The Germans, French and Belgians didn’t make the team finals. The US finished at the bottom.
Since there is a thread tearing the eventing horses down, how about doing the same for show jumping?
viney, you’re too funny! :lol:
but exactly right too!
a great day for british showjumping.
bring on wednesday!
I already called it on the eventing thread where I said " I hope not, but I’m mighty afraid the showjumping team will suffer the same fate".
I knew it was coming. Besides Fellers conquest in the World Cup…I saw little hope.
Do show jumpers do interval training or other work to build up stamina? There were a huge number of fences jumped in the last three days, and not much recovery time. Will those horses who already looked tired today over this huge track be able to recover by Wednesday to jump their best over another huge track?
One thing I found interesting was how many of the horses were described as little by the BBC. There seemed to at three or four who were described as 15.2, and that’s interesting because of the minimum sizes required by many WB books–at least for stallions. These horses had to be very catty to get around this course clear.
Do we think that maybe a different type of horse is required by Olympic SJ these days? 
[QUOTE=vineyridge;6482328]
Do show jumpers do interval training or other work to build up stamina? There were a huge number of fences jumped in the last three days, and not much recovery time. Will those horses who already looked tired today over this huge track be able to recover by Wednesday to jump their best over another huge track?
One thing I found interesting was how many of the horses were described as little by the BBC. There seemed to at three or four who were described as 15.2, and that’s interesting because of the minimum sizes required by many WB books–at least for stallions. These horses had to be very catty to get around this course clear.
Do we think that maybe a different type of horse is required by Olympic SJ these days? :)[/QUOTE]
There weren’t that many little horses. Todays showjumper must be super quick with the legs and still have the explosive scope no matter the size. A big horse can do it is easy as a little one if he/she has these characteristics.
yes some do interval training but this is the Olympics. They better have brought a fit horse to start with.
Again a fairly young team when 50% of the team are at their first Olympics. Regardless of talent with I believe they have. Experience counts. Knowing what to expect and the amount of preparation vs over prep for the horses.
[QUOTE=vineyridge;6482032]
The Germans, French and Belgians didn’t make the team finals. The US finished at the bottom.
Since there is a thread tearing the eventing horses down, how about doing the same for show jumping?[/QUOTE]
Well that post makes you look like a piss poor person. How about we don’t tear anyone down and we move forward with our own lives- something that shockingly, has nothing to do with the olympics! Whatever happens with the us teams is out of our control!! Hello!!
She was being sarcastic, Deuces. That’s my impression anyway. This thread isn’t really meant to tear down anyone.
[QUOTE=DeucesWild11;6482476]
Well that post makes you look like a piss poor person. How about we don’t tear anyone down and we move forward with our own lives- something that shockingly, has nothing to do with the olympics! Whatever happens with the us teams is out of our control!! Hello!![/QUOTE]
Mmm…not sure THAT’s a fair comment. Most of us here are attempting to breed horses for the Olympic disciplines. If we don’t LEARN from our mistakes, how do we expect to improve on them? Whatever happens with the teams is out of our control - this time. But in four years, what will we have learned from THIS Olympic event??
With regards to Viney’s comment about size - I think there is something to be said for a smaller package. Bigger horses “can” excel, but just sheer inertia means that in order to change the direction, is going to require more effort for a larger horse! When I was endurance racing oh so many years ago, the slightly smaller horse did better overall. They were quicker, there was less body mass to have to move around, they cooled more quickly, etc. So, I think Viney is on to something. Heck, I remember back when we here in N.A. first started importing warmbloods, we were getting the 17 + hand behemoths that the Europeans had already figured out were difficult to keep sound, had a harder time turning on a dime, etc. 16:2 has for the last 10 to 15 years been seen as the “ideal” sporthorse size - but is it?
Playing somewhat of the devil’s advocate here to try and start a discussion on WHY we aren’t succeeding. Obviously, just buying the foreign bred horses isn’t working. Nor hiring the foreign bred riders isn’t working. Training will always be a consideration, but what are we doing differently now than we were doing previously? What are we doing differently than the other countries?
Personally, I’d kinda like to see more information on the individual horses that are competing besides what registry they are with. What exactly are they made up of? How much TB “is” in the mix. How old each horse is. I “would” like to know exactly how tall they are! Yeah, I know it’s out there if I want to spend hours to research it - but I want it in a concise, easy to find/follow format. Yeah…I don’t want much ;).
