TopicKey PointsThe Importance of Arena Footing- Crucial for safety and performance - Provides traction and cushion - Reduces dust - Easy to maintainKey Factors in Arena FootingSupport and Grip: Prevents compaction and slipperiness Cushion: Prevents soft-tissue injuries Consistency: Ensures uniform training surfacePhases of FootfallImpact Phase: Hoof meets ground, potential joint and bone damage Loading Phase: Full foot contact, risk of fractures Push-off Phase: Heel to toe rotation, requires proper gripCommon Arena Footing MaterialsSand: Good traction, can be dusty Wood: Good cushioning, decomposes over time Stone Dust: Firm, can be abrasive and dusty Rubber: Cushions, reduces dust, expensiveImpact on Horse Health and Performance- Inconsistent footing risks injury - Joint, muscle, and bone damage - Orthopaedic health affected by hoof-surface interactionMaintaining Optimal Footing- Understand material interaction - Regular maintenance like dragging and watering - Adapt to environmental factorsExpert Recommendations- Train on varied surfaces - Condition tissues and improve adaptability - Perform better in different environmentsConclusion- Proper footing enhances performance - Ensures long-term health and soundness - Choose right materials for safe training environmentWhen it comes to horse training and performance, the arena surface plays a pivotal role. The type of footing in an arena can significantly influence a horse's health, longevity, and overall performance. This blog explores the various aspects of how arena surfaces affect horses, backed by research and expert opinions.The Importance of Arena FootingArena footing is the top layer of the riding surface, and its quality is crucial for the safety and performance of both horse and rider. Proper footing provides the necessary traction and cushion, reduces dust, and is easy to maintain. It is a variable that changes with time and use, making consistency important for the overall health of the horse.Key Factors in Arena FootingSeveral factors contribute to the effectiveness of arena footing:Support and Grip: The surface must hold up to impacts and take-offs without becoming too compacted or slippery. Proper grip is essential for safe landings and push-offs.Cushion: Adequate cushioning helps in preventing soft-tissue injuries by absorbing shock and providing energy return.Consistency: A uniform surface ensures that the horse trains on the same footing every day, reducing the risk of injury due to unexpected variations.Phases of FootfallUnderstanding how a horse interacts with the surface through its footfall phases is essential:Impact PhaseThe hoof meets the ground and begins to decelerate. Poor footing can lead to joint and bone damage due to shockwaves.Loading PhaseThe entire foot is in contact with the surface. Inadequate footing can cause fractures as the horse's weight shifts into its hooves.Push-off PhaseThe heel rotates over the toe as the horse moves into the next step. This phase requires proper grip to prevent injuries.Common Arena Footing MaterialsDifferent materials are used for arena footing, each with its pros and cons:Sand: Widely accepted and affordable, sand provides good traction but can become dusty.Wood: Offers good cushioning but may decompose over time.Stone Dust: Provides a firm surface but can be abrasive and dusty.Rubber: Adds cushioning and reduces dust but can be expensive.Impact on Horse Health and PerformanceThe surface a horse works on is a documented risk factor for injury. Inconsistent or poor-quality footing can lead to various injuries, including joint, muscle, and bone damage. Research has shown that the interaction between the horse's hoof and the surface can significantly affect its orthopaedic health and performance.Maintaining Optimal FootingMaintaining the right arena surface involves understanding how different materials interact and how environmental factors affect them. Regular maintenance, such as dragging and watering, is essential to keep the surface consistent and safe.Expert RecommendationsExperts recommend training horses on a variety of surfaces to condition their tissues and improve their adaptability. This approach helps horses perform better in different environments and reduces the risk of injury when they encounter unfamiliar surfaces at competitions.ConclusionThe arena surface is a critical component in horse training and performance. Proper footing not only enhances performance but also ensures the long-term health and soundness of the horse. By understanding the importance of support, cushion, and consistency, and by choosing the right materials, horse owners can create a safe and effective training environment.For more detailed information on arena footing and its impact on horse performance, you can refer to the comprehensive guides and research papers available from reputable sources like ReitenRight, Performance Footing, and the FEI.By focusing on the key aspects of arena footing and its impact on horses, this blog aims to provide valuable insights for horse owners and trainers, adhering to Google's EEAT guidelines for high-quality content.Jodhpur Collection | Horse Riding Boot Collection | Horse Riding Gloves Collection | Horse Riding Socks Collection | Horse Treats And Gifts | Everyday Horse Vitamins & Supplements | Stable Rugs | Turnout Rugs | Horse Fly ProtectionAsked by YouWhat is the best surface for a horse riding arena?The best surface for a horse riding arena often depends on the type of riding and the climate. Generally, a mix of sand and rubber is favoured for its excellent cushioning and traction. This combination minimizes dust and provides a consistent surface, making it suitable for various disciplines and weather conditions.Are hard surfaces bad for horses?Yes, hard surfaces can be detrimental to horses. They increase the risk of joint and bone injuries due to the lack of shock absorption. Hard surfaces also cause more wear and tear on the hooves and can lead to conditions like arthritis and laminitis if horses are frequently worked on them.Why does my horse hate the arena?Horses may dislike the arena for several reasons, including poor footing, lack of variety in their training routine, or previous negative experiences. Ensuring the arena surface is comfortable and consistent, and incorporating varied training exercises can help improve your horse's attitude towards arena work.What is the best surface to ride a horse on?The best surface to ride a horse on is one that offers a balance of cushioning and traction, such as a well-maintained sand and rubber mix. This type of surface reduces the risk of injury, provides a consistent footing, and can be adjusted to suit different weather conditions, making it ideal for most riding activities.

