The Olympics can do funny things to the most stoic of people. You find yourself welling up watching the taekwondo medal ceremony and the Brownlee brothers lying on the ground post-triathlon triumph can make your bottom lip quiver. And so it’s no surprise, that when it comes the equestrian sport, we’re an emotional wreck.

With soaring highs and crashing lows, here are some of the brilliant horse sport quotes from Rio 2016 that have got us going…

Charlotte Dujardin, only the second female British Olympian to win three gold medals, on it being unlikely that superstar Valegro will contest another championship

Dutch dressage rider Adelinde Cornelissen, on retiring Parzival from the grand prix, after he was suffering from a toxic fever

Spencer Wilton on a blip in the special

Charlotte Dujardin on pre-freestyle nerves, and Valegro’s helping hand

Strong praise from Richard Davison for the gold medal-winning Valegro

Chef d’equipe Michel Asseray on the French team’s reaction to their gold medal

William Fox-Pitt sums up the British eventing team’s disappointment on missing out on a medal

William Fox-Pitt on retiring Chilli Morning to stud

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Kevin Staut after taking showjumping team gold for France

Nick Skelton, after taking individual gold in the showjumping with Big Star

Don’t miss the full report from the Olympic dressage in this week’s issue of Horse & Hound magazine (18 August 2016), and the full showjumping report in next week’s issue (25 August)

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Clifton Lush, Jock Paget’s mount who was withdrawn from the New Zealand eventing team at the Rio Olympics, needed 100 stitches after he cut his face on a pipe outside his stable, his owner has told H&H.

Lucy Allison, who co-owns the horse with Frances Stead, said: “He was found by his groom with a gash five inches long. This necessitated the Olympic surgeon and three more vets sewing him up. The gash was large enough for the vet to be able to push his hand through from his cheek into his mouth. It took two hours and four layers, comprising over 100 stitches, to sew him up.

“Everyone attending him gave him every due care and attention, but as it was so close to his mouth, Jock had to ride him in a headcollar with reins attached. It was then apparent to everyone that time was against him, as he couldn’t have a bit in his mouth.”

Clifton Lush was presented at the horse inspection and asked to trot twice, but then passed. However, he was then withdrawn and replaced by travelling reserve horse Ringwood Sky Boy, ridden by Tim Price. The pair fell on the flat while turning between fences across country.

Lush is now home and well on the road to recovery.

“He is very well, ” said Lucy, adding that the horse will be aimed at Burghley (1-4 September) or if he needs more time, for the French four-star at Pau (12-16 October).

Clifton Lush’s good results with Jock Paget include third at Badminton last year and sixth this year, as well as fifth at Burghley in 2011 and 2012.

Continued below…

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Full report on the eventing from the Rio Olympics in the issue of H&H out now (dated 11 August), including full analysis of every phase and comments from Mark Phillips, Ruth Edge and Tina Cook.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

After watching a lot of the dressage and most of the cross-country, a lot of it twice, I’m struggling to convince myself that the sport has had a good Olympic Games. I was sorry to see the dressage in front of near-vacant stands and when only 40% of the riders were clear across country, I couldn’t help feeling a little sad.

I suspect many of the teams spent too long studying the 2020 Agenda and not long enough thinking about Pierre Michelet. I wrote some time ago that Pierre is a law unto himself and sure enough we got the most technically difficult cross-country ever seen at an Olympics. Many selectors must now wish they had picked horses more for the cross-country and less for the dressage and showjumping.

There is an old saying, “experience is what you get just after you discovered you needed it”. In Rio riders had to fight for their clear rounds and experience sure did help. Who would have thought that Michael Jung would be the only member of the German team to jump clear?

I cannot remember the Brits failing to produce a single clear round and finishing cross-country more than 100 marks behind the leaders. It was a sad way for Yogi Breisner to finish his time at the helm, an era that has been jam-packed with medals.

Dark horses to the fore

You have to hand it to the Aussies — and Christopher Burton and Sam Griffiths in particular. Theirs were magnificent performances.

I could have predicted the Kiwis, led by Mark Todd and Jonelle Price, would give the Germans a run for their money, but I’m not sure I expected them to be battling it out with the Aussies.

The French were always the dark horses of these Games. They spend most of their lives jumping Pierre Michelet courses and it certainly proved to be an advantage.

A lot of people will be kicking themselves for silly mistakes and bad decisions, none more so than the Americans. Boyd Martin and Phillip Dutton were magnificent. Lauren Kieffer only had to jump round and a medal was theirs, even after Clark Montgomery’s disappointment. Why she decided not to go the long way at the difficult gate is a mystery. Similarly, I’ll never understand why William Fox-Pitt turned right and not left when in trouble. He could have collected a medal instead of 20 penalties for crossing his tracks.

It may have been a super-tough day but at the end of it all the marks at the top were very close, setting up an exciting and influential showjumping.

A sensational finale

The Brits swept away some of the cross-country blues as they moved up to fifth from eighth, fractionally ahead of the Netherlands. Clears moved France from bronze to gold, and Germany from fourth to silver. Four down from Stuart Tinney meant the Aussies were heading from gold to bronze, and four down for Mark Todd dropped the Kiwis out of the medals. It was truly nail biting, edge-of-your seat stuff.

As far as individual medals were concerned, having worked with him for more than 10 years as USA coach, I was thrilled for Phillip Dutton. But really it was all about Michael Jung. If Mark Todd was the rider of the 20th century, surely Michael already has one hand on the honour in the 21st.

Ref Horse & Hound; 11 August 2016

The Rio Olympics almost certainly marked William Fox-Pitt’s last ride on the wonderful stallion Chilli Morning.

William said after the horse’s Badminton win last May that if the stallion made it to the Rio Olympics, he would be retired afterwards.

“If he gets to Rio, which is our next dream, that’s brilliant, but that will be his last event. He will definitely go to stud,” said William in an interview with H&H recorded at Bramham last June.

After his final round of showjumping at the Olympic equestrian venue in Deodoro on Tuesday, William said: “I think that’ll be the last time I ride him.”

William does not have any Chilli Morning progeny in his stable and is not involved in the breeding side of his life, although his Rio team-mate Gemma Tattersall is based at a yard belonging to the stallion’s owners Chris and Lisa Stone and has several of his offspring to ride.

“When Chris asked me to ride him he said I wouldn’t be involved with the breeding and I said I couldn’t care less about breeding. Of course five years later I’m a bit older and a bit more sentimental about Chilli,” said William.

Continued below…

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The now 16-year-old Chilli is the greatest eventing stallion in the history of the sport. He is the only stallion to win a four-star, apart from Windfall II, who won the short format CCI4* at Kentucky in 2004, the year the event ran experimental long and short format competitions. Windfall was ridden by the USA’s Darren Chiacchia.

Chilli, by Phantomic, was initially produced by Nick Gauntlett, who took him up to four-star level. He then spent a brief period with Mary King, before she decided he was too strong for her and passed the ride on to William Fox-Pitt, forging one of the great partnerships of the sport. The pair have been Britain’s best performers at the annual senior championship on every occasion they have been on the team — in 2013, 2014 and 2016.

Chilli Morning’s greatest achievements:

2010 — won Houghton CIC3* (with Nick Gauntlett)

2012 — won Bramham CCI3* (with William Fox-Pitt)

2013 — won Bramham CCI3* (with William Fox-Pitt)

2013 — European individual bronze medal (with William Fox-Pitt)

2014 — won Bramham CIC3* (with William Fox-Pitt)

2014 — world individual bronze and team silver medals (with William Fox-Pitt)

2015 — won Badminton CCI4* (with William Fox-Pitt)

2016 — 12th Rio Olympics (with William Fox-Pitt)

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

The cross-country course-designer Pierre Michelet nailed it with this track, bringing the Olympics back in line with all other championships. Until now, some nations have dismissed Olympic courses as too easy and more like a three-star, but Pierre brought the standard back up to where it should be.

The course was technical, demanding and up to height, but also included the all-important safe and time-consuming alternatives.

Nobody should be surprised, as Pierre is renowned for his attacking courses with long, positive distances. He tested the trust and bravery in the combinations in Rio. There was little chance to regain any trust that was lost out on the course, as the questions came thick and fast.

If anyone started cautiously, they were going to be caught out and I feel that this is exactly what happened to a few pairs.

The ground was on the firm side but was level with a great covering of grass, which you could clearly see by the green strip that had been maintained through watering over the summer months. The grass alongside the course was much yellower, which showed how much work had gone into the track itself.

Testing from the outset

From the very first walk of the course, it was clear it was going to be a track to test riders from the start. The hills meant they were going to need petrol in the tank right to the very end, too. Judging pace was crucial.

The undulating terrain was challenging, testing the all-round skill of the horses. Fitness played a large part, especially as the fourth and final water complex was the most difficult, with a selection of alternatives. It forced riders to make quick decisions about how much energy their horses still had and how many risks they were prepared to take for their team result.

An early fence, the double of corners at six, was as technically difficult as you would find on any four-star track. Riders could not line up both corners and the fences were set on a downhill slope on a very open four-stride distance.

If you took the long option so early on, you were then always behind on the clock and possibly forcing errors later on when trying to catch up on time.

We saw cross-country riding back to its best. Any slip in concentration was penalised with run-outs. Mercifully, there were few falls, including Tim Price’s unfortunate slip on the flat. In the British camp, there were moments of brilliance, but just too many mistakes.

Quite an eye opener

Being travelling reserve is always a difficult position, but I did have the lucky opportunity to do the guinea pig test with my lovely young horse Billy The Red. He went really well so it was a great experience for him — onwards to Tokyo.

It was a fantastic trip to be a part of, with endless sand arenas to work in and an Olympic village second to none. Seeing 11,000 athletes there, with more body shapes than you can imagine — but more of the fit variety — was something of an eye opener!

Ref Horse & Hound; 11 August 2016

The standard of dressage in eventing is improving championship on championship, with horses looking more balanced and more expressive.

For me, William Fox-Pitt did the winning test. His flying changes were the absolute highlight — the

best of the competition — and Chilli Morning looked fantastic.

Ingrid Klimke’s horse Hale Bob was the best produced and trained. The harmony and flow she showed was a testament to her training. There were no mistakes, and it was just beautiful to watch.

The two most eye-catching, sparkling performances were that of Alex Hua Tian and Don Geniro, who is a stunning mover and very elegant, and Chris Burton on Santano II; it was a shame that Santano’s walk didn’t quite match the canter or trot, but the horse’s potential is fantastic.

Sam FBW looked as relaxed as I have seen him — certainly more relaxed than he was four years ago in London — and Michael Jung was able to have him that bit more forward and flowing as a result. It was just a shame that he lost the counter-canter.

The French as a team rode very consistently, and it was lovely to see Jonty Evans ride such a good test for Ireland on Cooley Rorkes Drift.

An equal footing

I think being able to ride the dressage on a surface ensures the footing is the same for everyone, making a fairer competition. It also encourages the horses to be more confident, creating a more balanced picture, which could be clearly seen in the tests produced in Rio.

It was interesting that a few horses looked nervous in the Olympic arena. Several riders made the mistake of cantering in the first medium trot by being too brave when they didn’t quite have the relaxation and connection at the start of the test. Bearing in mind that this is a team competition,

I think this was a little risky.

Horses that weren’t connected from the rider’s leg to the end of the rein were the ones that got more nervous and tense in the atmosphere.

If trying to produce more expression and movement in horses is to the detriment of the connection, then the picture is spoilt. When horses are so fit and ready to run across country, the support of the connection is crucial to their relaxation in the arena, which is what Ingrid Klimke and William Fox-Pitt showed throughout their tests.

It is so important for horses — and especially event horses – to feel secure between the leg and the contact in a supple way. It means a rider can help and improve them by putting the leg on — if they can’t, because the horse doesn’t quite accept the leg, that’s when tension creeps in. The leg is a way of being able to hold the horse’s hand in the arena.

That’s why what Ingrid produced from Hale Bob showed that you don’t need to be flash or fancy; with a nice rhythm, outline and suppleness, you can get a top mark on a horse who isn’t the best mover.

Ref Horse & Hound; 11 August 2016

Irish dressage rider Judy Reynolds says her Rio Olympics ride, the 14-year-old Jazz son Vancouver K, is an “all-round package” in his paces and ability, but his temperament has been the part she has had to work on.

“He’s nuts,” she smiles. “His difficulty has always been his brain. Over the last year and a half he’s got it together and his brain has caught up with his body and he’s been able to show what he can do better.”

Judy scored 74.7% this morning in the grand prix to hold 13th place with one session still to go.

“‘JP’ stayed really relaxed, which is the main thing,” she said. “I felt I could have got a few more points — he felt as good as when he’s scored over 75% in the past — but that’s a really solid score and foundation to go on from. I thought he piaffed and passaged particularly well. His transitions were good — they can be a weak point. His pirouettes were fantastic.”

Judy has now qualified to ride in the special tomorrow, the second Irish rider to do so at an Olympics after Anna Merveldt in 1992. The best eight individuals who are not part of a team (or whose team does not qualify) make it through here. Judy says there is “real support” in Rio among the riders competing as individuals rather than as part of a team.

