Colleen Loach and Qorry Blue D'Argouges. Photo by Jenni Autry.
The final day of the eventing competition at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games is upon us. After an emotional roller coaster ride of a cross country day, it’s still anyone’s game. The course is designed by Brazil’s own Guilherme Jorge with an optimum time of 80 seconds.
All horses will jump in the first round of show jumping, which starts at 10 a.m. local time/9 a.m. EST, to determine the team medals. The top 25 after the first round will then return to jump a second show jumping round, which will determine the individual medals, starting at 2 p.m. local time/1 p.m. EST.
Australia currently has a narrow lead over New Zealand, which in turn has a rail in hand over France. Every rail will count, and horses and riders alike will be feeling the tremendous efforts of the previous days. Click here for an order of go for the team rounds.
We’ll be running live updates here, so keep refreshing this page, as well as live tweeting all the action. Click here to catch up on all of our Olympic coverage so far.
#Rio2016: Website, Schedule, Individual Scores, Team Scores, EN’s Ultimate Guide to Rio, How to Watch Live, EN’s Coverage, Twitter, Instagram
12:50 p.m. EST: We’re posting live updates of the individual final at this link.
11:40 a.m. EST: Here are the final eventing team results in the 2016 Rio Olympics. The individual final will start at 1 p.m. EST and we’ll be back for more live coverage. Stay tuned for the full report from the team event and much more from Rio.
11:36 a.m. EST: France wins the gold, Germany wins silver and Australia wins bronze. What a nail-biting finale! Every round counted and the final scores were as close as it gets. What a win for France, their first individual title since Athens in 2004 and their second ever gold medal in Olympic equestrian eventing.
11:34 a.m. EST: Chris and Santano have two rails down total, putting Michael Jung and Sam FBW in the gold medal position heading into the individual rounds.
11:34 a.m. EST: A rail down for Chris, FRANCE WINS OLYMPIC GOLD!
11:33 a.m. EST: Now, our final rider on course for the Team competition. Overnight individual leader Christopher Burton and Santano II for Australia.
11:31 a.m. EST: They could afford a single rail but have an unfortunate four rails down. That puts France in the silver medal position at least, drops New Zealand off the podium all together and moves Germany up. That’s really too bad, but Toddy and Leonidas will be back for the individual round.
11:29 a.m. EST: It’s all down to this man, the Master, Sir Mark Todd and Leonidas II. A clear round here means a gold medal for New Zealand.
11:28 a.m. EST: Nicolas secures a medal for France! Double clear and finishing on his dressage score of 42.0.
11:27 a.m. EST: Nicolas Astier and Piaf de B’Neville on course for France. They were the first to go double clear yesterday (only one of three) yesterday. They are third individually at the moment and need a clear round to guarantee a medal for France.
11:26 a.m. EST: That’s why he’s #1 in the world! Michael Jung is double clear with Sam FBW to put the pressure on Christopher Burton and Santano II! Michael finishes on his dressage score of 40.9 and helps Germany to a possible podium position.
11:23 a.m. EST: We’re into the top four now. First is defending Olympic champions and Michael Jung and Sam FBW. They are second on a 40.9.
Phillip Dutton and Mighty Nice. Photo by Jenni Autry.
11:22 a.m. EST: Clear with 2 time for a 68.4 final score for Merel Blom and Rumour Has It.
11:21 a.m. EST: Merel Blom has ridden for the Netherlands to a team bronze at the World Equestrian Games but this is her first Olympic appearance. The Dutch are in fifth at the moment.
11:20 a.m. EST: The final rider for Brazil, Carlos Parro and Summon Up the Blood have three down but receive huge support from the home crowd. They finish on 63.3.
Wow wow wow, they did it! Beautiful clear round @foxpitteventing @Rio2016_en @TeamGB #EquestrianEventing #TwoHearts
— Fox-Pitt Eventing (@foxpitteventing) August 9, 2016
11:16 a.m. EST: William Fox-Pitt and Chilli Morning deliver a really wonderful double clear for Great Britain. What a finish for him! That’s three clear rounds for Great Britain which can finish no lower than sixth in the team competition.
11:13 a.m. EST: Clear round from Jonty Evans and Cooley Rorkes Drift to finish on 64.6 for Ireland in his first Olympics. I don’t think this guy has stopped grinning since he got here!
11:10 a.m. EST: Italy’s Pietro Roman and Barraduff have two rails and are six seconds over the time. They finish on 82.2 but will be back in individual final.