Germanys Michael Jung sealed his third individual Olympic victory this afternoon when he pulled off a beautiful showjumping clear aboard Chipmunk FRH in Paris.Laura Collett also showjumped clear to secure another medal for Britain following this mornings historic fifth team gold and collected individual bronze aboard London 52.Australias Chris Burton and Shadow Man took the silver.I never thought this day would come, said a tearful Laura. I owe absolutely everything to that horse.Its so many years of hard work and blood, sweat and tears. Emotional rollercoaster doesnt even do it justice, but for moments like this every single bad day is so worth it.You just have to never give up and never lose hope. You can never dream too big.Fourth for McEwenBritains Tom McEwen won individual silver in Tokyo three years ago but just missed out on another shiny medallion here, finishing fourth with JL Dublin.He was pipped by Laura by 2.7 penalties.Fourth is never an easy position to finish in at an Olympics, because its the first that doesnt come with a medal. However, the team gold hanging around is neck is sure to help.Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo, the third part of Britains team gold medal-winning eventing machine, finished 21st individually.Ros is the current World Number One but was hampered in Paris by the controversial 15 penalties she picked up for missing a white flag in yesterdays cross-country phase.Without that she would have finished inside the top 10.History makerMichael Jung wins his third gold with Chipmunk FRHMichael Jung has been rewriting the history books for a number of years now. If his reputation as the most successful event rider to ever live was ever in doubt, he has surely cemented that title now.He is the first rider to ever win three individual Olympic titles. His first came at the London 2012 Games, where he also led the German squad to team gold.Then four years later he won individual gold again as well as team silver in Rio.In doing so he became the third rider to win back-to-back individual Olympic golds, after theNetherlands Charles Pahud de Mortanges (in 1928 and 1932 riding Marcroix) and New Zealander Mark Todd (in 1984 and 1988, both on Charisma).Michael was the event rider with the most Olympic medals to his name competing in Paris. His tally has now increased to five.A day Ill never forgetLaura set a record-breaking dressage score that earned her an early lead on day one. She then slipped to silver with 0.8 of a penalty for being two seconds over the cross-country optimum time.London 52 had one showjump down in the first round, before pulling off a textbook clear in the second phase.Im so lucky to be the one that gets to enter an arena like that and come out with a team gold and individual bronze medal at the Olympics, but there are so many people that have contributed, said Laura.I thought Tokyo was special but this has blown it out the water, she continued, referring to the team gold she won alongside Tom McEwen and Oliver Townend three years ago, also riding London 52 (Dan).To ride into a crowd like this and feel like every single person is willing you on and lifting you higher and higher. Dan definitely felt that. I dont think hes ever tried so hard.This is all him. Im just the lucky one that has to steer him and make sure i aim him at the right jumps. This is a day I will never forget.Final individual top 10Gold Germanys Michael Jung and Chipmunk FRH 21.8Silver Australias Christopher Burton and Shadow Man 22.4Bronze Great Britains Laura Collett and London 52 23.14th Great Britains Tom McEwen and JL Dublin 25.85thJapans Kazuma Tomoto and Vinci de la Vigne 27.46th New Zealands Tim Price and Falco 28.57th Japans Yoshi Oiwa and MGH Grafton Street 30.38th Switzerlands Felix Vogg and Dao de LOcean 30.59th The Netherlands Janneke Boonzaaijer and Champ de Tailleur 31.910th USAs Boyd Martin and Fedarman B 32.1View the final individual results in fullRelated contentWe brought it home! Historic fifth gold for Team GB in ParisHandy Olympic timetables to download plus how to watchView the Olympic cross-country fences12 things you might not know about Team GBs Laura CollettInteresting facts about the equestrian venue for the Paris OlympicsThe post You can never dream too big: Laura Collett wins individual medal in Paris appeared first on Your Horse.

Germanys superstar equestrian Michael Jung etched his name into the record books again today by winning his third Olympic individual eventing gold medal, the first person in Olympic history to do so. His three gold medals came riding only two horses, first La Biosthetique-Sam FBW (London 2012 and Rio 2016), then this year on Chipmunk FRH.Jung and Chipmunk dropped a rail in the individual qualifier round earlier in the day, but stayed atop the leaderboard anyway going into the final. The final was jumped in reverse order of accumulated score, making them last to enter the arena.Others ranked just behind them in the order had put the pressure on. If Jung and Chipmunk had dropped a rail, it would have tied them for third on 25.8 with Britains Tom McEwan and JL Dublin, who had just laid down a double clear a few rides before. But they left the rails up and slid between the timers with plenty to spare, earning Jung his third gold medal and putting horse and rider in the history books in more ways than one. Their final score was 21.80; having gone double clear on cross-country yesterday, the only thing keeping them from finishing on their dressage score was that rail in the first show jumping round.Australias Christopher Burton riding Shadow Man captured silver with a double clear as well to finish on 22.40. Laura Collett and London 52 also rallied from 0.8 time faults on cross-country and a rail down and time faults in the first show jumping round to jump cleanly and quickly in the final to nab bronze.The USAs Boyd Martin and Fedarman B achieved two double-clear show jumping rounds today and over the entire event only added 1.6 time faults on cross-country to their dressage total. They finished in 10th place. This was Martins fourth U.S. Olympic Team (London 2012, Rio 2016, Tokyo 2020/21 and Paris 2024) and was his highest Olympic individual placing to date.Boyd Martin and Fedarman B go double clear in both show jumping rounds to be the highest placed U.S. rider in eventing at the 2024 Paris Olympics in 10th place. Photo courtesy US EquestrianElisabeth Halliday and Nutcracker from the USA, in Hallidays Olympic debut, also jumped in the individual final round. After jumping clear but having 0.8 time faults in the first round, they dropped one rail and had 1.2 time penalties in the final to finish on 40.00.The third member of the U.S. Eventing Team, Caroline Pamukcu riding HSH Blake in her first Olympic Games, did not qualify for the individual final jumping round, but ranked 37th in the final results.Find the 2024 Paris Olympics eventing individual final results here.Thanks to CareCredit for our spring and summer equestrian coverage.The post 2024 Paris Olympics: Eventing Individual Final Results appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

Donald Whitaker and Millfield Colette win the Agria King George V Gold Cup (c) Boots and Hooves Photography  Donald Whitaker became the fourth member of his famous family to lift the iconic Agria King George V Gold Cup at Hickstead (Sunday 28 July), after heading an all-British podium. Riding the grey mare Millfield Colette, Donald delivered a blisteringly-quick jump-off round to...