“Everyone’s rooting for each other,” she says. “I went to the opening ceremony, which was fantastic, but I’m trying not to get too wrapped up in the Olympic thing and to treat it like any other show. Maybe I can relax now we’ve got underway, but I’m trying not to go wild. It’s important to focus and do what you do normally.”

Continued below…

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Judy’s parents Joe and Kathleen are in Rio staying in an apartment near the Athletes’ Village and they gave her the pin she wears on her jacket, which is an actual copy of Vancouver K’s shoe.

She also sports a vintage Irish flag from a friend and a four-leaf clover from husband Patrick Heavey and his parents, as well as a shamrock “because I’m Irish”.

Her father Joe has an oil transport business and at one point she drove trucks to earn money.

“I was the first female to deliver petrol in Ireland,” she says. “I didn’t particularly enjoy it, but it’s a fallback plan D.”

Full 20-page report on the dressage from Rio in H&H next week, out Thursday 18 August, including full analysis of how the medals were won and comment from Richard Davison and Peter Storr.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Michael Jung delivered a faultless round at the Rio Olympics today to retain the individual gold medal he won four years ago at the London 2012 Olympics. The German’s round on Sam FBW was one of only two clears of the riders sitting in the top 10 going into the final deciding round of showjumping.

Astier Nicolas took the individual silver, a huge result for the young French rider. Piaf De Bneville came down heavily on the back bar of the oxer at fence three, but he could afford the four faults and still take home the medal.

Phillip Dutton moved up from fourth going into the decider to take the individual bronze for the USA on Mighty Nice, despite having the last part of the treble at fence four down.

“It was a disappointing day yesterday for our team — a lot of people worked hard to get us here and it’s pretty gutting, but we just had to get up and do our best today,” he said. “I was happy with fourth, I’m ecstatic to get bronze.”

Australia’s Chris Burton was in the individual bronze position before the last round, but he had the final two fences down on Santano II.

New Zealand’s Clarke Johnstone could have taken the individual bronze if he’d had a clear round on Balmoral Sensation but he had two fences down, leaving him sixth behind Sam Griffiths, who went clear on Paulank Brockagh for fourth, and Chris in fifth.

“I’ve just lost two medals,” said Clarke glumly afterwards, alluding also to New Zealand’s disastrous time in the team competition earlier.

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William Fox-Pitt in individual gold after first day of Rio Olympics eventing dressage

William Fox-Pitt was the only Brit to qualify for this final round and he delivered another secure clear round for 12th place with Chilli Morning.

Full 25-page report on the eventing from Rio 2016 in H&H next week — out Friday, 12 August. H&H is published on Friday instead of Thursday next week only to allow us to report the full eventing competition from the Olympics.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

France won the team gold in the Rio Olympics eventing this morning, pulling up from third overnight.

Astier Nicolas (Piaf De B’Neville) and Thibaut Vallette (Qing Du Briot) both delivered clears. Mathieu Lemoine (Bart L) had the last two fences down, but with other nations also suffering problems, they won by 3.8 penalties.

“I’m really happy with my horse — he’s a great jumper and I would have been shocked if he’d had any penalties,” said Thibaut after jumping.

Germany moved up from fourth overnight to take team silver when Michael Jung and Sam FBW, Ingrid Klimke (Hale Bob OLD) and Sandra Auffarth (Opgun Louvo) all recorded clear rounds.

The Australians dropped to team bronze when Stuart Tinney and Pluto Mio had four fences down and individual leader Chris Burton racked up eight penalties with Santano II. Sam Griffiths went clear, which was instrumental in keeping the Aussies in the medals.

Michael is now leading going into the individual decider and poised to retain his crown from London 2012. Chris has dropped to third, while Astier Nicolas has moved up to sit in the individual silver position.

“Of course, I’m disappointed, but I just spoke to Sam and he said come and have a drink,” said Chris. “We’ll hydrate, make sure the horses are ok and re-focus for the individual competition.”

New Zealand were the big losers today when they sank from second to fourth. Clarke Johnstone’s clear with Balmoral Sensation was not enough to save them when Jonelle Price had two down with Faerie Dianimo and Mark Todd hit a disastrous four rails on Leonidas II.

“He’s never jumped like that before — he’s a funny, temperamental horse, but he’s been in big atmospheres before and never done that,” said Mark.

Classy clears for Britain’s quartet

Britain’s horses jumped brilliantly this morning and all left all the poles intact, with the team moving up from eighth to fifth.

Gemma Tattersall just had four time-faults on the Pebbles’ Syndicate’s Quicklook V.

“Thank god for that. She came out really well this morning and jumped a beautiful clear, so I’m really happy with her,” she said.

Kitty King had a great round with Jacqueline Owen, Diana Bown and Samantha Wilson’s Ceylor LAN.

“He jumped brilliantly and felt really fresh, which is a credit to our team in the stables — the grooms, vets and physios worked really hard on the horses last night,” she said.

Pippa Funnell said of her round on the late Carol Toliver’s Billy The Biz: “He’s a good boy and came out and jumped well today.”

William Fox-Pitt will progress to the individual round this afternoon in 18th place with Chris and Lisa Stone’s Chilli Morning.

“It’s all rather unimportant now, but the horses did jump well and it’s good to finish on a good note,” he said.

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Twenty-five will jump again at 2pm local time (6pm British time) for the individual medals — Pippa Funnell has just missed the cut by finishing 26th. Follow here.

Full 25-page report on the eventing from Rio 2016 in H&H next week — out Friday, 12 August. H&H is published on Friday instead of Thursday next week only to allow us to report the full eventing competition from the Olympics.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Follow the showjumping action from the eventing competition at the Rio Olympic Games via our live and interactive written commentary service

Welcome to H&H Live – Horse & Hound’s live and interactive written commentary service – as we prepare for the final day of the eventing competition at the Rio Olympic Games. The showjumping action is due to get underway at 2pm UK time on Tuesday 9 August, so make sure you’re logged on so you don’t miss a moment. You can register below to receive an email reminder if you’d like to do so.

H&H’s website editor and eventing enthusiast Carol Phillips will be on hand throughout the two-part showjumping phase to keep you updated with the latest news, assisted by online journalist and fellow eventing enthusiast Gemma Redrup. There are two rounds on showjumping in the eventing competition at the Olympics: the first results in the team medals, while the top 25 individual riders then jump again to decide the individual medals.

What is H&H Live?

For those who aren’t familar with H&H Live, it is an up-to-the-minute written commentary service enhanced with still images, which also gives you the opportunity to take part in live interactive polls, pose questions to our team and post your comments.

You can follow on your computer, laptop, tablet or smart phone, so you can get live updates whereever you are, without having to be in front of your TV. NB: This is NOT a live video stream.

Can I watch on TV?

All action from the Olympic Games is going to be available via the BBC’s red button services as well as the BBC sports website. We hope that you will join us as well for the insight the H&H team can provide, and take part in our interactive options. Find out what’s happening when ».

H&H Live will continue throughout the Games covering all the action across all three equestrian disciplines. Emile Faurie will be joining us on 10-11 August for the dressage grand prix, Richard Barrett will be on hand on Friday 12 August to share his views on the grand prix special, after which the team medals will be awarded, and Hayley Watson-Greaves will be online on Monday 15 August for the grand prix freestyle. The remaining action will be brought to you by H&H staff members. We look forward to you joining us for two fantastic weeks of equestrian sport.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Three horses were sent to the holding box at the Rio Olympics eventing final trot-up this morning.

The first to be held over for re-inspection was Ireland’s Cooley Rorkes Drift, ridden by Jonty Evans, who lies 16th overnight. He was passed when he came before the ground jury of Marilyn Payne, Sandy Phillips and Andrew Bennie for a second time.

The next horse to be held was Japan’s The Duke Of Cavan (Yoshiaki Oiwa, 17th overnight), who was also accepted when he returned. The other Japanese horse, Ryuzo Kitajima’s ride Just Chocolate, was withdrawn and did not appear at the horse inspection.

The final competitor to head to the holding box was an individual medal contender — Phillip Dutton’s ride Mighty Nice, who is fifth overnight for the USA. However, he too was allowed to continue in the competition when he was re-inspected.

Britain’s horses — Chilli Morning (William Fox-Pitt), Billy The Biz (Pippa Funnell), Ceylor LAN (Kitty King) and Quicklook V (Gemma Tattersall) — all passed without drama. Britain is one of only four nations to have four combinations still in the event, the others being France, Sweden and the home side, Brazil.

This first round of showjumping gets underway today at 10am local time (2pm in Britain) and determines the team medals. Then at 2pm the top 25 (but a maximum of three per nation) jump again for the individual honours. Follow the showjumping here.

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Britain is out of medal contention in the eventing now after problems on yesterday’s cross-country. Team GB lies eighth in the team competition and our best individual is William Fox-Pitt in 22nd.

Australia sits in the individual and team gold positions going into today, with Chris Burton having the upper hand individually riding Santano II. New Zealand is in silver, with France in bronze. Germany’s Michael Jung and Sam FBW, Olympic champions in 2012, are currently second individually, and France’s Astier Nicolas and Piaf De B’Neville occupies the individual bronze position.

Full 25-page report on the eventing from Rio 2016 in H&H next week — out Friday, 12 August. H&H is published on Friday instead of Thursday next week only to allow us to report the full eventing competition from the Olympics.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Today, on Tuesday 9 August, both the team and individual medals will be decided in the eventing competition at the 2016 Rio Olympics.

The first to go will be the nine individual competitors in reverse order of merit, followed by the team riders, also in reverse. The best of the individual competitors is Cheshire-based Chinese rider Alex Hua Tian (pictured, top) and the inexperienced Don Geniro, who lie in 11th place following the completion of the cross-country.

Team riders then jump in reverse order of merit, so the worst-placed rider from the lowest ranking team jumps first, followed by the bottom rider from the penultimate-placed team, and so on — through to the worst rider from the top team. The rotation then restarts. The best placed rider from the leading team is therefore the last person to jump. In this instance that is also the individual overnight leader.

The riders in any teams with fewer than four competitors remaining will ride in the later rotations.

The starting order will only be finalised after the trot-up, which takes place this morning at 8am Brazilian time (midday UK time).

For the Brits, Gemma Tattersall will be the first to jump. She completed the cross-country phase yesterday with a total of 49.6 with Quicklook V for 44th place going into the showjumping.

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Despite picking up 20 jumping penalties on the cross-country course aboard Chilli Morning, William Fox-Pitt is the best of the Brits at this stage, in 22nd with 67.4 penalties.

Pippa Funnell and Billy The Biz are lying in 28th, with the other team member, Kitty King (Ceylor LAN) in 34th.

Medal standings

The Australians are holding team and individual gold positions, spearheaded by Chris Burton on the nine-year-old Sandro Hit son Santano II. Their cracking cross-country round was bang on the optimum time of 10 minutes and 15 seconds.

The New Zealand team is lying in silver position, just 4.5 penalties behind Australia. France lie 6.2 penalties behind them in the bronze medal position.

The first horse into the showjumping arena at 10am Brazilian time (2pm UK time) will be the Puerto Rican Lauren Billys, as she is the lowest ranked individual rider.

The top 25 riders — with a maximum of three from any one nation — then progress on to jump a second round in the afternoon to determine the individual medals. This individual session starts at 2pm Brazilian time (6pm UK time) and combinations carry any penalties accrued in the team showjumping round through to the individual round.

Follow all the action with H&H’s live online interactive text service here.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Britain is almost certainly out of the medals after problems across the board for Team GB riders during the Rio Olympics eventing cross-country today.

Team GB now lies eighth in the team contest, 91.1 penalties behind the bronze medal position.

It was a day of drama for pretty much every nation and there were huge shake-ups in the leaderboard as Pierre Michelet’s cross-country course caused multiple problems.

William Fox-Pitt, who was in individual gold after the dressage, had a beautiful round on Chris and Lisa Stone’s Chilli Morning, but suffered 20 penalties at the the Ski Jump (fence 19ab and 20), a big drop down to two skinnies. With 10.4 time-penalties also on his score, he is still Britain’s best rider in 22nd.

“It was very obviously my fault, not the horse’s,” he said. “The horse went very well — I’m pleased with my horse, but disappointed with the result.”

Pippa Funnell too went really well until right at the end of the course, when she and the late Carol Toliver’s Billy The Biz couldn’t make it to the frog which formed the final element of last water, the Amazonian Forest (fence 28, 29ab and 30).

“On a one to one I’m proud of my horse, but I’m gutted for the team and for Yogi [Breisner, performance manager] and shattered for all the connections,” she said.

Pippa is 27th with 20.4 time-faults as well as her jumping penalties.

Anchorwoman Kitty King lies 33rd after 20 jumping penalties and 33.4 time-faults with Jacqueline Owen, Diana Bown and Samantha Wilson’s Ceylor LAN. She had a run-out at the first angled brush after a step up at the Pan Am Wall combination (fence 11ab and 12), but explained her problems stemmed from dropping her whip earlier on course.

“It wasn’t a great day to drop my whip for the first time ever across country,” she said.

Pathfinder Gemma Tattersall’s and Quicklook V, owned by the Pebbles’ Syndicate, had two run-outs on course — at the log off a turn in the first water (fence 4cd) and the same angled hedge as Kitty (11b). She is 43rd with 49.6 time-faults to add to her score too.

