Olympic Show Jumping Highlights

By Abbie Branchflower

Team USA jumped (quite literally) into the Olympic Games’ Show Jumping competition in London as returning champions, having won team gold at both the 2004 Athens and 2008 Beijing Olympics. Beezie Madden and McClain Ward appeared for their third consecutive Olympics to try and defend their winning streak as part of the US team, this year joined by Rich Fellers and Reed Kessler.

It was not to be, however, and the US finished tied for sixth in the team competition. Host country Great Britain claimed gold, while the Netherlands took silver and Saudi Arabia was awarded bronze.

The final Equestrian event of the 2012 Olympics, the Show Jumping competition comprises five rounds. The parameters for the competition are explained on the London 2012 website; rounds are evaluated in two fashions: penalties are awarded for faults such as knocking down a rail, the fastest round with the least penalties wins.

The first round, known as the first qualifier, took place on August 4. The top 60 individual horse and rider pairs, including any tied for 60th place, then moved on to the second round the next day, as well as teams that placed below 60th in the ranks.

Three of four Team USA riders moved on in the individual competition. Madden and Coral Reef Via Volo were eliminated after two refusals but continued in competition with the US team.

Madden commented to the US Equestrian Federation on the uncharacteristic performance, explaining that Via Volo has not done many shows lately and she felt that “[Via Volo] became a bit too impressed with the whole place.”

Fellers on Flexible and Ward on Antares F jumped clean rounds, while youngster Kessler, aboard Cylana, incurred one time penalty.

Following the second qualifier, Fellers was the only American to complete the course without faults, tying him for first place with the 11 other riders to have a clean round. Round two was the first of team competition and the second of individual competition.

Both Fellers and Ward moved on in the individual competition as they placed among the best 45 inriders (including ties) when their scores were combined. The top eight teams (and those tied for eighth place) based on the second qualifier went on to round three. Several teams expected to be top competitors were cut, including Germany, France, and Belgium.

The third round of competition, held on August 6, was the second, and final, in the team event and the third qualifying event for individuals. Final team placements are determined by adding the scores from the two team rounds. At the conclusion of this round Fellers finished tied for 11th and Ward tied for 26th. The highest placed 35 riders (and any ties), determined by their combined individual scores, went on to the fourth round on August 8.

The top scoring 20 riders (including any tied for 20th place) in the fourth round progressed to the fifth and final round of competition later the same day. Fellers, tied for 20th place, continued for Team USA and finished eighth over all. Individual medals were awarded based on the combined scores of the last two rounds. After a tie-breaking jump off, Steve Guerdat and Nino des Buissonnets of Switzerland claimed Individual gold, Netherlands’ Gerco Schroder, riding the appropriately-named London, took silver, and Irish Cian O’Connor and Blue Loyd 12 won bronze.

Although both Ward and Madden were part of the two previous Olympic Show Jumping teams, they both have new equestrian partners this year after retiring Sapphire and Authentic, respectively.

NBCOlympics.com introduced each of the team members to the public. Madden won individual bronze with Authentic at the 2008 Games. According to the USEF’s list of fun facts, her new mount, the 15.2 hands high, 14-year-old bay mare Via Volo, is the smallest horse on the US Team.

Ward not only has a new partner in Antares F, a 12-year-old gray gelding, but is also recovering from shattering his kneecap in January. Despite missing the Selection Trials due to his injury, he was named to the long list for Team USA and returned to competition in time to secure a spot once again on the Show Jumping team after showing in the last two observation events.

Fellers competed in his first Olympics in London but is no newcomer to top level show jumping. As cited in his NBCOlympics bio, this year he was the first American in a quarter-century to win the World Cup. His World Cup partner, Flexible, was also his Olympic mount. A 16-year-old chestnut stallion, the USEF fun facts list reveals Flexible is half-brother to Team USA Eventing horse Mr Mendicott.

Kessler and her horse Cylana are the final members of the Show Jumping Team. At only 18 years old, Kessler is the youngest person to compete in Olympic Show Jumping history. Kessler and Cylana, a 10-year-old chestnut mare, are only in their second year of showing above 1.45m, according to the USEF.

As with each Equestrian event, the Show Jumping competition was held at Greenwich Park. Among notable contestants was 65-year-old Canadian Ian Miller, who has competed in a record-breaking ten Olympics.