U.S. Eventers Drop to Seventh After Cross-Country

The U.S. Olympic eventing team drops from third to seventh after cross-country day in Hong Kong, as Germany moves into first.

By Nancy Jaffer

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Gina Miles on McKinlaigh © 2008 by Nancy Jaffer

Hong Kong, August 11, 2008 -- The U.S. eventing team's Olympic medal initiative fell apart on cross-country day with a series of big disasters and small mishaps that plummeted the squad from third place to a dismal seventh.

An impressive German contingent overtook Australia in the standings, while Great Britain moved from fourth to third. It seems that these three teams have locked up the medals--barring a disaster in tomorrow's show jumping.

But there is a bright spot for the U.S. An individual medal is still a possibility for Gina Miles, who keeps rising to the occasion and is tied for fifth with her steady longtime partner, McKinlaigh.

While the morning generally was depressing for American supporters, anyone looking at the big picture had to be elated by the way the competition came off.

There had been predictions of doom; that the oppressive heat and humidity endemic to August in Hong Kong could foster a climate conducive to catastrophe for a sport whose safety record has been in question.

But the weather cooperated with temperatures in the low 80s, while the rain held off until the last few riders were setting out on course. There were no injuries and just four falls as the event's highest-profile segment ended without a hitch. Several years of intense effort, meticulous planning and an overriding concern for the future of the discipline gave it a tremendous boost.

"Today was a huge step forward for the sport," said Princess Haya, president of the FEI (international equestrian federation). "There was no other option other than to have the result we had today."

With the whole world watching, a single ugly picture would have been a calamity. Eventing has been in danger of being dropped from the Olympics in the past, and a recent spate of serious injuries and deaths certainly didn't help its cause. But today's outcome boosted its stock and offered more ammunition for Princess Haya, a member of the International Olympic Committee, to fight its detractors on that panel.

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Germany's Hinrich Romeike on Marius took the lead in the individual standings. © 2008 by Nancy Jaffer

Rider responsibility, the new mantra of the sport, paid off as competitors handled their horses sensibly, not pushing too hard or taking major risks.

No one made the optimum time of eight minutes, the shortest ever for an Olympic event. Australia's Shane Rose on All Luck came closest, and he was 23 seconds over.

"I never believed anybody would get the time," said course designer Michael Etherington-Smith.

He could finally breathe a sigh of relief, but typical of this magnanimous guy, he didn't take the credit for how well things went, citing everyone who worked with him.

"It was a huge team effort. These guys have done an amazing job producing the course in what has been pretty testing conditions," he commented.

The route was gorgeous and the spectators who swarmed over the Hong Kong Golf Club grounds at Beas River were wowed by such signature jumps as the Great Wall of China, the multiple-effort Five-Colored Lake and the Crouching Dragons.

I was at the lake as the lead-off U.S. rider, Amy Tryon on Poggio II, aced it. The individual bronze medalist at the 2006 World Equestrian Games looked likely to handle the entire route as efficiently as she went through the water.

Few horse/rider combinations are as experienced as these two, but accidents do happen. At the 10th fence, The Birdcages, Poggio fumbled, and Amy went off. Under a new rule, one fall means elimination, so that was that for the last championship outing of Poggio's career.

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Karen O'Connor on Mandiba © 2008 by Nancy Jaffer

I asked Amy what happened, and here is what she told me.

Listen: Amy Tryon on Poggio's stumble

Gina Miles put in a trip that clearly stated all was not lost as she shouldered extra responsibility following Amy's mishap.

Listen: Gina Miles on her cross-country ride

But as it turned out, Amy's fall was just the start of the American squad's trouble. Becky Holder, fifth after dressage with Courageous Comet and a real medal threat, was enjoying a beautiful trip until she got to the dragons and had a refusal. On reapproaching the fence, she crossed her own line and was charged with another refusal. She is now in 48th place.

Karen O'Connor, wearing a bracelet made from the tail of her beloved pony, the late Theodore O'Connor, was aboard the team's least-experienced horse, Mandiba.

A test of this nature was asking a lot of a still-developing horse, and he had refusals at two difficult fences, the second part of the triple at the Yu Gardens, number 9, and number 28, the Pagodas, the next-to-last obstacle, but still managed to finish, albeit in 54th place.

"Karen's horse is young, it's probably a year or two too soon for him," said coach Mark Phillips. "We took a chance on him and just a couple of fences he showed his greenness. But he's grown up a lot on this trip and he's a great prospect for 2010 (the World Equestrian Games)."