“Unfortunately for whatever reason she went very green today,” said Gemma. “She’d never want to do anything wrong — she got a fright and I lost my steering.”

Australians in double gold

Chris Burton now holds the individual lead after a fault-free round on Santano II and the Australians also lie in the team gold medal position.

“I didn’t expect this,” said Chris. “This little horse has far exceeded our expectations. I didn’t expect him to be so fast and I’m just going to enjoy today – as for tomorrow, whatever!”

The individual medal positions are occupied by the only three riders who finished inside the cross-country time.

Michael Jung holds second with his London 2012 double gold medallist Sam FBW, but the Germans have slipped to fourth in the team standings as Ingrid Klimke (Hale Bob OLD) and Sandra Auffarth (Opgun Louvo) both had one run-out and Julia Krajewski (Samourai Du Thot) was eliminated for cumulative refusals. Sandra initially had 40 jumping penalties on her scorecard, but this was reduced to 20 as her penalties at the frog were removed.

Astier Nicolas, the first out for France, put the first fault-free round on the leaderboard and sits in individual bronze at the end of the day with Piaf De B’Neville. The French also hold team bronze.

“It’s a huge feeling to go clear, I realised the pressure I was under to do that for my team,” said Astier.

New Zealand holds the team silver position. Mark Todd, Clarke Johnstone and Jonelle Price had to deliver as their pathfinder, Tim Price, had a fall on the flat during a tight turn at the Malmesbury Cottage (fence 23 and 24). But the next three riders all scored jumping clears and Mark Todd is in individual fourth on Leonidas II, who had just two time-faults.

“We were on our minute markers all the way round and and I thought for a bit we might have done it [made the time], but the last section has jump after jump after jump,” he said.

Continued below…

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The final horse inspection is at 8am tomorrow and at 10am all the horses who finished the cross-country and passed the trot-up go forward to the first round of showjumping, which will determine the team medals. Then the top 25 (but no more than three per nation) jump again for the individual honours.

Full 25-page report on the eventing from Rio 2016 in H&H next week — out Friday, 12 August. H&H is published on Friday instead of Thursday next week only to allow us to report the full eventing competition from the Olympics.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Follow the cross-country action from the eventing competition at the Rio Olympic Games via our live and interactive written commentary service

Welcome to H&H Live – Horse & Hound’s live and interactive written commentary service – as we prepare for cross-country day at the Rio Olympic Games. Action is due to get underway at 2pm UK time on Monday 8 August, so make sure you’re logged on so you don’t miss a moment. You can register below to receive an email reminder if you’d like to do so.

H&H’s website editor and eventing enthusiast Carol Phillips and online journalist and fellow eventing enthusiast Gemma Redrup will be on hand throughout the day to bring you the ups and downs of every rider’s round. In the meantime, why not check out our fence-by-fence pictures of the Rio cross-country course to see what they will be facing?

What is H&H Live?

For those who aren’t familar with H&H Live, it is an up-to-the-minute written commentary service enhanced with still images, which also gives you the opportunity to take part in live interactive polls, pose questions to our team and post your comments.

You can follow on your computer, laptop, tablet or smart phone, so you can get live updates whereever you are, without having to be in front of your TV. NB: This is NOT a live video stream.

Can I watch on TV?

All action from the Olympic Games is going to be available via the BBC’s red button services as well as the BBC sports website. We hope that you will join us as well for the insight the H&H team can provide, and take part in our interactive options. Find out what’s happening when ».

H&H Live will continue throughout the Games covering all the action across all three equestrian disciplines. Emile Faurie will be joining us on 10-11 August for the dressage grand prix, Richard Barrett will be on hand on Friday 12 August to share his views on the grand prix special, after which the team medals will be awarded, and Hayley Watson-Greaves will be online on Monday 15 August for the grand prix freestyle. The remaining action will be brought to you by H&H staff members. We look forward to you joining us for two fantastic weeks of equestrian sport.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

The Rio Olympics cross-country starts in just 90 minutes as I sit in the press tent at the venue at Deodoro, writing this.

Everyone is saying it’s a tough course — the most difficult Olympic course since Sydney in 2000, said experienced German rider Ingrid Klimke.

The New Zealanders say they are glad they brought four horses with four-star experience, so ahead of the action I thought it’d be interesting to analyse which of the other teams in the top seven after dressage can boast that.

The three numbers below after each pair indicate number of four-stars started/completed/won as a combination.

1st after dressage: Germany

Sandra Auffarth and Opgun Louvo 4/4/1

Michael Jung and Sam FBW 8/8/5

Julia Krajewski and Samourai Du Thot 1/1/0

Ingrid Klimke and Hale Bob OLD 3/3/1

2nd after dressage: France

Astier Nicolas and Piaf De B’Neville 2/2/1

Karim Laghouag and Entebbe 1/1/0

Thibaut Vallette and Qing Du Briot 0/0/0

Mathieu Lemoine and Bart L 0/0/0

3rd after dressage: Australia

Sam Griffiths and Paulank Brockagh 7/7/1

Chris Burton and Santano II 0/0/0

Stuart Tinney and Pluto Mio 5/1/0

Shane Rose and CP Qualified 3/2/1

4th after dressage: Great Britain

Gemma Tattersall and Quicklook V 0/0/0

William Fox-Pitt and Chilli Morning 4/3/1

Pippa Funnell and Billy The Biz 0/0/0

Kitty King and Ceylor LAN 0/0/0

5th after dressage: Ireland

Padraig McCarthy and Simon Porloe 0/0/0

Clare Abbott and Euro Prince 4/3/0

Jonty Evans and Cooley Rorkes Drift 0/0/0

Mark Kyle and Jemilla 0/0/0

6th equal after dressage: New Zealand

Tim Price and Ringwood Sky Boy 7/5/0

Mark Todd and Leonidas II 5/4/0

Clarke Johnstone and Balmoral Sensation 2/2/0

Jonelle Price and Faerie Dianimo 3/2/0

6th equal after dressage: USA

Boyd Martin and Blackfoot Mystery 1/1/0

Clark Montgomery and Loughan Glen 3/1/0

Lauren Kieffer and Veronica 4/3/0

Phillip Dutton and Mighty Nice 6/3/0

It’s clear the mighty Germans are leading the way on mileage — all their horses have four-star experience and three of them have won at least one of them. What’s more, they have a perfect completion record — none of their pairs have ever started a four-star they haven’t finished.

New Zealand and the USA, currently equal sixth, are the other teams whose horses have all competed at four-star, although their completion/win stats are less impressive.

Ireland and Great Britain have the least experienced teams when analysed this way — both field three horses which have never started a four-star.

France has two pairs with four-star mileage — and one win — and Australia three. The interesting thing about the Australian situation is that their inexperienced pair are their best performers after dressage by quite a distance (Chris Burton and Santano II).

Continued below…

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Of course, numbers only tell half the story — a number of the horses listed have a string of top-six four-star results without ever having a win. Some of the non-completions are down to a withdrawal after dressage rather than a more sinister fault. And ultimately, experience is only part of the equation — the innate skill and talent, as well as training at home, of horses and riders will count for a huge amount today.

I’m off to the mixed zone in a few minutes — it’s at the cross-country finish and we’ll be able to chat to riders as they complete. I’ll be bringing you some of their comments on our H&H Live service, so make sure you join in — you can add your thoughts, too.

See you on the other side.

Full 25-page report on the eventing from Rio 2016 in H&H next week — out Friday, 12 August. H&H is published on Friday instead of Thursday next week only to allow us to report the full competition from the Olympics.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

The cross-country times for today’s second phase of the eventing competition at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games have been released. The times for the British riders are as follows:

• 10.23am (14.23 UK time) Gemma Tattersall and Quicklook V
• 11.39am (15.39 UK time) William Fox-Pitt and Chilli Morning
• 13.05 pm (17.05 UK time) Pippa Funnell and Billy The Biz
• 14.21pm (18.21 UK time) Kitty King and Ceylor LAN

The results from yesterday’s dressage mean that Great Britain is lying in fourth position in the team standings at the end of the first phase.

On the individual standings, British rider William Fox-Pitt is in gold medal position, with Australia’s Chris Burton just behind. The remaining Brits are lying in 16th (Pippa Funnell), 26th (Kitty King) and 32nd (Gemma Tattersall).

Heading into the cross-country, with the top three spots currently occupied by Germany, France and Australia, it is all to play for as only 5.7 penalties separate the top four teams.

Continued below…

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Riders have reported that the cross-country track is one of the hardest seen at the Olympics since the Sydney Games in 2000, so the leaderboard is likely to change significantly today. .

You can follow all the action with Horse & Hound’s live and interactive online text service here. 

Comment and get involved, and catch up with the latest rider comments and reactions from our reporters on the ground, who will be speaking to riders straight after their rounds. It’s a great way to be even more involved while watching the action on TV or on live stream.

Click here for a full list of where you can tune in to watch all the live action, and a timetable of all the equestian events.

The BBC will be streaming the cross-country live.

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Investigations into yesterday’s incident, in which a bullet (pictured below) pierced the plastic canvas tent roof of the equestrian media centre at the Rio Olympics, have gleaned that the target was the police blimp flying overhead.

A second security briefing held by Rio 2016 communications director Mario Andrada said that the bullet “came from a community far from here”.

“The ministry of defence have confirmed that the bullet was aiming at the police blimp, which carries surveillance equipment. Their findings were that the bullet arrived with low energy and speed, on a parabolic trajectory, aiming at the blimp.”

Security stepped up in Deodoro

Security forces have increased their levels of readiness and security in areas nearby the Deodoro Olympic venue and particularly in areas close to where the bullet was shot from, he added.

“The security forces are using police blimps — which are bullet-proof — and drones, which carry cameras as part of the technology for the protection and security of the Games, which can monitor and record movements of crowds [pictured, top] as well as whatever people are doing in their communities.”

A full report on the type of weapon and bullet with be available in the next 24 hours.

Mr Andrada sought to reiterate that the attack was not aimed at the Olympics or the media here to cover the events. However, the blimps and drones are only flying as a result of the Olympics.

“We don’t know precisely where the bullet came from yet, but technical experts will be able to pinpoint exactly where it comes from.”

The cameras on the blimps should enable authorities to work out exactly where the bullet originated from.

Continued below…

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“We don’t know which favela it came from,” added Mr Andrada. “The authorities have the means to know who fired the shot, but information about who they believe did it is confidential until they can actually do something in the area to prevent it.”

Loud bangs heard at venue

Further gunfire-like sounds were heard in the Deodoro equestrian venue today, but Mr Andrada could not offer an explanation of their provenance.

“We have heard reports that people heard loud bangs today,” he said. “But we have no explanations as yet. We will go after this information. We still do not know if there is live fire going on in the area.

“Our first goal is to protect, and the second to keep everyone informed, but the security forces are not releasing any information until they are absolutely sure.”

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Just 14 months ago Australia’s Shane Rose was in hospital. It was bad. He’d parted company from a young horse who’d given him a good kicking as he fell.

Today he rode at the Olympics, partnering the beautiful grey gelding CP Qualified to a 42.5 score and lie in 13th place overnight. The judges didn’t really agree about the performance, with one awarding 67% and another 74%. But Shane is lucky to be here at all.

“Last year I was riding a young horse at home — a former racehorse who’d been treated badly — and he felt like he was going to throw himself on the floor, so I sort of jumped off and he turned and kicked me.

“It broke five ribs, split my liver and punctured a lung. To top it all off I then got and golden staph infection. I was knocked around a fair bit.”

That’s an understatment. In his career he has broken so many bones he can’t even remember the exact number. He’s also recovered from thyroid cancer (including an operation and radiation treatment) and a kick to the jaw while long-reining that was so violent that he was in an induced coma for a week and surgeons had to reconstruct his face with four operations and eight metal plates.

His face was so badly bashed up that his wife Niki had to bring in photograps to show the surgeons what they were aiming for.

Continued below…

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“Since I’ve been healthy, things have been going great,” says Shane, whose wife gave birth to twins just three months ago.

Despite all the physical hardship, Shane has managed to find time to be an Olympic medallist, picking up team silver in Beijing in 2008. And, right now, the Australians are sitting in bronze medal position after dressage in Rio.

Looking ahead

What does Shane think of the cross-country course, looming on the horizon for tomrrow?

“There isn’t one specific fence to catch you out,” he says, “it’s all of them. But my horse is brave, accurate and adjustable.”

We think Shane is deserving of the brave accolade too.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Britain’s final rider, Kitty King, suffered disappointment in the eventing dressage at the Rio Olympics this afternoon.

Her score of 46.8 with Jacqueline Owen, Diana Bown and Samantha Wilson’s Ceylor LAN left her equal 26th. Some athletic, smart work was marred by breaking into canter in the medium trot early in the test.

“It is disappointing because he’s capable of a lot better,” she said. “He did some lovely work, but made some uncharacteristic mistakes. His medium trot is usually a highlight.”

Kitty’s score, combined with William Fox-Pitt’s and Pippa Funnell’s, means Britain sits outside the team medals in fourth. However, the cross-country is expected to really shake up the leaderboard and Britain is only 5.7 penalties behind the leading German team.

