Olympics XC - spoiler alert tho, don't read if you haven't watched it

kerilli

kerilli

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What did everyone else think? I was a bit gutted that they'd taken out some of the fences and softened it a bit, but it had a real impact and I thought it was really good that the time was so tight. 99% of the riders rode really responsibly in the conditions, there was some brilliant riding and some amazingly generous horses.
I think that the one person, AN, who was very very obviously chasing the time in a very ragged way should get the book thrown at him though, because if a lesser rider had done what he did they'd have been severely reprimanded imho. He was SO lucky to get away without a rotational fall there. That horse has been such a good servant to him and I thought he took so many chances, it was getting unbelievable.
Megan Jones, who hit her horse twice AFTER the last fence, should also get a rocket imho. I'm positive that's against the rules. Horse had gone amazingly for her, didn't need that to get 1 less time penalty imho.
The British team were brilliant, was gutted that Sharon didn't pull Jasper together a bit more for the pagoda brushes, I could see that run-out coming because he was tiring. The others all did brilliant rounds, as did Sharon except for that one mistake. Glad WFP apologised for giving us all heart failure by hurrying/missing so badly at the final fence! Mary, Daisy, Tina - all brilliant.
It was fabulous to watch Toddy again, truly the classiest jockey ever.

what did everyone else think?
 
I recorded it last night, so only got as far as Daisy Dick this morning (thanks for spoiling it.... !!!)

Thought time was incredibly tight and also couldn't understand the amount of 'things' scattered on the course. Rocks and planters of flowers in random places!!!
 
No chance of me staying awake and leaving for work at 6:30am this morning so I am hoping to catch some bits online at work and the highlights this evening.

Interesting to see a few of the eliminations and will be interested to see how they were caused! And a real shake up after dressage as well on time penalties alone!
 
I think the course rode brilliantly, stunningly attractive and generally lovely to watch. Our team went outstandingly well, as you say it was a shame about TT's run-out but you could see it coming, but she picked up quickly and finished strongly.
Frolic's round was outstanding for such an inexperienced horse. WFP.... well! Just don't do that again! And Mary's round when conditions were deteriorating fast was nothing short of brilliant. Better not leave Daisy out.... excellent pathfinder. I suppose I was slightly disappointed in Lucinda F's round but if she was riding to team instructions..... There could have been no better man than Toddy to set out first, and Gandalf did wonderfully. He's still quite young and inexperienced at that level. I've posted elsewhere about Andrew Nicholson's disgraceful display but at the very least he could have shown some care for Lord K after his fall - he barely looked at his long term, loyal and brilliant partner.
Overall the course rode extremely well, and I was so relieved that even the least experienced competitors from nations not known for their equestrian sports, either got round safely without (as far as I could see) distressing their horses, or knew when to pull up. The organisers are to be congratulated.
Now for the vet's inspection....
 
pity about the fences being removed as you said but there must have been some rider concerns i suppose.
and very cunning of the designer to make the time because it forced a few errors, although i dont really care for that line of approach in general but when they have to lessen the technical difficulty it is the only way really open to them now to give the xc any impression on the end result.
agree about AN. and has anyone mentioned an american person ending up on the floor.......
i think that things wil change again significantly after the showjumping, there are quite a few in there (including a couple of ours) that one clear round will be a big ask and doing another to decide the individual medals a massive test, somewhat underestimated last games.
very sorry for the french, down to three men and still well in there as a team tilthat fall. pity but not without an individual chance...
 
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Thought time was incredibly tight and also couldn't understand the amount of 'things' scattered on the course. Rocks and planters of flowers in random places!!!

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They were to cover up the sprinklers- it's literally on the golf course!
 
I couldn't remember who whacked their horse, but she took the jump appalingly and then whacked her horse for being honest and clearing it. Really p@@@@ed me off!
 
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and has anyone mentioned an american person ending up on the floor.......

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Well regardless of the past, she was riding too fast and wild and was a disaster in the making.

Thanks for clearing up the rocks, was very confuzzled by that one!
 
Really loved it, especially watching it live, Mary is our local girl, so by then I had no finger nails left. I totally agree kerilli, with the ''person'' who fell at the pagodas, a brilliant old horse who gave of his best, and the rider did indeed take far too many chances on the old boy.

A brilliant team effort.
 
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very sorry for the french, down to three men and still well in there as a team tilthat fall. pity but not without an individual chance...

