at Montelibretti a little earlier in the year, where they finished ninth.
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Score for Manuel Grave and Carat de Bremoy – Eliminated XC
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🇲🇦 Noor Slaoui and Cash In Hand
Noor is making history for Morocco as she takes to the course in Paris, as the first-ever international eventer from the country. She’s been learning the trade from Aussie eventing stalwart Bill Levett, so she has plenty of experience to draw from as she takes on her first Olympic cross country.
Form, Facts & Stats:
🔴 Noor didn’t start eventing until she was 19, after driving past a Horse Trials in the UK, where she was studying at University.
Cross Country 📈 Since stepping up to 4*, this pair have jumped clear in five out of eight FEI runs. They had 11 penalties for breaking a frangible device in the 4*-S Nations Cup leg at Avenches on their most recent run, but went clear at both long- and short-format events in their two runs prior. Time does tend to clock up for them, particularly at short-format, with 23.6 added in the 4*-S at Ballindenisk this season and 12.8 in the 4*-L at Montelibretti last season.
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Score for Noor Slaoui and Cash In Hand – 24 XC penalties – Overall 60.4 – 43rd
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🇦🇹 Harald Ambros and Vitorio du Montet
The galloping dentist is back at the Games, this time with ex-French horse ‘Vitorio’. This is an exciting prospect for Harald, and Austria, who has some great form behind him, including finishing on his dressage score at Pau 5* two years running and earning an eighth and a fifth place finish.
Form, Facts & Stats:
Harald’s championships experience:
🔥 London 2012 (Ind.) – Beijing 2008 (Ind.) – Athens 2004 (Team)
🗺️ Pratoni 2022 (Team) – Lexington 2010 (Ind.) – Aachen 2006 (Team); 19th individually
🔴 ‘Vitorio’ partnered up with Harald to represent Austria via Spain and the Czech Republic, after leaving French rider Maxime Livio.
Cross Country 📈 This horse has proven to be incredibly reliable out on the cross country course. His best rounds have come with Maxime Livio, who rode him for five years, but Harald’s been putting in the miles since starting out with him last September and in six FEI runs they haven’t had a cross country jumping penalty. Most recently, they had 19.2 time penalties in the 4*-L at Baborowko, Poland, where they finished fourth, and 6 in the 4*-S at Sopot, where they were fifth.
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Score for Harald Ambros and Vitorio du Montet – 6.8 XC penalties – Overall 43.3 – 33rd
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🇨🇿 Miroslav Příhoda and Ferreolus Lat
Photo by Tilly Berendt.
This pair have a hattrick of championships experiences in their locker, having represented the Czech Republic at the Tokyo Olympics, the World Championships in Pratoni, and the European Championships in Avenches. The had 11 penalties for a frangible device at Tokyo, and a 20 at Pratoni, but secured a smart clear in Avenches. What will they pull out of the bag in Paris?
Form, Facts & Stats:
Miroslav’s championships experience:
🔥 Tokyo 2020 (Ind.)
🗺️ Pratoni 2022 (Ind.)
🔴 Ferreolus Lat is known as ‘Ferda’ in the barn.
Cross Country 📈 This combination jumped clear in the 4*-L at Strzegom in Poland in their most recent run, where they finished third. They’ve also jumped clear in a 4*-S event this season. Really, they most often jump clear, those penalties at Tokyo and Pratoni are blips in an otherwise clean record. They added 19.6 time at Tokyo, and 21.2 at the European Championships in Avenches, another long-format competition. They kept it to 6 time penalties in their most recent 4*-S run though, and do tend to have a swifter turn of foot at short-format.
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Score for Miroslav Příhoda and Ferreolus Lat – Eliminated XC
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🇪🇨 Nicolas Wettstein and Altier d’Aurois
Nicolas sure is a busy guy, what with being a CEO and Olympic eventer all at once. He’s one of those people who jumps out of bed in the dark to go ride his horses before work, then heads to the gym on the way home from the office. Which is why he’s an Olympian and I’m definitely not.
Form, Facts & Stats:
Nicolas’ championships experience:
🔥 Tokyo 2020 (Ind.) – Rio 2016
🗺️ Pratoni 2022 (Ind.) – Tryon 2018 (Ind.) – Caen 2014 (Ind.)