William Fox-Pitt still holds the individual lead with Chilli Morning and Pippa Funnell is 16th on Billy The Biz. British pathfinder Gemma Tattersall is the discard score in 32nd with Quicklook V.

Klimke best of Germans

Ingrid Klimke slotted into fourth this afternoon with an accurate test on Hale Bob OLD which confirmed the Germans expected slot at the top of the team leaderboard.

“I could ride all the extensions in there and it was pure fun — I don’t think he can do any better,” said Ingrid.

France’s Mathieu Lemoine impressed too, scoring 39.2 with Bart L to sit third individually and help France to second overnight, just 0.2 of a penalty behind the Germans.

“I’m very happy with the result — of course not perfectly happy as some parts could have been better such as the counter canter, but I’m keeping it positive,” said Mathieu.

Australia holds third, with Chris Burton still their best performer in second on Santano II.

Continued below…

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Experienced Belgian individual Karin Donckers also went into the top 10, taking seventh on Fletcha Van’t Verahof on a score of 41.1.

“My personal goal was to be below 40 and we are not far away,” she said. “I was happy with the feeling I had on Fletcha and as a rider that’s the most important thing.”

Tomorrow’s cross-country starts at 10am local time (2pm British time). Follow live here.

Results and times

Full 25-page report on the eventing from Rio 2016 in H&H next week — out Friday, 12 August. H&H is published on Friday instead of Thursday next week only to allow us to report the full competition from the Olympics.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Is a Mexican wave called a Brazilian wave when it sweeps round your home stadium at an Olympic Games? For Rui Fonseca, his final halt was greeted with the crowd going wild crazy for their home rider after scoring 46.8 on Tom Bombadill Too, the oldest horse in the field at 16. Ruy was rewarded with two eights for his riding, which is quiet and effective.

“I was lucky they waited until afterwards,” laughed the 43-year-old, referring to the early tests yesterday, during which the excited crowd applauded riders’ first halts as well as their final ones.

The story of how Ruy came to ride ‘Tommy’ is quite remarkable.

Ruy, who is based in Oxfordshire, mucked out the horse for nine months when ‘Tommy’ was a livery on his yard.

“One day the owner asked me to ride him, and that’s how I found him,” he says. “I looked at him and thought he was small, but he’s proved he’s got a big heart. I am very lucky.

“In a year Tommy went from zero-star to four-star and now he’s been to WEG [World Equestrian Games] and two Olympics. He’s 16 now, but he only went to his first event when he was nine.”

Continued below…

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The horse’s temperament sets him apart

“Anyone could have him as a pet,” says Rui affectionately. “I can put a five-year-old girl on him to hack out and ride. Tommy is a modern, nippy horse and has been a very good servant.”

Rui descibes London 2012 and Rio as “two home Games in a row” as he is based in the UK but originally from Brazil.

How have these latest Games been for him?

“The media were negative about Rio,” he says. “I’ve been in England hearing that. But it’s a bit like the World Cup and it’s all worked out. I hope we’ve [the Brazilian organisers] surprised people and I hope we can represent a beautiful sport herebecause it’s really beautiful out there on the cross-country.

“I’ve been in the UK so long that to be here riding in front of so many friends and fans is really special.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Lauren Billys has been riding for Puerto Rico since 2010, having previously represented the USA.

“In 2009 the FEI made a big push to get lots of small Latin American countries at championships like this,” she says, citing success in the fact Ecuador and Chile also have individuals and Brazil fields a strong team at the Rio Olympics.

“I found out my heritage gave me the opportunity to ride for Puerto Rico — a lot of my family live in Puerto Rico, in Bayamón — so I went and jumped in.

“The opening ceremony here was so cool — the fireworks were so bright you could see people lit up like it was daytime.

“It’s inspiring to see lots of other really small countries. We only have 41 athletes, but they are 41 strong athletes and it’s great to see other countries in that position too. Most of my Puero Rican team-mates have no idea what I do — they are table tennis or judo players — but it’s interesting to hear about the sacrifices they have made to be here.”

Lauren says the support she has had on the way to Rio has been overwhelming.

“I’ve had so many sweet messages, I’ve had to turn my phone off,” she says. “I feel surrounded by love even though I’m with people I don’t know.”

Lauren’s ride Castle Larchfield Purdy was produced in Britain by Emma Castle, who won a European CIC2* team gold medal on him in 2011. He came to California in 2013 and was competed by amateur rider Elizabeth Tempkin until she decided to focus on showjumping and Lauren picked up the ride in 2014. He is now owned by a syndicate, for half of whom it is a first venture into event horse ownership.

“The reason I bought him is I feel fearless when I ride him,” says Lauren. “If I’m nervous, he doesn’t hear that and he squeals coming out of the start box — he loves this sport.

“Emma has reached out to me in the last few months and I’m so glad she did that and thankful she produced him and gave him the background we need to be here.”

Continued below…

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The pair scored 56 in the eventing dressage today for equal 39th position with 16 horses still to go and now progress to the cross-country tomorrow.

Full 25-page report on the eventing from Rio 2016 in H&H next week — out Friday, 12 August. H&H is published on Friday instead of Thursday next week only to allow us to report the full competition from the Olympics.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Pippa Funnell was emotional after taking ninth at the lunchbreak on the second day of eventing dressage at the Rio Olympics.

Her ride Billy The Biz’s owner, Carol Toliver, died soon after the Brits final trial at Bramham in June.

“It hit me like a thunderbolt, but she’ll be looking down and be proud of her little grey pony,” said Pippa.

The rider was thrilled with how the inexperienced 11-year-old home-bred coped in the arena to record a score of 43.9.

“I’m pleased with his mentality and how he coped in the arena,” she said. “There were blips I can go away and be frustrated about, such as not nailing the flying changes, but I’d be being greedy if I think about where he’s come from three years ago.”

William Fox-Pitt currently retains his overnight lead with Chilli Morning and Britain still holds third in the team competition with one more rider from each nation to perform this afternoon. But elsewhere this morning’s test caused a big shake-up of the team leaderboard.

Germany have slipped to the silver position after Julia Krajewski, who was pulled into the team from the reserve position, scored 44.8 for 11th on Samourai Du Thot.

“It’s his first time in such an atmosphere and he can do better, but he did a really good job,” said Julia.

France meanwhile have made big gains, moving up to team gold after last year’s European individual bronze medallist Thibaut Vallette took individual fourth on Qing Du Briot.

“I gave him more breaks than usual during the warm-up due to the heat,” he said.

The top three teams are less than two penalties apart, so there is everything to play for when the final riders come forward this afternoon.

Continued below…

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Last night’s leaders, Australia, have slipped to sixth after Stuart Tinney and Pluto Mio scored 56.8 and New Zealand are also a touch off the pace in fifth. Their rider this morning, Clarke Johnstone, was perplexed by his score of 46.5 with Balmoral Sensation.

“I finished the test and thought it had gone well — there were no mistakes and he felt concentrated and relaxed, but the judges obviously weren’t so thrilled,” he said.

The other standout test this morning came from Ireland’s Jonty Evans, whose 41.8 with Cooley Rorkes Drift puts him sixth. Ireland are fourth in the team standings.

“I arrived here and rode around the arena on the second day and thought, ‘I love this’ and it’s been a bit like that all week,” said Jonty. “I’m thrilled with him; he couldn’t have tried any harder.”

Full 25-page report on the eventing from Rio 2016 in H&H next week — out Friday, 12 August. H&H is published on Friday instead of Thursday next week only to allow us to report the full competition from the Olympics.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Camilla Kruger has become the first person to represent Zimbabwe in an equestrian event at the Olympics Games. She was “excited and proud” after her test on Biarritz, which scored 59.4 penalties for 30^th place at the half-way stage of the dressage competition at the 2016 Rio Olympics.

It’s been an emotional week already for the 29-year-old, who burst into tears during the opening ceremony.

“It was an unbelievable feeling to be there and be part of it,” she says. “It was electric and there was so much energy. It was inspiring and it lifts you up.

Camilla is sporting bright patriotic colours; a tailcoat with loud green lining and a hat with her nation’s flag on it. She also has natty nails.

She is now based in Britain at a swanky yard in East Sussex, but she was born in Zimbabwe and spent six years living there.

As the country has no formal Olympic equestrian structure in place, horse sport’s governing body, the FEI, played a pivotal role in her road to Rio.

“The FEI were incredibly helpful to develop south African nations in equestrian sports and I got put forward.

“My focus was Tokyo 2020, so this is just a bonus. Biarritz is green though and he was a bit overwhelmed out there,” she adds.

“I had to work hard out there. He’s never seen anything like this before though. He’s seen grass arenas, like Blenheim, but nothing with grandstands like this.”

The horse was sourced by Camilla’s friend Sarah-Jane Knight, who also found Kitty King’s ride Ceylor LAN.

“I wasn’t actually 100% convinced about the horse when I first saw him,” admits Camilla. “But I thought I’d produce and sell him, but then my other horse, had an injury, so Biarritz stepped up to the mark.

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“He’s still getting his bearings at this level but he’s such a friendly horse.”

Looking to the cross-country ahead, Camilla is confident about the track, which is big but technical.

“I’m going for a fairly steady clear round,” she says. “And Biarritz is good with technical fences. He may not be a Burghley horse, but he’s a technical horse.”

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Replay the interactive written commentary service from the dressage phase of the eventing competition at the Rio Olympic Games

The H&H Live team will be providing live and interactive written commentary throughout the Olympic Games starting with every horse in the dressage arena of the eventing competition in Rio (6-7 May).

On Saturday and Sunday former three-star eventer turned dressage rider Matt Hicks will be on hand to offer expert insight into the dressage action, supported by H&H’s website editor and eventing enthusiast Carol Phillips. You can register below to receive an email reminder, so you don’t miss a moment, if you’d like to do so.

What is H&H Live?

For those who aren’t familar with H&H Live, it is an up-to-the-minute written commentary service enhanced with images, which also gives you the opportunity to take part in live interactive polls, pose questions to our team and post your comments. You can follow on your computer, laptop, tablet or smart phone, so you can get live updates whereever you are, without having to be in front of your TV. NB: This is NOT a live video stream.

Can I watch on TV?

All action from the Olympic Games is going to be available via the BBC’s red button services as well as the BBC sports website. We hope that you will join us as well for the expert insight Matt can provide, and take part in our interactive options. Find out what’s happening when ».

H&H Live will continue throughout the Games covering all the action across all three equestrian disciplines. Emile Faurie will be joining us on 10-11 August for the dressage grand prix, Richard Barrett will be on hand on Friday 12 August to share his views on the grand prix special, after which the team medals will be awarded, and Hayley Watson-Greaves will be online on Monday 15 August for the grand prix freestyle. The remaining action will be brought to you by H&H staff members. We look forward to you joining us for two fantastic weeks of equestrian sport.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Over a decade ago, Sweden’s Frida Andersén and her family let fate intervene when deciding which of her two horses to ride and which to sell when she couldn’t keep both of them.

Her mother Annki bought the dam of Frida’s Rio 2016 ride, Herica — a daughter of the thoroughbred stallion Krius xx — as a riding horse for herself.

However, she was forced to give up riding through injury, and the mare was put in foal to Cortus 15 years ago.

When Herta was two, the family had to downsize horses and, dithering about which horse to put on the market, put both her and her dam Herica up for sale.

“Whichever one did not sell would be my riding horse,” says Frida.

And so it was that she started the partnership with Herta, the horse who today took Frida down the centre line and made her an Olympian at age 26.

They scored 47.9 penalties and sit in 18^th after the first of the two dressage days.

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“She’s my best friend,” enthuses Frida, “and you feel safe out there on the cross-country because I know her so well.”

Things were not always quite so smooth, especially for the 15-year-old Frida and four-year-old Herta.

“She was not so easy in the beginning,” says Frida. “She got homesick and didn’t want to go away from the other horses. She didn’t want to leave them.

“She loved to jump but in the cross-country she would just stop dead between fences and I would fall off.

“We never thought she’d have an eventing career. We spent a long time a one- and two-star to build her confidence.”

But what you see in public is not the same horse as at home.

“At home she’s so lazy and boring; she looks tiny and like nothing,” says Frida. “At shows, she grows.”

The mare still has a hint of the trickyness that dogged her in her youth.

“We sometimes still have problems coming from the stables and in the starting box, but the more she focuses on me, the better it is.”

The mare is now 14 and Frida hopes to have one or two more seasons eventing her, with Badminton as the ultimate goal, but also has foals in mind.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

It’s not often you send your parents and brother a text that reads: “Don’t panic when you see the reports about the bullet in the press centre — we are fine! x”

But today at the Rio Olympics, that’s what happened. We were all quietly getting on with filing our lunchtime dressage stories, when the bullet flew in. To be honest, I didn’t hear it. I was engrossed in writing a piece about riders’ reactions to the course and the first thing I saw was photographer Jon Stroud sprinting for the front desk to get help. The bullet had landed perhaps six foot from him.

