Not the best day for the Eventers. Some rotten, unfair, and loud feedback over the loudspeaker interrupted Colleen Loach and Qorry Blue D’Argouges as they were starting out on their test – not once, but twice. The unexpected blast scared Qorry who scooted forward during the collected trot which subsequently earned a score of 4, […]

by Susan Stafford-Pooley No bullets today – at least not in the press tent – so it was a good day. Out on the military shooting ranges surrounding the Olympic Equestrian Centre it was a different story, however. I felt so badly for Colleen Loach, whose dressage test included a (hopefully) unintentional ear-piercing sound system […]

by Susan Stafford-Pooley I began writing this sitting in a wifi lounge at the Panama City airport, watching the Olympic Opening Ceremonies on TV. I was en route to Rio, but not quite there yet. Despite getting up at the crack of dawn (or Sparrow Fart, as my father liked to call the period just prior to the […]

Two team members from each country went today which ended with team Germany in the provisional lead and William Fox-Pitt and Chilli Morning with the top score of 37. Jessica Phoenix and A Little Romance were the very first pair in the ring and scored a personal best at the 4* level. “I’m extremely proud […]

I don’t know a lick of Portuguese, but after being here a few hours I quickly recall how nice and welcoming everyone is. Between friendly smiles and smooth operations it has happily been a non-eventful first day. There are a couple tell-tale signs of the last minute issues that may or may-not get completed, but […]

Before they even arrive, the “Road to Rio” has been a tumultuous one for some Canadian athletes with appeals launched in two different disciplines. Jessica Phoenix appealed and won her case where the judge remarked that coach Clayton Fredericks had “lost it.” The judge also commented that EC also failed Phoenix when they did not do […]