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One year to Tokyo: from bullets to Pokemon — 17 things you’d forgotten from the Rio Olympics

Pippa Roome Pippa Roome

    • It’s a year today until the opening ceremony for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and we just can’t wait!

    While we try to contain our excitement, let’s look back on some of the things you’d forgotten that happened during those two crazy weeks in Rio three years ago…

    1. Both the German and New Zealand eventing teams had to make a late change to their line-ups, substituting in their travelling reserve horse after the first trot-up.

    2. There was a Russian dressage rider who read her horse love stories to calm him down. Maybe we could try that before our prelim tests?

    3. The amazing national uniforms on display at the eventing trot-up, particularly the Swedish ladies’ get-up.

    4. We got shot at in the press centre. Well, a bullet came through the roof, I’m still not sure if it was actually aimed at us…

    5. The defending Olympic showjumping champion Nino Des Buissonets, ridden by Steve Guerdat, was held at the trot-up before the competition started.

    6. The Australians held the eventing team and individual gold medal positions after cross-country, with Chris Burton in the lead individually on Santano II.

    7. The French dressage horse who had a wee in the arena. Everyone has to do it, but there’s a time and place, surely?

    8. Phillip Dutton’s Mighty Nice — the eventual individual eventing bronze medallist for the USA — was held at the final trot-up.

    9. Skelfies.

    10. Robbie Sanderson, a British groom working for the German team, was kicked in the head at the team medal ceremony.

    11. Mark Todd could have secured eventing team gold for New Zealand with a showjumping clear… but four rails down left the Kiwis outside the medals altogether.

    12. Travelling reserve Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum was called into the German showjumping team at 7am on the day of the first round. The team eventually won team bronze.

    13. Judy Reynolds became the first Irish dressage rider to qualify for the freestyle at an Olympics, riding Vancouver K.

    14. Eight riders failed to finish in the first round of the showjumping, including eventual French team gold medallist Penelope Leprovost.

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    15. Nick Skelton and Big Star — the individual showjumping gold medallists for Britain — were penalised for touching the tape at the water jump in the team competition. The decision was appealed by the British team, but unsuccessfully.

    16. Adelinde Cornelissen retired Parzival after just a couple of movements in the grand prix as he was running a high fever.

    17. Carl Hester’s Nip Tuck saw a Pokemon at P.

    Roll on Tokyo!

    For all the latest news analysis, competition reports, interviews, features and much more, don’t miss Horse & Hound magazine, on sale every Thursday.

    Pippa Roome
    Pippa Roome

    H&H magazine editor and eventing editor
    Pippa is a true eventing geek and has been H&H’s eventing editor since 2005. She has first-hand experience of competing up to British Eventing intermediate and international CCI2*-L level, and has worked in the industry on a top event yard. Pippa enjoys nothing more than immersing herself in the sport at the highest level, reporting from the five-stars and international championships, including the Olympics.
    Pippa Roome

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