Kyle_Carter.jpgHong Kong, China – Selena O’Hanlon of Elgin, ON, is Canada’s top-placed equestrian athlete following the first of two days of competition at the 2008 Olympic Games. Equestrian events are being held in Hong Kong due to equine health concerns in mainland China.

Eventing, the first of three Olympic equestrian disciplines to be held in Hong Kong, began competition on Saturday, August 8. Eventing is comprised of three phases of competition held consecutively – dressage, cross-country and show jumping. With 70 horses representing 24 nations in Eventing, the dressage phase is held over two days, Saturday and Sunday. Cross-country will take place on Monday, and the final phase, show jumping, will be held on Tuesday. Team and Individual Medals will be awarded following the conclusion of Tuesday’s competition.

Kyle Carter and Sandra Donnelly, both of Calgary, AB, competed during the Saturday morning session. As the second rider into the stadium, Carter, 39, earned a score of 63.50 penalty points to place 40th in the provisional standings.

“You have to expect some distractions in this kind of situation, but I was proud of him because he held himself together,” said Carter of his mount, Madison Park, a 10-year-old thoroughbred gelding owned by Carter and Nicole Shinton. “He’s quite a fresh horse. He never let me down.”

Donnelly, 38, completed her dressage test with a score of 60.20 penalty points to place 37th in the provisional standings. Her mount is Buenos Aires, an 11-year-old Canadian Warmblood gelding that she bred herself.

“It makes it really exciting!” said Donnelly of the distinction of riding a Canadian-bred horse. “I originally got into breeding because I realized I couldn’t afford some of the horses I really liked. I was really happy with him in our dressage test, he was a good boy. He decided that the television camera between the judges’ booths was terrifying, and that effected our performance a bit.”

Donnelly, Carter and Michael Winter, who will compete on Sunday, were all members of Canada’s Silver Medal Team at last year’s Pan American Games. Donnelly noted that having competed with her teammates previously is an advantage at the Olympics, saying, “It takes a bit of tension out of it because we know each other better and know what everyone wants and needs.”

In the Saturday evening session, Selena O’Hanlon, 27, of Elgin, ON, was the lone Canadian competitor. Riding Colombo, a 13-year-old Swedish Warmblood gelding owned by Elaine and Michael Davies, O’Hanlon earned an impressive score of 44.10 penalty points to place 11th.

“It is one of the best scores he’s ever gotten,” said O’Hanlon, who is making her Olympic debut. “Colombo is a bit of a show-off, so I am glad I got to compete at night under the lights in an electric atmosphere. That bumps him up and makes him stand a couple of inches taller.”

Of making her Olympic debut, O’Hanlon noted, “I am so glad that Canada chose me to come here. This has always been my dream for as long as I can remember. Any chance I get to make a wish, this has always been mine. Blowing out candles on a cake, throwing a penny in a well, seeing a shooting star – the Olympics has always been what I wished for.”

The remaining two members of the Canadian Eventing Team, Samantha Taylor of Richmond, BC, and Michael Winter of Toronto, ON, compete on Sunday morning.

At the half-way stage of dressage competition, Canada’s score of 167.80 places it eighth overall among the 11 nations fielding teams. Teams are comprised of five horse-rider combinations and the best three scores are counted towards the team result. Australia currently leads the way with a score of 102.80 penalty points followed by the United States in second with 121.50. Germany sits third with 135.30 penalty points.

In the Individual standings, Lucinda Fredericks of Australia is at the top of the leader board with 30.40 penalty points following her dressage test with Headley Britannia. Belgium’s Karin Donckers is second with 31.70 riding Gazelle de la Brasserie while another Australian, Megan Jones, is third with a score of 35.40 earned riding Irish Jester.

For more information, including live results, please visit www.fei.org/olympics.

2008 Olympic Games – Provisional Individual Eventing Standings Following Dressage Day 1

Rider Country Horse Score

1. Lucinda Fredericks Australia Headley Britannia 30.40

2. Karin Donckers Belgium Gazelle de la Brasserie 31.70

3. Megan Jones Australia Irish Jester 35.40

4. Rebecca Holder United States Courageous Comet 35.70

5. Clayton Fredericks Australia Ben Along Time 37.00

11. Selena O’Hanlon Elgin, ON Colombo 44.10

37. Sandra Donnelly Calgary, AB Buenos Aires 60.20

40. Kyle Carter Calgary, AB Madison Park 63.50

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