[QUOTE=Lynnwood;6482454]
Again a fairly young team when 50% of the team are at their first Olympics. Regardless of talent with I believe they have. Experience counts. Knowing what to expect and the amount of preparation vs over prep for the horses.[/QUOTE]
Well the Canadian’s had young horses and a disqualification, that I do not agree with. They finished 5th. It might just be one of those weird years where the horses are in-between and in four years will be ready.
Yea for GB and on their own turf.
[QUOTE=Equine Reproduction;6482589]
Mmm…not sure THAT’s a fair comment. Most of us here are attempting to breed horses for the Olympic disciplines. If we don’t LEARN from our mistakes, how do we expect to improve on them? Whatever happens with the teams is out of our control - this time. But in four years, what will we have learned from THIS Olympic event??
With regards to Viney’s comment about size - I think there is something to be said for a smaller package. Bigger horses “can” excel, but just sheer inertia means that in order to change the direction, is going to require more effort for a larger horse! When I was endurance racing oh so many years ago, the slightly smaller horse did better overall. They were quicker, there was less body mass to have to move around, they cooled more quickly, etc. So, I think Viney is on to something. Heck, I remember back when we here in N.A. first started importing warmbloods, we were getting the 17 + hand behemoths that the Europeans had already figured out were difficult to keep sound, had a harder time turning on a dime, etc. 16:2 has for the last 10 to 15 years been seen as the “ideal” sporthorse size - but is it?
Playing somewhat of the devil’s advocate here to try and start a discussion on WHY we aren’t succeeding. Obviously, just buying the foreign bred horses isn’t working. Nor hiring the foreign bred riders isn’t working. Training will always be a consideration, but what are we doing differently now than we were doing previously? What are we doing differently than the other countries?
Personally, I’d kinda like to see more information on the individual horses that are competing besides what registry they are with. What exactly are they made up of? How much TB “is” in the mix. How old each horse is. I “would” like to know exactly how tall they are! And in a concise, easy to find/follow format. Yeah…I don’t want much ;).[/QUOTE]
It should be possible with a lot of time.
Casall is 167 cms tall. 16.2
Flexible is 163 cms. 16
Big Star is 167 cms. 162
The KWPN website is golden for this kind of research.
[QUOTE=vineyridge;6482657]
It should be possible with a lot of time.
Casall is 167 cms tall.
Flexible is 163 cms.
Big Star is 167 cms.
The KWPN website is golden for this kind of research.[/QUOTE]
Viney, you’re a doll :D! Now could you do it for the rest of the horses in all of the disciplines - regardless of their placings <rotfl>.
According to Forbes, Via Volo is only 15.2.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/hannahelliott/2012/07/31/the-billionaires-and-blue-bloods-behind-the-olympic-equestrian-team/
I’d really be interested to see the Town & Country article. And we wonder why riding is considered elitist at rarefied levels.
[QUOTE=vineyridge;6483031]
I’d really be interested to see the Town & Country article. And we wonder why riding is considered elitist at rarefied levels. :)[/QUOTE]
I read that article a couple weeks ago. I’ll see if I can’t wrangle it from my doc’s office tomorrow and send it to you ;). But you are right - it doesn’t help the elitist image.
I think ultimately if we continue to compete against nations who are fully funded and have the opportunity to have backers literally throw their money in the ring and see where it lands we are going to remain out classed.
The Brits went to WEF thanks to lottery funding “All the British team besides Charles prepared over the winter in Wellington, Fla., at the FTI Winter Equestrian Festival thanks to lottery funding.”
The Saudis are buying up some of the best horse flesh around and allowing their riders to train and compete under the watchdog vision of some of the best in Europe.
Even if we breed/buy comparable animals if we are not willing to put our money where our mouth is allow for more riding resources/training we will see our teams being out ridden much much more often.
I think politics played a role in our US showjumping performance. The number 1 world ranked SJ team is Richard Spooner and Cristallo. Apparently GM does not like them so they didn’t try out for the Olympics.
I would have loved to see that Caretino son take on world ranked 2 Casall, also a Caretino son. Especially since my mare is in foal to retired GP Caretino son:D
I’d like to know Cristallo’s size as well.