🔴 Nicolas’ dad is Swiss and his mom is French, but his ex-wife was Ecuadorian, which made him eligible to compete for Ecuador.
Cross Country 📈 Things aren’t always plain sailing for this pair out on cross country, but often they are. They had an early 20 in Tokyo and followed that up with another one in a 3*-S competition a few months later. They retired out on course twice last season; after racking up a slew of penalties in a 4*-L in September, and having a 20 and breaking a frangible device in a 4*-S in April. Aside from that though, you’re looking back to 2020 to find another cross country jumping penalty on their card, and they jumped clear at the Pan-Ams in Santiago. Time is a funny thing, particularly for this pair. At 4*-L they’ve been inside and they’ve also had almost 30 time penalties. So, somewhere in between that is where they’ll probably be in Paris.
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Score for Nicolas Wettstein and Altier d’Aurois – 65.4 XC penalties – Overall 107.7 – 55th
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FINAL TEAM ROTATION
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🇩🇪 Michael Jung and Chipmunk FRH
Photo by Tilly Berendt.
We all know how Tokyo played out. But surely, surely, you can’t be that unlucky twice. This horse deserves to totally showcase his talent this time around, and well, there really is no better pilot. Fingers crossed the frangibles behave themselves.
Form, Facts & Stats:
Michael’s championships experience:
🔥 Tokyo 2020 (Team); 8th individually – Team 🥈 & Individual 🥇 Rio 2016 – Team 🥇 & Individual 🥇 London 2012
🗺️ Team 🥇 & Individual 🥈 Caen 2014 – Individual 🥇 Lexington 2010
🔴 Michael is one of only two riders to win the Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing, with consecutive Badminton, Burghley and Kentucky victories (the other’s Britain’s Pippa Funnell).
Cross Country 📈 They’ve been clear inside the time at World Championships (Pratoni 2022), European Championships (in 2021) and 5* (Kentucky 2022), but a heartbreaking frangible device scuppered their chances of a gold medal in Tokyo. Michi had an unlucky ducking at the European Championships last season and they had a 20 in a 4*-S run in Strzegom, not to mention that Aachen flag. What I’m getting at is that we all know there’s the aspect of a little luck on the day needed in eventing, and thus far, Michi and Chip have been on the wrong side of it seemingly more times than they perhaps deserve. But look past that and you’ll find just two 20s, one flag, one frangible device and one rider fall in 33 FEI competitions together. You’ll also find an awful lot of inside the times on their record, notably at Tokyo, Pratoni and Kentucky.
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“Today was quite a lot of moments to enjoy.”
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Michael heads into tomorrow’s show jumping as the leader of the pack. He’s chasing down yet another championships title and has only one second in hand:
“Chipmunk made it very easy for me — every time the jump was easy. He was listening so well and connected to me — and he was so powerful galloping. I checked the time and said, ‘Okay, we have more time on the next fence. Slow down, slow down.’ It was an unbelievable feeling. He’s so brave in the cross country. He’s a horse with so much talent – in the dressage, in the jumping – he makes it for the rider a bit easier, everything. I’m so thankful to have such good horses and to be at my fourth Olympic Games. It’s a dream, and it’s always a special feeling.”
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Score for Michael Jung and Chipmunk FRH – Clear inside the time – Overall 17.8 – 1st
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🇦🇺 Christopher Burton and Shadow Man
Chris is comin’ in hot 🌶️ He was clear inside the time at Millstreet, Ireland, on the way to the win in the 4*-S Nations Cup leg in his latest FEI run prior to Paris.
Form, Facts & Stats:
Chris’ championships experience:
🔥 Team 🥉 Rio 2016; 5th individually – London 2012 (Team)
🗺️ Tryon 2018 (Team) – Caen 2014 (Team) – Lexington 2010 (Ind.)
🔴 Chris has won Adelaide 5* twice, as well as taking the Burghley title.
Cross Country 📈 You have to go all the way back to 2018 to find a cross country jumping penalty on this gelding’s record, and that’s the only one – in 33 FEI runs. He made the time on his most recent run, but before that it’d been a few years since he last stopped the clock without penalties; although Chris is known as one of the fastest riders in the world, this pair have added between 16.8 and 28.4 in their six FEI competitions together. But those runs were very much a getting to know each other exercise – doing what was needed to qualify for the Olympics without risking any mishaps – and their blistering run at Millstreet is surely the kind of determination we can expect from them moving forwards.
