Olympics - who would you chose after Badminton?

[Horsemad12]

Having watched the interview with CB I hope WFP is not picked. I think it would add extra pressure at this stage of his recovery even if he was fit enough to go.

I hope he gets back to where he was and if he wants to, gets on future teams I just hope the process is not rushed.

 

[sam_m]

How does funding work? I'm under the impression that we need to be bringing home medals to continue equestrian funding (willing to be corrected) so I suspect it will be a safe-ish team to try and guarantee that as we have the euros and WEG to try out newer riders at championship level and push for top results. It's not necessarily what I want to happen but it's probably a good thing for ensuring the sport gets to continue longer term

Correct, Sport England provide stipulations and requirements for all sports that must be met as closely as possible

 

[lannerch]

Just looked at wfp record , he always starts the season like this year with a lot of time penaltys and only goes fast when it matters, I think he needs to shine at Chatsworth this weekend, chilli morning has just done a very good dressage , so Monday we should have a very good idea how likely he is to make the team. I suspect and hope he will so will be following Chatsworth with interest.

 

[Mooseontheloose]

I think OT has at least two if not three with Olympic qualifications, he can do all three phases well, so he should be nailed on, I would have thought.
I think the selectors will have to be brave, and not necessarily hung up on who has done what in the past, but who will produce the goods this year.

 

[noname]

The reality is that unless the Germans fall off, GB cannot beat them in their current form!!! Nothing we have in the uk will rival the combined power of German team in the dressage phase and even the odd good dressage score will not help! So if you send a team of dressage divas that's less likely to get round the Xc, you risk not getting a medal at all! When you factor in time penalties on the Xc dressage can be less influential!

Personally I think conditions at Rio will be really rough and its a long flight. I wouldn't send a horse there myself! I also think most Olympic courses are tough and still up to 4 star standard, it's rarely dimensions that cause falls.

My suggestion would be to send a bunch of lean, mean Xc horses that will make the time and close the dressage Gap (there will be a dressage Gap regardless) in rough conditions!! Then will be sound and keep poles up the next day!! I'd rule out black Tie, he lacks scope & stamina (unusual for a TB), I think brookleigh had a slight tendon strain and may not be fit in time! I'd support Zara to be honest, she can do a really good dressage just had bad luck at badminton, probably one of the most reliable Xc combinations in GB team!

Tina cook was fab for me at badminton and really knows how to get round the Xc at a decent pace!

The selectors have a tough job!!!!

 

[TheOldTrout]

'unless the Germans all fall off' - well, horses are unpredictable! Some long time ago, when the New Zealanders were the ones it was virtually impossible to beat, truth proved to be far stranger than fiction when 3 of their 4 riders (I think - enough to put them out of the running in the team event) fell across the x-country at a World Championship. So you neer can tell... (Can anyone else remember that? I think one of the NZ horses was called Bounce.)

 

[Mooseontheloose]

Bounce won the worlds I think. Saw him in the field in NZ a year later, looked like a fat cob!

 

[TheOldTrout]

Bounce won the worlds I think. Saw him in the field in NZ a year later, looked like a fat cob!

He was obviously having a well-earned rest! Was his rider called Vaughn Jefferies, or something like that? Memory's not what it once was... Had a look on Wikipedia and *think* the championship I'm thinking of was 1990.

 

[teapot]

The reality is that unless the Germans fall off, GB cannot beat them in their current form!!! Nothing we have in the uk will rival the combined power of German team in the dressage phase and even the odd good dressage score will not help!

Well Kitty King's just got a 32.9 at Chatsworth... One Too Many's capable, Chilli Morning's capable. They've been discussing it a fair bit on the ERM live stream.

As for flight time, Rio's no that much different to flying out to Hong Kong, and still far shorter than Sydney.

I actually don't think the gap's as big as it often appears - we'd have been super close to the gold at London had it not been for xc time faults and sj faults.

 

[gunnergundog]

Bounce was Vaughan Jefferis ride; I remember him at The Hague and Atlanta and don't think VJ fell off at either. In fact, I'm pretty sure he took gold at The Hague.

 

[Honey08]

Yes Rio is a shorter flight than Hong Kong and it will be winter there, which means it will be nice and cool (bit like our spring weather). I personally think it will be a nice Olympic venue for horses.

Chatsworth is interesting so far. There have been nice dressage tests from Kitty King, Emily King, Olli Townend, William Fox Pitt and a few others. I'm going tomorrow, really looking forward to it, and even more so to Bramham. The team is wide open this year, nobody has an easy ride to get on it.

I hope William makes sure he is properly right. While I would adore him to win an Olympic medal, I'd also hate to see him hurt because he had come back too soon.

