Main image: Chris Burton and Shadow Man, by Michelle Terlato Photography.
Inside Paris | Presented by International Horse Breeders
What an amazing competition with the best riders going absolutely crazy and brilliant and the cross country course being heart and mouth challenging fences but in the main, forgiving and beautifully built.
One tiny little downside is that as a team, Australia is not in the gold medal position, Australia is not in the silver medal position, ummm, errrrr, we are currently in 15th position out of 16. Kevin McNab’s horse, Don Quidam, was going really well but just after the halfway mark something happened, not a fall and not a fence incident however, Don Quidam was retired. The Australian Vet has released a statement saying that Don Quidam has suffered some soft tissue damage and will recover back to full health in due time. The little bit of footage that I saw of the horse with Kevin dismounted, Don Quidam looked comfortable and was healthy and watching everything going on around him. It’s just one of those things and Kevin retired him, which means that Shenae Lowings and Bold Venture will be substituted in for the show jumping tomorrow. However, Australia will be penalised some 220 penalties (200 for Kevin’s non-complete and 20 for the substitution) which puts us out of competitive contention. Better than the whole team being completely eliminated which was once, back in the day, what would have happened.
Kevin McNab and Don Quidam. Image by Michelle Terlato Photography.
On an individual basis, Australia was pretty good to fantastically good.
Shane Rose and Virgil, who were second to go out around the cross country course, did a cracking clear cross country round with just 2.8 time penalties – which even at the end of the day was a fast time. Shane and Virgil did their job and with very little information absolutely took the course on and did a magnificent job. Currently Shane and Virgil are in 23rd position on a score of 37.4 penalties, which leaves him 19.6 penalties away from the leader who is the German, Michael Jung and Chipmunk FRH.
Shane Rose and Virgil. Image by Michelle Terlato Photography.
Michael and Chipmunk FRH went clear and under time on the cross country and took over the lead from the British rider, Laura Collett riding London 52. Laura and London 52 had 0.8 time penalties which is just 2 seconds, but was enough to let Michael slip past by 0.5 of a penalty. Holy smoke it doesn’t get closer than that. Laura Collett and London 52 are still in the silver medal position with a score of 18.3 penalties. Have you ever seen scores like that? We need to note these scores because that is exactly what we are up against now if we are ever going to get Australia back into gold medal contention.
Just getting back to Shane again, everyone will show jump Monday 29 July 2024. This show jumping round will decide the team medals, which unfortunately is not going to be us. However, this show jumping round is maximum at 1.25 metre and will also decide who is to go into the final show jumping round to decide the individual medals. The top 25 riders will qualify to go into the individual jump off some three hours after the finish of the team jump off. The height in the individual jump off will be 1.30 metre. Shane and Virgil are traditionally very good show jumpers so with a bit of luck they should easily qualify in the top 25 and go forward to the individual jump off.
And then there is Chris Burton and Shadow Man. Holy smoke what a cross country round. Three seconds under the time and Chris was showing off waving to the crowd. So much poise and Shadow Man looked magnificent. Now Chris and Shadow Man I think are going to put on a show jumping performance to rewrite history. They are both really good at this however I am guessing once again, because the partnership is still so new and so evolving. We did guess that 22 penalties being a possibility for the dressage on Saturday, 27 July. Well we guessed right on the money and in came Chris and Shadow Man with 22 penalties for their performance in the dressage phase. No one could believe it. They do now. So here goes with one of those prophecies.
Chris Burton and Shadow Man. Image by Michelle Terlato Photography.
I am saying Chris Burton and Shadow Man will go not just go clear in the team show jumping round but will also go clear in the final individual show jumping round to decide the individual medals. I am also predicting that the German Michael Jung will have at least one rail down with Chipmunk FRH in one or both of the show jumping rounds. Michael will need to have two rails down for Chris and Shadow Man to overtake them. This is very likely. Laura Collett and London 52, who is currently in the silver medal position, needs to only have one rail down for Chris and Shadow Man to overtake them. Laura Collett and London 52 are probably fractionally better show jumpers than Michael Jung and Chipmunk FRH but historically, have had an occasional rail down. Over two rounds, I am saying Laura Collett and London 52 are likely to have at least a single rail down. I am predicting that Chris Burton and Shadow Man won’t.
I am predicting that Chris Burton and Shadow Man are about to become the individual gold medallists at the Paris Olympics in 2024 by the skinniest of skinny margins. Exciting exciting exciting.
You have no choice now but you will have to stay up and watch the show jumping on Monday night. It will be worth it.
I think this will be gold for Australia.
Cheers
Heath
Results from the Eventing can be found here.
Read Equestrian Life’s horse-by-horse commentary on the cross country phase here.
The second horse inspection will take place on Monday at 7.30am local time, 3.30pm AEST. Stay tuned – we’ll publish the outcome of that right here. The draw and start times for the jumping will then follow.