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Score for Christopher Burton and Shadow Man – Clear inside the time – Overall 22 – 3rd
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🇨🇦 Jessica Phoenix and Freedom GS
Photo by Shelby Allen.
Jessie must be feeling pretty good on cross country day, knowing she’s sat on a mare who’s never had a jumping penalty out on course. Jessie’s no stranger to the world stage and will no doubt be fully prepared to use all of her vast experience to steer the relatively inexperienced Freedom GS ‘round the Paris track.
Form, Facts & Stats:
Jessie’s championships experience:
🔥 Rio 2016 (Team) – London 2012 (Team)
🗺️ Tryon 2018 (Team) – Caen 2014 (Team) – 2010 Lexington (Ind.)
🔴 Freedom GS is Canadian-bred and is the product of four generations of Canadian breeding.
Cross Country 📈 In 13 FEI runs this mare has no cross country jumping penalties, but has had 11 for activating a frangible device on three occasions. She hasn’t been inside the time since 2* and time penalties do tend to vary – she added 19.8 on her latest run in the 4*-S at Bromont, and 4.4 in the 4*-S at TerraNova on the way to second place. In her last long-format run, the 4*-L also at TerraNova in November, she added 4 time penalties.
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“This is the best Olympics I have ever taken part in. The venue, the jumps, the design, the people, the way this country is so welcoming — it is second to none. To be able to gallop through Versailles is undescribable.'”
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Jessie explained what happened in her round with Freedom GS:
“She] was a little bit within herself — she came up that bank and jumped beautifully out over the skinny, and I just didn’t have quite enough room to get her going forward and ahead of my leg again. She jumped up the next bank and just literally never saw the birch railing. Was it really a refusal? No, because she didn’t see it — everything she sees, she jumps. On a day like today, it’s just terrible timing because you feel like you’ve let your entire team and country down. Anyhow, after that we regrouped and she was pure class. I am so excited for this horse’s future. She just galloped around there with such speed and confidence and just got better and better as she went on. I’m really looking forward to show jumping her tomorrow.”
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Score for Jessica Phoenix and Freedom GS – 32.4 XC penalties – Overall67.8 – 49th
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🇮🇪 Austin O’Connor and Colorado Blue
Photo by Tilly Berendt.
If you love cross country, make sure you watch this guy, because ‘Salty’ loves it too (and so does Austin). Man, there’s nothing better than seeing a true cross country horse do its thang, and that’s exactly what you get with this talented, plucky gelding. He’s got scope and power and speed and… well let’s just says he’s the whole package when it comes to cross country day. Enjoy.
Form, Facts & Stats:
Austin’s championships experience:
🔥 Tokyo 2020 (Team); 13th individually – Beijing 2008 (Team) – Sydney 2000 (Ind.); 17th
🗺️ Pratoni 2022 (Team); 18th individually
🔴 Austin drove his own horse lorry to Paris.
Cross Country 📈 In 28 FEI competitions, this combination have had cross country jumping penalties just twice – that’s a total of 26 clear rounds. This guy is an eventing machine. He was clear inside the time in Tokyo and just two seconds over at the World Championships in Pratoni. He added just 1.2 time penalties at Maryland 5* on his way to the win.
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Score for Austin O’Connor and Colorado Blue – Clear inside the time – Overall 31.7 – 14th
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🇨🇭 Felix Vogg and Dao de l’Ocean
Photo by Tilly Berendt.
‘Dao’ may be making his championships debut in Paris, but Felix has two Olympics, four World Championships, multiple European Championships and a bunch of Nations Cup appearances in his locker, as well as having completed at Badminton, Pau, Kentucky – where he was sixth – and Luhmühlen – which he won on his birthday. Huzzah!
Form, Facts & Stats:
Felix’s championships experience:
🔥 Tokyo 2020 (Team); 19th individually – Rio 2016 (Ind.)
🗺️ Pratoni 2022 (Team); 14th individually – Tryon 2018 (Team) – Caen 2014 (Team)
🔴 Felix and his brother, Ben, both represented Switzerland at the Rio Olympics.
