Next up for the dressage at the Olympics is the Grand Prix Special and after the completion of the test the will be a medal presentation and it's is going to be so so close.  Great Britain, Germany and Holland all in with a chance not to mention the Danes who are a chance for a medal as well. The Brits on top with 79.4 then the Germans on 78.8 and then the Dutch on 76.8 with the Danes snapping at their heels on 73.80. 

Unfortunately Australia did not qualify for the teams and nor were they high enough up the list to be included for the individuals who also compete in the Grand Prix Special. The top 11 individuals from the Grand Prix also qualify for the Special with the top 7 teams. After  the completion of the teams medals and thus the Grand Prix Special, it is the top ranked 18 riders who go forward into the Grand Prix Freestyle (Kur) which is a stand alone competition. The top three riders in that competition (the Kur) are the three Olympic medallists and so it is not over till the last tests music ends!!

As you aware,  the medallists are not a foregone conclusion and there are several top horses and riders that all could win.

First and foremost as they did in the Grand Prix they have to ride a clean test. This means no mistakes in any movements like the tempi changes, the pirouettes and the piaffe and passage and those transitions, of which there are many in this Olympic Grand Prix Special test.

For those of you that may be interested there is a copy of the test here for you to look at and see where the marks are gained! Click hereto view a copy of the Grand Prix Special test. 

For me as a rider and a judge I always look to see where the coefficient marks are, as that means a double bonus or double disaster and in this test there a only eight double marks.

1. One each for the collected walk and the extended walk

2. One each for the half pass trot left and right

3. One each for the pirouette left and right in canter

4. One for the submission mark

5. One for the rider mark.

There are also the trick movements that are small but important

Look at movement 19

    It's simply a canter transition and a few steps of collected canter

At the end movement 28

“A” down centerline in canter and DL collected trot. It's simply a trot transition from canter.

Look at the final movement

     It's only the halt

140 marks of a total of 390 is gained from the movements having piaffe and passage commitments.

So in this test more than ever, you have to have a horse that is good in piaffe and passage and transitions to and from. Also in this test, as in no other, extended trot to passage and vice versa.

There is no rein back, but there is walk to piaffe.

I am just using the first three horses after the Grand Prix as examples, but the same ideas will apply to those lower down the ranking. I think you will see those horses ranked a little lower, trying for that extra mark and going for gold with the risk that may not pay off but it's worth it for them. It would be interesting to know what the team managers are advising as it's a team medal but also you need to make sure you get in to the top eighteen as well. It's not just about riding the test. 

There is a lot of game play here. There is a huge amount weighing on winning this team medal and all members of the top three teams can’t afford to make a mistake.

What to look forward-

1. Yes the Walk is money for jam. I have to say here, that I feel that Damon Hill has a huge advantage as I believe he could get a 10 for the extended walk and  lower and the same in the collected walk with Parzival, in the middle who needs to reach “To the bridle more in the extended walk”.

2. The trot half pass????..... well Damon Hill lacks a degree of flexion and bend here. What to look for is the angle or sideways as the angle on paper is the same as for the Grand Prix

BUT

It starts from F and goes across to E and you DON'T have to go sideways straight away, as in the Grand Prix. You just go straight on to S. What you will need to watch is that the angle will be a little easier as the riders will get to E a little later than in the Grand Prix one. With the slightly easier angle it will suit Damon Hill as he can go easier and be more fluent. I think that Parzival will lead the way in the half pass marks but Valegro is also an absolute star here too as he is so rhythmical and forward, but perhaps the longer legs of Parzival will gain another point or part thereof.

3. With the pirouettes it will be one of those marks that will depend on the risks the riders take to make them tight for a big mark, but also risk a loss of balance and by going for it. All three horses have great pirouettes but I go for Parzival.

4.  The submission marks will depend if they all go for the bigger marks by more impulsion and expression and the chance of strong looking frames and necks and that may be Parzival and Valegro. Damon Hill will not get strong at all but may get a little short or tight in the neck

5.  All three riders deserve TEN for riding, but again it will depend on if they go for big marks and it comes off or if they make a mistake. So will they be less flash and good or excellent and exciting?