11:06 a.m. EST: Rebecca Howard and Riddle Master are clear and just inside the time for Canada! They finish on 61.8 and we’ll see her in the individual final.
11:04 a.m. EST: Aspe and Ludwig fly into the triple and take two of the three fences down. Clear everywhere else and inside the time. They finish on 87.4.
11:03 a.m. EST: Ludwig Svennerstall, just 25 and competing in his second Olympics for Sweden. In the ring now with Aspe, one of the youngest horses in the field. And she’s feeling very spry.
11:02 a.m. EST: INCREDIBLE clear with one time penalty for Phillip Dutton and Mighty Nice!
11:01 a.m. EST: Here is Phillip Dutton and Mighty Nice. Phillip is riding in his sixth Olympics and is individual fifth at the moment on 46.8.
11:00 a.m. EST: At this point, New Zealand has one rail in hand over Australia, but Australia cannot have a rail to stay in front of France.
10:58 a.m. EST: Sam Griffiths and Paulank Brockagh deliver a double clear for Australia. This team competition is so close!
10:57 a.m. EST: They’ve done it! Brilliant double clear by Clark and Balmoral Sensation to keep New Zealand in the lead and up for their first ever Olympic team gold medal.
10:56 a.m. EST: Clarke Johnstone and Balmoral Sensation are on course for New Zealand. They’re a show jumping power house with a very good record, and they have just barely one rail in hand to keep New Zealand in the gold medal position over Australia.
10:53 a.m. EST: Mathieu Lemoine and Bart L have the last two fences down, which drops France back in the bronze position. Mathieu gives a shrug…Bart L does not typically jump clear rounds.
10:51 a.m. EST: Brilliant double clear for Germany by Ingrid and Hale-Bob! She finishes on a 65.5 and the Germans are holding their own in the team competition less than a pole outside of the bronze position.
10:50 a.m. EST: Ingrid Klimke (GER) and Hale-Bob OLD are in the ring now. They’re in the top 20 despite an uncharacteristic runout at the final water.
10:48 a.m. EST: Tim Lips, in his third Olympics, has 2 down but makes the time with Bayro. That’s an 82.0 final score for the Dutchman.
10:45 a.m. EST: You could hear a pin drop during Brazilian Marcio Carvalho Jorge and Lissy Mac Wayer’s round. They have two down and 2 time penalties for a final score of 80.0. They are confirmed to come back to the individual final as will Stuart Tinney and Pluto Mio.
10:43 a.m. EST: Very clever, athletic round by Pippa Funnell and Billy the Biz. They’re double clear for a final score of 84.3 for Great Britain.
10:40 a.m. EST: Quiet, soft round from Mark Kyle (IRL) and Jemilla. 8 jumping penalties and no time for a final score of 101.2 in Mark’s third Olympics.
Boyd Martin and Blackfoot Mystery. Photo by Jenni Autry.
10:38 a.m. EST: One rail but inside the time for Italy’s Arianna Schivo and Quefira de L’Ormeau for a final score of 109.4.
10:35 a.m. EST: Jessica Phoenix gives A Little Romance a lot of encouragement over the last few fences, but they finish inside the time with one rail to add for a final score of 131.6.
10:34 a.m. EST: Sara and Reality 39 have 4 jumping penalties and 2 time.
10:32 a.m. EST: We missed Camilla Kruger and Biarritz in show jumping first thing this morning. We’re told they had good technique and 8 jumping, 4 time for a final score of 111.8. Camilla has made history this week as the first Olympic equestrian rider for Zimbabwe!
10:31 a.m. EST: We’re back under way with Sara Algottson Ostholt and Reality 39. Fun fact: this horse was bought by crowd funding through her Facebook group to keep him in her barn. She’s starting show jumping a 106.6.
These 7 riders are the only ones guaranteed a place in the individual final. Still lots of action to come #TwoHearts pic.twitter.com/xzA27ZtVzl
— EquiRatings (@EquiRatings) August 9, 2016
A photo posted by Eventing Nation (@goeventing) on
“I’m not sure the Olympic gymnastic selectors are here” –@JohnKyleSpeaks. Unlucky, @RuyFonseca & Tom Bombadill Too! pic.twitter.com/c7JN92vn87 — Eventing Nation (@eventingnation) August 9, 2016
10:15 a.m. EST: We’re on a break at the moment. Getting back under way shortly.
10:02 a.m. EST: Two rails for Boyd and “Red” for a final score of 58.9. We’ll see them again in the individual final.