Cross Country 📈 This pair had a bit of a rocky start to their relationship, picking up plenty of cross country penalties at the beginning of their time together, but practice makes perfect and all that and they’re now on a streak of twelve clear rounds. They were clear inside the time in the 4*-L Nations Cup event at Boekelo last season, where they finished ninth, and added just 6.8 time penalties in the 4*-S at Wiesbaden this year on their way to the win. Felix hasn’t pushed for the time on this horse though, so it’ll be interesting to see what happens if he decides to unleash the beast in Paris.
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“I showed him the way, but the rest he did.”
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“The track was really intense — the time was really tight, so it made all of it a little bit tough. You had a lot of combinations really fast, so there was no time to mess around and think about it.
“
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Score for Felix Vogg and Dao de l’Ocean – Clear inside the time – Overall 22.1 – 4th
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🇺🇸 Boyd Martin and Fedarman B
Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Boyd’s bling cabinet has a silver from the World Championships, and a team and individual gold from the Pan-Ams in it, and he’d very much like to add an Olympic medal to his haul. He’s known to take an ice bath on cross country day and often shows up at events with his guru. Boyd may be a bit of a character and game for a laugh, but put him on that pony and he’s one hella fierce competitor.
Form, Facts & Stats:
Boyd’s championships experience:
🔥 Tokyo 2020 (Team); 20th individually – Rio 2016 (Team); 16th individually – London 2012 (Team)
🗺️ Team 🥈 Pratoni 2022 – Tryon 2018 (Team) – Caen 2014 (Team); 7th individually – Lexington 2010 (Team); 10th individually
6️⃣ Boyd is currently World No. 6
🔴 Boyd’s been named USEA Rider of the Year six times.
Cross Country 📈 They were clear in the 4*-S at Kentucky this season, and just two seconds over the time, finishing up fourth overall. In 11 FEI runs together they’ve had jumping penalties just twice, once in a getting-it-together round right at the start of their journey and an 11 for breaking a frangible device at Pau last fall, where they finished eighth. We all know Boyd’s a fast rider, and Bruno’s a pretty quick horse. They were clear inside the time at Luhmühlen on their way to eighth place and were inside the time at Pau, despite that pin. So, long-format clears inside the time – check; achingly close to the time at short-format – check. What more do you want as you head out onto an Olympic cross country course?
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Score for Boyd Martin and Fedarman B – 1.6 XC penalties – Overall 32.1 – 17th
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🇵🇱 Robert Powala and Tosca del Castegno
Photo by Tilly Berendt.
This mare stepped up to 4* last season and has gained a fair bit of mileage since then, with eight FEI runs at the level, including two Nations Cup events.
Form, Facts & Stats:
🔴 Robert is based in Italy, a childhood dream of his that came true.
Cross Country 📈 This combination are on a run of six clear cross country jumping rounds, including both long- and short-format events. In 24 FEI competitions they’ve had jumping penalties on five occasions. They tend to go for steady-ish clears, although time penalties recently have come down into single figures sometimes at short-format. In their last long-format run, the 4*-L at Montelibretti last season, they added 15.6 time.
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Score for Robert Powala and Tosca del Castegno – 60 XC penalties – Ovearll 94.7 – 54th
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🇸🇪 Louise Romeike and Caspian 15
Photo by Tilly Berendt.
This pair have some very hot form across the country 🌶️ Louise has produced this guy through the levels herself, so it’s safe to say they know each other really well, exactly the kind of relationship you want with your horse as you set out from the start box onto the Olympic cross country course.
Form, Facts & Stats:
Louise’s championships experience:
🔥 Tokyo 2020 (Team)
🗺️ Tryon 2018 (Team)
🔴 Louise’s father-in-law is none other than 2008 Olympic individual and team gold medalist Hinrich Romeike.
Cross Country 📈 In 24 FEI runs this pair have never had a cross country jumping penalty, not one or any, zero. And they’re pretty speedy too. They added just 2 time penalties in the 4*-L Nations Cup event at Boekelo last season and were two seconds over the time in the 4*-S at Marbach this season.
