Olympics - who would you chose after Badminton?

[wellwisher]

I think the Selectors must be in a dilemma! Gemma T and Tina Cook would seem a certainty but after that it seems a wide open playing field with several in the running but with a "?" about some element. What do you think? Also, do they have to be longlisted already or can that be adjusted? Would Ben Way even come into consideration? Lots of questions, sorry!

 

[bluebellfreddy]

After this weekend you would think Ben Way is in the selectors eyes, I would love him to get a chance. But don't think he will, no consistent record at top level. He is also not on the world class program.

Zara Phillips will be on the team, her name is too valuable not to be on the squad. Gemma and Tina should be on the team. Think Izzy Taylor will be in the running, as well as Emily King and Francis Whittington.

 

[teapot]

It's a tough one too because the Olympics are 3* and we need to be up there with the Germans after dressage.

I'd like to see Gemma T for definite, and Tina but probably on another horse eg Calvino as his dressage is better. Kitty King's doing the 3*s in favour of the 4*. If you look at the results of those others who are on the 'podium squad' and would be attending regular team training sessions - Wfp hasn't come back after his fall competively as yet, Pippa missed Badminton due to a crunching fall, Sarah Bullimore fell on one and retired the other, Nicola retired. Izzy retired one and was 8th, Ollie T retired one and was 25th on his other ride.

Certainly looking at entries a lot are taking the 3* route with their other top rides, and Bramham and Chatsworth will be telling as they can't use Barbury as the final team selection run this year.

 

[wellwisher]

Definitely going to be a different team to the last few years. Isnt Kitty King also in the running seeing as she didnt "have" to go to Badminton? Emily King certainly has the good dressage needed and went brilliantly until the end. Oli T would be amazing but think his SJ ended that thought.... But agree, Issy T and Francis W are so consistent in all 3 phases. Difficult to separate them all!!

 

[Chloe..x]

I don't think Zara deserves to go. If she goes, it's all for the wrong reasons.

I'd like to think Gemma Tattersall after her performance at Badminton and the Europeans. With it being 3*, you'd think that we'd need the horses that will do a better dressage as the Germans are pretty untouchable at the minute.

 

[Golden_Match_II]

I'd say Gemma, Tina, Izzy and Kitty.

Izzy has strength in depth with her string, and 8th at Badminton with that horse was impressive, as were the other 2. You can't ignore people in top 10!

 

[Lexi_]

Much as I hate it to be a dressage competition, we can't afford to be way behind after the first stage. To be in with a chance of beating the Germans I reckon we need at least two horses capable of a dressage test in the 30s. Then you need to find someone capable of getting clear inside the time (which our team members have unfortunately not been great at recently) and with a decent SJ record. There aren't that many to chose from who've been consistent in all three phases at that level.

Personally I'd go for Gemma and Kitty, then the other two spots are impossible to call at this stage without seeing some more performances/knowing how people recover from injury. WFP would be a cert as long as he's 100%, Pippa would be in with a strong shout, Izzy and Tina are safe options or do you take a punt on someone young but capable of seriously good scores like Emily King or Holly Woodhead? (assuming Holly is also taking the 3* route this year)

 

[teapot]

The other thing is that for Rio it's four on a team, not five.

 

[vallin]

I don't think Zara deserves to go. If she goes, it's all for the wrong reasons.

I'd like to think Gemma Tattersall after her performance at Badminton and the Europeans. With it being 3*, you'd think that we'd need the horses that will do a better dressage as the Germans are pretty untouchable at the minute.

I'd say she put in a pretty damn good performance at Badminton and has always performed well under the pressure of events like the Olympics - her name really doesn't bring that much to a team, her ability on the other hand...

My team based solely on people at Badminton would be Oli on Black Tie (yes he retired him but Badders was always going to be a big ask of him and his performance at 3* is good), Tina, Zara and Gemma. From people that didn't compete at Badminton I'd probably throw Kitty King in but not sure who in place of.

