I am making a prediction here. Given the results of the last 2 nations cups, I think Ridland will pick Ward, Cook, Kraut and Farrington fro the final 4. Listed in no particular order. My reasoning is that Ward and Kraut can’t carry the whole team and at the last 2 nations cups, there were too many 4+ rounds resulting in not advancing. Just saying … .
4 Likes
Would have loved to see the rounds too, especially Ilex.
I don’t know what you mean by goofin’ off. Ilex is an expressive horse and McLain is a very strong rider! After the water it was vertical-vertical-oxer and the B element came down.
Animated course design
I watched Ilex at Old Salem. He was very cheeky, throwing plentiful bucks, looking every inch a superfit horse fresh from the tropics who was now enjoying the 70 degree weather. It was a delight to watch, perhaps less so for McLain who had to package that enthusiasm.
I see they took their time around the 1.45 today with 30+ time faults. United Touch S was poky too. This is nailbiting fun watching the run-up to the Rolex.
4 Likes
Honestly, with how these recent Nations Cups have gone, it looks like the full team will need to be flawless during the Games to pull off a medal performance. We have a solid team and program, but I don’t know if things are lining up for us quite as well as some other nations for these Games. I predict we’ll be in the 5th-7th range team-wise.
7 Likes
I watched the round. Sadly camera didn’t show rail falling but. It was late in that he was out of the combination before the noise of the fall. And it was the fence in the middle of the triple combination. The horse appears to be difficult because you can actually see McLain doing something. Normally, it appears to me that he’s doing nothing so I think the horse is green or difficult or both. Laura was clear. Everyone rode well. But the 2nd round had all teams within 4 faults of each other for the win. Ireland’s 3 jumped clear to win. Everyone else had at least 4 faults, including Ben Maher, Henrik Eicherman et al. The Games should be a nail biter for sure.
3 Likes
Lol this. I watched the round live and said to DH "wow McClain is really having a tug of war. 
3 Likes
Right? He’s fun to watch but I would not want to be the one sitting on him. That looks decidedly un-fun.
4 Likes
Our team is official. Congratulations to them all! It’s going to be a tough Olympics but I think this is the team that deserves to go.
17 Likes
Unpopular opinion, but I don’t think it really incentivizes the next generation when you can have a rider invest in a top horse, work hard to refine the partnership, have an insanely consistent season at the highest level of the sport leading up to Olympic selection with that horse…and then be named as an alternate.
I’m a McLain fan as much as anyone, and Ilex is such a star on the rise - but for the Olympics taking place in three weeks, I would have rather seen the third spot go to Karl on the strength and consistency of their last few outings.
Regardless, it’s a stacked team and too many incredible horse/rider combinations is a great problem to have. Super excited to watch.
12 Likes
I think the chances of the US winning a gold medal are slim, the Irish have been almost unbeatable all year. And there are so many other strong teams that I’m just hoping for any color medal. McLain seemed to think Ilex is not quite ready and his mare is 15, if we could count on Karl to keep his composure I would put him on the team and McLain the reserve only because I think Karl has the better horse. Too bad we can’t put McLain on Karl’s mare.
8 Likes
Can’t wait to watch Baloutinue and Ilex in the big class at Aachen tomorrow. www.rolexgrandslam.com normally offers a free live stream. Start time is 7:05 (I think). It’s 1:05 German time.
Congrats to those grooms, I think they’ve all been to the Olympics before so will be relaxed and unflappable. Ridland will have very little to do, they’d better buy him a puppy or something.
5 Likes
[quote=“BAC, post:366, topic:795147”]I
think the chances of the US winning a gold medal are slim, the Irish have been almost unbeatable all year. And there are so many other strong teams that I’m just hoping for any color medal. McLain seemed to think Ilex is not quite ready and his mare is 15, if we could count on Karl to keep his composure I would put him on the team and McLain the reserve only because I think Karl has the better horse. Too bad we can’t put McLain on Karl’s mare.
[/quote]
Thank you for your support- Team USA
1 Like
Amen Amberley!! Quite amazing to read about their system:
2 Likes
Start list for Grand Prix
https://resulting.chioaachen.de/show/34/event/238/competition/18/startlist/
3 Likes
Is Karl not doing the GP? Or did I miss his name somehow?
He was not showing at Aachen. We also have Katie Dinan and Out of the Blue SCF in that class.
1 Like
Thanks.
In this June article McLain says it is Quimi Del Maset that is not quite ready, not Ilex. He is very positive about Ilex.
https://www.chronofhorse.com/article/5-questions-with-mclain-ward/
6 Likes
The training system sounds perfect. The riders not only learn riding skills, but stable and farm management as well. In the article a trainer speaks of a student learning to back a trailer and tractor around a corner. Geez, some students in the US don’t even know how to load a horse. From the article - “What is different, however, is that in order to even attempt to qualify, they must first complete required levels of the Mackey 5 Bar System, a progressive, structured program of equitation and horse management knowledge that ensures they are capable of certain riding and horsemanship skills and can navigate courses accurately and safely.”
12 Likes
