Olympic Eventing xc thread

To be fair it's not the actual fences causing the falls, so far it's been big mistakes from riders putting horses into positions where they can't get out of
 
BigBuck's said:
I'm not enjoying this at all. This is not the international showcase we want for our sport. Slo-mo falls might make for dramatic television to the unhorsy but the frequency with which top-class riders and horses are falling is unacceptable and will cause a - justified - outcry.

The argument that it's the Olympics and should be a true 4* test and no other sports 'dumb down' for the Olympics so why should the eventers blah blah blah is all very well, but when custom and practice has meant it has realistically been the equivalent of a 3* for the last three games and countries will have selected their teams accordingly, you can't suddenly change the goalposts. Not to mention that the artificially and overly twist-and-turn nature of the track is the quickest way to sour and disappoint brave horses.

The cynic in me might think this is another attempt to get equestrian events out of the Olympics...
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Yes, all very true! Sad really :(
 
I think Gemma did just cross her tracks when she re-entered the water much like the Canadian lady who was first on course. Sandra is scaring me, the German riders always do as they seem to treat a x-country course like a steeplechase but that was just hairy!!
 
Watching at work with colleagues who know nothing about eventing, trying to convince them it's not always like this. Not a good advert for the sport :(
 
j1ffy said:
No one I know of expected a 2* xc! Most people say the Olympics is a 3-3.5*, this looks to be more of a 3.5-4*. But I agree that most teams looked for top-level 3* form with good dressage rather than solid 4* xc form.
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London was seen a a very soft 3* almost 2* in parts as was Athens and they were not expecting a course of 4* level. Toddy and Tina C have said it's the toughest since Sydney which caused carnage too.
 
Dunlin said:
I think Gemma did just cross her tracks when she re-entered the water much like the Canadian lady who was first on course. Sandra is scaring me, the German riders always do as they seem to treat a x-country course like a steeplechase but that was just hairy!!
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Was that after her first stop? She won't be penalised for that - once you've had a refusal it doesn't matter what you do between fences.

I was wondering if it was at that downhill fence where she looped back for the long route.
 
Astier Nicolas and Sam Griffiths have shown it's possible, although only Astier inside the time.
Sandra Auffharth was terrifying at that last water.
 
Lexi_ said:
Was that after her first stop? She won't be penalised for that - once you've had a refusal it doesn't matter what you do between fences.

I was wondering if it was at that downhill fence where she looped back for the long route.
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I think thats the one - Fence 19&20 the ski jump with the skinny brushes - she looped back up the hill to take the second brush/skinny
 
Lexi_ said:
Was that after her first stop? She won't be penalised for that - once you've had a refusal it doesn't matter what you do between fences.

I was wondering if it was at that downhill fence where she looped back for the long route.
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Ahh OK thanks for that, I did not know. I do hope she is not eliminated, the fact the commentary team have said nothing so far I really hope Lissa is just wrong.
 
On the rio website Gemma hasn't been eliminated. I thought she was down as eliminated earlier but I either misread or it's changed, its showing her xc score as 89.6
 
Lexi_ said:
Well I didn't think she did! Just reporting what's been said, and Lissa Green is usually pretty good about this sort of stuff. I'm hoping she's wrong...

Has Sandra's 20pens been confirmed?
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Wahey, she's saying it's probably wrong now! Excellent stuff.
 
I can't help wishing the next three GB riders were on much more experienced cross country horses.... only William and Chilli have been round a 4* track. It seems to me that we took a risk that the dressage would be important and actually given the course design that hasn't paid off, particularly as we aren't even in a medal position post dressage... I'll be watching through my fingers hoping that our riders will watch the rounds, learn from others' mistakes and get the horses home!
 
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