The first round of individual show jumping saw 74 combinations contest the course set by Santiago Verela and Gregory Bodo. The designers did a great job of creating a course that was difficult for all without overfacing some of the less experienced horses with overly large jumps. Instead, they used a technical track with light materials to separate the field that caused seven combinations to retire or be eliminated. The top 30 combinations continue to the final round tomorrow where they will once again start with a zero score. Several surprising combinations failed to qualify – including all three Canadians – notably McLain Ward (USA) and Ilex, Cian O’Connor (IRL) and Maurice, Peder Fredricson (SWE) and Catch Me Not S, and Daniel Bluman (ISR) and Ladriano Z.
The first to go for Canada was Mario Deslauriers and Emerson, who had a single rail coming out the combination after the water. Deslauriers had hoped that his round might be fast enough to make the cut but was bumped just out of contention to 31st by the last rider on course.
“It felt much better than the first round,” explained Deslauriers, who had scored eight faults in the team competition. “I know my horse can jump better than the first day, and I think he did today, and it was a good round. Good, solid round. Too bad about the four faults, but hopefully my pace is quick enough to keep me in there, in the top 30.”
These were Deslauriers’ fourth Olympic Games and he particularly enjoyed the experience and enthusiasm of the knowledgeable crowd.
“When you walk in there, you look around and you see the bleachers that are so tall, and it’s impressive, even for a horse that doesn’t really care about the atmosphere so much, you can feel their heart pounding. Yeah, that’s cool.”
Erynn Ballard and Nikka VD Bisschop. (Cara Grimshaw photo)
Second in for Canada was Erynn Ballard on Nikka VD Bisschop, who had four faults at jump 7 to finish in 37th at her first Olympic Games.
“It’s funny, one down the other day, I came out of the ring feeling like a hero, and today, with one down, man, I wish I had a better score. I needed a little bit of luck today. I think that new partnership, I could tweak a few things as the course went on,” Ballard said, adding that she adjusted the way she rode the water based on what she learned in team competition and was able to jump the following combination clear, a rail she had lowered in the team competition.
“If I had ridden that four-stride the same way I rode the last six-stride, I don’t think I would have had a rail. I think I would have come home clean, but it’s sort of understanding the stride and the size of the jump and learning the horse. And I think that there is something that I could have done slightly better to get myself clear around there, but that’s our sport, that’s show jumping.”
The pair have only been competing together since April and had only jumped three 1.60m tracks together before the Olympics, making them likely to be the newest combination at these Games.
“I wouldn’t change anything about the whole experience,” Ballard said. “I have a great horse. I’ve had great success. It’s really nothing to be disappointed with, other than the fact that I’m a competitor and I want to jump again tomorrow, like I wanted to jump the second round of the of the Nation’s Cup. I’m here. I want to jump. I want my chance on that podium, but I can’t take away from the fact that a dream came true.”
Tiffany Foster and Figor. (Cara Grimshaw photo)
Making her Paris Olympic debut, having been substituted in for Amy Millar and Truman, Tiffany Foster and Figor had a disappointing eight faults, tipping the final element of the triple combination as well as the second-last jump on course to finish in 50th.
“You know, he started so well and he really felt on form. He was giving lots of air on all the jumps, and when he’s jumping like that, typically he sort of stays off the jumps and he keeps going on. I think that I came into the triple, and when I went to hold him a little bit at B, he just sort of inverted a little bit and had a little touch on B so I thought ‘get out of his way let him just come out.’ He just touched C coming out, obviously. Then he jumped that next vertical well and I thought at that point try to have as fast of a time as I can.”
Foster co-founded the CanJump initiative with teammate Amy Millar, an organization that aims to provide sustainable financial backing for Canada’s international show jumpers. In fact, it was CanJump that paid for the cost of the horses to travel to the Olympics. The lack of funding means that the riders can’t participate in events at this level often enough to get the experience they need to deliver the best results.
“If there was this Championship in two weeks, and we could all take away and come back again, I bet we’d have four clear rounds.” She said adding that the lack of funding for the Canadians compared to other countries is “like you were bringing knives to a gunfight.”
The Rest of the Field
The French crowd were delighted with Julien Epaillard, who posted the fastest clear round of the day riding Dubai du Cedre. Having just won the team bronze, he was happy to be relieved of the pressure of competing for his country.
Julien Epaillard delighted the French fans with the fastest clear round of the day aboard Dubai du Cedre. (FEI/Benjamin Clark)
“I think today I ride differently, maybe more relaxed. Also, my mare has a lot of blood, and every day she’s more relaxed so it helped me to have more precision with what I do.”
The crowd also enthusiastically cheered Takashi Haase Shibayama and Karamell M & M, competing for Japan, on their clear round. Based in Germany, the two have been paired for just one year. Haase Shibayama also felt the pressure and nerves of competing for his birth country, but was able to enjoy today’s round.
“I’m not normally an emotional person,” he said afterward, “but I’ve learned a new side of me here these few days.”
Switzerland’s Steve Guerdat and Dynamix de Belheme returned to their usual form after their eight-fault round contributed to the team finishing in 12th. Guerdat had a clear round today and a fast time to finish in sixth and attributed the rails in team competition to his mare’s lack of experience at this level.
“I think the mistake I made the first day was not in my riding, but my preparation prior to this Championship, where she was maybe just not ready coming in. She was maybe lacking a few bigger classes before such a Championship,” he explained. “When she gave me that feeling on the first jump, I thought she’s back to normal, so you can concentrate on just giving an easy ride and not overdo things as I maybe did the first day.”
Sweden’s Henrik von Eckermann, who jumped clear with King Edward, said, “He has so much power and he normally grows into the championships. I mean this is not the first one he does! And he always comes out better and better every day.”
Team competition continues at 10 am local time tomorrow. If there are any withdrawals before 8 am, Deslauriers and Emerson can draw in, but there will be no changes to the start list after that time.
Results here.
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