 

[Chloe..x]

That she did however I still don't think she warrants a place in my opinion.

 

[JennBags]

As teapot says, the Olympics is a 3* competition so you can't really judge the 4* results to get a fab 3* team. I do think Tina and Gemma put in amazing performances though, and it would be difficult to exclude them.

 

[Orangehorse]

Tina, Gemma, Zara and Izzy. Zara is a great competitor, has already won an Olympic medal with the horse. As for Oli, he is a very good rider, but has he got the horse? Black Tie pulled up at World Championships and has just pulled up at Badminton.
Presumably Chilli Morning didn't run at Badminton as he has already proved himself. Emily King jumped the Vicarage Vee perfectly; I reckon her fall was caused by being tired towards the end of the course and lost concentration. Francis rode really well, but had a stop at Blair when on the team.

For the 2012 Olympics the selectors were looking for horses with good show jumping and dressage as the XC tends not to be as demanding as the big 4* tracks. Long gone are the days when the Olympic course was maximum height and spread at every fence.

Oh joy - who would be a Selector?

 

[teapot]

I wonder whether London was an anomaly though - short, sharp, twisty track and weren't we the only nation to get all five riders home on the xc or something?

It may be 3* but the optimum time can be up around what it was for Badminton, going by the pdf I'm reading about Olympic Eventing requirements.

 

[Orangehorse]

Will there be a final selection trial? I haven't really kept up with the Olympics news.

 

[teapot]

In terms of 3*, you've got Chatsworth, Bramham, Hopetoun and Barbury, but I swear I read somewhere (H&H maybe?) that Barbury is too late dates wise in terms of selection.

Might be other events that I've forgotten though.

 

[smja]

I think WFP should be in with a good shout, I'd love Oli T to get a spot but I'm not sure he has the horsepower - Black Tie a little inconsistent.

Gemma rode beautifully, and Tina too. I'd not seen Emily King ride before, was quite impressed with her XC round.

 

[Branna]

For those suggesting Oliver Townend doesn't have the horsepower I suggest you look him up on bdwp - 29 horses run so far this year! I think over 80 international runs last year. He has plenty to choose from at the 3 star level but it will be interesting to see what the selectors think.

I think Gemma T should be in with a shot but perhaps not on that horse - I don't think he was aimed at Rio but she has a couple of nice 3 star horses.

I think Kitty King earned herself a place with last years performance at the Europeans.

Really can't see WFP in the running at the moment - so many other strong performers. Tina Cook I think would be the experienced anchor for the team this time around.

So many young riders coming through that can get the marks in the dressage but it will be interesting to see if they take a chance on any of them with only 4 in a team now!

 

[teapot]

For those suggesting Oliver Townend doesn't have the horsepower I suggest you look him up on bdwp - 29 horses run so far this year! I think over 80 international runs last year. He has plenty to choose from at the 3 star level but it will be interesting to see what the selectors think.

He does have oodles of horsepower, but how many are qualified for Rio? That's the crux.

I think Gemma T should be in with a shot but perhaps not on that horse - I don't think he was aimed at Rio but she has a couple of nice 3 star horses.

Why not Arctic Soul? 9th the Euros, 3rd at Badminton...

Interesting few weeks ahead I feel

 

[Branna]

Good point about qualification - looking at results probably only a couple.

In the interviews I've heard with Gemma and her twitter posts it seemed to me that she is aiming her two mares at the Olympics. Possibly Arctic Soul is not consistent enough in the dressage to be a team horse if they are expecting a dressage competition! That said he probably would have been a great horse for WEG with the benefit of hindsight but who knew how wet Normandy would be in August!

I think the selection will be insightful to what kind of xc they are expecting in Rio.

 

[HashRouge]

I'm really excited to see who we take. It would be nice to see a slightly different team to usual, although like most I'd love to see WFP go. I suppose that depends on his general fitness though, and how much he manages to compete in the coming weeks. Does anyone know if he is actually aiming for Rio? I assume he is and he does seem to have come back well from his injury, but it is hard to tell from the outside!

