Oh man, I will be rooting for Michael Jung. I can’t wait to see how this plays out.
4 Likes
I want him to do well but I am rooting for us. It is quite a hill to climb but so we go.
4 Likes
Theres a good thread on this on the Eventing forum too.
My list of riders to cheer for is getting super long lol
3 Likes
Maybe ask to have it moved here so all the olympic stuff is in one place, which is why this area was made.
6 Likes
I hope we do well, but he is such a phenom. SUCH an amazing rider on different horses. He makes it all look easy, even when it is freakishly not easy. He’s so talented and has such a rigorous training program (for himself, too) that it is hard not to root for such an excellent trainer/rider.
But that’s just me…
9 Likes
Do any COTHers in the US know which of the various streaming platforms, etc. are best to subscribe to there in order to see the eventing and/or general equestrian coverage?
2 Likes
NBC sports is live-streaming all equestrian events, & this morning’s dressage was also up for replay within about 1/2 hour of when it ended. You have to log into the app or website w/ your cable/satellite company login.
2 Likes
Many thanks, I will pass this along!
So I just logged onto my husband’s Peacock account to see if I can see any dressage, and there are only parts of the top three rides up right now, but the automatic subtitles are freakin hilarious:
horse to the part-Lusitano that we’ve just watched, a much bigger horse --> close to the party sits on it tweet just watched it much bigger
maybe not quite as extravagant in his [half-pass] crossovers as the Lusitano we’ve just seen --> maybe not quite as extravagant in his car services to see Tony
look at her legs going [indistinct] her legs just vibrating against him to say just keep going, we’re nearly there --> thanksgiving to to the petty Honda ex five raising kids to be safe just keep going
his hind legs are equally as impressive as his front legs, the transition from extended trot back into passage --> with his hind legs of equally as impressive pacifist front legs, the transition from extended choke 
back into a selfish
it doesn’t get any marks off if he hits the edge with his hoof–he was only a few centimeters off it that time, it doesn’t matter --> it doesn’t get any box office hits the is India a few centimeters off it this marks
learn how to breathe if you ride --> learn how to breed if you rise
ETA: oops, just realized I posted this on the eventing thread!
15 Likes
when do we find out the order of go?
after they jog for soundness and that will be Wed or Thursday.
They see the XC course TOMORROW !!!
Doug Payne just posted pictures from their first course walk: https://www.facebook.com/dpequestrian/posts/10159120848045605
It’s a visually appealing course - almost every jump has a Japanese theme.
Since it’s short (7 min 45 sec), it felt almost like there wasn’t really “enough” tests - if I see Burghley or Pau etc. I see so many skinnies and corners. Here, there were of course skinnies and corners but I think (as usual) Di Grazia is using terrain to ask the questions as much as the actual fences.
I like how many of the fences have two jumpable parts, i.e a left and a right side (in case the footing deteriorates).
And he’s done a lot of ABCDs where the straight route is 2 fences and the alternate is 3-4 fences. Unfortunately this means that less experienced pairs are going to jump a lot more fences, but it does give them a chance to finish. I wonder how this is going to play out without drop scores - will more people play it safe, taking long routes, to ensure a jump-penalty free round?
3 Likes
It is hard to tell from the pictures alone but initially this didn’t look like a difficult course, maybe 3*. I was towards the end before I said “Oh, that looks interesting” about a fence - from the comfort of my armchair.
However, in 2D images there is no indication of the terraine or what the best lines into the fences might be. I’m thinking it is rider skill and judgement, through lines ridden and control of speed and balance, that will be most tested rather than horse skill, scope and courage over the jumps. An olympic course has to offer opportunity for the best to shine whilst allowing the much less able a safe route. That is a difficult balancing act but Derek di Grazia has shown such skill at Kentucky 5*. The many tight bends necessary to fit the course into the available space, I suspect, are going to be highly influential as there seems to be little room to get into a classic xc forward rythmn.
Given the unique climatic conditions, the shorter length and ‘not too challenging jumps’ with plenty of alternatives should, hopefully, provide good TV for an Olympic audience.
3 Likes
Even better course walk here: https://app.crosscountryapp.com/tog/b5tblg?base=satellite&view=map&feature=jump-23-om00
The designs are so beautiful!
4 Likes
Yeah I agree it doesn’t look too challenging from the pics, but you can never tell from photos the actual terrain and what not, so I’m sure it is harder than it looks 
3 Likes
Doug did post a picture of a massive downslope after one of the jumps.
I saw a giant drop like the leaf pit at Burghley, with a little skinny just after. someone took a picture from the downside and it has pictures of Japan painted on it.
4 Likes
