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1. Nicholas Touzaint (FRA), Galan de Sauvagere - 29.4 (0)
2. Bettina Hoy (GER), Ringwood Cockatoo - 35.6 (3.6)
3. Kim Severson (USA), Winsome Adante - 36.2 (0)
4. Jean Teulere, (FRA), Espoire de la Mere - 38.4 (0)
5. William Fox-Pitt (GBR), Tamarillo - 38.6 (0)
6. Ingrid Klimke (GER), Sleep Late - 41.0 (0)
7. Rebel Morrow (AUS), Oaklea Groover - 42.2 (1.6)
8. Pippa Funnell (GBR), Primmore's Pride - 42.6 (11.2)
9. Frank Ostholt (GER), Air Jordan - 43.0 (1.6)
10. Heelan Tompkins (NZL), Glengarrick - 44.0 (0)
11. Leslie Law (GBR), Shear L'Eau - 44.4 (1.2)
12. Darren Chiacchia (USA), Windfall 2 - 44.6 (0)

19T. John Williams (USA), Carrick - 48.8 (1.2)
22. Amy Tryon, (USA), Poggio II - 51.8 (1.2)
36. Julie Richards (USA), Jacob Two Two - 67.0 (1.6)

Canadian Results:

42. Bruce Mandeville (CAN), Larissa - 77.2 (10,8)
(Bruce and Larissa are pictured at the right on course at Markopoulo Equestrian Cente, Greece.)
44. Mike Winter (CAN), Balista - 80.0 (16.8)
59. Gary Roque (CAN), Waikura - 109.0 (45.6)
67. Hawley Bennett (CAN), Livingstone - 156.0 (40 jumping54.8 time)
70. Ian Roberts (CAN), Mata-Riki - 207.6 (85 jumping, 52 time)
Please scroll to the very bottom of this article to read the Canadian Press Release with rider quotes.

Team Standings (Official):

1. France - 113.4 (Touzaint, Teulere, Courreges)
2. Germany - 119.6 (Hoy, Klimke, Ostholt) (6.2)
3. Great Britain - 125.6 (Fox-Pitt, Funnell, Law) (12.2)
4. USA - 129.6 (Severson, Chiacchia, Williams) (16.2)
5. Australia - 135.4 (Morrow, Bunn, Dutton) (22)
6. New Zealand - 156.2 (Tompkins, Grayling, Tait) (42.8)
7. Ireland - 191.0 (Kyle, Griffin, Shortt) (77.6)
8. Belgium - 193.0 (van Rijckevirsel, Donckers, Degros) (79.6)
9. Sweden - 214.0 (Gallerdal, Algotsson, S., Algotsson, L.) (81.6)
10. Brazil - 243.8 (Gouveia, Marins, Paro) (130.4)
12. Austria - 259.4 (Ambros, Stegl, Riedl) (146.0)
13. Canada - 266.20 (Mandeville, Winter, Roque) (152.8)
14. Poland - 328.2 (Rajnert, Pasek, Spisak) (214.8)

(Numbers in Parentheses are number of faults behind the leaders.)

Cross Country Day

Let's start off with some statistics, followed by some questions.

Of the top 10 competitors after Dressage, all but one remained in the top 10 and that one only dropped to 11th. How influential was the Cross Country?

There were 16 double clears Cross Country from 75 starters - 20.3 % double clears. Was the Cross Country Course difficult enough for an Olympic Games? - was the time tight enough?

Of the 16 double clears, one had a fall of rider on course - Ingrid Klimke (GER). The fall was adjudged to have been a fall on the flat and not as a result of having jumped a fence. Klimke, inspite of a fall, - the horse did not get loose - finished within the time. Was the time tight enough?

With the exception of Pippa Funnell and Primmore's Pride, who incurred 11.2 time faults and remained in the top 10, due to her sensational Dressage ride, none of the top 36 finishers incurred double digit time faults. Was the time tight enough?