So now we’re in this strange situation where the media become the news. My colleague Alice Collins leapt over to see what was happening and when she came back and told me, I think the second thing I said was, “That’s a news story.” So she wrote it and the next thing we knew, Sky Sport news got in touch and interviewed Alice live. TV crews from non-equestrian outlets started descending. We were the story.

The update from Rio 2016 communications director Mario Andrada tonight was described as a “security update” but of course most people were more into garnering quotes for stories than thinking about whether they themselves might be shot. I think it’s the human survival instinct — none of us really think we’ll be in the line of fire.

It’s good to know our readers have a similar attitude. I’ve had an eye on our web stats all day and within a couple of minutes of our story about William Fox-Pitt taking the lead going live, it had more than double as many people reading it as were looking at our report about the bullet. That’s the best of British spirit for you.

William’s dressage test and talking to him afterwards were pretty special. To go into the lead at the Olympics is always going to be emotional, to do it less than a year after a very serious head injury is remarkable. Remarkable? That doesn’t even do it justice. We’re already out of superlatives — what will it be like if he wins?

Continued below…

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Hanging out in the mixed zone – the playpen for journalists where we get to speak to riders after they perform — I caught William’s eye as he waited to do his TV interview and we gave each other a thumbs up. Then he strolled over and kissed me on both cheeks.

“People are going to think I’ve had a bang to the head because I haven’t shaved and I’m always clean shaven, but my razor’s broken and I haven’t had time to go to the shops,” he said, grinning.

William is press gold — pretty much everything he says is quotable and he had us hanging on his every word as he talked about his test and his comeback. We are incredibly lucky to have him in our sport and if he holds his place and wins an individual medal, this should be one of the big stories of the Games. Let’s hope that’s the case — it’d be nice if equestrianism came out of this Olympics famous for something other than the bullet that flew into the press centre…

Full 25-page report on the eventing from Rio 2016 in H&H next week — out Friday, 12 August. H&H is published on Friday instead of Thursday next week only to allow us to report the full competition from the Olympics.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

A security briefing was held in the Rio Olympic press office in Deodoro, which was earlier today the scene of commotion when a stray bullet pierced the tent ceiling and landed on the floor.

The Rio 2016 communications director Mario Andrada addressed a large group of media — including additional TV crews from non-equestrian channels, seeking to offer reassurance around the security status of the venue.

“Those of you who were working here at lunch time saw that a bullet was found here, which came from the outside,” he said. “Authorities are investigating the type of bullet and the distance and where it came from and why it came here.

He stated that it had been “clearly determined” that the press office — and the Deodoro venue holding all the equestrian Olympic events — was not the target of an attack. The venue forms part of a garrison town area, so is surrounded by military installations.

“We don’t know if it has come from training or whether there were any live fire exercises nearby. The weapon has not yet been identified.

“It was stray bullet and can confirm that it was nothing to do with the Games, the presence of the Olympic family or of the press. There is no more precise information at the moment and investigations are being carried out,” said Mr Andrada.

“Technical experts from local police have been measuring the place and trajectory of the bullet. As soon as we know, we will disclose where form, why it was here and what kind if bullet it was.”

He made assurances that security in the area has been stepped up.

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“Military and security forces in the area have absolute confidence and assurance that this is nothing to do with the Games, and was just unfortunate incident.”

H&H will bring you more information as soon as it is available.

All three of our staff, reporters Pippa Roome and Alice Collins, as well as photographer Peter Nixon were in the press office at the time of the incident and are unharmed.

Mr Andrada added: “We can’t give out more information about the bullet without checking and testing it. It’s a very sensitive issue so need to investigate and clarify everything before we can give out any further information.”

In consultation with local professionals, it was not deemed necessary to evacuate the area.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

William Fox-Pitt holds the individual gold position after the first day of eventing dressage at the Rio Olympics.

The British team member rode Chris and Lisa Stone’s stallion Chilli Morning to a score of 37.

“Of course it’s what you dream of and what I was hoping for,” said William. “He’s been working brilliantly with Tracie Robinson [British eventing team dressage trainer] in the build up to coming here and we know he’s capable of a good test. I didn’t want to let him down. He felt calm and on the job.”

William’s participation here is little short of a miracle as he suffered a serious head injury in October last year and was in an induced coma for over a week. He returned to the saddle just before Christmas, but suffered problems with memory, double vision and lost a huge amount of fitness.

“The Games has come round with perfect timing,” he said. “In November August felt a long way away and I was saying, ‘I’m going to be in Rio.’ Then you suddenly realise it’s here and I’m just ready in time. I’ve had a lot of help from UK Sport and lottery funding getting me back on track and I’m very lucky and happy to be here.”

Australia’s Chris Burton is just 0.6 of a penalty behind William with Santano II.

“I’m stoked with him — he makes my job really easy, that lovely horse,” said Chris. “Of course there are things that could be better, but that’s always the case with dressage.”

Britain’s first rider into the arena, Gemma Tattersall on Quicklook V, is now 15th. With two riders from each team having completed their tests, Britain lies in team bronze, with Australia in silver and the Germans in gold.

Germany’s Michael Jung, the defending individual Olympic champion with Sam FBW, currently holds third on 40.9.

“I’m very happy,” he said. “He was very good to ride and I had a good feeling. We made a mistake in the canter, but his concentration was directly back on me.”

Continued below…

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Perhaps the biggest surprise of today was Clark Montgomery’s test on Loughan Glen for the US team. As Clark himself rued, the horse hasn’t scored out of the 30s for a long time, but he inexplicably shut down in the arena this afternoon. The pair finished the day 10th on 46.6.

“I’ve no idea what happened,” he said. “He warmed up beautifully. He felt good until he tried to walk and once he was in that frame of mind he wouldn’t get out of it.”

The dressage continues tomorrow, with Britain’s Pippa Funnell on Billy The Biz at 11.20am local time (3.20pm British time) and Kitty King on Ceylor LAN at 2.58pm local time (6.58pm British time). Follow the action here.

Full 25-page report on the eventing from Rio 2016 in H&H next week — out Friday, 12 August. H&H is published on Friday instead of Thursday next week only to allow us to report the full competition from the Olympics.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

There was major commotion in the equestrian press office in Deodoro on day one of the 2016 Rio Olympic Games as a military bullet (pictured) pierced the white plastic of the large tent and clattered to the floor. Nobody was harmed.

The bullet, identified locally as a 5.56mm assault rifle round, landed on one side of the room, near the end set up to accommodate athlete press conferences.

It landed at lunch time, a particularly busy time in the press office as journalists from all nations were busy writing up their stories from the morning’s eventing dressage.

All three of H&H’s team in Rio were in the room at the time. The bullet landed nearest to British photographer Jon Stroud — who is here working for the British Equestrian Federation (BEF). He ran to the far end of the room to seek help.

Team GBR’s Pippa Wade was sitting near Jon when the bullet landed. The British Equestrian Federation’s Performance Director Dan Hughes was also in the press room, talking to commentators Ian Stark and Mike Tucker.

Continued below…

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The bullet, which was bronze in colour, landed on the carpet and did not pierce it. The photo manager at the venue quickly retrieved the bullet, but not before photographer Pierre Costabadie could photograph it.

The venue is adjacent to a military base, with some speculating that the bullet could have been “negligent discharge” — when a recruit accidentally fires a weapon in the wrong direction.

Some journalists were surprised that no subsequent action was taken to tighten security following the incident.

A small hole could be seen in the roof of the tent where the bullet came through (pictured), with the sunshine casting a spot on the wall through the newly-made hole.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Riders are describing the Rio Olympics cross-country course as “a proper championship track”.

British travelling reserve Tina Cook said: “It’s the most difficult course I’ve seen at a Games for a while — harder than Hong Kong or London — with the terrain, the questions asked and the size of the fences.”

The Olympics is run at four-star level, although in a slightly modified format to a regular four-star, but traditionally the track is often not really up to that standard. But that isn’t the case this time, with the course-designer, France’s Pierre Michelet, providing a true test.

Canada’s Jessica Phoenix, who will be the pathfinder, said: “It’s not four-star in height, but it’s definitely a four-star in technicality. It’ll suit A Little Romance — she’s like a little sports car.”

Australia’s Sam Griffiths commented: “The course is really tough, with questions the whole way round from the start to the last. The terrain makes it difficult and you’re going to have to be on your A game to go well.”

Riders have picked out fence six, a double of right-handed corners, as likely to be particularly influential.

The optimum time (10min 15sec) will also play a part — if it’s tight, which is likely, riders are more likely to be forced into mistakes.

“I think it’s a strong course, but very safe as run-offs and time-faults will be the order of the day [rather than falls],” said New Zealand’s Tim Price. “Pierre has used the terrain well and it’ll be difficult to be clear and in the time.”

Britain’s Gemma Tattersall said: “It’s a serious track that wouldn’t look out of place at Badminton or Burghley. It’s very hilly. We’ll all have to have our serious brave pants on.”

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The weather may also affect the results — it is forecast to be 24ºC on cross-country day, although today temperatures are around 29ºC.

“We will see horses coming home hot, but they are super fit and there are plenty of places to cool them, so I don’t expect to see any problems because of the heat,” said Tim Price.

Full 25-page report on the eventing from Rio 2016 in H&H next week — out Friday, 12 August. H&H is published on Friday instead of Thursday next week only to allow us to report the full competition from the Olympics.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Not many riders can boast the sort of intellectual CV this quietly-spoken Irishman does. After a decade as a professional showjumper on the continental circuit, Padraig (pronounced Paw-rigg) McCarthy wanted a change of scene.

“I thought there must be more to life than that,” he says.

So he did a degree in German and economics. He spent time in Switzerland and Germany while studying and carried on dealing horses to fund his continued education.

“Lucy [Wiegersma] came to look at one of the horses, and that’s how he met,” he recalls.

The two of them are now parents of Tomas, born last year.

So how did Padraig go from jumping dealer to Olympic eventer riding Lucy’s former top horse? He’s clearly got talent, that intangible Irish way with horses.

He and Lucy moved in together and set up a business.

“She must have seen something in me,” he says modestly of how he came to pick up the ride on this talented son of Sofix, now 16. “She rode Simon [Porloe, Padraig’s Rio horse] at Malmo and they upturned at the boat.

“It really knocked the horse’s confidence and we weren’t sure he’d ever come back from it. Lucy also had this other really good horse, Mr Chunky, so she suggested I take Simon.

“I had no experience so had to start from novice and decided to go as far as the horse would go.”

I almost laugh. We’re standing in the mix zone, with Padraig having just completed a really smart test on Simon (barring one naughty spook at a pesky photographer) for 46.8 penalties (about 68.8%).

At lunch time on dressage day one, he lies in fourth place.

“He’s like a bumblebee — he shouldn’t be able to fly but he can,” says Padraig.

Soothed by a toddler

How did he change his mindset to start galloping at solid fences, rather than knock-down poles?

“Irish youngsters are used to hunting,” he reasons. “It’s dressage that’s the biggest challenge.”

Padraig counts his biggest personal strength as his ability to put mistakes behind him and move on.

He had a crunching cross-country fall at a corner fence in the arena at the Blair Europeans last year.

That, as with other mistakes is now “old news”.

On the day he was frustrated.

“I was shellshocked and I went back to the lorry,” he says. “And there was this toddler smiling at me and I realised it really wasn’t so important.”

Padraig has not reassessed his priorities, but his attitude has shifted.

He thinks some younger riders could also do with a change in attitude.

“They should learn their trade,” he councils. “In England there are so many privileged youngsters on great horses. But to become a real horseman you need to ride all different types.

“You don’t need money; you need to work for it and get results. Build a good foundation and don’t be afraid of making mistakes. Use them to learn and get better.”

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Britain’s first team member Gemma Tattersall lies sixth after the first morning of eventing dressage at the Rio Olympics.

Gemma and Quicklook V scored 47.2, with their only serious error being a break into canter early in the extended trot. The mare was also a little inconsistent in the rein contact through the test and snatchy in some of the flying changes, although they were correct.

“She did all the movements well except for that one mistake and walked really well,” said Gemma, who was a touch disappointed with her mark.

The Olympic debutant described the whole experience as “amazing” and “random”.

“We’ve been here a whole week not doing much with just one horse, so it’s been difficult to keep ourselves busy,” she said. “We’ve been doing pilates as a team!

“The facilities are amazing, the stables are beautiful and the horses seem relaxed and happy.”

This morning’s action at Deodoro took place in intense heat and some riders later in the session had to contend with enthusiastic spectators clapping when horses halted at the start of their tests.

Sandra Auffarth leads

As expected, German world champions Sandra Auffarth and Opgun Louvo lead individually after the first rotation of team riders. However, their score of 41.6 is not as high as might have been expected and they had an error in the flying changes.

“It’s a shame everyone’s saying, ‘What happened?’ as overall I was very pleased,” she said. “It’s a tough cross-country — we haven’t lost it yet!”

France’s Astier Nicolas holds second with Piaf De Bneville on 42. He was disappointed with problems in his changes.

“It took him two years to learn them and sometimes he worries,” he said. “When he does them well, they are high quality — it’s black and white.”

Australia’s Sam Griffiths lies third with the 2014 Badminton winner Paulank Brockagh after receiving a mark of 46.3.

