Equestrian Olympic Teams

[AragornElessar]

I know many of us love Show Jumping and/or Dressage around here at FSU, so knowing that thread will be one of the favourite ones around here in three weeks time (IIRC how heavy the traffic was in the one for Bejing that is), thought I'd start one for news on who has made their respective teams for London. I'd think after this weekend, all of the respective teams will have to be announced due to Quarantine Protocols of both the UK laws and the IOC protocols.

I know Canada's Team will be announced during a ceremony at Spruce Meadows this coming weekend and it'll be shown live on the CBC. Sunday afternoon IIRC, but don't quote me on that as the last time I heard anything about it was two weeks ago during The Queen's Plate coverage, but I think that's right.

I also know that Zara Phillips, Princess Anne's daughter, is on the UK Three Day Eventing Team, but other than that...

I know what I'd love to see happen though. For one of Ian Millar's kids to be named to the Team along w/their Dad. I can't see Captain Canada not making the Team, so for Jonathan or Amy to be named too would be pretty special.

Anyone else know more?

[gingercrush]

New Zealand 3 Day Eventing Team

Mark Todd - Campino
Andrew Nicholson - Nereo
Caroline Powell - Lenamore
Jonathan Paget - Clifton Promise
Jonelle Richards - Flintstar

Dressage

Louisa Hill - Hanovarian Bates Antonello

I don't think we have showjumpers this year.

[allezfred]

Ireland 3 Day Eventing Team

Aoife Clarke - Master Crusoe (Owner Lily White Syndicate)

Mark Kyle - Coolio (Owners Ronnie Bartlett & Mark Kyle)

Joseph Murphy - Electric Cruise (Owners Noel Good, Jill Andrews & A O’Callaghan)

Michael Ryan - Ballylynch Adventure (Owners: Carol & Tom Henry & Sheila Foley)

Camilla Speirs - Portersize Just a Jiff (Owners Bridget & Camilla Speirs)

Showjumping

Billy Lynch - Abbervail van het Dingeshof (Owner Thomas Straumann)

Denis Twomey - Tinka's Serenade (Owners Edwin & Sue Davies)

Dressage

Anna Merveldt - Coryolano

[kylet3]

I know many of us love Show Jumping and/or Dressage around here at FSU, so knowing that thread will be one of the favourite ones around here in three weeks time (IIRC how heavy the traffic was in the one for Bejing that is), thought I'd start one for news on who has made their respective teams for London. I'd think after this weekend, all of the respective teams will have to be announced due to Quarantine Protocols of both the UK laws and the IOC protocols.

I know Canada's Team will be announced during a ceremony at Spruce Meadows this coming weekend and it'll be shown live on the CBC. Sunday afternoon IIRC, but don't quote me on that as the last time I heard anything about it was two weeks ago during The Queen's Plate coverage, but I think that's right.

I also know that Zara Phillips, Princess Anne's daughter, is on the UK Three Day Eventing Team, but other than that...

I know what I'd love to see happen though. For one of Ian Millar's kids to be named to the Team along w/their Dad. I can't see Captain Canada not making the Team, so for Jonathan or Amy to be named too would be pretty special.

Anyone else know more?

Uh... I hate to say this, while Jonathan is a competent rider, have you seen Amy Millar ride? Every time I see that girl set foot in the ring at Spruce Meadows she's nothing short of an unmitigated disaster. I wouldn't want her within 20 miles of our Olympic Team.

Doesn't matter, Canada's Team is Ian Millar, Eric Lamaze, Jill Henselwood, Yann Candele, and Tiffany Foster.

Represents an extremely strong team for London with a good chance to medal again in the team event and depending on what horse Eric picks, maybe individually.

[SHARPIE]

Fred, didnt an Irish horse fail a drugs test at either the Athens or Bejing Olympics?

[kylet3]

Fred, didnt an Irish horse fail a drugs test at either the Athens or Bejing Olympics?

The horse of Cian O'Connor who had won gold in 2004, they were stripped of the medal.

[allezfred]

Fred, didnt an Irish horse fail a drugs test at either the Athens or Bejing Olympics?

Both times actually, but we only lost gold in Athens. Flipping typical that it would be for a doped horse.

[SHARPIE]

Maybe I should use those equestrian event tickets then and go raving with some Irish horses!



'My lovely horse'

[AragornElessar]

Equine Canada ~ Press Release ~ Nominations for the 2012 London Olympic Games

Now that it's official, I'd love to see Ian chosen for Canada's Flagbearer for the Opening Ceremonies.

Oh and gingercrush? I'm shocked!! Shocked and stunned to learn Mark Todd's made it to another Games for New Zealand. Just so amazed and shocked!!



Kyle, it's been a long time since I've seen Amy compete and I know Jonathan's competent too. However, I also know how special that would have been for Ian and it's not a bad thing to wish for something to happen when it would mean so much for the person wishing for it.

Even when reality steps in.

[gingercrush]

^ Yep he stayed around and won Badmington in 2011. Unfortunately that horse got injured and so will not be used in London. Gandalf his 2008 Olympics horse had to be put down in 2009.

Andrew Nicholson like Todd is entering his seventh Olympics. He's had a run of bad luck at Olympics and so far hasn't won an individual medal despite a great career.

We also had the 1996 Atlana Gold medalist Blyth Tait attempt a comeback but he didn't seem to be the same rider as prior and didn't make selection.

We would have had Andrew Johnstone competing but his horse got injured and thus he didn't make selection.

I really like the equestrian events especially eventing because while it is an elite sport. It is very competitive among those countries that will be represented. I would say New Zealand has an outside chance of a team medal and individual medal.