Every team that started the Cross Country finished a team Cross Country. Was the Cross Country Course difficult enough for an Olympic Games?

Only four competitors were eliminated from 75 starters - 5.2%. Was the Cross Country Course difficult enough for an Olympic Games?

Is the the Cross Country Course of an Olympic Three Day Event supposed to be a "feel good" experience for mediocre eventers and for the Infanta Dona Pilar and for the IOC, who thinks Eventing should be more "inclusive" or is it supposed to be a true test of a horse's ability to run and jump Cross Country? (One cannot help but ask - Does the IOC think that High Jumping should be made more "inclusive" by limiting the height of the bar?)

Moving right along, one fence was certainly the bogie fence! The drop to a jump up, to a skinny, artistically created out of a Grecian Urn, caused falls for three experienced eventers.

62. Andrew Hoy (AUS), Mr. Pracatan - 119.4 (65 jumping, 1.8 time)

63. Heidi Antikatzides and Michaelmas - 131.5 (65 jumping, 21 time)

64. Andrew Nicholson (NZL), Fenico - 135.4 (65 jumping, 7.2 time). Yes, Andrew's horse did run off and had to be caught.

Thus far it looks, to this reporter, like a Dressage contest. That may change on Wednesday with the Show Jumping Phase; but, all it can change to is a Dressage and Show Jumping contest.

None of this should alter the fact that some competitors had classic runs over an easier than usual course. Among them were: Nicholas Touzaint (FRA), the Reigning European Champion; Kim Severson (USA), the Rolex-Kentucky winner; Jean Teilere, the Reigning World Champion; William Fox-Pitt (GBR), the Badminton winner; Heelan Tompkins (NZL), thee times New Zealand Champion; and Darren Chiacchia (USA), the winner of the Bayer modified at Rolex-Kentucky. And Didier Courreges (FRA); Olivia Bunn (AUS); Phillip Dutton (AUS); Mary King (GBR) and Stuart Tinney (AUS) weren't bad either.

What a pity for the Australians, three consecutive times Olympic Team Gold Medal winners, who finished one rider in the top 10 (Rebel Morrow, with 1.6 time faults) and had three double clears in the top 19 (Olivia Bunn, Phillip Dutton and Stuart Tinney), were not able to climb higher up the ladder because the Cross Country phase had so little influence.

Cora C. Cushny

The Team Show Jumping is Scheduled for 9:00 AM EDST, Wednesday, August 18th, on Bravo.

The Individual Show Jumping is Scheduled for 6:00 PM EDST, Wednesday, August 18th, on Bravo.

Eventing: Comments from BOITEAU, WINTER , WILLIAMS, LAW, and BRIESNER, 17 Aug. 2004

ATHENS, 17 August - Comments from the riders competing in the Cross Country of Eventing

Arnaud BOITEAU (FRA) - Team member, eliminated after his horse fell

On his fall

"The problem was that my horse, EXPO DU MOULIN, gets very nervous. It is a horse that at moments is relaxed and others is very tense. I found it very difficult to control him today".

Michael WINTER (CAN) - Team member

On his performance with BALISTA

"I am excited, these are my first Olympic Games and I came through producing a clear round today. This close galloping course does not suit my horse. He hesitated approaching most of the fences and I had to make him jump".

John WILLIAMS (USA) - Team member

On his performance on CARRICK

"I was surprised to come home outside the optimum time because my horse is one of the fastest horses. But that happens".

On the Cross Country course

"I think that the course was too easy for the Olympic Games. It should have been more demanding for this level".

Leslie LAW (GBR) - Team member

On his performance

"I had a good ride. I had a scary moment at the first water".

On the Cross Country course

"It is a very inviting course. It might seem easy but making the time is really making the challenge in the competition".

On his horse, SHEAR L'EAU

"He did a good job. He is an honest and genuine horse".