“My horse went really well,” he said. “My personal best is a few marks better than that and I wanted to get close to that, but they are marking pretty tough out there. I’ll be a few marks behind the leader.”

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Ireland’s Padraig McCarthy sits fourth with Simon Porloe (46.8), and Tim Price, who was called into the New Zealand team yesterday from the travelling reserve spot, is currently fifth with Ringwood Sky Boy (47).

“I’m a bit disappointed, but I can understand the mark with the three mistakes,” said Tim.

The rider added that the horse can often have problems with the halts and they “weren’t as bad as they can be” but said it was a shame he missed a flying change, normally a good movement for him.

William Fox-Pitt and Chilli Morning will be Britain’s second pair into the arena at 2.18pm local time (6.18pm in Britain). Follow all the action with H&H Live.

Full 25-page report on the eventing from Rio 2016 in H&H next week — out Friday, 12 August. H&H is published on Friday instead of Thursday next week only to allow us to report the full competition from the Olympics.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

When I was at school, I did some drama exams, and for one of them I did a scene from a play called Candy & Shelley go to the Desert. Over the past few weeks as we’ve been in the final countdown to Rio, I’ve been constantly reminded of this play as we enact our own script: Pippa and Alice go to the Olympics.

You see, in the play Candy and Shelley break down in the desert. Candy is unconcerned and keen to work on her tan. Shelley has a lot of allergies, sneezes constantly and worries about being attacked.

In our play, my colleague Alice is Candy — unworried by travelling to South America, not bothered about getting injections, unconcerned by advice about mosquitos, Zika and security.

I, meanwhile, am Shelley. I’m naturally a cautious person. I have a lot of bug repellent with me, plus long-sleeved tops and light trousers. I even have socks which are impregnated with something to repel the little flying critters. I’ve read all the security advice. I plan to keep all my possessions near me at all times, only travel by recommended means and avoid walking anywhere, certainly after dark.

So Candy and Shelley/Alice and Pippa have now made it to Rio. And what’s it like?

It’s hot. Really hot. Walking the cross-country course this afternoon, I felt pinned down by the heat, scorched flat to that funny unreal grass you get in countries with this sort of climate.

I haven’t seen a mosquito yet.

Our accommodation is fine. A clean flat with a bathroom each. Sure there are some wrinkles to iron out — three cold showers later, I’d love the hot water to start working. But I’m pretty happy to have this as my home from home for 17 days.

Best of all, the three of us — myself, Alice and our photographer, Peter Nixon, are together. The apartments have three rooms and we’d requested to all be put in the same one, but told nothing could be guaranteed. Finding out we’d all been put in one flat, making things like filming our “Today at Rio” shows (check out the first one here — it’s the video with Pippa Funnell and Billy The Biz as the still at the front) massively easier, was a huge plus yesterday.

Another great moment was seeing Peter standing on his trolley at the airport to meet us, waving a copy of H&H. We’re all here, we all have our luggage. Other international journalists have been less lucky — New Zealand’s Jane Thompson was bag-less for some days.

The shop at our base is like something out of one of those history books where things go a bit nuts with currency and there’s nothing on the shelves or different things every day. They sell various food items you could piece together to make meals, but we have no pots and pans in our kitchen, so we can’t cook. They sell cereal, but no milk.

Tonight, big excitement, they had honey and Nutella! And bread! Yes! We can have Nutella sandwiches for lunch tomorrow. It’s amazing how enticing that sounds when your food intake for 26 hours has been 1.5 cereal bars. We missed supper last night as we were exhausted after a night flight and a long day out and about. If there is food at Deodoro — apart from a stand with dodgy looking pasties — I haven’t found it yet.

Transport is mixed. Media buses to the main press centre and to the equestrian venue at Deodoro have worked fine. But the return buses from Deodoro stopped at lunchtime today, when the press room still had plenty of people working in it. On the plus side, taxis are cheap — the media centre official helped us into a local one today and Uber works well from the other Olympic clusters.

The main arena at the venue looks great and the press centre is much like you would find at any championship anywhere in the world, with Olympic branding, of course. There’s a bit of a lack of signs and obvious routes from place to place. I’m struggling to get my bearings and Peter and I managed to end up somewhere we weren’t meant to be on the way to walk the cross-country. But find it we did — and as a bonus, we soon stumbled across Kitty King walking the course with sage advice from British reserve Tina Cook.

Continued below…

Related articles:

• Alice Collins’ Rio blog: strong looks, Pokemon, hashtags and mango man
• Road to Rio blog: the weird Olympic team announcement
• Road to Rio blog: ‘I’ve been selected!’

Tina can still be substituted into the team until 8am tomorrow morning and today’s trot-up was followed by a rush of breaking news as both the Germans and the New Zealanders had to make late changes to their squads. The heartbreak involved in getting all the way here and through the trot-up but not being able to run is unimaginable.

Both teams have strong replacements and I don’t think these changes affect my assessment of the team standings from our preview in 28 July issue — the Germans are favourites for gold; the French, Kiwis and Brits will battle it out for silver and bronze, but other nations could get in the game if any of this quartet falter. Dressage starts at 10am local time tomorrow (follow live here from 2pm British time) and I can’t wait to see how this unfolds.

Goodbye until then, my friends — I’m off to make a Nutella sandwich.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

The national uniforms riders have to wear at Olympic trot-ups range from smart to casual, from brilliant to frankly bizarre. Check out the pictures below and vote for your favourite

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

The British team order for the eventing at the Rio Olympics has been released following this morning’s trot-up.

Gemma Tattersall will be the pathfinder on the Pebbles Syndicate’s Quicklook V, followed by William Fox-Pitt with Chris and Lisa Stone’s Chilli Morning. Pippa Funnell rides third on the late Carol Toliver’s Billy The Biz and Kitty King will take the anchor leg on Jacqueline Owen, Diana Bown and Samantha Wilson’s Ceylor LAN.

Dressage times for British team:

Gemma Tattersall — Saturday, 6 August at 10.40am (2.40pm British time)

William Fox-Pitt — Saturday, 6 August at 2.18pm (6.18pm British time)

Pippa Funnell — Sunday, 7 August at 11.20am (3.20pm British time)

Kitty King — Sunday, 7 August at 2.58pm (6.58pm British time)

H&H will be providing our H&H Live written commentary service for every session at the Olympics, including the eventing dressage this weekend, for which expert insight will be provided by dressage rider and former eventer Matt Hicks. Follow here.

Canadian rider Jessica Phoenix will be the trailblazer for the whole competition on A Little Romance. They perform their test at 10am local time tomorrow morning.

Germany’s individual favourite Michael Jung will be the second out for his team, riding his test on Sam FBW at 2.58pm local time tomorrow.

Britain is the seventh team in the nations’ order, following Australia and before the Netherlands. The crack German team are 10th of the 13 teams. However, Gemma is actually the sixth rider into the arena tomorrow as Russia only has three riders so skips the first rider rotation.

Continued below…

Related articles:

• German team call on reserve rider at Rio Olympics
• Stable accident forces change to New Zealand team at Rio Olympics
• Walk the Rio Olympics cross-country course: pictures of every fence

Ireland are third in the team draw and their riders will compete in the following order: Padraig McCarthy (Simon Porloe), Clare Abbott (Euro Prince), Jonty Evans (Cooley Rorkes Drift), Mark Kyle (Jemilla).

Full 25-page report on the eventing from Rio 2016 in H&H next week — out Friday, 12 August. H&H is published on Friday instead of Thursday next week only to allow us to report the full competition from the Olympics.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

The New Zealand team have made a substitution to their eventing team for the Rio Olympics following this morning’s first trot-up.

Earlier this week Jock Paget’s ride Clifton Lush cut his cheek on a pipe outside the stable that had somehow become exposed during the night, according to a statement from the national federation.

The cut required suturing and the vets have been happy with the horse’s progress. Under expert supervision Clifton Lush has been kept in work and has been working well. However, despite the positive daily progress, it has been decided that the horse should be given further time to heal to make a full recovery.

“Obviously it is very disappointing for me and Clifton Lush’s owners, but we’ve decided this is best for the horse,” said Jock. “It’s been a real team effort from the Rio 2016 veterinary hospital and our own vet Christiana Ober — they have all given Lush exceptional care and attention.”

Clifton Lush looked lacklustre at the trot-up this morning and was asked to trot twice by the ground jury (the USA’s Marilyn Payne, New Zealand’s Andrew Bennie and Britain’s Sandy Phillips) before he was accepted.

Following the withdrawal, Tim Price, the travelling reserve with Ringwood Sky Boy, will compete. The teams with a travelling reserve trotted up that horse this morning too, and they can be substituted until two hours before the dressage starts tomorrow morning at 10am.

Tim will make his Olympic debut, riding alongside his wife Jonelle, who won team bronze in London on Flintstar. The other members of the New Zealand team are Mark Todd (Leonidas II) and Clarke Johnstone (Balmoral Sensation).

“I am really proud to make the team, but it’s disappointing that it comes off the back of the misfortune of my team-mate Jock and his connections,” said Tim.

Tim will trailblaze for the team, followed by Mark and Clarke, with Jonelle riding in the anchor position.

New Zealand are one of the leading nations in the eventing competition and will compete for the medals with nations such as Germany (the favourites), France and Great Britain.

Continued below…

Related articles:

• German team call on reserve at Rio Olympics
• One horse held at Rio Olympics first trot-up
• Walk the Rio Olympics cross-country course: pictures of every fence

The dressage starts tomorrow at 10am and continues on Sunday. Monday (8 August) is cross-country day and the competition concludes on Tuesday. Follow the dressage as it happens with H&H Live.

Full 25-page report on the eventing from Rio 2016 in H&H next week — out Friday, 12 August. H&H is published on Friday instead of Thursday to next week only to allow us to report the full competition from the Olympics.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Andreas Ostholt has been replaced in the German eventing team at the Rio Olympics. Travelling reserve Julia Krajewski will now compete instead.

Andreas’ ride So Is Et, the Badminton runner-up, passed the horse inspection this morning, but he had been unsound after losing a shoe back home in Germany shortly before the training camp. As there was still a risk with running the horse, it was decided to bring Julia and Samourai Du Thot into the team.

The teams with a travelling reserve trotted up that horse this morning too, and they can be substituted until two hours before the dressage starts tomorrow morning at 10am.

Julia will make her Olympic debut, riding alongside the experienced trio of Michael Jung (Sam FBW), Ingrid Klimke (Hale-Bob OLD) and Sandra Auffarth (Opgun Louvo). The Germans start the competition as strong favourites with great chances of successfully defending the team and individual gold medals they won in London.

Julia, 27, and 10-year-old Samourai Du Thot will be among the least experienced combinations competing in Rio, but have really impressed this year. They finished third on their four-star debut at Luhmühlen in June and were the two-phase leaders in the CIC3* at Aachen but withdrew before the cross-country.

Julia has been based at the national centre at Warendorf for nine years. She juggles competing five horses with working in the national federation office part-time and helping train the under-21 teams. She has also recently finished three years studying sports coaching and science at Cologne.

Related articles:

• One horse held at Rio Olympics first trot-up
• Walk the Rio Olympics cross-country course: pictures of every fence
• Beginners’ guide to Olympic eventing

The dressage starts tomorrow at 10am (2pm British time) and continues on Sunday. Monday (8 August) is cross-country day and the competition concludes on Tuesday. Follow the dressage as it happens with H&H Live.

Full 25-page report on the eventing from Rio 2016 in H&H next week — out Friday, 12 August. H&H is published on Friday instead of Thursday to next week only to allow us to report the full competition from the Olympics.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

One horse was sent to the holding box at the first eventing trot-up at the Rio Olympics today (Friday, 5 August).

Spain’s Albert Hermoso Farras was asked to take Hito CP aside by the ground jury — president Marilyn Payne (USA) and members Andrew Bennie (NZL) and Sandy Phillips (GBR). But he was accepted when he re-presented.

All the other horses forward passed, so there will be 65 starters in the eventing competition. The teams with a travelling reserve trotted up that horse too, and they can be substituted until two hours before the dressage starts tomorrow morning at 10am.

Britain’s team — William Fox-Pitt (Chilli Morning), Pippa Funnell (Billy The Biz), Gemma Tattersall (Quicklook V) and Kitty King (Ceylor LAN), plus travelling reserve Tina Cook (Billy The Red) — all looked in fine form and passed without drama.

The Irish were all accepted without problems too — team members Mark Kyle (Jemilla), Padraig McCarthy (Simon Porloe), Jonty Evans (Cooley Rorkes Drift) and Clare Abbott (Euro Prince), plus reserve Camilla Speirs (Portersize Just A Jiff).

A couple of horses were asked to trot twice before they were accepted. They were Nadeville Merze, ridden by Nicolas Wettstein for Ecuador, who became a little upset on the strip, and Jock Paget’s ride Clifton Lush for New Zealand.

Chinese supporters had a nervous moment as Alex Hua Tian did not bring Don Geniro forward at his allocated time before the Japanese riders, but he followed them in and passed without problems.

Viewing national uniforms is a popular spectator sport at first horse inspections and the Swedes definitely won the award for the most eye-catching outfits — look out for our gallery of pictures coming soon.