Does anyone know how Pippa is? Is she out of hospital? It all seems to have gone quiet about her. I hope she's ok.

 

[Malibu_Stacy]

'unless the Germans all fall off' - well, horses are unpredictable! Some long time ago, when the New Zealanders were the ones it was virtually impossible to beat, truth proved to be far stranger than fiction when 3 of their 4 riders (I think - enough to put them out of the running in the team event) fell across the x-country at a World Championship.)

Also happened at 2010 WEG - German team had a commanding lead after dressage but then an absolute disaster of a XC day (2 or 3 falls, couple with 20 pens) with the exception of MJ (who I think was running as an individual not a team rider).

 

[teapot]

Does anyone know how Pippa is? Is she out of hospital? It all seems to have gone quiet about her. I hope she's ok.

Tina said on the ERM coverage that she's home with a bit of nerve damage in her arm, and just taking the time to recuperate.

 

[Honey08]

Thanks. I hope she recovers well and takes as much time as she needs. She's another one I'd love to see on the team, but has nothing to prove.

 

[TheOldTrout]

Thanks. I hope she recovers well and takes as much time as she needs. She's another one I'd love to see on the team, but has nothing to prove.

I'd love to see her on the team too

 

[Supertrooper]

Tina said on the ERM coverage that she's home with a bit of nerve damage in her arm, and just taking the time to recuperate.

Glad she's home and hope she recovers soon xx

 

[Supertrooper]

I'd love to see her on the team too

Me too xx

 

[superpony]

Interestingly William has just said on the ERM live feed that he would like to take Chilli to Rio.

I would say possibly William then Gemma, Izzy and Kitty for the team.. Nicola also has One Too Many who was unlucky at Badminton.

 

[teapot]

Interestingly William has just said on the ERM live feed that he would like to take Chilli to Rio.

I would say possibly William then Gemma, Izzy and Kitty for the team.. Nicola also has One Too Many who was unlucky at Badminton.

Tbf he's been saying he wants take Chilli to Rio for at least the last 18 months. There's just something that doesn't convince me though...

 

[Honey08]

I know what you mean Teapot. He's not quite on his usual level. Getting better all the time though. I wish it wasn't an Olympic year and there wasn't so much pressure. And let's face it, if anyone should be a definite on that team its William and Chilli. I wish the Olympics were next year.

 

[teapot]

Sod the Germans, the French are on fire too at the moment with a one, two, three at Chatsworth

 

[lannerch]

Also happened at 2010 WEG - German team had a commanding lead after dressage but then an absolute disaster of a XC day (2 or 3 falls, couple with 20 pens) with the exception of MJ (who I think was running as an individual not a team rider).

But since then with Christopher bartles help they have got a lot more proficient at the cross country phase they used to look like they were blindly galloping at fences, now is a totally different story!

 

[teapot]

But since then with Christopher bartles help they have got a lot more proficient at the cross country phase they used to look like they were blindly galloping at fences, now is a totally different story!

What's worrying in some ways is that Chris Bartle's been a part of the German training set up since long before 2010. I wonder what changed?

 

[Nicnac]

Delighted for the French - Badminton and Chatsworth have really shoved them up the pole in terms of Rio contenders. The Kiwis and Australians can't be forgotten.

Unfortunately can't see UK in the team medals this year in Rio unless the whole team (whoever they may be gets PBs in dsg and XC) - an individual medal maybe.

WFP still isn't driving - am quite surprised he is passed fit to ride. If Pippa has nerve damage that could take some time to repair. Tina Cook is looking good as is Gemma T who should be a shoe-in for Rio after these past two weekends.

Interesting to see Izzy, Gemma and Kitty did dsg and SJ in the another 3* section at Chatsworth and all 3 w/d before XC. Persimmon posting by far the worst dressage score of the 3 but all 3 SJ'd clear.

 

[DiNozzo]

When is the team going to be announced?

 

[JFTDWS]

I can't see Rio being a particularly British dominated event either, but we can live in hope... It's all terribly interesting, this team selection lark. I'll be intrigued to see who ends up on the team.

 

[Honey08]

Personally I'd bet on Germans for gold, NZ for silver and France for bronze at the moment. I'd say Gemma and Tina ought to have again given the selectors a nod today. I don't envy the selectors this year, it's all up in the air.

Roll on Bramham. I hope it continues the lovely sunny theme that Badminton and Chatsworth started.

 

[Jo_x]

Adding chatsworth to badminton my money would be on gemma, kitty, izzy and tina. possibly WFP instead of izzy...

Excited for Bramham!

 

[TheOldTrout]

Expanding the theme a bit, who would you all put on the Olympic showjumping and dressage teams?

 

[teapot]

http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/news/pippa-funnell-sandman-fall-541808