Yogi BRIESNER (GBR Team Manager) “We knew Primmore’s Pride would find the time difficult on this type of course where the fences weren’t big enough to back him off. We did everything we could to think of ways to save time but he was very headstrong. But Primmore’s Pride with a few time penalties is better than most other horses. He’s still eighth and within a chance of a medal.”

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FEDERATION EQUESTRE INTERNATIONALE

OLYMPIC UPDATE

17 AUGUST 2004

Italian Albino Garbari was a happy course designer at the end of the cross country today in Markopoulo Equestrian Centre. “We were very fortunate with the weather, which played a huge role in the success of the day. It was quite a challenging task to design the first ever Olympic cross country on the new short format.”

So was Nicolas Touzaint (FRA) who is leading the competition after clearing the 34 fences of his horse Galan de Sauvagere, to keep his dressage score at 29.40 points.

Former European Champion Bettina Hoy(GER) ranks second, having topped her dressage score with 3.60 penalties for time faults, ending on a score of 35.60 on Ringwood Cockatoo. “I am delighted with Ringwood Cockatoo” said Bettina, “We now have a real confidence in each other, after a difficult time last year. He was my husband’s horse to start with, but they didn’t get well along together”.

Powerful jumping performance catapulted USA Kemberly Severson one place forward to rank third. Staying with the time, the Team World Champion had a score of 36.20 with Winsome Andante.

France is leading the team ranking with 113.40, ahead of Germany 6.2 points behind on 119.60. Great Britain fell down to third place on 125.60.

To the great disappointment of the public who came in number to watch their Eventing star, Heidi Antikatzidis fell at fence 31 (steps) “Pottery Masterpiece” and put an end to the Greek hopes for an individual medal in Eventing.

Nicolas Touzaint, Bettina Hoy and Kimberly Severson praised the course. “The course was a good mixture of straight forward big fences that were relatively easy and trickier obstacles. The topography of the course was also one of my concerns” said Touzaint. I think the new Olympic format is the way forward for the sport, added Bettina Hoy.

Beside the horse of Joris Vanspringel (BEL), Over and Over, who suffered a serious injury (a fracture of the left Distal femir - the stifle) on fence 26 and had to be brought to the Veterinary Clinic, (where he was operated on) all horses finished the course in excellent conditions, to the delight of Prof Leo Jeffcott, Chairman of the FEI Veterinary Committee. He praised the excellent cooperation between the veterinary officials and the Team veterinarians. The horses were well hydrated and all was in place in the Finishing area to bring down the temperature of the horses after the effort (unlimited amount of water, ice and misting fans).

EVENTING FAMILY STORIES

Thierry TOUZAINT is the trainer of the French national Eventing team. He is the uncle of French team trailblazer Nicolas, who today followed up his stunning dressage display with a fault free cross-country round. Retaining the lead on Galan de Sauvagere, 24-year-old Nicolas goes into tomorrow’s show jumping with high hopes of leading the French to their first equestrian team gold medal, and adding the individual honours.

Eventer Ingrid KLIMKE (Germany) is the daughter of the late Reiner Klimke who won team and individual Olympic gold medals in the dressage event at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles. Ingrid is currently lying sixth individually before the show jumping phases, and in silver position with her German team mates.

Sara and Linda ALGOTSSON, both members of the Swedish eventing team, are sisters. Linda (32), a mathematics and science teacher, is the eldest by two years and was the role model for Sara to take up the sport. Sara jumped clear incurring 11.2 time penalties on the cross country course with her horse Robin des Bois, but Linda and Stand By Me incurred 20 penalties for one refusal, and 18.20 time penalties. The Swedish team lies in ninth place.

Bettina HOY, who is lying in second place is married to Australian team rider Andrew HOY. At the Sydney Olympics it was Bettina who, as reserve rider, watched and supported while Andrew collected his third team gold medal in a row. Here in Athens so far the situation looks likely to reverse as the German team is also second place while the Australians are fifth. It is support rather than rivalry all the way for the British based couple. Bettina explained: “ We compete against the course rather than each other. In Sydney I basked in Andrew’s glory and he does the same to me. It is the way a good relationship should be!”