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I'm absolutely delighted for Didier (fingers crossed for trot up and SJ ), very sorry for Nico and Galan but saddly I'm afraid that as a team it's a case of poor team/horse management and I also despise the lack of transparency and of misinformation around the so called "stable fall" of Galan...
The whole thing just makes them look very unprofessional imo.
Who are they kidding ?
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Just before she fell off my son commented on her position - she looked very unbalanced - he said it might help if she bent her legs
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then she came off and yes I cheered as well (after making sure her horse was OK). She didn't look very fit either
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and has anyone mentioned an american person ending up on the floor..

Well regardless of the past, she was riding too fast and wild and was a disaster in the making. Quote:

The words Poetic and Justice spring to mind. I am very pleased Poggio seemed OK after the fall, but doubley glad the poor old boy did not have to carry Lumpy-Bumpy around the whole course. All her horses go round xc like that, noses surfing the floor half the time.
 
It was thrilling, lots of drama and really good riding from some lesser nations.
Totally shocked and saddened by the terrible riding by AN, he was no different in Aachen.
I do hope something is said and hes fined as how was that really any different from AT?? the horse could have fallen and killed himself.

It was great to see Toddy out on course first, wonderful. Felt Tankers Town didnt really enjoy his whole round, Sharon had to work jolly hard.

Mary made me cry, she was fantastic!!
 
Totally agree with you about Megan Jones and AN, not nice to watch and not good for the sport. I loved watching Sam Albert, that horse looked so jolly and just kept galloping and jumping with it's pony stride the whole way round. Tina's horse looked class and that was a v respectable time considering she did more setting-up than most (understandably so) - that should win a 4 star at some point.

Nearly forgot, Hinrich Romeike gets my award for "Man of the Match" as to me he epitomises what the sport is about, and showed real regard and respect for his horse from start to finish; it was a joy to watch.
 
I haven't watched it but heard on the radio whilst driving into work this morning that Mary is in 5th place. I have recorded it and will watch when I get home.

Thanks to the 90 odd page thread, I was able to find out what had been going on, so I applaud all you nutters who got up to watch, i'm dedicated but even I won't give up my sleep for that!!!

But can someone PLEASE next time type in EXACTLY what happens, like with Sharon Hunt, all there was to read was a lot of NOOOOOOOOOOO's and OMG's and I kept reading on but didn't know what happened
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Loved it. Really impressed by Tina's round, havn't seen Marys yet but no doubt amazing. Bossman nearly gave me heart failure over last 3jumps Ed was clearly getting weary.
Severly unimpressed by 3riders - AN was ragging that horse chasing the time and riding absolutely wrecklessly, then looked severly pissed off when he fell off and just stormed straight off down the course without even checking lord killinghurst over. Amy Tryon rode wrecklessly the whole way round and must admit to cheering when she fell off. And finally Megan Jones' finish made my blood boil. That horse was so good to her the whole way round and to ride a finish like that was disgraceful.
Was actually very impressed with a few of the riders from the lesser nations - was expecting the worse from brazil but wasnt too disappointed though the first russian horse should have pulled up.

Also I wonder why the flags weren't used by the stewards, anyone know? I saw so many knackered horses that were leggy and becoming a real danger yet none were pulled up?
 
So glad I got up to watch the full XC coverage & stayed til I saw Mary finish safely. All the GB riders where brilliant, over a twisty course with possible the most undulating ground ever!
Sharon Hunt so unlucky with the second to last & I'll overlook WFP's messy final fence - lets be honest, we've all done it, only not in front of millions of viewers on live Olympic telly.

Was totally thrilled for Mary, my heart in my mouth especially after she had that fall so close to home at Badminton this year - wondered if that may be haunting her, particularly with the off-set pergoda(?) brush double as the penultimate fence causing so many problems. Fantastic to see such courageous riding in wet conditions - she just kicked on & really attacked those fences. What a partnership, would love to see her get a medal.

Keep going guys! - you're doing us proud!!!!
 
AT simply didn't have control of her horse, couldn't have happened to a nicer person.

MJ, it really saddened me to see her hit her horse after the last fence, bits of her round had been scrappy and he'd answered every question for her.

AN, he was lucky to get that far IMO. He chased time at the expense of his horse.

Tina Cook's round was lovely, horse made nothing of it all, and finished looking smashing.

Ingrid Klimke, also had pedal to the metal, but her and her horse looked fab all the way.

