Official Tokyo Olympic Eventing Thread

[BWP]

I listened to BBC commentary and there was a description (for the non-eventing/horsy viewers mostly) of the different levels of eventing competitions and where the Olympics fits in.

I found Ian’s discussion of the frangible technology far more interesting! I thought he made his opinions rather clear, and then I bumped into him at our local event today and asked him about them. He was heading back to be interviewed for the BBC tonight; I did say I thought that might be one of the questions he might be asked!

[Gardenhorse]

@punchy

I’m not sure what they can do about any of that now. Unless they have it on video falling before he got to it? Honestly, I kind of think that frangible pin technology is sometimes going to malfunction and perhaps fall when it shouldn’t, but the trade off (preventing catastrophic falls) is worth that price. It’s not going to be perfect, and if it serves the primary goal it’s better to have it than not.

I think she meant that it fell when he was 3 strides after the fence. Although I’m not sure what the implication of that is for how it was functioning.

I do think the frangible clearly saved a bad fall by one horse (can’t remember which one now), but I think it may have been set to be too sensitive. It is supposed to activate when a horse hits it with enough force that they are in danger of a rotational fall, not if the horse just taps it. While I agree it’s better to err on the side of safety, it does seem a bit unfair.

[Jealoushe]

Yes, it still sucks so bad for it to be the Olympics for the gold medal position rider.

He posted on insta he has the video but isn’t allowed to show it. Has anyone else seen the video?

Does anyone know how that horse that pulled up trotting/pooping everywhere is? I can’t stop thinking about that poor thing.

[Jealoushe]

@Foitin

The accident today gives us cause to evaluate all disciplines of riding. I ride hunters and frequently think about how much most of them are “prepared,” lunged, shown week after week only to stand if tiny tent stalls most of the day. My horses don’t require much prep, but they are constantly on the road and away from their turnout. This is inhumane if I am being totally honest, no matter how much I say “they love showing!”

And I nearly threw up watching the Tokyo cross country, seeing some of the horses (and riders) exhausted “rub” jumps, getting there at the half stride to enormous solid obstacles. Honestly, I wish it were not televised, for the sake of equestrian sport. It only takes a few jumps to make the whole thing look horrific, no matter how many clear rounds there are. I had non-horse houseguests and they couldn’t believe how awful it looked for the animals. At the same time, I myself had the same impression with much of the Dressage and I’m sure the Showjumping will give me a similar feeling. Shame on many of us, me included.

What accident?

I think you need a new sport….

[EventerAJ]

The number of unfit horses and heavy breathers made me uncomfortable. The horse that simply quit at the bullet trains was embarrassing…should have pulled up several jumps earlier.

But this is not a course problem or a sport problem, this is a rider problem. The British and Australian horses looked fresh as daisies at the end; I thought the US horses were good, too. Funny, the nations who ruled the sport in long format days looked well conditioned and prepared. The “also ran” countries and the lesser blooded horses started weakening by jump 12 or 15, tails flagged and heavy off the ground.

Yeah I know it’s hot and humid. But selection, and preparation made a huge difference.

[JanM]

I don’t think the conditions in Tokyo, in the summer are good for the horses. I think there should be a permanent venue for all of the horse sports for the Olympics, and keep it there. I can think of a lot of plces that would be suitable, and be easier to ship to, and with better weather.

[Groom_amp_Taxi]

For the livestream footage, the complex at 14 didn’t seem to have great camera coverage, and the only shot we were usually shown was the downhill from the AB element to the CD corner. There was a longer route with a different corner, but I don’t know if we ever saw it, and I can’t find any pictures of it on coursewalk or the official overview doc. I wonder if anyone took the longer route after that corner became known as a bit of a bogey.

ETA: Just saw replay of the last Chinese rider taking the long route at 14 - it was quite a bit longer. And I don’t think it was as much a matter of not having great camera coverage as the choice of shot.

[volvo_240]

Did everyone catch how closely bred Vitali and Chipmunk are? Both out of Heraldik mares, Vitali by Contender and Chipmunk by a Contender son.

[Sharon]

Chipmunk vs. Sam. I thought that Lucinda Green’s comments were so interesting. Lucinda was talking about how Chipmunk’s thought process was much slower than Sam’s. As a result, Michael has to help Chipmunk more throughout the course. Sam’s thoughts/analysis were so quick. While it helped that Sam had been with Michael since a young horse…Sam was so quick to process information.

[Darkwave]

@EventerAJ

The number of unfit horses and heavy breathers made me uncomfortable. The horse that simply quit at the bullet trains was embarrassing…should have pulled up several jumps earlier.

But this is not a course problem or a sport problem, this is a rider problem. The British and Australian horses looked fresh as daisies at the end; I thought the US horses were good, too. Funny, the nations who ruled the sport in long format days looked well conditioned and prepared. The “also ran” countries and the lesser blooded horses started weakening by jump 12 or 15, tails flagged and heavy off the ground.

And Sandra Auffarth apparently had the other problem - her horse was a little too fit for her.

I do wonder if some countries relied too much on the time being slightly shorter, and didn’t condition enough for that reason.

[Marigold]

@Darkwave

Sandra Auffarth apparently had the other problem - her horse was a little too fit for her.

There were a few others I’d say had that problem too - Laura Collett and Boyd were both sitting on enough horse to go around twice. Laura managed it well, though it didn’t look like the most relaxing ride she’d ever had. Boyd had some hairy moments trying to get a handle on Thomas.

To clarify, you’d obviously rather your horse be too fit than too heavy any day of the week, but fit horses that were tipping slightly to the other side of the knife edge caught my eye throughout the day. Might have been easy for them, but it made it harder on their riders for sure!

[subk]

I apologize if this has been answered up thread, but are their replays available anywhere hopefully that show more than what I’m hearing the official coverage did?

[Foitin]

The point is that it is worth talking across disciplines about common issues in equestrian sport. Most of the public has no idea about our different disciplines. 1 can bring down all the others, so to speak.

[Event_Horse]

@Foitin

I had non-horse houseguests and they couldn’t believe how awful it looked for the animals. At the same time, I myself had the same impression with much of the Dressage

Seriously???

[Equibrit]

@Marigold

@Darkwave

Sandra Auffarth apparently had the other problem - her horse was a little too fit for her.

Laura managed it well, though it didn’t look like the most relaxing ride she’d ever had.

Laura said on the H&H podcast that he was a bit strong at the beginning but after a bit she left him to it.

[Foitin]

Yup!

[Event_Horse]

@Foitin

Yup!

PETA troll.

[OverandOnward]

@skydy

FEI – 1 Aug 21

Statement on equine fatality at Sea Forest Cross Country course

It is with great sadness that we announce that the Swiss horse Jet Set, ridden by Robin Godel has had to be euthanised after pulling up extremely lame on the Sea Forest Cross Country Course during Equestrian Eventing at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020…

So that was the long hold. I’ll speculate that Jet Set was three-legged lame and unwilling to take any weight on the bad leg. They kept him still and supported while they managed the situation. The horse was the priority over clearing the course.

And obviously they let the officials know, because Hoy et. al. knew they had time to unsaddle and cool horses.

[OverandOnward]

NBC has cross-country replay on right now. Different commentators than the livestream.

Starting off with Ollie on course.

Went straight to an ad. Lots of advertisements to come I’m sure. And not for horse things like fly spray.

[Bluey]

NBCSP, Dish 159, has cross country eventing right now, 1:15 CMT!