Fine Lady is still up and coming - she’s a little firecracker, catlike, fast like Hickstead. They were made for each other. (maybe a tad more rideable?)
[QUOTE=BAC;8806220]
I don’t understand all the comments about Eric was faster. Being faster doesn’t mean anything if you don’t keep the rails up, that’s the first priority! I would have been happy to see Eric win again, but Nick was even more deserving this time, he went clear and fast enough to put the pressure on everyone else, a winning strategy in this instance. [/QUOTE]
To be fair - only ONE person here said that- 
[QUOTE=BAC;8806220]
I don’t understand all the comments about Eric was faster. Being faster doesn’t mean anything if you don’t keep the rails up, that’s the first priority! I would have been happy to see Eric win again, but Nick was even more deserving this time, he went clear and fast enough to put the pressure on everyone else, a winning strategy in this instance. I’m very happy for Nick, its nice to see an oldster win a gold medal.[/QUOTE]
It was in response to a post saying that if he had been conservative, he would have had the same results ie the bronze. No, he probably would have left the rail up and was still faster!
Mark Todd went from eventing (double Golds on Charisma) to Showjumping and now back to eventing.
Annelie Drummond-Hay (back in the day) excelled at eventing, dressage and showjumping on her horse Merely-a-Monarch.
There are more who gave up the hurly burly of eventing for show jumping - we could fill them in here…:
Any idea where best to give a shout out to NBC about the excellent quality of the stream and commentators? Then I’ll need to catch up on roughly 30 hours of deferred real work.
I may or may not have sworn loudly with that first rail…good thing my office mates aren’t in today…
After it was all over, my coworker next door came and asked if I was alright. She was like “I didn’t know if you spilled your drink or something!”
[QUOTE=Crockpot;8806238]
To be fair - only ONE person here said that- ;-)[/QUOTE]
No, Viney made a similar comment.
I loved how emotional the medal winners were on the podium.
[QUOTE=Equibrit;8806214]
I can’t believe that little GB is second in the Medal count !
23 Gold
21 Silver
13 bronze
Second to the USA.
35 Gold
33 Silver
32 Bronze
So far.
Wonder if it has something to do with doping ?[/QUOTE]
There are so many ways to measure Olympic success. Some company did a chart showing the EU’s medal count (including GB). But then the point was made that there was a huge pool of talent and a large number of athletes from the EU who attended.
An interesting statistic I would be curious about is the number of medals per athlete from each country. Since the US has by far the largest team participating, it is only natural that we should dominate the medal count. But is the count a real representation of superiority?
This whole medal counting started during the cold war when having more medals than Russia made us “better”. I am almost embarrassed that the count is still going on — as if the US is better than the rest of the world because “look at us! We won more medals than you did. neener neener neener”
Nick is the one that also came back from a broken neck?
There is gonna be a piss up tonight lol! Unless Nick and Michael have settled down recently (doubt it!) they do like to get a bit warm lol!
I’m thrilled for Nick. He was my fave as a child and not much has changed. He’s broken himself more than anyone who is still at it and just put on a clinic.
Sad for Eric but he already has one of those and has lots of time for another.
That was truly awesome and what a bunch of amazing horses. Can’t remember in recent times being so impressed with the horses round after round after round.
[QUOTE=omare;8806486]
Nick is the one that also came back from a broken neck?[/QUOTE]
Broken neck in 2000, hip replacement 2011
[QUOTE=Equibrit;8806214]
I can’t believe that little GB is second in the Medal count !
23 Gold
21 Silver
13 bronze
Second to the USA.
35 Gold
33 Silver
32 Bronze
So far.
Wonder if it has something to do with doping ?[/QUOTE]
Good grief. :eek:
Britain has always punched above its weight. :winkgrin:
If you watched a series on Horse and Country TV that covered Carl Hester’s yard on the runup to the London Olympics, you would see they get a lot of financial aid from lottery funding. Of course the better you do the more support you get.
[QUOTE=SlamDunk;8806498]
Broken neck in 2000, hip replacement 2011[/QUOTE]
And didn’t he get so close with arko till it all went to pieces in the last rounds back in 2004.
This is so deserved for nick and what a horse…
Happy for Nick, especially after everything he has gone through with Big Star! But I am disappointed for Eric.
Imagine having only 1 rail (in the final jump off no less) all week then being beat by someone who had 3 rails and a time fault over the course of the week. Same for Kent, Voyeur was on point all week but it caught up to him today and just got a little tired. Still, he had a lower total amount of faults then Nick. I believe the same goes for Peder, but I’m not certain.
I think this format is one of the reason non horse people don’t “get” show jumping at the Olympics, and why it isn’t actively broadcast. For example, person who knocks 2 rails can beat someone who only had a time fault, because of the day the rails were knocked down. They don’t get the point of having all those rounds if they won’t get counted. It’s just as easy to seed countries using FEI ranking points, Nation’s cup standing or even a regular draw. That’s just my opinion from watching the past few days of coverage with my non horsey friends, but I’d like to know what you all think.
Getting ticked off at CBC Radio going on and on about the women soccer team and their bronze at.every.newscast. You did say we got TWO bronze medals today. Would it really hurt to mention the second one??
[QUOTE=FalseImpression;8806532]
Getting ticked off at CBC Radio going on and on about the women soccer team and their bronze at.every.newscast. You did say we got TWO bronze medals today. Would it really hurt to mention the second one??[/QUOTE]
Potentially three. I read that our race walker finished fourth, but filed a protest against the Japanese athlete that bumped him and finished just ahead of him.
Happy for Nick, just disappointed for Eric that he made is all week without a rail until today. I’m not really a fan of wiping the slate clean for the final rounds, and I’m not just talking about equestrian. To me the true test of an athlete is someone who can continuously produce the best result.
Not trying to take away from Nick, he’s definitely not a one hit wonder! I just question the different selection processes and formats for different sports to get the finals.
[QUOTE=Cancara;8806509]
And didn’t he get so close with arko till it all went to pieces in the last rounds back in 2004.
This is so deserved for nick and what a horse…[/QUOTE]
Yeh, I agree, Nick had a great round. So did Eric, so so close! Heck even my non horsey Dad recognized Nick Skeleton’s name 
Skeleton is quite funny … but it is Skelton
Truth be told, hours later, I’m still a little teary-eyed with happiness over Nick winning. How cool is it that athletes from Great Britain won individual gold in both show jumping AND dressage?!?
