Tom McEwen and JL Dublin. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
We certainly had a fair idea of who we’d see clustering at the top of the board today as we kicked off a marathon of 64 dressage tests in Paris, and it’s unsurprising to see British stalwart Tom McEwen out in the front at the lunch break. The Tokyo individual silver and team gold medalist piloted JL Dublin (Diarado – Zarinna, by Canto), who is owned by James & Jo Lambert & Dierdre Johnston, to a 25.8 as the first rider out for the Brits, not quite slipping down to the 23 or 24 we know this pair is capable of but delivering enough to sit ahead of six-time Olympian Karin Donckers and Liepheimer Van’t Verahof (26.6).
“Dubs was awesome. He loves an atmosphere and I must say, he really lit up in the trot a little bit more than I was expecting, and then was actually super relaxed in the walk, which then caught me out from the first change,” Tom said of JL Dublin. We did see spectators filing in this morning, rain gear at the ready as we’ve been met with some very, err, British weather, if I might say, but the early rotations of riders didn’t have large crowds to content with. It nearly doesn’t matter though, as the towering stands that have been constructed here certainly create a buzz unlike anywhere except perhaps Kentucky or Aachen in terms of atmosphere. “I was expecting, when I picked up the canter to have a little bit more electricity underneath me — Dubs always is very relaxed and very happy. So sadly missed that first change, but then after that, we picked it right back up where we left off, but hopefully putting Great Britain in a great, strong starting position, which is our main goal. Now my aim is to support the girls and finish on that score.
Tom McEwen and JL Dublin. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
As we’ve written about before, the Olympic test is incredibly unique. While technically a 5* test, the run time is set at just 3 minutes, 50 seconds, and the movements begin in earnest just as soon as a rider turns off of centerline. Indeed, a horse that has a competitive walk is somewhat at a disadvantage (unless, of course, you’re blessed with a horse who’s equally gifted in all gaits) as there are just two movements at the walk, and on short diagonals to boot. This opens to door to see some points slip away, and in such an abbreviated test every movement counts more than ever.
“It was more just concentrating,” Tom concurred. “This test is so different to our normal ones — if we take a five-star test, this just comes so much quicker, and it’s intense. Dubs got a fantastic walk, but you’ve got the split second to show it off before it’s gone. With the mistake in the change, having a horse that was full of energy and pumped underneath me to actually being very relaxed, it can change very, very quickly. I think the girls told me that a few horses have been spooking at the cameras, so actually, for me, it was actually me concentrating.”
Tom McEwen and JL Dublin. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
We’re also in a unique position here in that we will know the full standings of the first phase today, versus other major events where we typically have dressage split over two days. So while Tom’s score is undoubtedly competitive, the door is still quite open for a low-20s to come in and steal the lead — and there are more than a few horses yet to come who could do the task.
Belgian rider Karin Donckers is not short on championship experience: with six (now seven, this weekend counting) Olympics and seven World Championships to her impressive resume, she’s the most experienced rider in the field in terms of these high-pressure atmospheres. And the pressure, if she felt any, didn’t affect her nor the Belgian Warmblood stallion Leipheimer van’t Verahof (Vigo d Arsouilles STX – Southern Queen xx, by South Gale xx). As the pathfinder for the team-to-watch Belgians, Karin laid down a 26.6, which is something of a best for this pair who typically hover closer to the 30 mark.
Karin Donckers and Leipheimer Van’t Verahof. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
We’ve of course got a large French contingent crowd here today, and Karin was tasked with riding after home team rider Karim Laghouag.
“I’m happy that we did it so far, because of course we have two more days to go!” Karin said. “I can even say that I have experience with riding Olympics — that helps! You get a bit more mature, you get a bit older, you know what’s what they expect from you, and you know how the crowd is going to be — of course when you ride behind the French one!”
Leipheimer van’t Verahof, who’s actually a full sibling to Karin’s former Olympic and World Championship horse Fletcha van’t Verahof, is the sole stallion in this year’s eventing field.
Team Belgium celebrates a stellar test from pathfinder Karin Donckers. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
“You have to respect the stallions the way they are — that’s what I have learned from them,” she said. “It’s not the first time that I’ve ridden a stallion. I never had the choice to choose what I got to ride; I grew up on a farm where I started already as a kid… So I’ve learned throughout my life to get the best out of the horse that you have and what you get… You have to respect them more and really accept how they are. If you have a good trust relation with them, then you have to believe that they will fight for you. I find it a bit different than the mares or the geldings –the geldings are a bit more easy going, the mares are a bit more of the fighters. The stallion’s are a bit different. My stallion was sleeping yesterday in his stall!”
Julia Krajewski and Nickel 21. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
As the first to go today (and a late addition to the German team just earlier this week) was defending individual gold medalist Julia Krajewski and Nickel 21 (Numero Uno – Orchidee V, by Lorentin), who held on to an early lead for several rides with a score of 26.9. She’s currently in third at the lunch break now.
Nickel 21 is a horse that really wasn’t intended for these Games earlier in his career; he was ridden by a young rider previously and then Julia took over and used him for Arena Eventing but didn’t initially have major plans for him. Nearly as if he’s got a bit of a chip on his shoulder now, he’s really flourished in the lead-up to these games, most notably winning the CCIO4*-S at Aachen earlier in July.
Julia Krajewski and Nickel 21. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Julia has remained pragmatic about the Olympics this year. “To be honest, I didn’t have the Olympics marked in my calendar as ‘I’m probably going’ — it was more like, ‘Okay, that’s the Olympics, don’t book an expensive holiday there, just in case.’ I’m going next week now; didn’t want to jinx it!” she said. “And then Nickel, I really planned the season for the horse, and turned out that he just now felt ready, and proved in Aachen that he’s really able to play with the big boys.”
