OMG I would have never believed our team would do this well. I’d love to see Ingrid Klimke on those stairs 
As an American living in Australia, I am SO proud of the Aussie riders who stayed here to qualify. It has been a VERY hard year with EI putting a hold on all equestrian activities for 9 months. These riders had no competitions and most saw their income levels drop as they couldn’t teach, couldn’t take in horses for training, couldn’t sell anything. Our qualifiers were cancelled and then rescheduled. It was a mess, but it got done!
So, I think just getting to Hong Kong is a win for these riders. Were they ready? I don’t know, but they are certainly holding their own against some very good teams.
The same goes for our dressage riders. Some were already in Europe, and some stayed. Now, dressage isn’t exactly a strong discipline here, but the riders work awfully hard. I don’t follow show jumping as closely, but I think the team is pretty much based in Europe, so they were not directly effected by EI as the dressage and event riders were.
I am a huge fan of the Australian riders, no matter how the end up in the placings.
It’s good to be able to whole heartedly cheer for two teams!
It was a huge mess over here. You are quite right. And kudos to the ones who managed to qualify from Australia in spite of the many months of lock down.
Showjumping is somewhat similar, in that we have two team members based in Europe: Edwina Alexander who is Jan Tops’ partner and has had some great results incl 4th at the WEG and Matty Williams who has been based in Europe for some time and has likewise been getting some runs on the board.
The other members are based here in Australia but have been in Europe for a few months: Laurie Lever on Ashleigh Drossel Dan and Peter McMahon on the wild child KS Genoa. It’s been a hard road for them.
EI really put a crimp in everyone’s plans.
I am Aussie born but now a U.S. citizen so I love it when EITHER country does well. So GO USA and GO Australia!
Germany deserved their gold medals. Great going in the team event. The Australians rode really well and deserved their silver. I have to admit I didn’t follow the GB team closely, as I was more concerned with the tussle for 1st and 2nd
[QUOTE=pwynnnorman;3429942]
I would love to see – and I’d put good money on – Brit and Lucinda EASILY taking the gold. This competition was MADE for them.
But I would NOT NOT NOT bet on the team at all. After taking a good look at the course, I think that the Aussie selectors erred in not putting Hoy and Ryan on instead of the three who qualified by staying down under. I do not think those three are ready to get around this particular type of course because I do not think they’ve had the experience and/or the access to the type of questions on this course.
How’s THAT for a firm opinion, huh? :yes::eek:[/QUOTE]
Ohh I hope you have eaten your words 
We have some serious depth in our squad and there is nothing wrong with staying home. For a start those 3 have all won at ****star level so how could they not be ready for this type of competition. I applaud those who have made the choice to stay in Australia. Its not easy. Please don’t add fuel to Matt Ryans opinions on selection of Aussie based riders (his sour grapes!). Megan, Sonja and Shane have done Aussie based riders proud.
I think the Australian team can be very proud of what they accomplished but which 3 riders are you saying have won **** events? I know Lucinda won Badminton & Burghley and Clayton won Rolex KY but I know very little about the other three.
Still, Matt Ryan and Andrew Hoy brought home 3 Olympic team gold medals (at least Andrew did, not sure if Matt was on all 3 teams) and both are still competitive, I think they could have been just as valuable to the team. Australia is lucky to have such depth.
They DO have a 4* in Australia, you know. :lol: And it’s probably won by an Aussie or a Kiwi. Just saying…
They used to, I thought it was replaced by Luhmulen (sp?) and Pau though.
[QUOTE=BAC;3438236]
I think the Australian team can be very proud of what they accomplished but which 3 riders are you saying have won **** events? I know Lucinda won Badminton & Burghley and Clayton won Rolex KY but I know very little about the other three.
Still, Matt Ryan and Andrew Hoy brought home 3 Olympic team gold medals (at least Andrew did, not sure if Matt was on all 3 teams) and both are still competitive, I think they could have been just as valuable to the team. Australia is lucky to have such depth.[/QUOTE]
Megan, Sonja and Shane have all won Adelaide ****star. And all had very solid performances/wins at ***star events this year (Despite EI interuptions)
Megan and Sonja both won team bronze at WEG and Shane 3rd at Burghley
Would not dispute Andrew was unlucky not to be chosen but Matt didn’t have the horse this year (a 7th at Badminton and a win in a Polish ***star!). Matt has 2 team medals and an individual medal. Matt had a serious winge on his website that was just plain sour grapes and pretty much wished the team would crash and burn…very un-Australian. Andrew would never behave this way and his failing to make the team this year may not have been based on performance but possibly horse soundness. He will be on a team again, but Matt…well he wants to change nationalities and become a Brit! Good luck! Now that will be another team tough to get on with just as much depth.