I still don’t see why the Congress couldn’t authorize a few special Olympic lotteries to fund the IOC. They have the power, but I guess the states that DO have lotteries wouldn’t like the competition. If they had one per quarter, that could bring in a huge amount of dollars that the IOC is not getting from donations.
It’s a really good way to fund “extras” since buying lottery tickets is voluntary and would have no impact on taxation or the federal budget deficit.
[QUOTE=Equine Reproduction;6482589]
Personally, I’d kinda like to see more information on the individual horses that are competing besides what registry they are with. What exactly are they made up of? How much TB “is” in the mix. How old each horse is. I “would” like to know exactly how tall they are! Yeah, I know it’s out there if I want to spend hours to research it - but I want it in a concise, easy to find/follow format. Yeah…I don’t want much ;).[/QUOTE]
Here is some of the info I found.
Gold Medal Team – Great Britian
BIG STAR – 9 yo 16.3h KWPN by Quick Star XX/XO 50.59%
TRIPPLE X – 10 yo 17h AES by Namelus R XX/XO 41.02%
HELLO SANCTOS – 10 yo 16.2h SBS by Quasimodo VD Molendreef XX/XO 48.63%
Murka’s Vindicat W – 10 yo 16.1h KWPN by Guidam XX/XO 51.95%
Silver Medal Team - Netherlands
VDL BUBALU – 12 yo 16.3h KWPN by Baloubet du Rouet XX/XO 48.05%
VERDI – 10 yo 16.3h KWPN by Quidam de Revel XX/XO 56.05%
TAMINO – 12 yo 16.3h KWPN by Numero Uno XX/XO 43.75%
LONDON - ??
Bronze Medal Team – Saudi Arabia
DAVOS – 12 yo 15.3h KWPN by Carthago XX/XO 49.22% (Saudi Equestrian bought Prince Abdullah’s horse Davos from American show jumper Candice King in June last year. SKARA GLEN’S DAVOS)
NOBLESSE DES TESS – 11 yo ?h Selle Francis by Cavalor Cumano XX/XO 33.20% (Noblesse des Tess, ridden by Kamal Bahamdan, was previously the ride of Colombia’s Rene Lopez.)
BAYARD VAN DE VILLA THERE – 11 yo ?h BWP by KASHMIR VAN SCHUTTERSHOF XX/XO 47.46% (Ramzy Al Duhami’s mount Bayard Van de Villa Theresia was one of the first horses bought by the organisation, in early 2010 in Belgium. )
SULTAN – Abdullah Waleed Sharbatly’s horse Sultan came on board in January, after being ridden by top British rider Bruce Menzies.
Switzerland
NINO DES BUISSONNETS - 11 yo Selle Francais by Kannan XX/XO 44.53%
CASTLEFIELD ECLIPSE - 10yo ISH by Obos Quality 004 XX/XO 15.04%
KIAMON - 10yo Berlin Brandenburg by Kolibri XX/XO 18.16%
CARLINA IV - 11yo Holsteiner by Carvallo XX/XO 56.45%
Canada
GEORGE - ??
DERLY CHIN DE MUZE - 9yo BWP by For Pleasure XX/XO 40.23%
STAR POWER - 11yo KWPN by Quick Star XX/XO 54.49%
USA
ANTARES - ??
VIA VOLO - 14yo 15.2h BWP by Clinton XX/XO 47.07%
CYLANA – 10yo BWP by Toulon XX/XO 42.38%
FLEXIBLE - 16yo 1.62m ISH by Cruising XX/XO 56.45%
Perhaps the new Chef D’equippe will see that Richard Spooner should be on the US team. Time for GM to bow out.
The team really did well with Frank Chapot at the helm.
It is interesting that other countries offer financial help to their riders. I guess the US, needs more patrons of the sport. Back in the 60’s the Butlers used to buy top horses and donate them to the USET. Of course that was back in the 60’s when Steinkraus, Kathy Kusner and Mary and Frank Chapot rode for the team.
Bear in mind that height data obtained from registry databases was probably recorded when the horse was presented for studbook inspection (usually at age 3 or thereabouts). Most horses will probably be a couple of inches taller when fully mature than what is listed in their registry record.