“He’s very genuine, and very, very honest,” she continued about the 10-year-old Holsteiner owned by Sophia Rössel. “I think he never did anything wrong, never had a run out or anything because he really tries to figure out what I tell him to do. It’s a mix of either he’s a little bit excited or he’s pretty chill and laid back, but he’s really just a very, very genuine, honest horse, and that makes me confident for tomorrow.”
Liz Halliday and Nutcracker. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
We have two U.S. riders currently inside the top 10 at the lunch break, and last-minute call-up Liz Halliday has certainly made good on her Olympic debut thus far as the top-placed, currently in fourth with Nutcracker (Tolan R – Ballyshan Cleopatra, by Cobra), who is owned by the Nutcracker Syndicate. Caroline Pamukcu and Sherrie Martin and Mollie Hoff’s HSH Blake (Tolan R – Doughiska Lass, by Kannan) were the first to see this morning and scored a 30.4 to currently sit ninth.
By now, most of you will know that Liz has had quite the last 48 hours. After the late withdrawal of Will Coleman and Diabolo due to a suspected abscess, Liz was slotted up to the team slot after initially being named Traveling Reserve.
For Liz, it’s a lot of mixed emotions; on one hand, she’s ready and eager to finally have her Olympic shot (she was selected for the Tokyo team and had to withdraw Deniro Z before the Games), but on the other, heavier hand, she’s gutted for Will.
Liz Halliday and Nutcracker. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
“It’s a really odd place to be in emotionally, because the first thing I felt was devastation for Will, because I’ve been there,” she said. “Before Tokyo. I was in the spot, and I didn’t get to go and so you’re overwhelmed with the fact that you move into the spot and also overwhelmed with sadness for your teammate, who equally earned his spot here. And then it’s time to sort of get to business, and it goes from shock to, ‘Oh my gosh’, to ‘Okay, now I’m going to just be a competitor again.'”
A competitor she certainly is, piloting Nutcracker, who debuted in 8th place at his first 5* at Kentucky this spring, to a 28.0, besting his only other 5* score of 30.6. Liz commented that she’s used cavaletti and poles a lot in her preparation for this test to encourage straightness and relaxation over the horse’s back, and she felt that work paid off today.
“He was spectacular,” she said. “I think he’s actually really taken a big leap forward in just the last two weeks in some of his work; I’ve sort of changed around some things, just tried to make him more relaxed and just really let it flow, and I think that’s helped. He still needs a little bit of work on the changes, of course, but they are breathing and this is a difficult test for a 10-year-old horse. I’m thrilled with him.”
Liz Halliday and Nutcracker. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
“Recently, I’ve just been practicing the movements, especially in the canter work, so he wasn’t surprised,” Liz continued. “I think I wanted him thinking, ‘Oh yes, I’m gonna half-pass, change, half pass again; just getting him really comfortable with how things went. I have practiced a lot with poles on the ground to keep him straight, because when he’s nervous, he jumps sideways a little — I think those are helping the changes –just trying to do whatever I can to help him learn to do [the changes] in a relaxed, happy way… It’s improving and I’m pleased that he’s getting the clean change every time, but that would be a little bit where he gets slightly nervous and is feeling the atmosphere a little bit. It’s a work in progress — it will be there.”
Robin Godel and Grandeur de Lully CH. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Fifth in the early going and representing Switzerland are Robin Godel and his longtime partner, Jean-Jacques Fünfschilling’s Grandeur de Lully CH (Greco de Lully CH – Miola, by Apartos) who earned a 29.1 today from the judging panel. This is a partnership that’s quite experienced and well-established; they’ve done two World Championships together and four Europeans, including one when Robin was a junior rider.
“He’s now 16, so we have a lot of experience together,” Robin said.”We did a lot of championships from the Young Riders [to now], so we know each other very well. He’s not the fastest one, but he’s good in the dressage, good on the jumps in the cross country, and then if we can stay clear in the show jumping, we can get a good result. He was one of my choices for Paris — I always hoped to have other horses to be ready for that level, but we have prepared him a long time, and we don’t do too much with him to keep him motivated. He knows his job well by now.”
Robin had set a goal to earn a sub-30 today, and he has done so before at a championship with this horse, but he was nonetheless pleased with his efforts today. “He can be a bit spooky and looking around — we saw that before the center line because he was looking, but then inside [the ring], he was more with me,” he elaborated. “Still a bit tense, but very happy with how he was today. My goal was to be under 30; we can always do better, but I’m still very happy with it.”
Caroline Pamukcu and HSH Blake. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
You can view the rest of the lunch break top 10 below or in the live scores here. At this juncture, Germany is currently in the top spot, but it’s quite wide open at this phase with still half the field yet to see today.
We did also see one Elimination today for the Italians. Emiliano Portale and Future initially delivered a lovely, expressive and competitive test, but were later eliminated for blood in the horse’s mouth. When Emiliano came through the mixed zone, he said he felt the horse bit his lip but at that juncture he did not think he had been eliminated.
Emilano Portale and Future. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
The FEI released the following statement regarding the elimination: “The horse, Future, ridden by athlete No. 13, Emiliano Portale (ITA) was eliminated during the Eventing Dressage test after blood was found in the horse’s mouth during the post-competition check on July 27. Elimination under this Rule does not imply that there was intention to hurt or harm the horse, but the FEI discipline rules have been put in place to ensure that horse welfare is protected at all times.”
I hate to refer to a 2,000-word report as a “quick” lunch update, but we’ve only got a short turnaround before the afternoon sessions, so stay tuned for much more coming later on this evening, Paris time. In the meantime, you can always keep up with the action and the need-to-know on each pair in our Form Guide as well as Cheg Darlington’s incredibly Companion Guide here.
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