Andrew was the original rider of Ringwood Cockatoo. Doesn’t Andrew regret giving the ride to his wife? “ Not at all, they really didn’t like each other!”.

Muriel Faienza
Communication Manager
Federation Equestre Internationale
m.faienza@horsesport.org
www.horsesport.org
T +41 21 310 47 47

American Rider Quotes from the US Equestrian Federation

Julie Richards

For the Americans, Julie Richards and Jacob Two Two had a much better day on cross-country as compared to her wind-blown dressage test. Picking up 1.60 time penalties and going clear over the jumps, she finished the day at 36th going into Wednesday’s jump test – the third and final day of eventing.Having a bit of a slip at the second element at the water jump, she said, “There isn’t much on the course there to help him, and he did slide. I was just focused on going forward.”

Going into the final show jumping test, Richards was upbeat and optimistic. “I felt great, and my horse is really known for his show jumping, and if I keep my head together…it should be terrific,” she said. She made mention of the day’s course, saying that she thought it was “just a great, very rideable course.”

Credit was quickly given to her mount, Jacob Two Two, the Canadian Thoroughbred gelding. “He’s just the most amazing horse I’ve ever ridden. He has the biggest heart and he answers every question,” she said. With a wide smile she added, “There are some times I don’t even feel like he needs me up there.”

Amy Tryon

Amy Tryon, of Washington State, and her Thoroughbred gelding Poggio II, moved up from 29th place to finish the day at 22nd. Picking up only 1.20 time penalties, the pairing posted a time of 9:49, loosing a few seconds in the last third of the course.

“I felt the turns were a little bit harder and we did slip a little,” she said. “I was being a little careful…I didn’t want to fall down. It seems the course rode a little slower…If you are 60 meters up on your minute markers on the first part, don’t slow down because you are going to need that time coming around.”

Tryon took nothing for granted in her cross-country test. “When you put everything into it and there is the pressure of it being the Olympic Games, you have to work fast and put in a score, and there are plenty of places to trip up out there. You don’t take any fences for granted,” she shared. “There is a lot of pressure to get out there and get the job done, it doesn’t matter what the course is.”

Her mount did not escape her praise for his performance. “He’s very strong and he’s a brave horse, and my biggest thing has been to put my hands down and let him go at the pace he wants to go at, because when I start fighting with him, he gets more and more rank,” she said candidly. “You have to let him do what he does well. I have tremendous faith in that horse. If you can get him into a jump with his ears between the flags, he will pop over it. It’s more of me staying out of his way and letting him use his ability.”

Darren Chiacchia

The third American to go today over the course was New York State’s Darren Chiacchia with Windfall 2. In a great round, Chiacchia and his Trakehner stallion cruised through the course, posting a time of 9:45 – one second within the allowed time for the 5,570-meter course. His clear round, combined with his dressage score, moved him up in the rankings from 15th (after dressage) to 12th.

Mentioning his time for the day and the newly-instituted modified cross-country format, he said, “It was tough to make, and that’s one thing we know about this new format – the jumps just keep coming, so you can’t afford to ride backwards at a couple of them and make up the time somewhere else.” Chiacchia’s focus and skill proved on target today as he kept his mount at a good rhythm and rolling forward.

“He’s such a clever, clever horse,” he added, noting that there was a bit of an off-step at the first water combination. “I was trying to get a little more communication going with him before the water, and he [Windfall 2] was like, ‘Let me at it! Let me at it!’”

