But British rider Daisy Dick had bigger trouble, because her mount, Spring Along, didn't want to trot when she turned left at C after her halt. He insisted on cantering, and so he did for about half the ring, until his rider finally convinced him to follow her directions. She is 29th on 64.3 penalties, which is a downer for that team.
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- Air Jordan lives up to his name with Germany's Frank Ostholt aboard
- © 2006 by Nancy Jaffer
German rider Frank Ostholt had to cope with a buck as he cantered across the middle of the arena on Air Jordan, but he handled it without blinking and was able to escape with only 46.9 penalties to place fourth. Germany leads the standings (no surprise) with Andreas Dibowski on FRH Serve Well. He was marked at 40.9 penalties. The Germans, favored by many to take the team gold in this discipline, are off to a roaring start except for one thing--Andreas is riding as an individual and is not on the team.
I think if you want to do well in this WEG, it might be helpful to be named Andreas. Remember the top scorer in the dressage Grand Prix was Andreas Helgstrand.
Australia is in the lead at this point, with Germany second (they would be first if Andreas were on the squad, bet the selectors are squirming now!) and the U.S. is third. But things could easily change by tomorrow night.
I spent part of the afternoon at vaulting and it was fun! The cheers and stomping of the crowd, the way the vaulters march into and out of the ring like prancing ponies, their dexterity and suppleness--all were a delight. These athletes are beautiful specimens; one extra ounce on their bodies, and it would show in the form-fitting costumes they wear.
But Mary McCormick, a team member and coach herself, said it's not dieting that keeps these young people slender, it's the constant workouts necessary to be fit enough to do this challenging sport of gymnastics on horseback. When they're not jumping on and off a cantering horse, they run, swim, lift weights and do core-strength routines such as Pilates.
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- U.S. vaulter Megan Benjamin leads the female individual world championship standings after compulsories
- © 2006 by Nancy Jaffer
Mary was hanging out with Megan Benjamin, who is leading the standings in the individual female medal race after the compulsory exercises. These include such moves as sitting on the horse backwards, riding with arms out to the side and kneeling on the horse with one arm thrust forward and one leg raised back. I couldn't even do that on my floor (which doesn't canter).
Compulsories are not as spectacular to watch as the freestyle, where you see all those lifts and jumping in the air and other dramatic techniques, but it was still pretty darn impressive.
Megan, like all but one member of the U.S. vaulting contingent, is from California. She owns a Danish warmblood named Leonardo who lives in Denmark and uses him when she competes in Europe.
"My horse really helped me," she said. "He did his job." Truthfully, I didn't know until today how big a role the horses can play in the vaulting results.
The U.S. team stands fifth, with Germany (as usual, it seems) leading the way. The Americans were hampered when their horse, too, was fresh and cantered a bit too fast, which made some of the more technical moves harder to do.
Hope all the news is better tomorrow. Don't forget to check for my article then.
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