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Score for Louise Romeike and Caspian 15 – 0.8 XC penalties – Overall 38.5 – 25th
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🇬🇧 Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo
European Champion ✅ 5* winner ✅ Making his Olympic debut ✅ ‘Walter’ really is living the eventing dream right now. Ros was traveling reserve for Tokyo, a role which she stepped up to heroically, supporting the team to the gold medal, but this time she’s not watching from the sidelines on cross country day – she gets to ride the wonderful Walter ‘round the Olympic track. Walter, who’s never had a cross country jumping penalty. Walter, who very often makes the time. What a lucky woman Ros is!
Form, Facts & Stats:
Ros’ championships experience:
🔥 Team 🥇 Tokyo 2020 (as traveling reserve)
🗺️ Pratoni 2022 (Team); 4th individually – Team 🥇 & Individual 🥇 Tryon 2018
1️⃣ Ros is currently World No. 1
🔴 Ros is a bit of a smart cookie and has a degree in sports science.
Cross Country 📈 In 22 FEI competitions, Walter has had cross country jumping penalties a total of zero times. None. He’s been inside the time on nine occasions, and one or two seconds over on a further two. According to my math, that’s almost a 50:50 clear inside the time rate, give or take a second or two. This horse is just something else. And really, the times where the penalties have been a few extra can be explained by planned steady runs and the Badminton mud. Blink and you’ll miss ‘em, which you won’t want to do, as this pair are ones to watch 👀
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“He was nicely tucked up in bed about an hour ago having a sleep, so I had to get him up to get ready for the cross country. It’s been a good day for him in France, I think.”
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Ros explained how she got on out there with ‘Walter’:
“I don’t think there’s many horses like that — that can come back into balance and come down again easily. But that’s where I haven’t sat on another horse like him – that can go to the big gears and then come back to the steady gears as easily as he can.
I had to keep chugging on, it certainly wasn’t a breezy walk in the park at all — but there are so many lovely galloping stretches. I had to get Walter back a little bit more sometimes than I have done in the past. He’s definitely come out this year a little bit stronger in the bridle than he has been; he hasn’t run as much and he’s a bit fresher, but he came back to me really well, and he was an absolute superstar.”
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There is flag penalty on their score as things stand right now, but we’re still within the review period at time of writing. This is what Ros had to say:
“I did touch a flag coming out of the triple brushes at the end, but I would never have imagined [that] I didn’t jump the jump, to be honest. I didn’t come back and think I’d done anything but go clear inside the time. Hopefully not.”
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“Walter was his usual, incredible self. He absolutely loves to run, he loves to gallop and jump, and he loves the crowds. He was in his element today.”
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Score for Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo – 15 XC penalties – Overall 38.4 – 24th
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🇧🇷 Marcio Carvalho Jorge and Castle Howard Casanova
Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.
This combination have just 15 FEI starts behind them, but they brought home a team bronze and individual silver medal from the Pan-Ams last season, so have at least experienced the buzz of a big occasion and stepped up to the plate. Marcio knows his way around an Olympics, or two, so he’ll be there to guide, relatively young at eleven, ‘Howard’ ‘round the Paris track.
Form, Facts & Stats:
Marcio’s championships experience:
🔥 Rio 2016 (Team) – London 2012 (Team)
🗺️ Pratoni 2022 (Team) – Tryon 2018 (Team)
🔴 Marcio’s been based in Britain since competing at his home games in Rio.
Cross Country 📈 They added just a smidge of time in both the cross country and show jumping at the Pan-Ams last season on their way to a silver medal. In 15 FEI competitions there’s nary a cross country jumping penalty on their record – not one, or any. The only mark on their card is a technical elimination in 2022. And they’re rather swift of foot to boot. They finished on their dressage in the 4*-L at Sopot, Poland last season and were just four seconds over the time in Santiago. In their two 4*-S runs this season, they added 12.4 at Kronenberg and 7.2 at Luhmühlen.
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Score for Marcio Carvalho Jorge and Castle Howard Casanova – 42.2 XC penalties – Overall 75.7 – 52nd
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🇳🇿 Tim Price and Falco
Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Smooth and quick, Tim always makes cross country day look so easy. Seriously, this is one classy rider to watch in all three phases, but especially when he’s galloping and jumping – it all just looks so effortless. Sit back and enjoy this one 👀
Form, Facts & Stats:
Tim’s championships experience:
🔥 Tokyo 2020 (Team) – Rio 2016 (Team)
🗺️ Team 🥉 & Individual 🥉 Pratoni 2022 – Tryon 2018 (Team); 8th individually – Caen 2014 (Team)
9️⃣ Tim is currently World No. 9
🔴 Tim has achieved the rare feat of completing all seven of the world’s 5*s.