Giving consideration to the fact that this is a new track and not unlike the one the pair faced in Spain at the World Equestrian Games in 2002, he said, “These kinds of turfs that are newly laid feel great for you to walk on, but the horse pushes through…and it gives way. So in these turning questions, he lost his footing…but he recovered from his slip, and that is what you can count on him to do. He’s just so keen to do his job that even in an awkward moment he can fight his way out of it.” This was a situation that many of the riders faced, not only at the water, but throughout the course.John Williams

John Williams

Moving up from 27th place after dressage to 19th place was Team USA member John Williams and his Thoroughbred-cross gelding, Carrick. The Virginian was very happy with his ride and felt he was “spot on” today. However, he was a little surprised to see his time at the end, picking up 1.20 time penalties on a time of 9:49.

He was honest in his estimation of the course saying, “It rode much easier than it should have.” But the competitor/course designer was quick to give praise to the designer of the cross-country site at Markopoulo.

“He did a wonderful job really, considering with what he had to work with. It is a bit cramped.” said Williams. “After all, it is a new format.” Williams was just one of the competitors making mention of the less strenuous test, having eliminated two sections of the “standard” four-star test – the roads & tracks and the steeplechase.

He did note that with so many clean rounds, in his estimation, the competition ends up being about the dressage and show jumping. In short, with the fact that only three out of five scores count in the team standings, that leaves things unbalanced once you add in the new modified and shortened cross-country format.

An interesting moment in the day came when German rider Ingrid Klimke fell on the cross-country test, yet received no penalties. Having not taken her tumble while attempting a jump, she did not receive 65 penalty points. Klimke ended up posting the day’s fastest clear time in 9:27. This time moved her up two spots from eighth place to sixth – just three positions outside the medal’s podium.

Pippa Funnell of Great Britain (dropped) from her post-dressage ranking of second place down to eighth. Along with (one of) her eventing Grand Slam horse Primmore’s Pride, the pair put in a time of 10:14, (for) 11.20 time penalties.

Kim Severson

The final American of the day was another Virginian, Kim Severson and Winsome Adante, who posted the second fastest time of the day with 9:30 and no penalties. They flew through the course, putting them within arm’s reach of a spot on the medal podium on Wednesday night.

Pleased with their effort, Severson said, “Today could have gone one way or the other. But the time and the jumps were doable, as long as you get the chance.”

“I was extremely fast – faster than maybe I would have wanted to be. It would have been hard to make it up after the eight-minute mark. You didn’t want to be down then. But with me, I get worried about being late,” she said.

The new turf gave few problems. “There were a few places they have irrigated a lot. And he [Winsome Adante] slipped more than I was anticipating, especially on some of the turns, and the two tables. But he jumped really well for me.”

Commenting, as many others had done, on the standard set by the course in terms of it being “four-star-worthy,” Severson added, “It’s always been my impression that an Olympic Games were not supposed to be a four-star course. You have to consider everyone who is jumping around it. I did think that there were some really good questions – those boats made me think about it quite a bit! That was tough.”

“In hindsight, you could have said, ‘He [the course designer] could have made things a lot harder,’ but for not knowing enough about the new format, I think he did the right thing and made the right decisions,” she honestly shared.

Four riders(were) eliminated from the competition at the end of today’s cross-country test: Andreas Zehrer (Austria); Viorel Bubau (Romania); Joris van Springel (Belgium); and Arnaud Boiteau (France).

All eyes now turn to the new show jumping stadium at Markopoulo Equestrian Center tomorrow as the remaining 71 eventers tackle a yet-unseen series of jumps to determine who will stand high upon the medal podium, laying their claim to the Gold, Silver and Bronze medal placings.

First the horses will be presented for soundness in the morning, and with all going well, they will enter their final phase of the eventing competition beginning at 3:30 pm Eastern European Summer Time.

ENDS

For more information, please contact Maria Partlow, Senior Vice President of Marketing and Communications on (859) 225-6941 or via email at mpartlow@usef.org. USEF press releases are available on our web site – www.usef.org.

* * * * * * * *

Contact: Jennifer Ward
tel: (613) 569-2423

August 17, 2004
For Immediate Release

Bruce Mandeville Leads Canadian Olympic Eventing Team in Athens

Athens, Greece – Bruce Mandeville, of Summerland, BC, emerged as the top-placed Canadian Olympic Eventing Team member on Tuesday upon completion of cross-country, the second of three phases comprising competition in the equestrian discipline of eventing.

