It's the Eventing Euros this week

[Tiddlypom]

Laura used every ounce of her talent to get him home at Haras! (I also wonder whether he’d have actually got home at Badminton last year if they hadn’t been held…)

London52 was knackered before the lengthy course hold at Badminton. Without it, I also doubt that he'd have got home. He has tons of ability but he doesn't have the stamina.

 

[Michen]

London had that run out at Pratoni too... I think Laura does a great job, but for me, I'm just not sure he's the true xc all-weather all-terrain type that I love. Feel like we're missing the xc guarantee and speed that Toledo and Ballaghmor Class brought to the team.


Edited to add - funny fact - Walter's xc record is impeccable nearly everywhere, but he's picked up xc penalties at Aston 3 times - the place we all consider to be the most "straightforward" for national classes - I feel he may have a sense of humour

I find London52 so uninspiring to watch XC somehow. I was a little gutted he won Badders as I don’t think anyone thought he would had he not been held.

It’s those tough, gritty horses that are amazing to catch. Colorado Blue, Vanir Kamira etc.

 

[Michen]

I can't see it being a factor.

The travel to Tokyo and back is a lot to ask any owner to put their horse through, and particularly take all that risk of travel and then be unlikely to compete or have any share in the success.

Yep and quarrycrest echo died of shipping fever (albeit he was no longer with Piggy).

 

[clinkerbuilt]

London52 was knackered before the lengthy course hold at Badminton. Without it, I also doubt that he'd have got home. He has tons of ability but he doesn't have the stamina.

Yet one of the comments I read about him at Pratoni was that he was fitter than at Badminton, and thus harder to hold in over a 4* course, leading to things like that run-out.

 

[teapot]

Yep and quarrycrest echo died of shipping fever (albeit he was no longer with Piggy).

It wasn't shipping fever https://www.horseandhound.co.uk/news/quarrycrest-echo-put-down-718957

 

[teapot]

Yet one of the comments I read about him at Pratoni was that he was fitter than at Badminton, and thus harder to hold in over a 4* course, leading to things like that run-out.

Apparently they felt the horses didn't respect the fences at Pratoni, which will be an issue in Paris given it's a glorified 3* to allow the lesser nations to get home safely.

 

[Mimsyborogrove]

Apparently they felt the horses didn't respect the fences at Pratoni, which will be an issue in Paris given it's a glorified 3* to allow the lesser nations to get home safely.

It is the same course builder as the Europeans so hopefully there will be challenging fences with time wasting easier options.

 

[ihatework]

Yep and quarrycrest echo died of shipping fever (albeit he was no longer with Piggy).

No he didn’t

 

[Nicnac]

They'll need top dressage horses and SJ's for Paris with reliable XC at 4*. Unfortunately it's not the dig deep XC horses who will be first choice if they have iffy dressage. I think Piggy has a really great chance along with Ros and Kitty. Can't ever write off Mr T as he's a fierce competitor and excellent at dressage and SJ.

The French were let down by their dressage which they'll need to work on to get the results on home soil. Gaspard's Zoe usually does a fab test but didn't perform as well as usual in the rain. Fantastic XC and SJ though from all four. I think he and Stephane Landois are almost a dead certs for Paris if all are sound.

 

[OrangeAndLemon]

@Michen were you thinking of Tina Cook's horse, De Novo News?

 

[Michen]

@Michen were you thinking of Tina Cook's horse, De Novo News?

Possibly! No idea why I thought it was QE

 

[Michen]

No he didn’t

My mistake

 

[LEC]

They'll need top dressage horses and SJ's for Paris with reliable XC at 4*. Unfortunately it's not the dig deep XC horses who will be first choice if they have iffy dressage. I think Piggy has a really great chance along with Ros and Kitty. Can't ever write off Mr T as he's a fierce competitor and excellent at dressage and SJ.

The French were let down by their dressage which they'll need to work on to get the results on home soil. Gaspard's Zoe usually does a fab test but didn't perform as well as usual in the rain. Fantastic XC and SJ though from all four. I think he and Stephane Landois are almost a dead certs for Paris if all are sound.

Gaspard shot his test by riding like an idiot. He just have dropped several marks from being ridiculous in the extended canter.

 

[LEC]

At the moment Piggy has a whopping 4 horses in contention for Paris. Toledo is done for teams. Pippa’s maverick horse is very decent.

 

[teapot]

Knew I had it somewhere, taken from https://www.youtube.com/live/DhTTFpRZedw?feature=share

Paris 2024/Versailles xc course details

 

[KEK]

At the moment Piggy has a whopping 4 horses in contention for Paris. Toledo is done for teams. Pippa’s maverick horse is very decent.

Even if he goes on and wins Burghley (is he entered?) do you think?
Great discussion! The XC was too easy at the last Olympics (I know they have to try and get everyone home) it was only pins that caused any drama. So I guess that plays back into dressage and SJ horses like London, Banzai etc..

 

[LEC]

Yep - better horses for the champs now - his sjing shone in Tokyo and others made mistakes so he kept climbing but he didn’t have the best time at Pratoni where every phase wasn’t quite good enough. I would love to see him win Burghley.

 

[Gamebird]

Great discussion! The XC was too easy at the last Olympics (I know they have to try and get everyone home) it was only pins that caused any drama. So I guess that plays back into dressage and SJ horses like London, Banzai etc..

But then we went to Rio prioritising strong dressage/SJ horses and the XC turned out tough, which rather buggered our plan. Who knows how it will fall in Paris! I think it's great to have had a trial run with the Paris course designer last week, and I think he's definitely shown the capability to build a tough 4* championship track with time-consuming get-home options. Which will definitely be needed by most nations in an 'all scores to count' scenario.

 

[LEC]

I asked a British team trainer what they had learnt about Pierre’s course design and they said decent oxers off turns but that he had taken lots of ideas from other course designers as well.

 

[KEK]

But then we went to Rio prioritising strong dressage/SJ horses and the XC turned out tough, which rather buggered our plan. Who knows how it will fall in Paris! I think it's great to have had a trial run with the Paris course designer last week, and I think he's definitely shown the capability to build a tough 4* championship track with time-consuming get-home options. Which will definitely be needed by most nations in an 'all scores to count' scenario.

Hopefully it is harder than Tokyo. Course designer did a good job at the euros, I thought so fingers crossed. Will be super interesting to see who (apart from Ros) they choose!
Kitty herself thinks the XC errors will be forgiven due to the ground..