Mary King I missed
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It was interesting to see some young horses doing so well, but what I found interesting was the commentators saying that the course would suit the little horses - they said it a lot, but the times didn't seem to correspond with that view, the bigger striding horses seemed to make better time.
 
I completely agree re AN and MJ, could not believe my eyes when she hit that fantastic horse after the last fence. They should both get fines in my opinion. Absolutely loved Toddy's round, thought he was fabulous. A perfect example of positive xc riding whilst taking care of your horse.

Shame about Sharon, could see it happening. I thought he was galloping really well up until about 7 and half minutes. The others were all brilliant, except WFP giving me a heart attack!!!

Cannot wait for SJ. Not clear on format though...will they jump in same order or will it be in reverse of placings? Also when is it on?
 
they jump in same order for the team comp round. then the top 25 (but no more than 3 from any nation iirc, so if you're 4th best for your nation you're out, tough luck) go in reverse order. that will really shake it up, just praying Cavvy can keep up his amazing sj record.

AT was galloping her horse totally on the forehand, she often does it and really paid the price.
hope the Ground Jury aren't toothless about this - both MJ and AN should have public reprimands imho, lesser riders would have been slated for doing what they did imho.
 
Thanks for info on SJ, can't wait. It's so close in top 10!!!!

Completely agree re MJ and AN. Totally irresponsible, not obly towards their horses welfare but for they way it portrays our sport on such a huge public stage. Utterly disgaceful.

Does anyone know what time Sj is on?
 
Agree with all thats been said already.
One thing i did notice is the German team look so much happier without Bettina Hoy - the way they were all celebrating each others rounds - kind of makes me think that they know they stand more chance without her (something which we've always known!)
They seem so relaxed & happy
 
I was apalled at AN, I have once or twice reported riders in the past for riding as badly as that. He's just very lucky he didn't kill LK. Such total disrespect for his horse...........my spy in the camp thinks he's OK tho' so that's something. AT is very lucky she went when she did, if the horse had done it later on in the course, he might have had a nasty fall. As it is, what goes around comes around...........
Mary rode like a demon...........the first water was unbelievable,
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It is interesting how flat to the boards she was but still not near the time. Also Toddy, Tina Cook, Caroline Powell and WFP were stunning to watch, barring WFP at the last...........it was nice to se a quality TB horse go....it's amazing how the stamp of horse has changed away from the TB in recent years.
I felt sorry for the later riders and horses with the rain having slowed the ground up, the earlier ones had a definite advantage.
And I get so irritated by Mike Tucker, especially when he authoratitively puts words into people's mouth eg ''I expect ***** will have been told by ***** to ride to team orders'' when he hasn't a scooby what will actually have been said. And then he can't even tell which flipping horse he's commentating on..........
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That aside the 'D' box looked brilliant, imagine just riding into a cooling tent like that.....I hope there are not too many sore horses, I thought several lookes ropy coming down the hill into the third last but hopefully that was just fatigue. At least they have over 24 hours to get over it.
 
Agree with what' s been said. Felt very sorry for Lord Killinghurst to end his Olympic career with a silly fall like that.

Ingrid rides fast, accurate and quietly/softly, beautiful rider, I loved her dressage riding too. Really got good things out of her horse.

Heinrick the German dentist, absolutely loved his horse, enjoyed his round, looked after his lovely grey horse really well.

The Belarus rider, she had a daunting time in the dressage - hers was the horse doing the really high-stepping trots and looking like he'd bound out of the arena at any time, but he settled beautifully in the xc and she rode him lovely and steadily.

The big Brazilian rider, rode a lovely dressage test but I wondered if his horse would suffer in the xc having to carry the man's weight, but he rode softly and gently and his horse finished fine and the guy's face - well he was totally made-up, patting his horse, almost in tears.

With a couple of exceptions, what I really enjoyed was seeing how much care and attention the riders gave their horses, how much fuss they made of them at the ends (and some after every jump too), real partnerships as it should be, and thought and consideration for their horses all the way round.

A shame for Alex but he has youth on his side and we'll see him again so he shouldn't be disappointed but should go away and build on his experiences.

I thought it was a fantastic course, very interesting to watch from a spectator-viewpoint, amazing detail and work in the jump designs, and the proof of it being a good course was that no human or horse was seriously injured, and only a couple fell but got up again.

Well done everyone!
 
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