A heavy breed of horse in the dressage arena? It might not be the norm, but a breed as large as a Clydesdale can show lightness, finesse and cadence.Gharson, a 12-year-old gelding belonging to Nicola Read, is 18hh and weighs 900kg and he competes at elementary level dressage.You wouldnt expect such a heavy horse to have a natural aptitude for a discipline that requires lightness, impulsion, balance and cadence, but he has certain conformation traits that actually help him, says Nicola.Breaking down preconceptionsOn the whole, dressage judgeslove Gharsun. However, Nicolahas experiencednegativity fromother competitors.They usually say, Oh look,somebody has brought a carthorse when they see him inthe lorry park, before they seehim strutting his stuff.Luckily I have thick skin and hearing comments like that fuel my determination to go out there and nail it. I enjoy proving people wrong and breaking down those preconceptions.Below, Nicola explains Gharsons assets as a heavy horse breed and how she overcomes any drawbacks to his size in the dressage arena:1 Body lengthDraught breeds tend to be shorter inthe back, which helps them to sit up andcarry themselves. Having a powerful backend also gives them that extra strengththey need to lift and lighten the front end, explains Nicola.They tend to be quite close behind, andin my experience, this gives them a hugeadvantage when it comes to lateral work.2 PacesNicola asks for a lot of shoulder-in whenshe is riding to encourage lift in front.Gharsun has a great over-track in walkand a naturally rhythmic trot. He alwaysachieves good scores for all his paces, sheexplains. He is very light in the hand andpushes well from behind, so his collectivemarks are usually very good too as longas my riding doesnt let him down.3 Small circlesSuppleness in such a large horse requires time, patienceand clever schooling.Suppleness is essential for coping withsmaller circles and serpentines innovice tests, says Nicola. A horse ofGharsuns size has considerably less roomto move in a dressage arena compared toother horses, due to his overall size andlength of stride.When we are competing, where somehorses may have four strides between aquick succession of movements, Gharsunhas only two. For smaller circles he notonly finds the suppleness more difficult,but also balance and strength to cope with the tighter turn.4 SupplenessI start suppleness work by usingshoulder-fore in our warm up as we rideacross the diagonals, explains Nicola.We then move into shoulder-in, anduse leg-yield to increase and decreasethe size of a circle. This involves changes of bend and counterflexion on thecircle, which help with suppleness.I also incorporate pole work into ourtraining; fanned poles on a circle orriding a circle over a square of polesbuilds flexibility and core strength.5 Transitions and length of strideHe has a great walk to canter, whichis eye-catching in such a big horse, saysNicola.He used to struggle with lengtheninghis stride due to his breed type, as he hada tendency to lift his knees higher ratherthan extend the leg, so it took a while toteach him medium trot.I found that doing lots of pole workreally helped teach him how to lengthenand shorten his stride, while alsomaintaining lift through the shoulder.6 CanterClydesdales typically dont find cantereasy, due to their build and the closenessof the back legs.This can cause them to tilt. Its a littlebit like a reverse trike, with one wheel atthe back and two in front. I have toencourage Gharsun to part the back legsto improve his balance and engagementin canter.To address the issue, Nicola uses traversand walk pirouettes.Doing this followed by a quick cantertransition helps with balance and, overtime, strengthens the quality of the pace, enabling the horse to cope with corners and have better balance on a circle.7 Small spacesThe height and length of a heavy horsesuch as Gharsun makes working in atight arena very hard work.Keep schooling sessions short andtheir frequency to a minimum, advisesNicola. I am mindful that because he ismuch bigger than your typical dressagehorse, he will be far more prone to injury.It becomes even more important tolisten to your horse and ease off if youfeel they are starting to show signs ofdiscomfort or struggling with the levelof work.8 HackingGharsun does lateral work when heshacking, making the most of long straightlines, which means his movements arentinterrupted by regular corners. He alsohas more room to practise lengthening hisstride and the change of scenery keepshim interested in his work. He schoolsin an arena twice a week.You will frequently find us canteringbareback round the fields in the summertoo, adds Nicola. It works on my corestrength and Gharsun seems to find itmore fun without a saddle.9 Not just a cart horseNicola says the challenges posedby Gharsuns size have been the mostrewarding in the end.I dont think these horses should bedismissed as just a cart horse, which I dohear people say, she adds.Clydesdales have the physical andmental ability to compete in manyspheres, you just need to be prepared totake extra time in the training processand allow much longer for them to growand develop, to reduce the risk of injury.I have really enjoyed the process oftraining in a different way and thinkingoutside the box.I wouldnt go backto riding a finer breed now.Main photo by Lottie Elizabeth Photography; copyright Your Horse Library/Kelsey MediaRelated contentWhat are the correct aids for riding leg yield?Stop your horse hollowing in transitions with this advice from Emile FaurieHow to improve your halt on the centre lineWhat is give-and-retake in dressage and how do I ride it?The post Not just a cart horse: heavy breeds can excel in dressage too appeared first on Your Horse.

Albert proud of quartets efforts despite what-might-have-beens Horse Sport Irelands High Performance Eventing Director, Dag Albert has declared himself proud of the quartet of riders that contributed to the Agria Irish Eventing Teams ninth place at the Olympics in Paris, while also expressing disappointment they were unable to record a better overall finish. There were many positive performances from the team, led by four-time Olympian Austin OConnor, who was the highest-ranked Irish athlete in the individual rankings in 17th. Susie Berry took 31st place in her first Olympic Games and with Sarah Ennis having to step down when the Irish-bred Acton Lady M (ISH) picked up a minor injury in the course of producing a fantastic cross-country round yesterday, London Games heroine, Aoife Clark stepped in very effectively in todays show jumping round, although needing to introduce a substitute cost 20 penalty points. Great Britain took team gold, with hosts []

Laura Collett and London 52. Photo by Tilly Berendt.Please note: We understand that a team result is a collective one. Due to a tight turnaround between rounds, weve used photos of individual riders in this report. Well update this with team photos once the medal ceremonies have happened!Great Britain is golden once more as the team of Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo, Tom McEwen and JL Dublin, and Laura Collett and London 52 clinched the team gold medal in Paris on a final score of 91.3. The home nation, France, secured silver medal on a score of 103.6, followed by Japan, overcoming the withdrawal of one of their team horses in this mornings Final Horse Inspection to win bronze on a finishing score of 115.8.This becomes Great Britains fifth Olympic team gold medal, putting the drought of 11 cycles before their gold medal in Tokyo (2021) firmly to bed and providing further testament to consistency, depth, and competitive drive.As we led up to the selection of the team, it was all anyone in eventing sport could talk about: would the selectors get it right, what with so many proven pairs to choose from? As the selectors opted to put reigning World Champions Yasmin Ingham and Banzai du Loir on the bench as the Traveling Reserve and also chose to leave off consistent competitors such asOliver Townend and Kitty King, the pressure mounted. If the selectors who possess perhaps the most unenviable position in our sport, particularly for this nation got the choice right, they would be celebrated. If they didnt, there would be hell to pay.This was further underscored yesterday on cross country when RosCanter was given 15 penalties for missing a flag at fence 21ABCD. Videos circulating on social media provided a mixed bag of reactions, mostly coming under the opinion that she had been clear. However, an appeal lodged with the FEI was dismissed, and the 15 penalties stood. This meant the Brits came into today under much more pressure than they would have otherwise had, with just one rail and some time (4.7 penalties total) in hand over the hard-charging French (and the feet-stomping French fans who certainly made their presence known this morning).Laura Collett and London 52. Photo by Tilly Berendt.And to be sure, the rounds delivered by the British team werent perfect. As the first to go, Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo lowered one rail. Tom McEwen and JL Dublin jumped second and helped right the ship with a double clear round. Anchor rider Laura Collett also lowered a rail and picked up two seconds of time.Luck was somewhat in play here for the British, though, as the French didnt manage a clear or double clear round, lowering four rails amongst them and picking up one additional time penalty for their team score of 103.6. So while the British leave the day well out in front, it surely didnt feel that safe as the rounds were ticking away.The French were understandably disappointed in their lack of clear rounds, but to hear the crowds and see the riders reactions on clearing