Cross Country 📈 This pair have had their fair share of problems out on course over the years, most recently in the 4*-S at Bicton in May, where they picked up 11 penalties for breaking a frangible device and retired. They had 40 jumping penalties in the 4*-S at Aachen last year and 20 the year before. It seems they have penalties out on cross country around once a season, and they’ve had them this year, so based on those stats, it’s safe to say they’ll pull out a clear in Paris (sorry EquiRatings, for my clunky data analysis). But seriously, they were clear inside the time at Pau 5* and at the World Championships in Pratoni, and when they do add time, it’s single figures.
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“He’s pulled up super with a big smile on his face and ready for tomorrow.”
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Tim explained how he got on out there with Falco:
“He was really good – just very focused, traveled beautifully, had plenty of gallop at the end. It’s a little bit regretful to have the time faults on one hand, but there’s so many things to take care of to make sure you don’t have a silly moment, and jump cleanly and through all those those pesky flags, which we did. I’ve had a couple of occasions where I’ve gone for it and then at the end I’ve regretted it a little bit. I didn’t want that to happen again. I wanted a bit of finesse available for the last couple of combinations and I had that and had a really good final water and the one up and down the hill. And then when I galloped, he bloody motored down home. I think I probably made up 10 seconds, but couldn’t make up 14 seconds. I’m really happy with him.”
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Score for Tim Price and Falco – 2 XC penalties – Overall 28.5 – 9th
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🇯🇵 Kazuma Tomoto and Vinci de la Vigne
Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Kazuma started out in the show jumping ring and didn’t ride around a cross country course until 2016. He learned his trade from none other than Mr Eventing himself, William Fox-Pitt, so there’s no doubting his pedigree when it comes to classy cross country riding.
Form, Facts & Stats:
Kazuma’s championships experience:
🔥 Tokyo 2020 (Team); 4th individually
🗺️ Pratoni 2022 (Team); 8th individually – Tryon 2018 (Team)
🔴 Vinci de la Vigne is known as ‘Vince’ at home.
Cross Country 📈 They were bang on the same dressage score in Tokyo and the World Championships in Pratoni, and were very close in the cross country too, with two jumping clears and 1.6 time in Tokyo and 1.2 in Pratoni. Seriously, this is a consistent combination, and consistently excellent too. They’re not always super quick at short-format events, but get them running and jumping and they really show what cross country riding’s all about. They have had a fall this season, which is a blemish on a very clean cross country sheet, but after his stellar performance in Tokyo, where he finished just off the podium individually, he’ll be yearning to take that extra step in Paris.
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“He was amazing. I’m really, really pleased. I’m proud of him.”
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Kazuma was really pleased with ‘Vince’:
“He knows everything: what he needs to do, what I want him to do – he’s absolutely a professional horse, especially in the big events, big atmosphere. At home he’s a lazy boy, but in a big atmosphere, he’s like, ‘Come on, it’s my time’. He was fantastic today.”
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Score for Kazuma Tomoto and Vinci de la Vigne – Clear inside the time – Overall 27.4 – 8th
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🇮🇹 Giovanni Ugolotti and Swirly Temptress
Photo by Tilly Berendt.
This combination has been together from the start, with Giovanni bringing the mare up through the levels from 1*. They have an enviable record across the country, although they’ll need to step it up a bit in terms of time if they’re going to catch the clock alongside the Grand Canal.
Form, Facts & Stats:
Giovanni’s championships experience:
🗺️ Caen 2014 (Team)
🔴 At home, Swirly Temptress is known as ‘Swirl’, because, why not?
Cross Country 📈 Apart from two rider falls and a flag penalty, this pair’s cross country record is remarkably clean over 28 FEI runs. They do tend to add time, although they finished on their dressage in the 4*-L at Ballindenisk in 2022 on their way to the win, a career-best finishing score and result. They added 18.8 time at the European Championships last season, a long-format competition, and 9.6 in their most recent run, the 4*-S at Luhmühlen.
