Aussie Eventers Conquer Cross Country at Tokyo 2020
The Australian Eventing Team dominated the Sea Forest Cross Country Course this morning and have jumped up the leader board to 2nd place ahead of tomorrow’s showjumping phase.
It was a thrilling day of cross country with the overall standings significantly shaken. Medal favourites Germany and New Zealand, who were sitting in silver and bronze following the dressage phase, both had issues on course resulting in the teams dropping down the rankings to 6th and 4th respectively.
Australian Team Pathfinder Shane Rose, riding Virgil, set the standard high early on returning home with a clear round under time, adding no penalties to his dressage score of 31.70 and moving into 9th place individually.
Rose, who won team silver in Beijing 2008 and team bronze in Rio 2016, said his ride today was well prepared.
“It was amazing, didn't put a foot wrong. He (Virgil) was amazing and it was great to have a fit healthy horse at a Championships, he is in great form. The round went pretty much to plan. I was up on my minutes, and from four minutes we just cantered home.”
Kevin McNab riding Don Quidam were the second Australian combination on course. The pair made the sizable track look effortless incurring no jumping penalties and only 2.80 time penalties. McNab, who is making his Olympic debut in Tokyo, described the Derek di Grazia designed course as “fantastic to ride” but that incurring no jumping faults was his priority.
“I was a little slow but my horse felt great the whole way. We are moving in the right direction, obviously it would have been great to go under time but it is clear first and then time second, and I wanted to make sure I was clear.”
McNab is currently on a score of 34.90 and ranked 15th individually.
Olympic legend Andrew Hoy, who is contesting his eighth Games in Tokyo, rode Vassilsy de Lassos to a clear round, coming through the finish flags an astounding 10 seconds under the optimum time.
Hoy was held partway around the course when Swiss athlete Robin Godel’s horse pulled up lame after jumping the Mt Fuji water complex five from home. Most combinations would be unsettled by the unexpected disruption, which can affect a horses concentration, however Hoy kept his cool even in the Tokyo heat. Hoy credits both his horse’s fitness and the exceptional facilities at Sea Forest for allowing his ride to get back on track quickly.
“He is just the most phenomenal horse cross country, I had a really, really nice ride right up until the time that I was stopped. When I was stopped the cooling system was absolutely excellent because until I got under the tent I could feel the temperature rising all the time. When you are galloping you have wind on your face and wind on your body so you stay very cool. As soon as you stop you don't have that wind so your temperature rises.
“Vassily’s temperature went up just half a degree from when it was first taken in the cooling area and his heart rate was back to 100, he is just phenomenally fit, a horse would normally be running 125 to 135 when pulling up like that,” explained Hoy.
When asked about the team’s strategy ahead of tomorrow’s deciding round of showjumping, Hoy said:
“All we can do as a team is stay on this score and hope it take us up the top end of the leader board.”
The action returns to Baji Koen Equestrian Park tomorrow where both team and individual Eventing medals will be decided.
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