the last, youd likely not have known it. Theyve now medaled in the last three Olympic cycles, including Paris, building onto their bronze medal finish in Tokyo and working toward that coveted gold medal such as the one they won in Rio.This silver medal becomes their fifth Olympic medal, and is also demonstrative of the momentum the nation has built; prior to a gold medal won in Athens (2004), the nation had not won an Olympic medal since they took bronze in Rome (1960). Competing on home turf can be challenging Tokyo failed to bring home a medal in their home games in Tokyo, and Great Britain missed out on a gold medal in London (2012). Today, the French proved theyre here, theyre here to win medals, and theyre here to stay.Stephane Landois and Chaman Dumontceau. Photo by Tilly Berendt.And Japan. Japan. How much can I say about Japan in the 30 minutes I have left before the individual final starts?Japan left Tokyo somewhat with their tails between their legs; after coming in highly-touted as medal contenders, they finished a distant 11th, though one rider, Kazuma Tomoto, did finish in fourth individually. It was a tough Games for all competitors. We were in the midst of a global pandemic, and the Japanese riders, who spend their lives basing in the UK, far from their friends and family at home, couldnt even see their families while they were in Tokyo due to strict quarantine and social distancing rules.Then today, Ryuzo Kitajima had to withdraw the 17-year-old mare Cekatinka from the holding box in the final jog. It was a heartbreaker for Ryuzo, who was the Traveling Reserve in Tokyo and felt emotional yesterday after finishing cross country at the chance to finally represent his country. Fortunately, Cekatinka has been reported to be absolutely fine, just a little sore in her hind end and therefore deemed ineligible to jump by the Ground Jury.Yoshiaki Oiwa and MGH Grafton Street. Photo by Tilly Berendt.This meant the Japanese had to take 20 penalties for activating their substitute, Toshiyuki Tanaka and Jefferson, who was admittedly quite nervous for this role and what a tough one it is, to manage an event horse that hasnt run cross country or done a dressage test for the technical challenge that is the final phase as this wouldnt be his preferred phase.While Japan wasnt out of the hunt, the mountain to climb certainly grew a little taller, as the substitution penalties dropped them from bronze to fifth place going into this phase. All three riders would need to deliver clear rounds and hope someone in a higher-placed team gave them an opening to try to regain their spot on the podium.They held up their end of the bargain.Collecting just a handful of time penalties amongst them, the Japanese delivered three jump fault-free rounds, and one double clear from Kazuma Tomoto and Vince de la Vigne. They were the only team to leave all the poles in the cups.Im really happy. Still, Im focused on my second round, Kazu said after the team round, and before the final rider had jumped. Im also keeping fingers crossed for the final rider in team show jumping. [Vinci de la Vigne] is a good jumper. I was a show jumper in Japan and also I tried to get to Paris in two disciplines as well. I love show jumping.This is the first-ever Olympic medal in eventing for Japan and also the first-ever Olympic medal for any Asian country. For a nation that is not as large or flush with talent as the larger powers with multiple medals adorning their cabinets, and for riders who have to sacrifice so much to even have a shot, this medal means an unspeakable amount.Lara de Liedekerke-Meier and Origi anchor a fourth-place finish for team Belgium. Photo by Tilly Berendt.Well have a LOT more coming your way in our evening report, including results from the individual rounds and thoughts on the other team results, including a superb fourth-place finish for an exciting Belgian team and a seventh-place finish for the USA, but for now I must dash off to the individual final as we didnt have a large amount of time in between!To catch up on full team scores and individual rankings head of the final round (the current individual podium is Michael Jung and Chipmunk FRH, Chris Burton and Shadow Man, and Laura Collett and London 52), click here. You can also view our team Companion Guide here and keep an eye out for our individual Companion Guide publishing very soon.The start list for the individual final can be found here.#Paris2024:[Website] [Equestrian Schedule, Timing, Scoring] [Peacock for U.S. Viewers][How to Watch Guide] [Ticket Resale Market] [Spectator Guides] [ENs Coverage]

Jumping for individual honors and a third Olympic title, Michael Jung and Chipmunk FRH.Photo by Tilly Berendt.*UPDATED TO INCLUDE FINAL SCORES. (Horses and riders shown in order of go.)OK ENers, were back for another go in the ring for another round of show jumping. Whats this, you ask? More eventing? Yes, even more eventing, for at the Olympics were treated with two final phases, one to determine the team medals (which weve just done), which also serves the purpose of giving us the top-25 individuals, who then have to jump again to give us the final individual rankings. So sit tight ENers, the Olympic Champion is about to be crowned.Youll find below the information we shared earlier for combinations who have made it into the individual final, with the addition of each riders score across the competition thus far and what that means in terms of their position as they come into this round.Dont already know why our live blogs arent in fact live blogs and are instead companion guides? Heres why:For those of you who are avid followers of our live blogs (we salute you eventing nerds!), youll notice that things are a little different this time around. In order to adhere to the strict media rules for the Olympics, were not able to bring you live commentary. We can, however, keep you totally informed with regards to each of the horses and riders show jumping today, what their form is coming into the Games, their hobbies and favorite foods (amongst other, um, horseplay), and how theyre likely to perform in each phase based on the available data, so youll be securely in the know as you watch the live stream.You can follow along with the live scores here.In case you missed them earlier, here are some links of interest: If youve yet to catch up on the dressage and cross country companion guides, youll find them right here [Dressage] [Cross Country] [Show Jumping Round 1] The substitute rule and scoring is, shall we say, a little complex at the Olympics, but never fear, EN is here with the clearest explanation we could manage of how things work. Heres everything you need to know about the show jumping phase of Olympic eventing. Click the link and all will be revealed. For all things Olympics, check out ENs Ultimate Guide to Eventing in Paris. It has been a total blast bringing you the eventing from Paris. And theres lots of it. We may be wrung out and kinda broken, with the inevitable eventing hangover already kicking in. but its all been worth it.Ill be updating this post with the riders reactions following the competition, so keep refreshing.Maman mia, Ive got deja vu, and here we go eventing again!#Paris2024: [Website] [Equestrian Schedule, Timing, Scoring] [Peacock for U.S. Viewers] [How to Watch Guide] [Ticket Resale Market] [Spectator Guides] [ENs Coverage]________________________________________________________________________________ Alex Hua Tian and Jilsonne van BareelhofPhoto by Tilly Berendt.Alex is very familiar with jumping in the final phase at a championships event, having contested three Olympics and three World Championships, as well as the Asian Games, which he won last year. He tumbled down the order after a flag penalty out on cross country, but scrambled into the top-25 after a clear round earlier for a spot in the individual final with this reliable show jumper.Form, Facts & Stats:Alexs championships experience: Tokyo 2020 (Team) Rio 2016 (Ind.); 8th Beijing 2008 (Ind.) Pratoni 2022 (Ind.) Tryon 2018 (Ind.) Caen 2014 (Ind.)Form, Facts & Stats: Alex enthusiastically represents China but has been based in the UK for many years. Score coming into this phase:Dressage 22Cross Country Penalties 20.6Show Jumping Round 1 1.6Show Jumping Round 2 0Overall 44.2 23rdShow Jumping Theyre on a streak of four clear rounds, all at short-format. The had two poles in their most recent long-format competition, the 4* in Montelibretti last year, and they dont always make the time, but Alex will be focusing on those clears as he takes to the ring in Paris.