I have no inside knowledge, but it probably doesn’t help that one of the current owners is the DOKR (the German national federation). In fairness, they also owned Samourai for Julia, but even so, there is something about the national federation assisting one team rider in taking over a ride from another who produced the horse from the ground up. Feels like a strange kind of favouritism (probably because it is). You could argue that’s not even wrong, given their relative performances, but it’s difficult to hear. Quite the German approach.
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From their point of view, it would be insane not to have Michael Jung on the German team at the Olympics. Even if he were riding a broomstick. His other 5* horses just weren’t up to it any longer, so they had to get him something.
Right now Germany seems to be in one of those eras when the team may well be locked in for years to come. Michael, Julia, Sandra, and a 4th to be named when there are 4 on a team. Whatever these brilliant riders find to ride, they will get it over the finish in a good position.
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Well, you do have Hickstead in showjumping collapsing and dying on course.
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I recall reading at the time that Chipmunk’s owner decided to sell, and he was bought for Jung to keep him in Germany. That is very simplistic, I’m sure someone has a more detailed explanation.
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Only 1 JAPANESE rider was with WFP - Kazuma Tomoto 4th Place.
Samourai was retired last year…
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Maybe the rest of the team should switch to WFP. But didn’t William’s head girl, Jackie Potts, act as manager for the entire Japanese eventing team?
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I think I recall John and Lucinda saying that Samurai lost an eye earlier this year, and while horses can adapt and continue their careers (example: Viscera), Julia decided to go ahead an retire him rather than expect him to adapt since he was already older.
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Jackie groomed for Kazu;
From Japanese team announcement;
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Kazuma Tomoto and Vinci de la Vigne JRA (Esterel de Bois SF – Korrigane de Vigne SF, by Duc du Hutrel), 12-year-old Selle Francais gelding owned by the Japanese Equestrian Federation
Reserve Horse: Utopia
Groom: Jackie Potts
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I’m not on FB but I thought I saw someplace that Jackie was handling the entire team. I guess I misunderstood.
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They could have but their coach Maxime (Livio) decided there was no point…
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I think it was a good decision. At least for Brazil and Sweden, continuing on meant their alternates got to do something.
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Re Chipmunk - FEI database shows that he was owned by his breeder Dr. Hilmer Meyer-Kulenkampff until 2/15/2019. (Sale may have happened before that, but that is when the ownership record changed in FEI database.) Database reports that he is currently co-owned by Meyer-Kulenkampff, DOKR (German Olympic Committee for Riding Sport), and Klaus and Sabine Fischer. I guess the Fischers are the majority owners, as they had his name changed in the FEI database from Chipmunk to Fischerchipmunk.
Also per the FEI database, he was successfully competed by Julia at CIC3* through Aug. 2018 - had multiple first, second, third place finishes, including first place at Aachen(!) in July 2018. They also showed at WEG in Tryon (Sept 2018), finishing in 39th place. Database shows it as WEG-C (I’m not sure what level that is --?). That was their last FEI competition together.
Chipmunk’s next start was at 3* under Michael in April 2019 (10th place). They did a 4* the following month (2nd place) and a string of 4* events (with one more 3* thrown in). They’ve had multiple first place finishes including their last 4 outings before Tokyo.
Sorry that Julia lost him to Michael but it sounds like it turned out to be a win-win-win for everyone.
I’m so thrilled for Julia to win Individual Gold on a mare she co-owns!
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I am wasting time and was looking at the various teams’ final inspection outfits, which is a thing I’ve never noticed before at the Olympics (and I’m loving it!). Go look at the Aussie’s shoes, they are fantastic!!!
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Back in the Jack LeGoff days, he would decide horse assignments for people on the team or working to be on it. Horses were often “reassigned”, but then some if not all of the horses had been donated to the team (USEF? I can’t remember).
I’m so thrilled and proud of our team 
This is the highest placed team since Athens in 2004. They all did a great job and finished with results we can be proud of! I think Eric Duvander is doing great work with the high performance athletes/horses, and I have such a sense of optimism for the future of Team USA!
I’m so thrilled for Julia too! What an incredible journey and such a deserving gold medalist! Also thrilled for Kazu and the rider from India, Fouaad Mirza! So many wonderful stories in the Olympics.
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It just occurred to me that in 1964 Tokyo was the scene of the very first woman to be allowed to compete in Olympic three day eventing, Lana duPont and now, 57 years later, Tokyo is also the scene of the first woman to win individual gold in eventing!
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Did Townend just jump to Silver Individual? I saw an alert from my NBCSport app that the results were contested.
Then in the app it’s showing his name after Julia’s under results and 0 time penalties.
Can’t find an article though to confirm the story.
Nothing has been updated as of now on the Olympic website