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Score for Giovanni Ugolotti and Swirly Temptress – 36.4 XC penalties – Overall 62.1 – 46th
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🇳🇱 Raf Kooremans and Radar Love
This horse has a remarkably clean score sheet when it comes to cross country jumping, which must have Raf feeling positive as he sets out of the start box at Paris.
Form, Facts & Stats:
Raf’s championships experience:
🗺️ Tryon 2018 (Team)
🔴 Raf’s daughter has competed for the Dutch eventing team at Ponies, Juniors and Young Riders.
Cross Country 📈 This combination had an 11 penalties for breaking a frangible device in the 4*-S at Bicton, but in their five other runs together, they’ve jumped clear. They may not have many runs as a pair under their cinch, but Radar Love has 31 FEI starts on his card, and there’s just that one 11 penalties, a 20 back in 2022, and a fall on his record, that’s it. Other than that it’s clear all the way, although it has to be pointed out that there are only a handful of 4* runs on that list. This gelding is a steady clear kind of guy, with time penalties generally racking up into the mid-teens or a bit higher.
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Score for Raf Kooremans and Radar Love – 5.6 XC penalties – Overall 32.6 – 18th
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🇫🇷 Nicolas Touzaint and Diabolo Menthe
Photo by Eventing Nation.
Nicolas knows just what it’s like to take the metalware home from the Olympics, having won team gold in Athens and team bronze in Tokyo. He’ll be itching to add to his collection with this talented gelding at his home Games.
Form, Facts & Stats:
Nicolas’ championships experience:
🔥 Team 🥉 Tokyo 2020; 6th individually – London 2012 (Team); 17th individually – Beijing 2008 (Ind.) – Team 🥇 Athens 2004 (Ind.) 8th – Sydney 2000 (Ind.)
🗺️ Pratoni 2022 (Team) – Aachen 2006 (Team)
🔴 In 2008 Nicolas became the first French rider to win Badminton.
Cross Country 📈 In 15 FEI competitions this pair have had zero cross country jumping penalties, not a single one. They were clear inside the time at the Nations Cup event at Boekelo last season, finishing on their dressage and taking the win, and at the Young Horse Championships in 2020 they added nothing on cross country day on their way to third place. They’ve had two 4*-S runs this season, incurring 7.2 time in their season opener and 2 in their most recent run. They can be clear and quick at both long- and short-format, and this pair could very well be ones to watch in Paris 👀
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Score for Nicolas Touzaint and Diabolo Menthe – 3.2 XC penalties – 11th
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🇧🇪 Lara de Liederkerke-Meier and Origi
Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Lara had no fewer than five horses qualified for the Olympics. She’s in Paris with ten-year-old gelding, Origi, who was top-10 at the Young Horse World Championships as a seven-year-old. Incidentally, Lara was seven when she got her first pony. She hasn’t had a whole lot of Championships luck in the past few years, with a really, really unlucky fall at the first fence in Pratoni and withdrawing after the dressage in Tokyo, but she turned all that around when she became the first Belgian to win a 5* at Luhmühlen last month. Here’s to continuing on her most recent trajectory in Paris.
Form, Facts & Stats:
Lara’s championships experience:
🔥 Tokyo 2020 (Ind.)
🗺️ Pratoni 2022 (Team) – Tryon 2018 – Caen 2014; 18th Individually – Lexington 2010
4️⃣ Lara is currently World No. 4
🔴 Lara’s sporting heroes are Swiss tennis player Roger Federer and, of course, eventing magician Michael Jung, who she’s competing against in Paris.
Cross Country 📈 They had an uncharacteristic 20 in their most recent FEI run in the 4*-S at Luhmühlen. In their 25 competitions together, they’ve had cross country jumping penalties on just three occasions and one rider fall. They can be quick on their day too. They were clear inside the time in the 4*-L at Montelibretti back in November, the last long-format run they’ve had, and one of only three. They’re no slouches at short-format – even with the 20 at Luhmühlen they only added 8.8 time penalties.
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Score for Lara de Liederkerke-Meier and Origi – 1.2 XC penalties – Overall 31.2 – 13th