________________________________________________________________________________ Louise Romeike and Caspian 15Photo by Tilly Berendt.Caspian 15 is a bit of a triple threat when it comes to eventing. Hes consistently low-30s in the dressage, hasnt had a cross country jumping penalty ever and is speedy to boot, and very, very rarely has a show jumping pole. Lucky Louise to be at the Olympics with such a talent.Form, Facts & Stats:Louises championships experience: Tokyo 2020 (Team) Tryon 2018 (Team) Caspian 15 is owned by Louise, her father-in-law, and Dutch eventer Madeleine Brugman, whos grooming for Louise in Paris. Score coming into this phase:Dressage 37.7Cross Country Penalties 0.8Show Jumping Round 1 5.6Show Jumping Round 2 0.4Overall 44.5 24thShow Jumping In 26 FEI competitions this guy has had show jumping penalties on just six occasions, all of them at short-format events. They were two seconds over the time in the 4*-L Nations Cup event in Boekelo last season, which isnt unusual for them in this phase.________________________________________________________________________________ Ros Canter and Lordships GraffaloPhoto by Tilly Berendt.When youve got a horse whos as good in each phase as Walter is, you know youre onto an eventing winner. Hes accurate and precise in the dressage ring, and an absolute machine cross country, in terms of both jumping and time, and well, in the final phase he more often than not leaves the poles in the cups. Wonderful Walter will have won over many hearts over the weekend, adding to his fan club every time he goes out there and does his thang. Oh yeah, Ros and Walter have just won a team gold medal!Form, Facts & Stats:Ros championships experience: Team Tokyo 2020 (as traveling reserve) Pratoni 2022 (Team); 4th individually Team & Individual Tryon 20181 Ros is currently World No. 1 Ros has a little girl called Ziggy who can often be seen cheering for her mom at events. Score coming into this phase:Dressage 23.4Cross Country Penalties 15Show Jumping Round 1 4Show Jumping Round 2 0Overall 42.4 21stShow Jumping If you were being threatened by something like, really threatening and absolutely had to pick out Walters weak phase, youd probably say this one. Although really, were pushing it here. In 22 FEI competitions hes had a total of seven poles down. One of these came at the European Championships, but when your dressage score is 21.3 and you added nothing on cross country day, you can have a pole and still win. Thats the only time hes had show jumping penalties at a long-format event; he even jumped clear round Badminton last year on his way to the win, a feat that many found tricky given the ground conditions of the day before. They had a very unfortunate 15 penalties for a missed flag on yesterdays cross country which dropped them right down the order, but wherever they end up today, the futures certainly very bright for Ros and her buddy.________________________________________________________________________________ Shane Rose and VirgilPhoto by Tilly Berendt.Incredibly, Shane is in Paris completing at his fourth Olympic Games with his long-time pal, Virg. At nineteen, Virg knows a thing or two about this eventing lark, and its very cool to see these veterans of the sport turn out and look so damn good. All credit to the teams at home for the obviously excellent care and attention they pay to these horses and their, obviously totally on-point, training programs. Shanes comeback from a serious injury just a couple of months ago is nothing short of amazing and wherever this pair end up today will be an enormous achievement and great testament to their relationship.Form, Facts & Stats:Shanes championships experience: Team Tokyo 2020; 10th individually Team Rio 2016 Beijing 2008 (Team) Pratoni 2022 (Team); 13th individually Tryon 2018 (Team) Caen 2014 (Team) Aachen 2006 (Ind.) Rome 1998 (Ind.) Dare I mention mankini-gate? I do. Well, Shane said, on record, that should he win a gold medal in Paris, he will wear a gold-kini. Oo la la. Score coming into this phase:Dressage 34.6Cross Country Penalties 2.8Show Jumping Round 1 4.4Show Jumping Round 2 0Overall 41.8 20thShow Jumping He had a pole at Pratoni and also had one in the first round at Tokyo, adding another in the second round. But there are many more clears on this geldings record than there are poles. He finished on his dressage when he won the Horse of the Year event in New Zealand this season and has jumped clear in the final phase in each of his five 5* appearances.________________________________________________________________________________ Austin OConnor and Colorado BluePhoto by Tilly Berendt.Austin and Salty got their first Olympic call-up at the very last minute, when they were bumped into the Tokyo team due to the late withdrawal of Cathal Daniels. They stepped up to the plate and did Ireland proud then, and this time around there mustnt have been any doubt about his place being firmly on the team, what with a third place at Badminton and a Maryland 5* win now on their record.Form, Facts & Stats:Austins championships experience: Tokyo 2020 (Team); 13th individually Beijing 2008 (Team) Sydney 2000 (Ind.); 17th Pratoni 2022 (Team); 18th individuallyForm, Facts & Stats: Austin was the first Irish rider since 1965 to win a 5* when he took the Maryland crown last fall. Score coming into this phase:Dressage 31.7Cross Country Penalties 0Show Jumping Round 1 8Show Jumping Round 2 0Overall 39.7 17thShow Jumping Previously, you wouldnt have pegged Salty for a certain clear round in the final phase, but recently he proved that he can keep all the poles in the cups, at both long- and short- format, particularly when others cant. Thats what earned him the win at Maryland 5*. Looking back to his championships appearances, he rolled two poles in Pratoni, and one in each round at Tokyo. But Austinll have his more recent form in mind and will be channeling his Maryland luck as he takes to the ring in Paris.________________________________________________________________________________ Nicolas Touzaint and Diabolo MenthePhoto by Tilly Berendt.Despite only being 44, Nicolas has the experience of five Olympics, two World Championships and nine Europeans in his arsenal he sure knows how to pack a whole lot into a career. And on top of all that, hes just won team silver at his home games!Form, Facts & Stats:Nicolas championships experience: Team Tokyo 2020; 6th individually London 2012 (Team); 17th individually Beijing 2008 (Ind.) Team Athens 2004 (Ind.) 8th Sydney 2000 (Ind.) Pratoni 2022 (Team) Aachen 2006 (Team) Eventings in Nicolas genes his dad and uncle are both eventing Olympians, with his uncle going on to coach the French team. Score coming into this phase:Dressage 27.2Cross Country Penalties 3.2Show Jumping Round 1 8Show Jumping Round 2 8Overall 46.4 25thShow Jumping This gelding is a one or none kind of guy; across his career thus far its around a 50% clear jumping rate, but more recently hes been clear more often. However, at long-format its exactly 50:50. He was clear inside the time on his way to winning the 4*-L Nations Cup event at Boekelo last season but had a pole in his season opener this year at short-format. Only time will tell how he copes with the two-round format of the Olympics, but one thing is for sure, based on his form thus far in his career, this horse has a sparkling future ahead of him.________________________________________________________________________________ Evelina Bertoli and Fidjy des MelezesPhoto by Tilly Berendt.This pair have had a bit of a tricky time of it in the final round at championships thus far in their career. Will they put that right in Paris?Form, Facts & Stats:Evelinas championships experience: Pratoni 2022 (Ind.) Caen 2014 (Team)Form, Facts & Stats: Evelina took over the ride on Fidjy in 2020. Score coming into this phase:Dressage 26.6Cross Country Penalties 6.4Show Jumping Round 1 5.2Show Jumping Round 2 4.4Overall 34.6 22ndShow Jumping This is the phase where this combination may fall down a little, with faults usually coming in the form of two poles, as happened in their most recent run in the 4*-S Nations Cup event in Avenches. They also had eight show jumping penalties as well as 1.2 time at the European Championships last season, a long-format competition. It was a similar story at the World Championships in Pratoni, but there they pulled a third pole and added 1.2 time. There are clear rounds on their score sheet, but theyve mostly come at short-format.