Mandeville, making his second consecutive Olympic appearance riding Larissa, jumped cleanly and incurred 10.80 time penalties to move up into 42nd position in the individual standings with a score of 77.20 penalty points. Following the opening phase of dressage, Mandeville, 44, and the 15-year-old Canadian-bred Trakehner mare owned by Franz and Elke Hollenbach were in 60th place.

“Larissa was great, she was right on the money and jumped well,” noted Mandeville, who placed 22nd individually with Larissa at the 2000 Olympic Games. “I was much more laid-back than I was in Sydney. I knew what my mission was and I knew what I wanted to do personally. I also had a chance to watch the first hour and a half of competition, and it made me feel confident that everything rode safely.

“The cross-country course went up a hill and back down and was really beautiful, set in a Greek fishing town,” noted Mandeville of the 34-obstacle cross-country course designed by Albino Garbari of Italy that competitors had nine minutes, 46 seconds to complete. “Coming home, the horses started to get tired and a little long and flat. I was doing pretty well with my time until I started to come back down the hill. The course remained technical right to the end. Overall, the event was very well-run, organized and coordinated, and the people are very helpful and friendly.”

Mandeville’s teammate Mike Winter, of Toronto, ON, follows close behind in 44th position with a two-phase score of 80.00 penalty points riding Balista, a 14-year-old thoroughbred gelding owned by Emeline Loughlin. Winter, who celebrated his 30th birthday on Monday, added 16.80 time penalties to his score partly due to taking a long route at the first water complex.

As the first rider out on course for the Canadian Team, Garry Roque, 44, of Caledon East, ON, acted as the pathfinder. Instructed by International Technical Advisor Jimmy Wofford to take the long routes at some of the obstacles, Roque jumped clearly but incurred 45.60 penalty points in the process riding Wiakura, 13-year-old New Zealand-bred gelding owned by Gustav Quast. Sitting in 52nd position following dressage, Roque moved down to 59th in the standings.

Hawley Bennett, 27, of Langley, BC, had been leading the Canadian contingent following dressage but had a disappointing cross-country performance, adding 40 jumping and 54.80 time penalties to her score for a total of 156.00 penalty points, falling 20 spots to 67th position in the individual rankings. Bennett, the youngest competitor and the only female on the five-member Canadian Olympic Eventing Team, was riding her long-time partner Livingstone, a 14-year-old Canadian thoroughbred gelding.

Ian Roberts, 45, of Port Perry, ON, was getting close to home when he fell at fence 25. Uninjured, Roberts remounted to complete the course riding Mata-riki, an 11-year-old New Zealand-bred gelding owned by his wife, Kelly Plitz. The 85 jumping penalties and 52 time penalties he incurred gave Roberts a two-phase total of 207.60 and put him 70th in the standings.

Despite three clear jumping performances from Mandeville, Roque and Winter, time penalties moved Canada into 13th position in the Team standings with a two-phase total of 266.20 penalty points. Team scores are determined by using the best three scores of the five-member teams.

“We were happy to have all five riders finish the course and come home safely,” noted Canadian Eventing Team Manager Greg Paull. “It would have been nice if the three clear jumping performances had moved us up in the standings, but the time penalties determined otherwise.”

On a positive note, the Canadian Eventing Team was commended by the veterinary commission for its cooling-out procedures and the fitness levels of the horses, who had the fastest recovery times of all the nations. This is of particular importance in equestrian sport where the welfare of the horse is paramount.

Wednesday, August 18, brings show jumping, the third and final phase of eventing competition. The first round will determine the Team Medals while a second round held later in the day will be used to determine the Individual Medal placings. All of the equestrian events are taking place at the Markopoulo Olympic Equestrian Center.

For complete results, please visit www.athens2004.com