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INDIVIDUAL SJ
After a course change, tea & quick bikkie, the stewards get back to it & the individual eventers SJ gets under way.
Phillip Dutton jumps better, but still has 13 faults on ‘Moses’. Brecciaroli brings in my dream horse Apollo, after 11.6 time on yesterdays XC & 11 faults from this mornings SJ. I’m sure he’s a really nice guy but if offered a choice, I’d take the horse over the rider, which to everyone else outside the horsey world might sound really odd! He has the second fence down & 4 timefaults. I’m sure he’s too big for that horse… a girl would look better!!!1
Andrew Hoy & Rutherglen must’ve done some pilates with their cup of twinings during the break, as they pulled out a great clear round & looked so much better than this morning. The man is a freak…still prefer the pony though! They finish 13th & best of the Aussies.
Karen O’Connor rides super well as per usual, & Zara has a thing for fence 2 & nearly falls up the neck! Her pony is jumping amazingly well & she finishes clear! Crowd erupts - Tally Ho!! Jolly good job Zaaaraaah! Jock Paget has really made a great rider in his 10 years in the saddle, clear with 1 time.
Into the arena in 6th position, the ultimate technician Chris Burton rides a steady rhythm trying to keep the big mare together, but Lani has the 3rd & 4the fences down. The reaction of your horse during the second SJ round is a hard entity to gage, given we never practise it at comps. The middle of the treble also falls, & it’s a disappointing 12 faults & eventual 16th for our brilliant Aussie star.
Toddy has 2 down, so with his pure SJ experience it must be a tough enough course. Andrew Nicholson keeps rails up against his horses will for 4 faults, & Sandra Aufarth jumps yet another amazing round (still minus a hairnet) on a horse that jumps so effortlessly. There’s the difference. The horse needs to WANT to keep the fences up. Tina & Mary are both super riders but have rails – Mary’s horse has all the energy to keep going XC, but too much to concentrate entirely in the SJ.
The over achieving Michael Jung simply pops around the course, but you can see the effort of the initial SJ round has flattened Sam somewhat. Still clear. That’s because when you’re an over achiever, you’re amazing even on your bad days. Oh I wish!
Sara A-O pilots the mare Wega and has the nightmare of all good rounds. the last fence down! She & the mare beetle around, but just get a little stronger into the hand as the round goes on, & hands over her podium position & settles for silver. Still amazing, but no-one likes to go down the leaderboard at the end of the event!
Wow, so Germany has a magic Olympic eventing experience for 2 golds. It’s been so inspiring to watch, & the quality at the top is just so good. Notably, the average age of riders is 30-40+, which just shows you it’s a mental sport & experience improves not just your skill but your patience & decision making as well.
Amanda Ross for Equestrian Life
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