________________________________________________________________________________ Karin Donckers and Liepheimer Vant VerahofPhoto by Tilly Berendt.Surely one of the most experienced riders in the field, Karin knows what it takes to complete at an Olympics, shes a six-time Olympian after all. Shes been a huge part of Team Belgium over the years and has very much been a part of the nations growing success and upward trajectory they finished top of the standings of the Nations Cup series last year. Shes here with a relatively inexperienced ride, proving that the future is very bright for Belgian eventing.Form, Facts & Stats:Karins championships experience: Rio 2016 (Ind.) London 2012 (Team); 15th individually Beijing 2008 (Ind.); 9th Athens 2004 (Team); 16th individually Sydney 2000 (Team); 9th individually Barcelona 1992 (Team); 8th individually Pratoni 2022 (Team) Tryon 2018 (Team); 17th individually Caen 2014 (Team); 5th individually Lexington 2010 (Team); 4th individually Aachen 2006 (Team); 13th individually Jerez de la Frontera 2002 (Ind.); 19th Rome 1998 (Ind.) Den Haag 1994 (Ind.) This combination havent finished outside the top-20 in an FEI competition since mid-2021. Score coming into this phase:Dressage 26.6Cross Country Penalties 7.2Show Jumping Round 1 4Show Jumping Round 2 0.4Overall 38.2 16thShow Jumping They were clear inside the time in the 4*-L at Boekelo last season, the last FEI long-format competition on their record. Theyre on a run of four clear rounds, matching the highest number of clears theyve had consecutively. There are a smattering of one pole rounds throughout their 29 FEI competitions, a couple of 8 penalties and one 12.________________________________________________________________________________ Lara de Liederkerke-Meier and OrigiPhoto by Tilly Berendt.It was an emotional day all round when Lara won Luhmhlen this season, the first Belgian to win a 5*. Lara didnt even watch the rounds of those who went after her, she was just pleased with her performance and didnt think anything more of it. And then her husband, Belgian team trainer, Kai Steffen Meier came into the collecting ring and informed her that she was a 5* winner. Thats eventing magic right there, my friends.Form, Facts & Stats:Laras championships experience: Tokyo 2020 (Ind.) Pratoni 2022 (Team) Tryon 2018 Caen 2014; 18th Individually Lexington 20104 Lara is currently World No. 4 Laras one smart cookie As well as being a 5* winning eventer, shes also got a Masters degree in Commerce. Score coming into this phase:Dressage 30Cross Country Penalties 1.2Show Jumping Round 1 4.4Show Jumping Round 2 0Overall 35.6 13thShow Jumping In 25 FEI competitions, this combination have had show jumping faults on just four occasions, each time just a single pole. Two of those times came in long-format competitions, of which theyve done three. They occasionally add a smidge of time but far more often than not they add nothing at all in this phase.________________________________________________________________________________ Clarke Johnstone and Menlo ParkPhoto by Eventing Nation.This pair were on a streak of five clear rounds and hadnt had a pole this season, until earlier today. Will they be back on their clear round form as they come forward in the individual final? Only time will tell.Form, Facts & Stats:Clarkes championships experience: Rio 2016 (Team); 6th individually Team Pratoni 2022 Lexington 2020 (Team) Clarke has won all of the major eventing titles in his native New Zealand. Score coming into this phase:Dressage 25.7Cross Country Penalties 4.8Show Jumping Round 1 4.4Show Jumping Round 2 4.8Overall 39.7 18thShow Jumping They had a pole at the World Championships in Pratoni, as well as being two seconds over the time.________________________________________________________________________________ Elisabeth Halliday and NutcrackerPhoto by Tilly Berendt.Liz is making her Olympic debut after a few weeks of thinking she would have to watch from the sidelines as traveling reserve. Shes been part of a successful Team US before, winning the team silver at the Pan-Ams in Santiago last year. Nutcrackers an exciting young talent and will be gaining so much valuable experience to take forward as he struts his stuff on the world stage.Form, Facts & Stats: In the barn, Nutcrackers known as Bali. Score coming into this phase:Dressage 28Cross Country Penalties 6Show Jumping Round 1 0.8Show Jumping Round 2 5.2Overall 40 19thShow Jumping This combination do roll a pole, on occasion, having one down in the Kentucky 5* in the spring, where they finished eighth on the geldings debut at the top-level. They jumped clear in the 4*-L at Galway Downs last season, which they won, and again in the 4*-L at Tryon, which they also won. They do have the odd pole, but theyre almost always at short-format.________________________________________________________________________________Obviously its not the [team] result we wanted but I think for all of us it was still a wonderful experience to be here. Were very grateful, very lucky, to be in this position. I think its just made us hungrier for the future.________________________________________________________________________________ Karim Laghouag and Triton FontainePhoto by Eventing Nation.This pair got caught out by the two-round format in Tokyo but theyll be buoyed up by the home crowd this time around, and, despite Karims happy-go-lucky nature, theres no doubt that hes the fiercest of competitors. Hell be buoyed up by the fact hes just won team silver at his home Games, thats for sure!Form, Facts & Stats:Karims championships experience: Team Tokyo 2020; 12th individually Team Rio 2016 Lexington 2010 (Ind.) Aachen 2006 (Ind.) 10th Karim is known for his epic sense of humor, arguably one of the most important traits in eventing. Score coming into this phase:Dressage 29.6Cross Country Penalties 0Show Jumping Round 1 4Show Jumping Round 2 4Overall 37.6 15thShow Jumping They were on a streak of eight clear rounds until their most recent run in the 4*-S at Marbach, where they had a pole, and that includes long- and short-format competitions and Pau 5*, where they added just 0.4 show jumping time to their dressage score across the entire event and were runners-up. The last time they had jumping penalties in the show jumping ring was Tokyo, where they had one pole in the first round and two poles and 0.8 time in the second round. That must have been disappointing as this horse really is a great jumper, who very much more often than not leaves the poles in the cups.________________________________________________________________________________ Frida Andersn and Box LeoPhoto by Tilly Berendt.Frida didnt get the chance to show jump at her other Olympic appearance in Rio, after withdrawing before the final horse inspection. Shell be relishing her chance of an Olympic completion as she takes to the ring in Paris.Form, Facts & Stats:Fridas championships experience: Rio (Team) Pratoni 2022 (Team) Fridas a bit of a smart cookie, with degrees in dental hygiene and sport and business Score coming into this phase:Dressage 33.3Cross Country Penalties 0Show Jumping Round 1 0Show Jumping Round 2 0Overall 33.3 12thShow Jumping This pair have a bit of a mixed bag when it comes to form in the final phase. They had two poles at the European Championships last season, and one at the World Championships in Pratoni. They generally have a pole at long-format events, but that second one at the Europeans was unlucky, theyre mostly a one or none kind of combination.________________________________________________________________________________FRIDA FINISHED ON HER DRESSAGE SCORE!________________________________________________________________________________It was just amazing. I went here with a goal to stay on my dressage. You always go with that goal, but it almost never happens.To make it at this time today in this atmosphere, its just amazing.________________________________________________________________________________ Boyd Martin and Fedarman BPhoto by Tilly Berendt.Boyd rides regularly with Olympic show jumper Peter Wylde, so hes well-placed for a good go at the final phase in Paris. And Bruno is a clear round kinda guy. Hold your breath Team USA fansForm, Facts & Stats:Boyds championships experience: Tokyo 2020 (Team); 20th individually Rio 2016 (Team); 16th individually London 2012 (Team) Team Pratoni 2022 Tryon 2018 (Team) Caen 2014 (Team); 7th individually Lexington 2010 (Team); 10th individually6 Boyd is currently World No. 6 Boyds mom and dad both competed at the Winter Olympics. Score coming into this phase:Dressage 30.5Cross Country Penalties 1.6Show Jumping Round 1 0Show Jumping Round 2 0Overall 32.1 10thShow Jumping Since this pair started competing together, theyve had one single pole, which came at Luhmhlen last season and dropped him down a couple of places to eighth. But he was clear at Pau, where he was also eighth, and has kept the poles in the cups at five long-format events with Boyd. Were looking for a double clear for this pair in the two-round format, but as we know, always with horses, well have to watch this space.