He also could not run more than 6 minutes on the Kentucky course or else they wouldn’t be allowed to compete at Badminton. Jenny had the run out, jumped one more fence, then pulled him up just before the 6 minute mark.
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This is the press conference where they were laughing about the idea of Jung’s horse going straight to Badminton towards the end of it.
The press conference does not start until a couple of minutes into the video.
https://www.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=663032159806534&id=663032159806534
Though this may be a big ask, I’m still cogitating on the Phantom of the Opera fall.
I pulled up the CMH version with German commentary (link) , a single woman, so no chat or compulsion to fill silences. I like to watch the German coverage for this reason alone.
My ancient college German is failing me, though. I don’t think I’m catching her connotations. On the jump (a little long and into softish ground at 1:06:50) before the fall, could someone fluent tell me whether she refers to Brockman needing more velocity? I hear her say tempo and it sounds complimentary to me.
Then, at the fall a few seconds later, I am clearly failing to catch and spell her response.
Can anyone here characterize it?
I’m asking in part because a German rider at the barn where I work says she thinks the German commentary is almost always far more critical and negative than our USA happy talk. I also would love to know how that went over in German eventing circles.
ETA: they run the fall again at 1:07:49 and she comments for a second time. It’s still beyond me. Pfft.
n.b. Apologies if this seems familiar. I first posted on the KYTD 2025, i.e. the wrong thread.
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Having been in the control tent for a 5* event let me shed some light on how it works. In the control tent there are 4-5 large screen TVs with views of every horse just about every where. Sitting right in front of the TVs are the entire GJ for that class. Behind them is the controller, assistant controller(s), announcer (s)
Then behind them is scoring team. In the back is the veterinary control and medical control. Our on the course are the TDs and usually the GJ from the other class will go be eyes in the flesh if you will. Sometimes the course designer is in control, sometimes on course. It’s all very structured and very professional.
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This completely describes the way I see the issue.
Riding is a risk sport. Eventing compounds the risk. To horse and rider. We need guardrails, because human athletes are not the best judges of continuing, or not.
This is not about public opinion – if there were no public opinion, the welfare issue is still what it is. It is the nature of the sport.
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I’ve been brushing up on my German, though not sure I would be able to translate. Unfortunately, I cannot watch this because I am not an FEI member, apparently.
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That is a really cute comment!
Skip to 21:11
They ask Jung what the future looks like for Chipmunk - if he will do more 5*'s and he says each day is step by step but “Badminton is a bit early” then the crowd chuckles sensibly.
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Amen. It was amazing he didn’t come off more than once. Am I right that most of these dicey situations happened after the fall?
I wondered several times whether CB himself had not really recovered from the fully understandable adrenalin dump when his horse seemed to be taking off from a quarter mile from a jump, clipped the top, and fell onto his nose, knees and belly.
This alone seemed to me one reason for a quick thinking ground jury to slow or stop the pair. Adrenalin is terrible for decision-making.
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Rats.
Thank you for trying.
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This is just what I want to hear. 
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It is good that 5* eventing has come a very long way from 2010 at Kentucky, when Oliver Townend and Ashdale Cruise Master rolled down from the top of the double-down, the horse in a rotational over Ollie whose at-the-time new-technology air vest may have saved him.
To my memory, there may be inaccuracies …
Someone who was inside the officials circle and observing the officialdom reported that two horses prior to OT had also misread the problem and fallen over the top log, and tumbled down the side slope. A fall over the solid top log had the potential to tumble all the way down the two big steps. No frangibles or collapsables at that obstacle, still early days for that.
After the first two falls, it was proposed to the ground jury that, for safety reasons, the obstacle should come off the course. Some horses weren’t reading the log well and an error would lead to a fall down the two big steps.
The ground jury demurred, saying they hadn’t see it for themselves, and despite descriptions from others, didn’t know that this was a likely repeatable error. Even after two similar incidents.
The insider observer, a person of status in the eventing world, reported being appalled that the ground jury at the time (2010) refused to look at the video of those two falls. To see for themselves and validate taking the obstacle off the course.
The ground jury gave the reason that video had never before been used in eventing to such a purpose. So it couldn’t be done. But without having seen what happened for themselves, these officials didn’t think they had evidence that the obstacle should be removed.
So the jump stayed on course. And then Ollie and ACM went somersaulting down it, in a crushing rotational right over Ollie.
But again the officials tasked with the decision didn’t personally see the fall. And still the obstacle stayed on the course. Fortunately no other falls were recorded that day at that obstacle. OT was carted off to hospital, broken ribs among other things, as he said later “battered and bruised in a proper way”. His eventing weekend was over (brought two excellent horses from the UK).
Very glad to hear that in current times a responsible approach is now the norm at 5*'s, using available current technology.
Below - Minute 2.17 begins Oliver Townend’s fateful moment with Ashdale Cruise Master.
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Does the course designer have any input as to when a fence needs to be pulled from the course? IIRC Mike E-S was the designer that year.
I’m circling back and quoting myself again because this video just popped up in my Facebook memories. Further proof that you never know what you might see at a horse show.
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I think he already left, so not a week later. Did he fly out of Lexington? Did he go home and back? What do we know for sure.
Yes, the designer will be part of the discussion, but the GJ has the ultimate decision.
From Facebook just now. Jennie Brannigan’s page.
Foxy was looking super on his travels to Badminton, but had a minor incident in the lorry upon arrival in England. After consulting with my team of vets we have decided it is not in his best interest to compete at Badminton next week. While this is devastating for our whole team, Foxy will always come first. Sometimes these things with horses happen but sadly timing wasn’t on our side. The last two weeks have been trying but we are looking forward and I feel so thankful to have the best team. Tim and Nina Gardner have been rocks through all of this, and I cannot thank them enough.
Thank you @ifeturner for working around the clock to watch over Foxy 
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I agree. How do you standardize something so irregular though? Each pair has an individual way of going, it’s really hard to have blanket examples. The only way to have any type of consistency is to make sure the members of the GJ are well qualified and there is a process in place for that.
There is a laundry list of requirements to be eligible for application. The FEI Rules & Regulations database is a great learning resource.
Bios were posted. A very experienced group.
This was what I’ve heard as well.
I want to highlight this because these are my exact sentiments I just couldn’t quite put them into words.
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That’s what a horseman does, although I cannot even imagine her disappointment.
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Oof. That absolutely stinks after shipping the horse all the way there. So vexing.
But… horses. 
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