Continued below…

Related articles:

• Walk the Olympic cross-country course: pictures of every fence
• Beginners’ guide to Olympic eventing
• Who will compete in the eventing at Rio?

The dressage starts tomorrow at 10am (2pm British time) and continues on Sunday. Monday (8 August) is cross-country day and the competition concludes on Tuesday. Follow the dressage as it happens with H&H Live.

Such was the interest surrounding the first horse inspection the hashtag #EquestrianEventing was trending on twitter during the trot-up.

Full 25-page report on the eventing from Rio 2016 in H&H next week — out Friday, 12 August. H&H is published on Friday instead of Thursday to next week only to allow us to report the full competition from the Olympics.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

With the first horse inspection for the Olympic eventing happening today (5 August), find out how British team member Pippa Funnell prepares for an Olympics

When I’ve been preparing for an Olympics in the past, I’ve had to remind myself to treat it like any other championship. In your head it’s the Olympics and that’s huge, but you need to keep your feet on the ground in the run-up to the Games; it can be easy to overtrain.

Stick to your routine

I’ve always kept to the same plan with my horses ahead of any Olympics, right down to feeding. At the Games I’ve given them what they would have at home or very similar, as I have seen how a richer type of haylage can affect temperament.

With all the Olympic hype surrounding the horses, it is also essential they are still given space and allowed time to relax.

Preparations

It’s a crucial balance to get right: not to overdo the preparation, nor underdo it. Stick to what has worked for your horse. Some horses might need a fun run, others a big run.

Fitness for rider

It’s important you are as on form as your horse. The nature of eventing keeps you pretty fit, simply by riding a large number of horses daily. I now do Pilates, which I didn’t before the other Olympics I’ve been to, but I find it helps with focus and core strength.

Travelling anxieties

The most anxiety I felt was when Supreme Rock was travelling to Australia. I wasn’t able to travel with him, but you do know they are in good hands with a team of top vets on the flight.

The heat is another factor. Ahead of Athens we did a lot of canter work in special rugs that included neck covers to acclimatise the horses.

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Controlling the nerves

I’ve had hideous nerves, but as it’s an Olympics everyone does. It’s a huge honour to represent your country and the team spirit is fantastic. The horse doesn’t know it’s any different, so you need to make sure you don’t pass tension on.

It’s easier said than done in the atmosphere. You need to be mentally strong so the horse picks up the positive vibes.

Don’t miss our 24-page pull-out form guide in this week’s issue of Horse & Hound magazine (4 August 2016)

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Want to walk the Rio Olympics cross-country course but your bank account wouldn’t quite allow for the airfare to Brazil? No problem! Our fence by fence pictures are the next best thing to taking a stroll around the Deodoro venue yourself.

The track has been designed by France’s Pierre Michelet and in line with the rules for the the modified four-star format used at the Olympics the optimum time will be between 10 and 11 minutes.

The Olympic eventing starts on Saturday (6 August) with two days of dressage. The cross-country takes place on Monday (8 August) with the final showjumping on Tuesday (9 August). Swat up on the format here.

Fence 1: Copacabana Flower Bed

Fence 2: Arch Of Lapa

Fence 3: Picnic Table

Fence 4abcd: Botanical Garden

Fence a

Fence 4bc

Alternative fence 4c

Back of alternative fence c

Fence d

Fence 5: Pine Wood Ramp

Fence 6ab: Corners Question

Fence 7: Burghley Fence

Fence 8abc/9: Sugar Loaf

Fence 8ab

Fence 8c

Fence 9

Fence 10: Bamboo Keyhole

Fence 11ab/12: Pan Am Wall Combination

Fence 11a

Fence 11b

Fence 12

Fence 13: Amazonian Log

Fence 14ab: Narrows Wood Piles

Fence 14a

Fence 14b

Fence 15: Log Pile And Ditch

Fence 16abc: Old Water Complex

Fence 16a

Fence 16b

Fence 16c

Fence 17: Palm Tree Question

Fence 17a

Fence 17b

Fence 18: Flower Box

Fence 19/20ab: Ski Jump

Fence 19

Fence 20ab

Fence 21: Wood Pile Launch

Fence 22: White Oxer

Fence 23/24: Malmesbury Cottage

Quick route over fence 23

Slow route over fence 23

Fence 24

Fence 25ab: Web Water Jump

Fence 25a

Fence 25b

Fence 26: Bamboo Vertical

Continued below…

Related articles:

• Beginner’s guide to Olympic eventing
• Who will compete in the eventing at the Games?
• Timetable and how to follow the Olympics

Fence 27: Fruit Wagon

Fence 28/29ab/30: Fisherman’s Lake

Fence 28

Fence 29ab

Fence 30

Fence 31: Knowledge Bridge

Fence 32: Brush Fence

Fence 33: Sambodromo

Full report of the Olympic eventing from Rio in H&H next week, out on Friday, 12 August. H&H is published on Friday instead of Thursday next week to allow us to report the full eventing from the Games.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Do you know everything there is to know about the event riders and horses who compete in Rio over the next week? Test your knowledge here. All the answers can be found in H&H's form guide, out tomorrow (Thursday, 4 August).

Buy H&H’s full Olympic form guide, out tomorrow (Thursday, 4 August) for detailed listings of every horse and rider competing in Rio in eventing, dressage and showjumping.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Eventer Jonelle Price will be representing New Zealand in Rio with Faerie Dianimo. Here she tells Sue Polley about her top tips for success — from keeping things simple to pushing yourself out of your comfort zone

It all comes back to getting the basics right and keeping things simple.

To do this you have to understand what the basics are, what they look and feel like, and understand why they matter.

For me, it means the horse being soft in their way of going, rounded through their back and pushing through from the hindleg evenly into a good contact. If you touch a rein, the horse must follow it and if you put a leg on, they must move forward or away from it.

I like to do a lot of transitions, between and in the pace. As an example, I’d expect an advanced horse to have several gears within the paces, while the four-year-olds are starting to develop those gears by opening up in the canter and then turning into a 10m circle, which requires them to close the stride again.

As they get older they can progress to more lateral work to develop the softness and throughness. Travers is useful as an exercise, on a circle or even in counter-canter. I want energy to flow from the hindleg through a soft back to the contact and feel I can go in any direction, at any time, in any shape.

Pounding the roads

All our horses spend the first four weeks following their winter holiday walking and trotting up and down the two-mile lane outside our yard. It’s old-fashioned but I’m a firm believer that it builds strength in tendons and muscles, and contributes hugely to soundness in the long term.

Seize the day

I’ve always been quite tough mentally, so I find it fairly easy to keep calm on tough days at big events. I try to reverse tough situations and look at them as a golden opportunity. I think

this is the natural fighter in me and it certainly paid dividends at the World Games in 2014, where I was able to seize my chance when others struggled in the conditions.

Dare yourself

Although I often make the time across country, this is not something that comes naturally to me. I have learnt that achieving speed across country is a result of establishing a good rhythm, riding direct lines and touching the reins the least amount of times possible.

This takes practice. You have to push yourself out of your comfort zone and dare yourself to ride at fences like this.

Obviously you need to be sensible — don’t start by practising over stone walls! Instead, try a couple of brush roll-tops. Practise riding them out of a forward canter on say 15 strides, then 14 and then 13 until you are comfortable travelling on the more open distance.

Like this? You might also enjoy reading these:

‘Repetition is key’ — Jonelle Price’s top tips for solving cross-country problems

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Ditch the emotion

By learning to remove emotion from my riding I’ve been able to see things and act much more objectively.

In turn, this has helped me to develop patience, which wasn’t something I initially had in abundance.

Don’t miss our 24-page pull-out form guide in the 4 August issue of Horse & Hound magazine

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

On Friday evening (29 July), shortly before midnight local time, 34 event horses arrived at Rio’s Galeao airport.

This followed an 11-hour flight from London Stansted airport on a cargo Emirates Boeing 777. This was the first of nine flights in total which will carry around 200 horses from Leige in Belgium and Miami in Florida.

According to the FEI, New Zealand rider Tim Price’s horse Ringwood Sky Boy was the first to disembark the plane onto Brazilian ground.

This batch of horses, whose riders represent Britain, Ireland, New Zealand, Australia, Canada, China, Italy, Japan, Brazil and Zimbabwe, were then escorted by police on a bio-contained route to the Olympic equestrian venue at Deodoro.

See how the horses are settling into their championship digs:

The sole Zimbabwean eventing representative, British-based Camilla Kruger, grazes her horse Biarritz II in his travel suit at Stansted

Loading up the first batch of Olympic horses

US rider Clark Montgomery watches as his team’s horses depart Florida, including his mount Loughan Glen

The mighty German squad arrive in Brazil

Tina Cook’s Billy The Red and Pippa Funnell’s Billy The Biz enjoy a pick of grass

The British eventing team enjoy some sightseeing

British eventing team vet Liz Brown welcomes the horses as they arrive

Gemma Tattersall gives her horse Quicklook V (Pebbles) a warm welcome

The British eventing team check out the village where they will be staying

There is a graffiti wall for athletes to write a message to mark their stay

Quicklook V has a look at the main arena where much of the equestrian action will unfold

Brazilian event rider Ruy Fonseca gives us an insight into the Olympic village

And this is the home-side’s team camp

Kitty King’s ride Ceylor LAN (or Sprout as he is known at home) relaxes into his new digs

The Irish team arrive in Rio (l-r: Mark Kyle, Padraig McCarthy, Camilla Speirs, Clare Abbott and Jonty Evans)

Don Geniro, the mount of Chinese event rider Alex Hua Tian, poses with his team

Pippa Funnell’s groom Frankie Murrell gives us a look behind the scenes

New Zealander Jock Paget’s horse Clifton Lush takes in his surroundings

The full Horse & Hound Olympic preview is out now (28 July issue)

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

The first Olympic horses have touched down on Brazilian soil, a week before the opening ceremony takes place.

A flight carrying 34 event horses from 10 nations landed at Rio de Janeiro Galeão International Airport just before 12am today, with New Zealand travelling reserve Tim Price’s ride Ringwood Sky Boy the first to set foot in the country.

They are now settling into their own Olympic village; the newly-built stables at the Olympic equestrian centre in Deodoro.

As well as nearly 17,500kg of horses, the flight left London Stansted airport carrying 9,900kg of equipment, 6,000kg of feed, not including that to be eaten en route, and 40 litres of water per horse.

An FEI spokesman said: “The horses may have been on a cargo plane, but it was a specially designed Emirates Boeing SkyCargo 777-F, and they all flew business class.

“And there’s no need for flat beds as horses sleep standing up, but that doesn’t stop some of them asking for extra legroom!

“Just like the human athletes, they had to go through passport control (and a health check) at London Stansted before boarding with their carry-on luggage and check-in bags.

“Sporting the equine equivalent of flight socks (leg bandages), they received the full business class treatment, with special meals delivered by flight attendants (grooms), a drinks trolley (buckets) offering water (not fizzy) with a choice of mixers. Apple or carrot sir?”

Nathan Anthony, team vet for the Australian eventing squad, was one of six vets who flew with the horses.

“Flying is actually easier on the horses than going by truck,” he said.

“The only slightly difficult bit is the take-off, after that there are no bumps in the air. And we had a great captain on board who made the landing nice and smooth, and then the transfer to the Olympic stables was really easy.”

The horses were driven in “specially kitted-out trucks”, accompanied by a police escort, to the Olympic stables.

“Some of the equine stars clearly thought they were on a catwalk, with Zimbabwean horse Sam The Man strutting his stuff in a very fetching compression suit, colourfully emblazoned with his national flag,” added the FEI spokesman.

Related articles:

• Precious cargo: how our Olympic horses will fly to Rio
• The Olympics: when things are happening and how you can keep up to date
• British Olympic team rider taken to hospital after fall

“And Chilli Morning, the stallion Britain’s London 2012 team silver medallist William Fox-Pitt will ride in Rio, was sporting an equine baseball cap, complete with sheepskin lining.”

The flight, the first of nine during the Olympic period, transported horses from Britain, Ireland, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Zimbabwe, Brazil, Japan, Italy and China.

Over the coming days, more than 200 horses from 43 nations will be arriving in Deodoro.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

After six months of painstaking paperwork, the Irish Olympic eventing team has flown 2.5 tonnes of equipment, feed and forage to Rio (28 July).

Horse Sport Ireland’s equestrian sports manager Triona Connors flew to Brazil on Wednesday (27 July) to ensure the essential equipment arrived safely.

She has spent the past six months in the head office in Co Kildare working on the logistics of getting to Rio.

Every minute ingredient in the horse feed has had to be declared to all the relevant authorities.

“We’ve everything ready and are confident our horses will be eating their usual feed according to plan in Rio,” said Elaine Hatton, Horse Sport Ireland’s director of international marketing.

All the veterinary medicine and equipment had to be sent in separate trunks to comply with the Olympic rules.

Before departure a full equipment and tack box check was completed to ensure all items are labelled and listed to help them be processed quickly on arrival at Brazilian customs.

All the equipment is due to clear customs in Rio and be at the equestrian venue in Deodora, Brazil before the horses arrive.