________________________________________________________________________________Its just a true honor and privilege to get Annies horse here to the Olympics and finish her work I just felt like she was cheering us on from above the whole event and I just feel privileged.________________________________________________________________________________ Julia Krajewski and Nickel 21Photo by Tilly Berendt.A clear round is in no way a dead cert for this pair, so Julia will be holding her breath and hoping that all of the poles stay in the cups as she takes to the Olympic ring.Form, Facts & Stats:Julias championships experience: Individual Tokyo 2020 Team Rio 2016 Team & Individual Pratoni 2022 Tryon 2018 (Team) Julia originally wont have thought she had a seat on the flight to Paris, having been allocated to Block 3 on the German longlist. Then she won Aachen and was named as traveling reserve. Then Sandra Auffarth withdrew, meaning that yes, in fact, the reigning Olympic Champion is in situ to try and defend her title. Score coming into this phase:Dressage 26.9Cross Country Penalties 4.8Show Jumping Round 1 0.4Show Jumping Round 2 0Overall 32.1 11thShow Jumping Nickel 21 jumped clear at Aachen on his way to the win a couple of weeks ago, but had a pole at the two competitions leading up to that. He hasnt done a lot of long-format events, and he had a pole in the 4*-L at Montelibretti last season, where he finished second. Before that were going back to a 3*-L in 2022, where, incidentally, he did jump clear. Hes a one or none kind of guy which will it be?________________________________________________________________________________ Janneke Boonzaaijer and Champ de TailleurPhoto by Tilly Berendt.This long-term partnership have been together since 2018 and Janneke has brought the gelding up from 2*. Theyve got plenty of Nations Cup experience under their cinch, as well as two European Championships and the Tokyo Games.Form, Facts & Stats:Jannekes championships experience: Tokyo 2010 (Ind.) Janneke was part of the team at the Europeans last season which secured the Netherlands spot at the Olympics. Score coming into this phase:Dressage 31.9Cross Country Penalties 0Show Jumping Round 1 0Show Jumping Round 2 0Overall 31.9 9thShow Jumping Every now and then this gelding will have a rail, but more often than not he jumps clear, really. He left the poles in the cups at the European Championships last season, a long-format competition, although it cost them two seconds over the time allowed. He had a pole in his last run, but that was short-format.________________________________________________________________________________JANNEKE FINISHED ON HER DRESSAGE SCORE!________________________________________________________________________________Its a dream come true, actually at the end. You know that a fault is made so quickly so I hoped it, I dreamed it. I was okay with a little fault, but this is even better.________________________________________________________________________________ Stphane Landois and Chaman DumontceauPhoto by Tilly Berendt.It cant be easy for Stphane to ride in his friends honor as he does, but honestly, he does it with such grace and humility, reminding us all that the gelding is Thas in the stylized prefix he usually adds to the horses name Ride for Thas. Its one of the most poignant stories of eventing Chaman Dumontceaus rider was involved in a fatal fall and her friend took it upon himself to ride for her. And now all three are representing France at their home Olympics and have just won a team silver medal, which must be just so, so special.Form, Facts & Stats: As well as her horse continuing in Thas name, her family continue her legacy with a foundation which raises money for safety devices in the sport. Score coming into this phase:Dressage 24.4Cross Country Penalties 2.8Show Jumping Round 1 4.4Show Jumping Round 2 4Overall 35.6 14thShow Jumping This is a one or none kind of guy, more often one. Hes had a pole in each of his last three FEI competitions, jumped clear in the 4*-S at Chatsworth last season (which he won), and then had a pole at each of his three events before that. He was on a streak of three clears up to that point. I think that gives a bit of a picture of how things tend to go in the show jumping ring for this combination. Theyre generally inside the time, but can add a little here and there.________________________________________________________________________________ Tim Price and FalcoPhoto by Tilly Berendt.Tim and Falco spent some time pure show jumping on the Sunshine Tour in Spain this season, so theyll be well primed for the two-round Olympic format. Eyes on this pair to deliver another clear round Form, Facts & Stats:Tims championships experience: Tokyo 2020 (Team) Rio 2016 (Team) Team & Individual Pratoni 2022 Tryon 2018 (Team); 8th individually Caen 2014 (Team)9 Tim is currently World No. 9 Tim has won four of the seven 5*s, been on the podium two of the three he hasnt (already) won and top-10 at the other. Score coming into this phase:Dressage 26.5Cross Country Penalties 2Show Jumping Round 1 0Show Jumping Round 2 0Overall 28.5 6thShow Jumping This pair havent had a pole since 2021 and you have to go way, way, way back to 2017 to find another one on their record. Thats two poles in 27 FEI competitions. They were a second over the time when they jumped for victory at Pau 5* in 2021, but Tims produced a streak of seven clears without going over the clock since then.________________________________________________________________________________He jumped awesome in the second round. It encouraged good jumping, that course it was a good course. I was hoping it might be a bit tougher. He was really, really nice very happy with me, relaxed a bit more, and just jumped better.________________________________________________________________________________ Kazuma Tomoto and Vinci de la VignePhoto by Shannon Brinkman Photography.Kazuma began his equestrian career in the show jumping ring, so hes well-used to the pressure of the two-round format we see at the Olympics. In Tokyo, he actually jumped better in the second round, having had a pole in the first, so hell be hoping for two clears and potentially another medal (hes just won team bronze!) this time around.Form, Facts & Stats:Kazumas championships experience: Tokyo 2020 (Team); 4th individually Pratoni 2022 (Team); 8th individually Tryon 2018 (Team) Vinci de la Vigne is known as Vince at home. Score coming into this phase:Dressage 27.4Cross Country Penalties 0Show Jumping Round 1 0Show Jumping Round 2 0Overall 27.4 5thShow Jumping This pair are on a streak of seven clears inside the time after their super round earlier. They had a pole at the World Championships in Pratoni, and one in the first round in Tokyo, and the horse had one at the World Championships before that, when he was being campaigned for France by Astier Nicolas. Hes currently enjoying his best ever show jumping form though, so Kazuma will be keeping everything crossed that it continues at least a little longer.________________________________________________________________________________KAZUMA FINISHED ON HIS DRESSAGE SCORE!________________________________________________________________________________ Felix Vogg and Dao de lOceanPhoto by Eventing Nation.Felix is no stranger to the final round of a championships and hes sitting on a very, very good jumper. The geldings untested over a two-round format, but his penchant for clear rounds sure does stand him in good stead.Form, Facts & Stats:Felixs championships experience: Tokyo 2020 (Team); 19th individually Rio 2016 (Ind.) Pratoni 2022 (Team); 14th individually Tryon 2018 (Team) Caen 2014 (Team) Felixs grandad competed in eventing at the 1956 Olympics in Stockholm. Score coming into this phase:Dressage 22.1Cross Country Penalties 0Show Jumping Round 1 4Show Jumping Round 2 4.4Overall 30.5 8thShow Jumping This pair jump a lot of clear rounds, but theyre not infallible. They had a pole in the 4*-L Nations Cup event at Boekelo last season, which tumbled them down the order to ninth place. Theyve jumped clear at each of the four competitions theyve done this season, all short-format events. Well have to wait and see how Dao finds the format at Paris, but this guys got a very exciting future ahead of him no matter how things ultimately play out.