[allezfred]

Maybe I should use those equestrian event tickets then and go raving with some Irish horses!



'My lovely horse'

PML. It gets better. The Irish showjumper whose horse failed a doping test in Beijing has been withdrawn as a member of this year's team and been replaced by the Irish showjumper whose horse failed a doping test in Athens. You could not make it up.

[Garden Kitty]

Article about Bruce Springsteen dancing with his daughter on stage, but the part I found interesting is that she's on the "reserve" team for the Olympics.

[AragornElessar]

And she's pretty talented too. She was shown last year during the North American Tournament Spruce Meadows coverage on the CBC last summer. Only had eight faults IIRC and considering that was the Derby complete w/the Bank and Devil's Dike, was pretty darned impressive for a rookie.

Tom Selleck's daughter is also coming up the ranks and I saw her compete the same way. Only she and her horse didn't take part in the Derby, but in the Queen Elizabeth II Cup I think. I also thought she had a real future as well in the sport.

[AxelAnnie]

And, from the US we have:

Tiana Coudray, Eventing
Jan Ebeling, Dressage
Reed Kessler, Jumping
Tina Konyot, Dressage
Adrienne Lyle, Dressage
Beezie Madden, Jumping
Karen O'Connor, Eventing

Will Coleman, Eventing
Phillip Dutton, Eventing
Rich Fellers, Jumping
Boyd Martin, Eventing
Steffen Peters, Dressage
McLain Ward, Jumping

With Jan Ebling riding Rafalca who is, of course, owned by Jan and Ann Romney. Ann's use of riding as part of her MS recovery is so inspiring. Each day when I go to my barn, as I enter the facility, I pass Giant Steps. The place is always packed. Riding can make such a difference in people's lives. It will be nice to have the OLYS as a highlight to these kinds of therapeutic organizations.

Love the show jumping. It is going to be very fun to watch.

[AragornElessar]

And, from the US we have:


With Jan Ebling riding Rafalca who is, of course, owned by Jan and Ann Romney. Ann's use of riding as part of her MS recovery is so inspiring. Each day when I go to my barn, as I enter the facility, I pass Giant Steps. The place is always packed. Riding can make such a difference in people's lives. It will be nice to have the OLYS as a highlight to these kinds of therapeutic organizations.

Love the show jumping. It is going to be very fun to watch.

It truly can. My cousin has a very rare genetic disorder and while she's 19, she looks 14 and developmental wise is about 11-13 years old. She's been taking part in a riding program offered for disabled youth in our area for the last four months now and the difference in Kristina's like daylight and dark!!

She's just blossomed and her confidence has skyrocketed. It's been wonderful to watch.

She's really looking forward to watching the Equestrian events from London, but where she and her Mom are staying right now (Her Mom's my first cousin and finally had enough from her now ex husband and left him and Toronto just before Christmas), which is her Great Aunt and my Aunt, the odds of that happening aren't great. I was talking to Mom the other day about finding out the exact sked and asking her out so she could watch them here and Mom thought that was a great idea. We haven't heard back from them yet, but as Deb's been acting as a driver for people around here who can't when it comes to medical appts, she's slightly busy.

Since we have HD, it'll be the next best thing to being there, so I hope we can get Kristina out here for at least one portion of something.

[danceronice]

I can't emphasize enough how strange it is that Reed made the SJ team. You can't imagine the threads on the Chronicle of the Horse about it when the team was still up in the air--she's something like 17, still technically a Junior (though she obviously rides the GP) and a lot of people were like "OMG WE CANNOT SEND SOMEONE SO YOUNG TO THE OLYMPICS!!!" For someone used to skating....yeah. (Reed deserves it. She has not one but two great horses this year. Don't remember which it was is on the team. And you can't expect a horse to peak again four years later, that's the tough thing with equestrian.)

And then there's Ian Millar, on his tenth Games or something like it. Zara Phillips, giving us the 'royal' angle.

It's a shame, though, Sapphire's retried and McLain isn't on her. If she weren't, USA would have the individual gold in SJ locked up.

[AragornElessar]

Speaking of Zara...

Hello ~ Article about Zara on the Olympic Eventing Team

The gremilns are acting up and are taking their sweet you know what loading the story, so no title of the article in the link I'm sorry to say.

I saw a blurb from her from this the other night and she was saying it's one thing to be told you've made the Team. When you put that uniform on for the first time though? She said that's when it became *real* to her.

[maatTheViking]

The Danish team for dressage is

Nathalie zu Sayn-Wittgenstein - Digby
Anna Kasprzak - Donnperignon
Anne van Olst - Taikoen
Lisbet Seierskilde - Jonstrupgaardens Raneur (individual only)

Anne van Olst will also bring Clearwater as a reserve horse.

Very interesting team, I think. While Nathalie is a given, being the cornerstone of the team for years, I find it intereting that Andreas Hegelstand has not managed to get a great GP horse after he left Blue Horse, and that Lars Petersen struggles to make the team - I think being based in Florida does not help him.

Kasprzak has been very successful as a pony, junior and young rider - clearly she has made a spalsh as a senior rider, though I havn't been following the competitions closely the last couple of years.

I wonder why Anne van Olst brings a reserve horse, but not Nathalie, but maybe he next one isn't quite at that level - I believe she retired Rigoletto (who was never as capable as Digby).

source

[AragornElessar]

Well, that explains why the huge number of attendees to the London Olympics by the Danish Royals. Well, at least partly.

[maatTheViking]

The Danish royals are usually interested in sports - I think Frederik and Mary was watching a lot of handball and table tennis in Athens at least, probably Beijing too