As a kid I was a Huge Matt fan but his behaviour lately has not done him any favours.
[QUOTE=BAC;3438255]
They used to, I thought it was replaced by Luhmulen (sp?) and Pau though.[/QUOTE]
Hell yeah we have a ****star…and still have a ****star.
Name change this year from Adelaide ****star to Austaralian International ****star.
http://www.australian3de.com.au/
Unfortunately we do not have a big sponsor (e.g. Rolex, Mitsubishi, Land Rover) so prize money is not enough to attract northern hemisphere horses (we have had riders come on borrowed horses though). So sure it will usually be an Aussie or Kiwi that wins but it is syill a true ****star track!
Thanks krobert, that is sad to hear about Matt. I did read where he blamed politics and wanted to ride for the UK but the Brits have even more depth than the Aussies, good luck trying to make that team.
Andrew is a class act as well as a wonderful rider, I was sorry he didn’t make the team.
Wasn’t the first Australian **** called Puihini or something like that? Sorry but I know I did not spell that correctly. I thought they had stopped running it at one point and Australia was without a **** or did it come back as Adelaide or is that a different event? Or was Puihini a NZ event?
[QUOTE=BAC;3438306]
Wasn’t the first Australian **** called Puihini or something like that? Sorry but I know I did not spell that correctly. I thought they had stopped running it at one point and Australia was without a **** or did it come back as Adelaide or is that a different event? Or was Puihini a NZ event?[/QUOTE]
Yes Puihini (sp) is a NZ ***star. The only ****star in southern hemisphere is Adelaide (now Australian). It was going to be axed a few years back when the local council in Adelaide did not want to support it but the eventing community made alot of noise and it remained a fixture (they have cut the ***star class and now only have a *star and ****star run).
Adelaide was originally ran at Gawler (that hosted a previous world championship) but now runs right in the city centre (through the city park where it is free for all to spectate).
Come on DownUnder for a holiday and catch the only southern hemisphere ****star
I think the Australians do an amazing job on the world stage. The riders who stay in Australia are somewhat disadvataged because we don’t have the level of sponsorship as in the US, we don’t have the tradition of wealthy owners. A lot (most?)of our riders own their horses.
We don’t have the amount of competitions in which to hone the skills of both horse and rider as in some other countries. Our events are far and few between. And then there is the distance to travel between the big events.
And we are far, far away from the rest of the world!
I am really impressed with the committment of the eventing community here. Either they stay and work within the system or they leave behind family, friends and country to try their luck elsewhere. I can understand why our riders go overseas, but I am so encouraged by those who stay.
I am a mom of kids who compete. There is a real sense of community within the event riders and those who are coming along. We are blessed to have these riders out there conducting schools and clinics with leadership that is convinced that educating young riders is the way of the future. And it doesn’t matter if you are a so-so rider on an ordinary off the track Thoroughbred . . . you get the same instruction as the up and coming kid on the flashy, purpose-bred eventer. And the top riders are accessible to the kids out competing. We are no-bodies . . . kids compete at Newcomers and Intro level, but it’s not uncommon to be at the same event as one of the Olympic riders. Very exciting!!
I am sure that other countries are doing the same thing, but since I don’t live there, I can’t speak for those programs.
I am just really happy with the way the eventing ended up. Loved the German rider who won both Golds, happy that Gina got the Silver and over the moon that Australia got the Team Silver!!!
Come on DownUnder for a holiday and catch the only southern hemisphere ****star
Is that an open invitation to all of us? Because it’s not only the only 4* in the Southern Hemisphere, it’s the only one in the Eastern Hemisphere as well.
You know how there are these life lists of things that one dreams of doing before one shuffles off the mortal coil? Going to Australia and New Zealand is definitely on mine. Might have to do it in one trip, but it’s a life long dream.
The Aussies also have one of the most safety minded federations in the world. Very impressive.:yes:
Can you arrange an introduction to Patrick Rafter while I’m there? 
I remember reading that they were going to do away with Adelaide, I didn’t realize that it survived.
Thanks again for all the history, I must go back to watching the Olympic swimming.