________________________________________________________________________________ Yoshiaki Oiwa and MGH Grafton StreetPhoto by Tilly Berendt.In 2017, Yoshi became the first Japanese rider to win a 4* outside Japan and is, now, based with Pippa Funnell in the UK, after a condition of the sale of MGH Grafton Street was that he stay at her home. And now, Yoshi and Squirrel have just won team bronze, the first eventing medal ever for Japan! Please someone get all the nuts for Squirrel.Form, Facts & Stats:Yoshis championships experience: Tokyo 2020 (Team) Rio 2016 (Ind.); 20th London 2012 (Team) Beijing 2008 (Ind.) Pratoni 2022 (Team) Tryon 2018 (Team); 20th individually Lexington 2010 (Team) Aachen 2006 (Ind.); 18th This gelding delivered Pippa Funnell a superb Burghley win in 2019. Score coming into this phase:Dressage 25.5Cross Country Penalties 0Show Jumping Round 1 0.4Show Jumping Round 2 4.4Overall 30.3 7thShow Jumping In their four FEI runs together, they have a 50:50 jumping clear rate, with two poles over two competitions and two clears. Historically, this gelding can be a little tricky in the show jumping phase, with more faults than clears across his many events, but it looks like hes going well for Yoshi thus far. How will they do in the Olympic ring today?________________________________________________________________________________ Tom McEwen and JL DublinPhoto by Tilly Berendt.Dubs is very much a one or none kind of guy in this phase, happily more often none than one. But hes not infallible, and the two-round format caught out a couple of the Brits in Tokyo, not Tom though, who took home the individual silver medal with Toledo de Kerser. He now has another team gold to add to his collection! It would be a fairytale should Dubs find himself up there after alls said and done today, and we know that anythings possible in eventing.Form, Facts & Stats:Toms championships experience: Team & Individual Tokyo 2020 Team Tryon 2018; 12th individually3 Tom is currently World No. 3 Tom keeps fit by running and can often be seen at events undertaking his course walk rather more speedily than the rest of the competition. Score coming into this phase:Dressage 25.8Cross Country Penalties 0Show Jumping Round 1 0Show Jumping Round 2 0Overall 25.8 4thShow Jumping In long-format competitions with Tom, Dubs has 50:50 form one or none. He had a pole and added 1.2 time penalties on his way to second place at Kentucky 5* in the spring, expensive penalties considering he would have won the thing without them. He also had a pole at Pau 5*, where he was third. He was clear at Kentucky last year though, where he was second, and finished on his dressage in the 4*-L Nations Cup event at Boekelo in 2022, where he was also second. Theres a lot of bridesmaid-ing going on for this pair, but its surely only a matter of time before they take a win.________________________________________________________________________________TOM FINISHED ON HIS DRESSAGE SCORE!________________________________________________________________________________ Laura Collett and London 52Photo by Tilly Berendt.One third of the team who took the gold in Tokyo and now team gold medalists in Paris! Laura and London 52 are surely here for redemption after an expensive second show jumping round saw them drop down the Olympic order last time around. Laura mustve been cursing the two-round format at the Games, but Im willing to bet that shes been practicing for it since, well 2021.Form, Facts & Stats:Lauras championships experience: Team Tokyo 2020 Pratoni 2022 (Team) Theres no prizes for guessing who Lauras eventing idol is. Of course, its British eventing hero Pippa Funnell. Score coming into this phase:Dressage 17.5Cross Country Penalties 0.8Show Jumping Round 1 4.8Shoe Jumping Round 2 0Overall 23.1 3rdShow Jumping So yes, Laura and London 52 jumped clear in the first round in Tokyo, but then had two poles in the second round. At that point, this horse had only ever had eight faults in a show jumping round once before, way, way back in 2018 (hes since had two poles in a 4*-S competition in 2022). He did go through a spate of rolling a pole, around the time of Tokyo to the World Championships in Pratoni (where he had a pole), but once he came out of the other side of that, its been clear all the way.________________________________________________________________________________BRONZE FOR LAURA COLLETT AND LONDON 52!!!________________________________________________________________________________Lauras taking two medals home from Paris to add to her Tokyo team gold another team gold and individual bronze.________________________________________________________________________________ Christopher Burton and Shadow ManPhoto by Tilly Berendt.Chris has, handily, spent the last two seasons on the pure show jumping scene, so hell be well-prepared for the two round format, something we only see in eventing at the Olympics.Form, Facts & Stats:Chris championships experience: Team Rio 2016; 5th individually London 2012 (Team) Tryon 2018 (Team) Caen 2014 (Team) Lexington 2010 (Ind.) Chris was part of the team that helped Australia qualify for the show jumping at Paris, and had horses qualified for both eventing and show jumping at the Games. Score coming into this phase:Dressage 22Cross Country Penalties 0Show Jumping Round 1 0.4Show Jumping Round 0Overall 22.4 2ndShow Jumping This gelding jumps clear more often than not. He was on a streak of seven clear rounds until he lowered two poles in the 4*-L at Strzegom, Poland, in April (spanning both Chris and his previous rider, Ben Hobday). He kept them in the cups in his most recent run though, when he finished on his dressage score. He was a second over the time in the 4*-S in Kronenberg this spring, but theres only been one other occasion that he hasnt been inside in this phase.________________________________________________________________________________SILVER FOR CHRIS BURTON AND SHADOW MAN!________________________________________________________________________________ Michael Jung and Chipmunk FRHPhoto by Tilly Berendt.The curse of the last fence must still hang over Michi and haunt his dreams to this day. It cost him and Chip the title at the World Championships in Pratoni, and its not the only time an unlucky rub has scuppered his chance of a win. Is it their turn to convert their bridesmaid status to bride?Form, Facts & Stats:Michaels championships experience: Tokyo 2020 (Team); 8th individually Team & Individual Rio 2016 Team & Individual London 2012 Team & Individual Caen 2014 Individual Lexington 2010 Michis won Badminton, Burghley, Luhmhlen and Kentucky, some of them multiple times. Score coming into this phase:Dressage 17.8Cross Country Penalties 0Show Jumping Round 1 4Show Jumping Round 2 0Overall 21.8 1stShow Jumping Its a similar story for this combinations show jumping form as it is for their cross country form. They dont have poles often, but when they do, they really count. In 33 FEI competitions together, theyve had poles on nine occasions, including one in the second round of jumping in Tokyo. They were on track to win the World Championships in Pratoni, with a fence in hand, but when one went and everyone held their breath, no one could have predicted that the last would go as well, dropping them down to fifth place. Theyd jumped clear since then, until the 4*-S at Luhmhlen this season when they had one pole, dropping them from first to third. They did jump clear for the win at Kentucky 5* in 2022, and we all know that Michi will be absolutely determined not to let the mistakes of the past haunt his present-day hunt for another Olympic title.________________________________________________________________________________GOLD FOR MICHAEL JUNG AND CHIPMUNK FRH!!!________________________________________________________________________________MICHAEL HAS BECOME THE FIRST PERSON EVER TO WIN THREE OLYMPIC INDIVIDUAL TITLES IN EVENTING!________________________________________________________________________________

By Jean Llewellyn (press release) Photography: Gabriele Knisel-Eberhard Two weeks before the best DSP horses and ponies gathered for their championships at Hofgut Kranichstein, Darmstadt, their versatile colleagues contested the cross-country titles at the Lusshof in Laupheim, in Baden-Wrttemberg. The facility in Upper Swabia is traditionally the venue for these championships, which are embedded []The post Talented DSP horses and ponies earn their eventing sash appeared first on Breeding News for Sport Horses.