Versailles, France – The U.S. Olympic Eventing Team is in ninth after an exciting and influential cross-country day in the gardens of the Chateau de Versailles, which saw more than 40,000 spectators gather across the grounds to watch the competition. The course spanned more than five miles across the historic grounds, which featured nearly 30 elements and 41 efforts, with a time allowed of nine minutes and two seconds. The team currently holds ninth after the day on a team total of 128.50 with the final phase of show jumping left to come. The second horse inspection will begin at 7:30 a.m. GMT+3/1:30 a.m. ET.
Of the team’s cross-country rounds today, Chef d’Equipe Bobby Costello commented, “[Caroline] had a great round the rest of the way around after the miscommunication at the 16 combination and both Liz and Boyd really did the U.S. proud. I think they all did. It was just a real shame for Caroline that happened. We’re incredibly disappointed at the result to be honest, because we have put in so much work to be more competitive here. I think it shows why this Olympic format is, for better or worse, intense; it’s completely unforgiving, and that’s the game we came to play today, and it didn’t go our way.”
Tasked with the responsibility of pathfinders, Caroline Pamukcu (Springtown, Pa.) and HSH Blake were first out for the team, going sixth overall, around the track designed by Pierre Le Goupil (FRA). The pair looked fit and full of running, working through the course and taking all the direct routes at the combinations. An unfortunate slip at the BC element of the drop combination at 16 caused a glance off the skinny chevron and the pair were assessed 20 penalties. HSH Blake, a 2015 Irish Sport Horse gelding (Tolan R. x Kannan) owned by Mollie Hoff, Sherrie Martin, Caroline Pamukcu, and Deniz Pamukcu and cared for by Chloe Teahan, is the youngest horse in the entire field and showed his braveness with Pamukcu piloting him home. Ultimately, wanting to ensure a counting score for the team, the duo was strategic through the remainder of the course, crossing through the timers in 9:32 seconds, for a combined score of 62.40.
As the second combination in the order, Liz Halliday (Lexington, Ky.) and Nutcracker were tasked with producing a safe, but clear and competitive round for the team going into the second rider rotation. The pair delivered with a nearly foot-perfect round, which was calm and collected, yet precise and efficient, finishing on a 34, adding six time penalties to their dressage score of 28. Nutcracker, a 2014 Irish Sport Horse gelding (Tolan R. x Cobra) owned by Chris Desino, Rob Desino, Deborah Halliday, Liz Halliday, and Renee Lane and cared for by Abby Steger, who only debuted at the CCI5* level earlier this year, added an Olympic cross-country completion to his impressive record with Halliday.
With several key changes at the top of the standings through the second rotation of combinations, Boyd Martin and Fedarman B, a 2010 KWPN gelding (Eurocommerce Washington x Fedor) owned by the Annie Goodwin Syndicate and cared for by Stephanie Simpson anchored the team with pride and diligence, producing a clear round and finishing as the fastest team combination., adding just 1.6 to their score, moving ahead to the final phase on a 32.1. The pair hold the top position of the three U.S. combinations, in 13th individually overnight, looking ahead to their strongest phase of show jumping to come tomorrow.
“He’s an absolute legend,” he said. “He just was brilliant every step of the way; I couldn’t have asked for anything more today. He gave me his heart and soul and got a little tired over the last three fences, but he just dug deep and kept going. I was very, very pleased with him,” said Martin.
The final horse inspection will begin at 7:30 a.m. GMT+2/1:30 a.m. ET, before the first round of jumping to confirm the team standings will begin at 11:00 a.m. GMT+2/5:00 a.m. ET. The second round of jumping to determine individual medals, which will return to the top 25 combinations, will start at 3:00 p.m. GMT+2/9:00 a.m. ET.
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