Re Oli T, someone told me that WFP refuses to be in the British team if Oli is included. Make of that what you will!

 

[Lexi_]

GT's horse Quicklook is exceptionally nice and is probably capable of a better dressage than Arctic Soul, much as I love him!

Re the final selection trial, I don't think they're having one due to timings and everyone choosing their own spring/summer campaigns but I prepare to be corrected on that...

 

[Luci07]

Its wide open isn't it which makes it exciting. As the focus will be on 3* I thought that was one of the reason that stalwarts such as WFP and Pippa didn't push themselves for Badminton. I don't think it will be Emily Kings time yet as she has only competed in 2 internationals and at 20 has a long career ahead of her. However, her dressage and XC was a complete lesson in how to ride the test and course..but there is such a depth of experience against her. I am surprised about the comment regarding Oli T and WFP though! Both are exceptionally hard working riders and if he has the horsepower, there will be no one more competative than Mr T. However both the German and French teams are really firing so there will no places for anyone who could be a "nice to have".

 

[teapot]

Its wide open isn't it which makes it exciting. As the focus will be on 3* I thought that was one of the reason that stalwarts such as WFP and Pippa didn't push themselves for Badminton.

Didn't Wfp openly say he wasn't ready after the fall the other week? Pippa only withdrew because she had a crunching fall days before. Both would have been there otherwise.

The fact there are only four spots this year makes it doubly interesting!

ETS: can't forget Nicola W either!

 

[ossy]

Tbh I think it's hard to see where we would pull together a team that would beat the Germans or even the French & New Zealanders and a lot of combinations such as Zara are not qualified yet. That aside, Gemma T is an obvious choice at the moment but maybe on her other horse rather than AS that may do a better dressage as long as she can prove its xc form. Apart from that it's wide open, Zara has proven a good jump pathfinder at last Olympics but her dressage hasn't been that great at her last major comps. Would love to see Oli T on the team and I do love armada but I just can't see how you would choose that combination for a champ with its SJ record, black tie is a nice horse and could get a good dressage score but needs to prove xc 3* form.

Oh and weren't WFP and Oli T both selected for Europeans at Blair last year?

 

[j1ffy]

The Olympics is 4*, albeit usually a softer one. It was briefly 3* (Athens maybe?) but quickly reverted as the Olympics is supposed to be the pinnacle for any sport represented.

I wouldn't want to be a selector this year! Even if WFP does a couple of decent 3*s, would they want to risk having him on the team? I doubt Ben Way would be viewed as a safe enough bet. GT must be in the running after such a good Badders.

 

[teapot]

The Olympics is 4*, albeit usually a softer one. It was briefly 3* (Athens maybe?) but quickly reverted as the Olympics is supposed to be the pinnacle for any sport represented.

I wouldn't want to be a selector this year! Even if WFP does a couple of decent 3*s, would they want to risk having him on the team? I doubt Ben Way would be viewed as a safe enough bet. GT must be in the running after such a good Badders.

A 'special Olympic Format of a 4* level of difficulty' which is loosely translated as a 4* dressage and 3* for the xc I believe. London certainly wasn't up to 4* dimensions that's for sure. They have to allow the lesser nations to get round without killing themselves.

The Rio course designer is Pierre Michelet though which adds another dimension.

 

[dressage_diva]

Out of interest does anyone know why Amarda left AN for OT?

 

[ossy]

Out of interest does anyone know why Amarda left AN for OT?[/QUOTE

I believe AN had better all round horses so wasn't in is top string at the time.

 

[Zeb93]

Out of interest does anyone know why Amarda left AN for OT?

Don't quote me but I think it was because the horse wasn't getting enough 4* runs because of the depth of ANs string, but could be wrong.

 

[wellwisher]

What type of horse/rider suits Pierre Michelet courses? Should know, but where else has he designed?