Rio - Day 3 Cross Country

Fox-Pitt Eventing Club News - update 8th August:-

The Rio cross country course, designed by Pierre Michelet, certainly caused a large amount of issues earlier today.  Only 40.6% of riders jumped clear and he certainly achieved his objective of challenging the most experienced riders in the sport.  

Gemma Tattersall, going first for Team GB, had a problem at the first water and then at the angled hedges after the step up.  She commented that the horse went very green and frightened herself at the third fence before Gemma lost her steering.  She did a fantastic job to complete with 40 penalties and 49.6 time penalties.  

William and Chilli jumped a beautiful round but unfortunately had a blip at the third element of the ski jump fence (20).  William said to the Chronicle of the Horse  “I had a really good round, it was just annoying that I went past that third element. It’s just really unfortunate—it was my fault entirely. I went too quickly, I think, for him. I knew I had to go forward but I think he was going quicker than I thought and there was just no way I could turn him. He didn’t do anything wrong.”

“He was great. He’s a lovely horse, he really is. To be riding around there is a luxury and I’m just very sad that I’ve wasted it.”

They finished the day in 22nd place on 67.4 penalties.  

Pippa and Billy The Biz had a run out at the last element in the final water, dropping them to 28th on 84.3.  Last Team GB rider Kitty King and Ceylor LAN also had a run out at the Pan Am Wall combination at Fence 11.  This has left them in 34th on 100.4 penalties.  

Australia has had a great day with Chris Burton now taking the lead on Santano after jumping clear and within the time.  Michael Jung and Sam are in Silver position on 40.9 and Astier Nicolas and Piaf De B’Neville have moved up to Bronze on 42.  

In the Team competition, Australia has now moved into Gold position on 150.3 penalties.  New Zealand is in Silver on 154.8 and France is in Bronze on 161.

Show jumping starts tomorrow at 10am (2pm UK time).  The first show jumping round will decide who wins the Team competition and all horses (subject to being accepted at the second horse inspection) will jump.  After this the top 25 horses (with a maximum of 3 from each country) will then show jump again for the Individual medals.  This is due to start at 2pm (6pm UK time).  

Taken from the FEI Update - RIO 2016 OLYMPIC GAMES - EVENTING CROSS COUNTRY - Rio de Janeiro (BRA), 8 August 2016

All four of the British contingent collected both fence and time penalties to slot into eighth place and Fox-Pitt was clearly disappointed at his own result. “I had a very good round, it was just annoying that I went off at that third element (of the Ski Jump). It was my fault entirely. I went too quickly I think….and there was no way I could turn him. He didn’t do anything wrong. Watching those first few horses, you could see the course was asking questions all the way, and a lot of them weren’t coming up with the answers,” he added.