As this is teams test, they will be again a little underpowered, but with absolute determination not to make a mistake, this is my bet. Of course when you over do the under power, sometimes you end up with a mistake as well. As lacking forward desire and real impulsion into the frame and on the job, gives the horses a moment to loose concentration and in the tempis one mistake may be the gold medal gone!

Of course it is the overall fluency and correctness of the way the test is presented to the judges that is important. It's an overall impression and that feeling of confidence and joy in the balance and ease in which each combination perform the test. This test is not often ridden, and hence the horses aren't all as familiar with the way it comes up. If you were in the warm up arenas over the last few days you would have seen attention to, frame and balance. Special attention also to the extended trot to passage transitions and passage to extended trot, as the tempos for these two paces are different and to have the balance and the fluency to make this change in tempos is all important.

There will be plenty of walk to piaffe transitions as well, as it's a transition only used in this test.

I say this, but the warm up days at the Olympics are not to teach the movements but really reminding the horse to get ready for them in the coming test. I would imagine that the transitions etc would be practiced in the places on the arena where they are in the test. Not the whole test just parts of it, so when they go into the test, the horses mind are not alarmed by ten movements. It will be a case of the rider putting the horse in the mood for the movement and away you go. It is sort of like an Eventer or a show jumper who focuses on a jump when the rider gets the horses attention and on the line and the horse looks and says, I am on to it and focused. It's the same in dressage but it is a mental focus in the preparation, not so much something you outwardly see though. If you watch for instance in the walk piaffe preparation the horse will go Oh Yer I am ready I am collecting and I know there is the piaffe coming up. With the pirouettes its the same, getting the horse to really sit and canter on the spot, he will click in AH it's a pirouette and then beginning is easy, and then waiting for the aid turn. When the rider says start, away the horse goes.

It's all about the preparation.

I am so looking forward to the competition and it's a great idea to read through the test so you know where the marks are and what to look for. Some interesting tips to watch out for will be

1. In the extended trot does the rider really allow the horse to lengthen the neck?

(I think you will not see this very much, as it really is the icing on the cake that the horse comes more over the hind leg if it is to lengthen the frame correctly.)

It is interesting that judges here always are saying needs to lengthen the frame more??? Have a look and see if the horses that get the tens for extended do actually lengthen the neck.  Valegro gets ten.

2. Look for where the half pass trot finishes it should be at E and then the other way see if it starts at B or before, as before is an easier angle.

3. Checkout the clarity of the transitions in and out of passage to extended trot and visa versa.

4. Count the number of steps the rider makes in piaffe, as it has to be between 12 and 15.

5. Count how many canter half pass steps the horse takes in the steep half passes. There is no stipulated number but interesting.

6. How small are the pirouettes and count the number of steps in each revolution.  There should be between 6 and 8

7. Do the horses lower in the piaffe and is the tempo the same, slower or faster than the passage?

8. Do you think the canter in the pirouettes is three beat? Or is it four beat.

9. Do you see a period of suspension in the piaffe

I could write so much about this. It's really interesting, and I hope you enjoy watching the tests. I think Anky will come up a bit as I think she was hard done by with marks in the Grand Prix. Watch her control and balance in the corners.

I think Donnperignon will get a few more marks as will Scandic, as the test is suited to the expressive passage extended work with this horse.

Is Uthopia really through or is he a little off the bit?  Is the connection there from the back to the front?

You have to love Digby! Think about the self carriage and visualize the horse without the rider. Is it being held in a frame or is it really in balance of it's own?

Of course there are so many top ones and how close it will be. I am not so sure that Damon Hill can win, but I simply think he epitomizes the facets of dressage.

Is the hind leg of Desperados under the horse or is it tending to be out the back?

All food for thought and hope you enjoy the Grand Prix Special.The team medals are up for grabs and I am sure I will have the hairs on the back of my neck standing up when the medals are awarded.

I think the Britts can win if they don't get distracted by the home crowd and by being too safe? Then the Germans and then the Dutch. but anything could happen! Rain storms mistakes spooky things, so many variables but one thing for sure it's going to be the closest teams competition in the history of the Olympics. Also there will be the highest scores ever as well.

Let the medals be won.

Roger Fitzhardinge reporting for Equestrian Life

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