10:00 a.m. EST: Here’s Boyd Martin and Blackfoot Mystery. They and Phillip Dutton and Mighty Nice will still jump in this team round even though America is out of the team competition at this point.
9:58 a.m. EST: Stuart Tinney and Pluto Mio, the oldest horse in the field at 18, do not have the round Australia needed. Sixteen jumping and 1 time penalties gives them a final score of 76.6 and drops Australia from first to third in the team competition.
9:56 a.m. EST: An unlucky rail at the final element of the triple and then another at the next vertical for Jonelle Price and Faerie Dianimo. Those 8 penalties drop New Zealand behind France in the team standings for the moment. We can also confirm that China’s Alex Hua Tian will come back for the individual rounds.
9:54 a.m. EST: Thibaut Vallette and Qing Du Briot clinch an important double clear for France. They’re giving it all they’ve got for a team medal!
9:52 a.m. EST: Superb double clear round for reigning World Champions Sandra Auffarth and Opgun Louvo. She’s the first guaranteed rider coming back for the top 25 individual rounds.
9:49 a.m. EST: Alice Naber-Lozeman and Peter Parker have 4 jumping penalties but they make the time for a final score of 104.2. The Netherlands are fifth place after cross country but only have three riders in the game, so every round counts!
9:47 a.m. EST: Brazil’s Marcio Appel and Iberon Jmen finish with 12 jumping and 2 time penalties.
9:45 a.m. EST: 11b is causing the most trouble so far on this course designed by Brazil’s own Guilherme Jorge.
9:43 a.m. EST: Another beautiful double clear from Kitty King and Ceylor L A N! This pair is one of our show jumping powerhouses and we can see why! She will stay on a 100.4 and a counting score for Team Great Britain.
9:41 a.m. EST: Clare Abbott, a part-time math teacher, gives us our first double clear with Euro Prince! She finishes on 112.6 in her first Olympic Games.
9:38 a.m. EST: 12 jumping and 4 time penalties for Italy’s Luca Roman and Castlewoods Jake.
9:35 a.m. EST: Colleen Loach really goes for the time with Qorry Blue D’Argouges at the expense of a rail for Canada. They have a final score of 145.7 in their first Olympics!
9:33 a.m. EST: Linda Algotsson and Fairnet make the time with two rails for Sweden for a three day score of 164.5. We’ve received word that while Frida Andersen’s Ferta passed the horse inspection, they will not be show jumping today, which unfortunately pulls Sweden out of the team competition.
9:30 a.m. EST: Karim Laughouag throws his hands up on the landing of the final fence. Clear round with one time penalty on Entebbe for a three-day score of 94.8. They are the drop score for France but that quick clear is a confidence boost for the team!
9:29 a.m. EST: Here’s the first team rider for France in the ring. France is in third on a 161.0 and really need a clear round.
9:26 a.m. EST: Oh dear! Tom Bombadill Too puts the brakes on at the vertical at 8 and Ruy goes right over his head. Not the first time that’s happened – Ruy was eliminated at Rolex the same way two years ago. He’s gracious to put the rail back up though!
9:25 a.m. EST: Massive cheers for Brazil’s Fuy Fonseca and Tom Bombadill Too as the enter the arena. Brazil is currently sixth in the team competition.
Lauren Billys and Castle Larchfield Purdy. Photo by Jenni Autry.
9:24 a.m. EST: Gemma Tattersall and Quicklook V give us our first clear round! The Brit leaves all the poles up but picks up 4 time penalties for a three-day score of 140.8.
9:23 a.m. EST: Alex Hua Tian of China has one rail for a final score of 59.6 with Don Geniro. Great all around performance from this promising pair!
9:19 a.m. EST: Joris Van Springel of Belgium and Lully Des Aulnes have an unlucky rail for 4 jumping and 4 time penalties. Japan’s Yoshiaki Oiwa, who rode like a man on fire on cross country yesterday, also had an unlucky rub with The Duke of Cavan for a final score of 69.0.
9:14 a.m. EST: Carlos Lobos Munoz for Chili has one rail with to finish on a 96.1 with Ranco, to the delight of the onlookers. The young Elmo Jankari and Duchess Desiree from Dinland have 4 jumping and 6 time penalties.
9:10 a.m. EST: 8 jumping and 6 time for Ben Vogg (SUI) and Noe Des Vatys.
9:05 a.m. EST: First up is Puerto Rico’s Lauren Billys and Castle Larchfield Purdy. They have 8 jumping and 3 time faults for a final score of 155.4 in their first Olympics.
