Story – Chris Hector and Photos – Rebecca Ashton
It’s got to the stage where I am not entirely sure what day it is – tomorrow’s rest day can’t get there quick enough. What can you say about the final round of Teams? I guess it proves yet again that showjumping is THE spectator sport in the Equestrian repertoire. All the action takes place in an arena, where everything is easy to see and it doesn’t take a lot of equestrian knowledge to work out if a rail is up… or down.
It even managed to attract the crowds, although the stunning performance by George Morris’ Brazilian Team was no doubt the reason most were there, and indeed they started streaming out of the arena the second it became apparent that Brazil was not going to take home a medal – but they certainly gave it a good shake right to the end…
Pedro Veniss and Quabri de L’Isle for Brazil
It was also a day that salvaged a little pride for Australian showjumping. Matt Williams and Valinski and Edwina Tops-Alexander and Lintea Tequila looked great, just one rail each and hopefully they will go on to the individual competition on Friday, although it looks tough for Matt sitting in 36th with 35 to make the first round, and 20 to go on in the second.
Matt Williams and Valinski S
Edwina Tops-Alexander and Lintea Tequila
The course was tough, made tougher by the tight time. As Germany’s Christian Ahlmann pointed out later, “It made the course higher and wider, we didn’t expect all the clear rounds that there were.”
Still it took nine riders before there was a clear, Ben Maher and Tic Toc but like so many others, he picked up a time fault.
The event really came alive when the teams on zero stepped into the ring.
Holland’s Jeroen Dubbeldam and Zenith had a rail and their chances started to slip – but I am not giving up on the great man, they all start on no score in the Individual. Maikel van der Vleuten and Verdi put the orange team back in the frame with a clear, one time, then it all fell apart with Harrie Smolders and Emerald putting down three rails, and with Zirocco Blue withdrawn from the competiion, the Dutch were out.
Maikel van der Vleuten and Verdi
But nothing was going to stop the French. Phillip Rozier (whose dad was part of France’s last gold medal winning team at Montreal, and who was sitting in the stand cheering him on) went clear, one time, with the Quidam de Revel son, Rahotep de Toscane, and the French were on their way. Kevin Staut had a clear no time on Reveur de Hurtebise, while Bosty went clear with Sydney Une Prince and Penelope didn’t have to jump again.
Philippe Rozier and Rahotep de Toscane
Kevin Staut and Reveur de Hurtebise
Gold to France.
Did Roger Yves Bost feel the pressure jumping for gold?
“I had no pressure I didn’t know the score. I just do my job, it’s good when they tell me it has secured the medal.”
Roger Yves Bost and Sydney Une Prince
The American team was down to three after Beezie Madden withdrew Cortes with a tendon strain, but Kent Farrington and Voyeur kept the US in the fight with a clear no time. Lucy Davis was breath-taking on Barron, one rail no time, then McLean Ward went clear with Azur to secure silver.
Kent Farrington and Voyeur
Meanwhile the Brazilians gallant fight for a medal fell by the wayside, despite some great riding, and it was left to the Germans and the Canadians to fight it out for bronze but it took a masterful clear round from Ludger and Casello to get them there.
Ludger Beerbaum and Casello
Ludger is another one who wasn’t going to let the fact that he had to go clear to force the jump off, get to him:
“Pressure!? When you go into the ring you don’t have these thoughts. In my case there could not be a tactic, I had to go clear and no time, but you don’t think about these things, start thinking and you muck it up.”
After two days of team competition it has all come down to a four way shoot out. Canada’s Yann Candele and First Choice have the big oxer down in 44.24. Christian and Taloubet are clear in 42.68.
Yann Candele and First Choice
Christian Ahlmann and Taloubet Z
Tiffany Foster on Triple X III puts in one of the rounds of the Games, flying, taking the risks, clear in 44.81, only to see Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum and Fibonacci go clear, faster, 44.35.
Tiffany Foster and Triple X III
Amy Millar has a gutsy ride on the nine year old Heros, just one down in 43.06 before Daniel Deusser has a sweet clear on First Class, in 44.58. Bronze to Germany.
The victorious French thank their supporters
Very exciting day and I’m glad the Australians redeemed themselves. Just wanted to put in a word for Éric Lamaze and Fine Lady 5. Not only did they have three clear rounds this week, to be the ONLY combination to end the series of classes at 0 faults, but I believe they were also the fastest around the course all three days.
After Hickstead died, we in Canada saw, very close up, Éric’s heartbreak and his questioning of whether he wanted to compete anymore. From there to regaining the fighting spirit to pick that little mare up and fling her clear, clean, and quick around three incredibly challenging courses is, I think, worth a mention.
Super round up. Thank you for commentary and photos all the way through. Bring on the day off so we can all get some sleep.