It comes around every four years, the biggest sports gathering in the world — The Olympic Games — and while the Games are known more for their “athletics” (track and field) and swimming events, the equestrian sports provide some exciting and hotly-contested action as well and have a large international following.
This year’s Olympic horse events in Paris will be held July 27 to August 6 at the Palace of Versailles.
Will this be the moment for the USA team to shine for the first time in 16 years? The last American equestrian team to stand on the Gold Medal pedestal was the team jumping contingent of McLain Ward, Laura Kraut, Will Simpson and Beezie Madden. They did it in 2008 in Beijing. In fact, the American jumping team won back-to-back Olympic Gold, having accomplished the same feat in 2004 in Athens with Ward, Madden, Peter Wylde and Chris Kappler. Americans also won the team jumping Gold in 1984 in Los Angeles while two Americans have won the individual Gold in jumping: William Steinkraus in 1968 and Joseph Fargis in 1984,
Ward, a 48-year-old five-time Olympic medalist from Brewster, New York, and Kraut are back on this year’s jumping team, joined by Kent Farrington and traveling reserve Karl Cook, so this group should be one of the top contenders for 2024.
Equestrian competition at The Olympics is actually three events in one — dressage (beginning July 27), cross country (July 28) and jumping (July 28) — with team and individual competition in each. Awards and Olympic Champion recognition are given separately for each of the three phases of competition.
Each phase is done on a separate day which is why it is often referred to as the “three-day event.”
Dressage, which means “training” in French, is an intricate display of horsemanship skills, a more formal and scripted competition than that seen at a standard horse show where riders only have to display their skills in performing at different gaits. In dressage, the horse and rider execute complex patterns and transitions from one gait to another that flow like a dance. Sometimes the pattern is set to music which is why people often describe it as “a beautiful ballet on horseback.”
Americans have never won individual or team Gold in dressage but this year’s team of Adrienne Lyle, Marcus Orlob, Steffen Peters and Endel Ots hopes to change that.
Cross country competition, as the name implies, involves each rider navigating over a long course, facing numerous obstacles such as jumps, fences, brush or water, or other handicaps.
Edmund Coffin in 1976 and David O’Connor in 2000 won individual Olympic Gold in cross country riding while the USA won the team Gold in 1932, 1948, 1976, and 1984. This year’s team consists of Will Coleman, Boyd Martin, Caroline Pamukcu and Elisabeth Halliday.
Through the years, Germany has been the most dominant nation in Olympic equestrian events.
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Billingsway Arena in Crockett, Wythe County, will host its Monthly Rodeo Series Friday night at 7 p.m. and Saturday at 6. There will be competition in mutton busting, goat tying, breakaway roping, barrels, poles, and other events, focusing on youth participation. Billingsway is located at 670 Cinnamon Run (SR652) off VA21 between Wytheville and Speedwell.
R&R Arena in Chilhowie also will have a barrels event Saturday beginning at 6, with exhibitions at 3. This is an IBRA 3D event, with 4D in Open.
~ Upcoming Events ~
July 17-20 — National High School Rodeo Finals continue, Wyoming
July 19-20 — Billingsway Arena monthly rodeo, Crockett
July 20 — Barrels, R&R Arena
July 21-27 — NBHA Youth & Teen World Championships
July 27 to August 6 — Equestrian events at The Olympic Games
Please report news of area events and local riders to dtfullerhorses@yahoo.com. If you can, please include a telephone number or info for people to reach you if the event may be postponed due to conditions.
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