Dutch Rock While U.S. Rolls Day 1 of Olympic Jumping
By Paula Parisi August 4, 2012
Team USA's Rich Fellers and Flexible had a perfect round. (Photo courtesy of NBC)
The Netherlands led the pack in the first day of Olympic show jumping Aug. 4 and will be a force to contend with as the group moves on to team competition Aug. 5-6. Germany, the U.K. and Switzerland also did very well.
The U.S. got off to a strong start with clean rounds by McLain Ward and Antares, 16th to ride, and Rich Fellers and Flexible, the 55th. Between the two, Reed Kessler and Cylana had a single penalty for time. Madden, who was second to last to go in a field of 75, got off to a wobbly start with Coral Reef Via Volo, who landed awkwardly off the first jump and never seemed to regain her rhythm.
The mare stopped at 9a, the first element in a combination featuring the Olympic rings. Madden looped back and got the horse to 9b before it refused a second time, which meant elimination and 42 penalties. A total of 12 riders got eliminated from the individual competition during this first qualifier.
Madden, along with Brazil’s Rodrigo Pessoa, is the most decorated equestrian competing in show jumping, with three prior Olympic medals.
On Sunday, Aug. 5 the teams will start with a fresh score and begin their quest for Team Gold in a Nation’s Cup format – a qualifying round and a final round held on two different courses over two days. The top eight from part two on Sunday along with the top 45 individuals will go on to participate in the third and final round on Monday (again with a clean scorecard) after which team medals will be awarded.
The top 35 individuals from those events (but no more than three from any one nation) will go on to try for medals of their own on Aug. 8, starting the day with their penalties wiped clean and jumping two rounds, with a jump-off if required.
On Saturday, the earlier riders seemed to get off to such a great start that it seemed as if the course was too easy. Of the first 25 to go, 13 were clear and the 82-second time allowed through the 12 jumping features on a course set by the U.K.’s Bob Ellis seemed ideal.
The sky looked ominous but delivered only occasional raindrops on the first day of showjumping at the 2012 Olympics. (Photo courtesy of the FEI)
As the event wore on, collective nerves and exhaustion seemed to overtake the pack as results became more uneven. Jump number 5, a very wide triple bar oxer with a water feature, seemed to give a lot of trouble, and numerous riders left one or both the elements in a double fashioned after Stonehenge that was the final question before the out gate.
The 75 riders represented 26 nations, 15 of them competing as teams. Eleven countries were competing as individuals only.The starting places were determined by a draw held in the presence of the Ground Jury: Stephan Ellenbruch (GER), President, and members Freddy Smeets (BEL), Jon Doney (GBR) and Kim Morrison (CAN), Foreign Technical Delegate Frank Rothenberger (GER) and the Chefs d’Equipe. Individuals are drawn first, followed by a draw for the teams.
Results from today’s competition determine the start orders for Sunday’s event.
For complete results click here.
For the Order of Go, click here.
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