Tell me what you think for team and individual placings and why-
Also, who is your fan favorite team that you’d like to see do well but aren’t sure?
For fun!!! 
I would like to see Boyd Martin and Tommy do well. Love that horse.
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I think it is between GB and Germany for the team gold. I think France and Ireland battle for the next two spots. The individual is tough to call. I think any of the Germans could take it. Oliver Townend is always a good pick.
I think the best medal opportunity for the US is Doug Payne. I think the US will be severely handicapped by that ridiculous travel schedule. JMO
ETA: Given the travel requirements I would rule out an Aussie or Kiwi taking it.
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GB
Germany
is a toss up I think between US, France, NZ
Rooting hardest for Tsetserleg and Vandiver!
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But you’re picking GB for gold? Right then…
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Would love to see Ireland medal… my personal favorite team is Cathal Daniels and Rioghan Rua but I think in general Ireland has a better chance in show jumping at medaling
Fully agree on it being between GB and Germany for gold
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Team medals -
Gold: Germany
I was going to say GB for Silver, but I just have this feeling Tom and Laura will not have great performances. The team should still be in the mix though.
I think Japan might be in the mix for a medal - home team plus the experience of having done the test event.
I thnk New Zealand is also strongly in the mix for a team medal.
I don’t think you can count France out of the medal mix after Rio.
I think the US could be in the mix but the only way to get there is by being clean and somewhat conservative cross country.
Individual medalists: Jung, Townend, ???
That should have said “not rule out”
My point was the NZL team are all UK based - only the travelling alternate is coming from NZ…
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Team:
Gold: GBR
Silver: USA
Bronze: IRL
Individual:
Gold: Chipmunk
Silver: Toledo De Kerser
Bronze: London 52
Believe it or not, I think the US actually has the strongest collective group of XC horses. Germany & GB will be well out in front after dressage, but I could see a 20 on XC for Julia or Sandra. Both horses are fairly green at the level & we’ve seen really strong up & coming horses that just get caught out in the Olympics on inexperience. Similar story on Tim Price’s horse. Wouldn’t be shocked to see GBR take gold by a mile with the other two medals being decided in the showjumping between the US, IRL, FRA, maybe AUS.
Chipmunk leads start to finish in my book. The three GBR horses fight it out for the other two individual medals. For the US, it’s all about the first & third phases. We need Z & Vandiver to outperform expectations in the dressage, which I do think is possible given that the training has been so focused for the past month. We saw that at WEG where I think Z put down his best score at the level to date (cut ~4 points off his average as I recall). Thomas needs to jump clear or at least keep it to one rail in the show jumping.
The margins are going to be so tight. I don’t think a <4 point spread between the top 12 is out of the question by any means.
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My brain says Michi and Chipmunk take it wire to wire, but my heart belongs to Laura Collett and London 52, and, as I have repeatedly noted, to the Prices. Brits take team gold.
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My prediction: Great Britain, Germany, and New Zealand in some combination for the team medals.
Too many talented combos to make an individual prediction!!!
I think the USA will put in a solid, consistent performance to the best of our ability, but it will leave us short of the podium unless the unexpected happens to multiple leaderboard favorites.
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I say NOT 
London 52, Toledo De Kerser, and Ballaghmor Class…literally the dream team.
Especially with the forthcoming rainy weather this week…over the next days they are predicting 2-5mm of more rain…with 15mm predicted on XC day, and the heat is increasing. More predicated on Monday for SJ and the Tuesday is predicteidn 30-40mm. Hopefully that weather stays back late and doesn’t sneak up.
The European horses will have a huge advantage with the rainy conditions, I would think.
Don’t count NZ out yet either.
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With rain comes humidity so I wouldn’t jump to that being an advantage for the Europeans.
The US is one of, if not the only, team that has 3 horses with multiple 5 stars under their belts. Per my podium, I still expect 3 clear rounds from GBR, but I wouldn’t be completely shocked to see London 52 have a run out. I wouldn’t bet on it, but I wouldn’t be shocked…
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The Olympic eventing competition - especially the cross country - always seems to produce some surprises, and this year especially there will be horses and riders who haven’t competed on the biggest stages recently due to Covid.
I am wondering if those who participated in the test event in 2019 will have any advantages - that group includes Michael Jung, Andrew Hoy, and all three of the Japanese riders.
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I think humidity is easier to adjust to since they have been there for a while now, but riding in the pissing rain and wet footing isnt exactly the US’s forte.
BUT we haven’t seen the course yet.
Looking forward to team US proving me wrong 
I would think so for sure. I think Andrew Hoy is going to be the one to watch and beat if not MJ, it’s NOT going to be a dressage competition and I think his horse hardly ever, if ever, has rails. 2 showjump rounds, so fitness will also be huge. Plus its Hoy, have you seen this man ride. Legend.
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I’m tired at the end of the day so can’t work up the energy to actually investigate this suggestion but my immediate thought is that European riders, in more typical times, have 4 opportunities to ride in a 5* each year versus the one opportunity in the USA - unless USA and CAN riders cross to Europe.
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Interestingly enough, if I’m reading the FEI Database correctly, not a single one of the German team horses has ever done a 5*. I kept saying that can’t be right, but that’s what I’m seeing. Someone else might want to double check I’m not missing something.
I didn’t bother to check every horse on every team. But now my curiosity is piqued.
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Doug Payne posted a first look at the xc course on FB: https://www.facebook.com/dpequestrian/posts/10159120848045605
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