The horses were due to leave the Rio exit camp in Waresley Park Stud at 7am today (29 July) and head to Stansted airport where they will board the Olympic flight to Rio.

The flight is overseen by horse transport experts Peden Bloodstock and the horses are accompanied by team Ireland’s equestrian vet Hugh Suffern.

The horses are due to land in Rio at 3.20pm local time on Friday and will travel by road to the Olympic venue.

“The task of getting five horses, their equipment and support staff to Rio is not an easy one,” said Ms Hatton.

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• Precious cargo: how our Olympic horses will fly to Rio
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The Irish eventing team hoping to win a medal in Rio is: Clare Abbott with Euro Prince (pictured, top), Jonty Evans with Cooley Rorkes Drift, Mark Kyle with Jemilla and Padraig McCarthy with Simon Porloe.

The travelling reserve is Camilla Speirs with Portersize Just A Jiff.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Canada’s leading international event rider Jessica Phoenix has won her appeal for a place on her country’s Olympic team.

British-based Canadian Kathryn Robinson had been chosen to ride on the team with her own Let It Bee ahead of Jessica, who was listed as reserve with two horses — A Little Romance (pictured) and Bentley’s Best.

Following the initial selection, Jessica and the horses’ owners appealed the decision through the Sport Dispute Resolution Centre of Canada (SDRCC)— which they won in a hearing dated 11 July. The summary of proceedings was released on Monday (25 July).

Following the publication, Canadian eventing team coach Clayton Fredericks said he stands by his statements explaining why Jessica was left off the team.

“We have a great group of riders in their final preparations for Rio and as a coach I am looking forward to the Games and helping our riders perform at their best,” he said afterwards.

“As the eventing team coach my focus has always been on the performance of the athletes and helping them achieve their personal best in competition.

“The aim this year was to have as many combinations as possible achieve their qualification for Rio and be in form and ready for a major games such as the Olympics.

“It is never an easy job selecting and particularly so this year with so many great combinations available to represent Canada.

“As a selector I had to consider both the soundness and performance information available to me and that, ultimately, is what I based my decision on.

“While I respect the appeal process and eventual outcome, I stand by my statements and the process that was followed.”

Eva Havaris, CEO of Equestrian Canada, said the organisation “respects and supports” the appeal process.

“One of the great things about our country and our Canadian sport system is that we have a process in place that honours fair play and integrity,” she added.

“We look forward to seeing a full team of Canadian eventing athletes kick off the equestrian portion of the Games.”

What happened?

According to the notes of the SDRCC hearing, Equestrian Canada recommended five targeted competitions for prospective team members during 2016, but no particular event was compulsory.

Jessica and her owners submitted that she has been Canada’s leading eventer for the last 10 years and satisfied “all nomination criteria” to be on the team.

They argued the selection panel did not properly apply nomination criteria and should have chosen Jessica with Pavarotti or A Little Romance (two of her possible four rides).

In a statement, Clayton Fredericks said Jessica’s withdrawals at Carolina International CIC3*, Kentucky CCI4* and Bromont CIC3* were not part of a team decision and “went against” his advice as team coach.

“In each instance the withdrawals were communicated to me by [her] on the day of cross-country close to competition time,” he said.

“This pattern of withdrawals has raised concerns regarding Jessica’s level of competitiveness and her readiness to be competitive at the Olympic Games.”

He added he has had concerns regarding the fitness programme of Jessica and her declared horses.

The hearing heard that although Clayton had concerns, he had not reviewed vet reports of Pavarotti or A Little Romance between Jersey Fresh in May and the selection panel meeting on 22 June.

Clayton acknowledged he thought Pavarotti and Bentley’s Best should have run at Bromont, but denied that he told Jessica failing to run the horses would prevent her from being on the team, as she claimed.

He also denied telling Don Good (owner of Pavarotti and Bentley’s Best) at Bromont that he thought he and Jessica were hiding something from him regarding Pavarotti’s soundness.

Jessica argued that she and Pavarotti’s owner were concerned the recovery time between Bromont and Jersey Fresh — a little over three weeks — was too short, so chose not to run him across country.

Jessica testified that Clayton arrived at the barn in Bromont and was “very agitated”.

“He told her, ‘you were in the driver’s seat for this selection and now you have completely ruined your chances not just on Bentley’s Best and Pavarotti but on the other two mares as well,’” read the summary of proceedings.

“Ms Phoenix testified that Mr Fredericks said ‘he could no longer help but was going to spend his time preparing the people who wanted to do this’.”

Graeme Thom, a former chef d’equipe and chair of the eventing high performance committee, testified that Jessica’s scores on all of her horses beat Kathryn’s.

“That Kathryn completed Badminton is very impressive and normally this type of an outing would trump any three-star result,” he said. “However, Kathryn’s time penalties were so numerous (53.2) that her four-star result is not impressive enough to stand on its own.”

He added “neither of the three horses” (Pavarotti, A Little Romance and Let It Bee) will win an individual medal, but the question is which will contribute most to the team’s overall placing.

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The decision

Arbitrator the Hon Robert Armstrong QC summed up that he accepts Clayton “earnestly believed” both of Jessica’s horses needed another cross-country run before the selection panel met.

“However, he became a man with a mission on this issue and my assessment, unfortunately, is that he lost it,” he said.

He added “all the evidence” shows Jessica to be Canada’s leading event rider and ruled that she be included in the team along with A Little Romance, with Kathryn moved to reserve.

The three other eventers on the Canadian Olympic team are Rebecca Howard (Riddle Master), Colleen Loach (Qorry Blue D’Argouges) and Selena O’Hanlon (Foxwood High).

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Keep this handy guide close to make sure you don’t miss a moment of the action. All times shown are British time (which is four hours ahead of Rio). Rio times are shown in brackets.

All the equestrian action will be shown on the BBC red button and on the BBC sport website. The following sessions may also appear on the main BBC TV channels: cross-country, eventing showjumping, showjumping team round two (team final) and individual final, dressage grand prix special (team final) and grand prix freestyle (individual final).

Friday 5 August

• Eventing first horse inspection: 12.30-1.55pm (8.30-9.55am)
• Opening ceremony: 11.30pm (7.30pm)

Saturday 6 August

• Eventing dressage: 2-8pm (10am-4pm) H&H Live with Matt Hicks

Sunday 7 August

• Eventing dressage: 2-8pm (10am-4pm) H&H Live with Matt Hicks

Monday 8 August

• Eventing cross-country: 2-7pm (10am-3pm) H&H Live
• Dressage horse inspection: 7.45-8.55pm (3.45-4.55pm)

Tuesday 9 August

• Eventing second horse inspection: Noon-1pm (8-9am)
• Eventing team showjumping, eventing individual showumping, eventing team and individual medal ceremonies: 2-7.30pm (10am-3.30pm) H&H Live

Wednesday 10 August

• Dressage grand prix: 2-8pm (10am-4pm) H&H Live with Emile Faurie

Thursday 11 August

• Dressage grand prix: 2-8pm (10am-4pm) H&H Live with Emile Faurie

Friday 12 August

• Showjumping horse inspection: 11.30am-1pm (7.30-9am)
• Dressage grand prix special team final and team medal ceremony: 2-8.30pm (10am-4.30pm) H&H Live with Richard Barrett

Saturday 13 August

• Showjumping training session: 2-6.50pm (10am-2.50pm)

Sunday 14 August

• Showjumping first qualifier (team and individual): 2-5.45pm (10am-1.45pm) H&H Live

Monday 15 August

• Dressage grand prix freestyle and individual medal ceremony: 2-6pm (10am-2pm) H&H Live with Hayley Watson-Greaves

Tuesday 16 August

• Showjumping team round one: 2-5.30pm (10am-1.30pm) H&H Live

Wednesday 17 August

• Showjumping team round two and team medal ceremony: 2-4.45pm (10am-12.45pm) H&H Live

Thursday 18 August

• Showjumping horse inspection: 8-8.30pm (4-4.30pm)

Friday 19 August

• Showjumping individual final and individual medal ceremony: 2-6.45pm (10am-2.45pm) H&H Live

Sunday 21 August

• Closing ceremony: 11.30pm (7.30pm)

Get all the action from H&H

H&H is sending two journalists and a photographer to Rio so that we can provide the best possible coverage of the Games both on our dedicated Olympics microsite and in the magazine.

• H&H Live (up-to-the-minute interactive written commentary, find links above) from every session of sport, including expert analysis from celebrity guests including Emile Faurie, Hayley Watson-Greaves, Matt Hicks and Richard Barrett
• Reports on all the action
• Interviews featuring fascinating competitor stories
• Daily video round-up of the competition
• Blogs from our journalists on the ground in Rio

Magazine issues

• 4 August: Olympic pull-out form guide — including every rider and horse, plus scorecards to fill in
• 12 August (H&H is published on Friday this week to allow us to report the full Olympic eventing, which finishes on Tuesday, 9 August): Olympic eventing report
• 18 August: Olympic dressage report
• 25 August: Olympic showjumping report
• 1 September: Olympic commemorative issue
• Our bumper magazine reports will feature full analysis, beautiful pictures, exclusive columns from the likes of Mark Phillips, Ruth Edge, Tina Cook, and many more plus special features, such as photos of every cross-country fence, showjumping course plans, thrills and spills, and dressage test sheets.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Michael Jung will defend his Olympic eventing title in Rio next month on La Biosthetique-Sam FBW, the horse with whom he won gold in London four years ago.

The German eventer was set to ride the rising star FischerTakinou, who recently won the CIC3* at Aachen, but announced on facebook last Thursday that the horse is suffering from an infection.

Michael said that he would now be riding Sam — as he will be known at the Games when commercial prefixes and suffixes are stripped from horses’ names. But team trainer Chris Bartle told H&H on Friday that the decision was still to be confirmed between Sam and FischerRocana FST. Rocana won individual world silver in 2014 and has twice won Kentucky CCI4*.

Chris Bartle and other team officials met today and Chris told H&H that it was confirmed that Michael will ride Sam.

Sam is now 16 years old, but continues to show brilliant form — he won Burghley last year and Badminton this spring, allowing Michael to clinch the Rolex Grand Slam of eventing. He recently had a run in the Nations Cup at Aachen where he finished sixth.

Continued below…

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The fact Sam is heading to Brazil raises the possibility of him winning individual back-to-back gold medals, something which only two horses have ever done before in eventing — Marcroix, in 1928 and 1932 with the Netherlands’ Charles Pahud de Mortanges, and Charisma, with New Zealand’s Mark Todd in 1984 and 1988.

Michael will ride in the German team alongside reigning world champion Sandra Auffarth on Opgun Louvo, Ingrid Klimke on Hale Bob OLD and Andreas Ostholt, who makes his Olympic debut on So Is Et. The travelling reserve is Julia Krajewski with Samourai Du Thot.

Don’t miss H&H’s full Olympic preview in 28 July issue, plus pull-out form guide and exclusive interview with Michael Jung in 4 August issue.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

German eventing team trainer Chris Bartle has clarified that Michael Jung’s Rio horse is still being decided, following the news that FischerTakinou has been ruled out.

Michael put on facebook last night that Takinou has suffered an infection so will not be able to go to the Games and that he will be riding La Biosthetique-Sam FBW, instead.

However, Chris has told H&H today that Michael could ride either Sam or FischerRocana FST and the decision will be made on Monday.

A strong hand

Either way Michael will have a strong hand for the Olympics.

La Biosthetique-Sam FBW, by Stan The Man xx, is 16 years old now, but won Badminton this year and and Burghley last autumn. He took individual gold at the 2010 World Equestrian Games, 2011 European Championships and at the London 2012 Olympics, as well as team gold at the latter two events.

FischerRocana FST, by Ituango xx, is 11 and made her championship debut at the 2014 World Equestrian Games, where she claimed individual silver behind Opgun Louvo, ridden by Michael’s compatriot, Sandra Auffarth.

Rocana also won the US CCI4* at Kentucky twice, in both 2015 and 2016.

Both horses had a pivotal role in helping Michael secure the Rolex Grand Slam of eventing, the big money prize given to any rider who can consecutively win the world’s three premier four-stars. Sam won Burghley 2015 and Badminton 2016, while Rocana secured the middle leg at Kentucky 2016, just a week before Badminton.

Continued below…

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Michael will ride in the German team alongside reigning world champion Sandra Auffarth on Opgun Louvo, Ingrid Klimke on Hale Bob OLD and Andreas Ostholt, who makes his Olympic debut on So Is Et. The travelling reserve is Julia Krajewski with Samourai Du Thot.

The full definite entries for the equestrian events in Rio were released by the FEI on Wednesday, but of course substitutions can still be made in the case of injury.

Don’t miss H&H’s full Olympic preview in 28 July issue, plus pull-out form guide and exclusive interview with Michael Jung in 4 August issue.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Germany’s Michael Jung will ride La Biosthetique-Sam FBW in the eventing at the Rio Olympics as his first choice of ride, FischerTakinou, has suffered an infection.

Takinou, the reigning European champion, won the CIC3* at Aachen on his final prep run last week. But Michael announced today on his Facebook page that the horse is out of action with an infection — using the emoji for “feeling devastated”.

“Today I have to write the worst news of the year,” he said, explaining that the decision not to travel Takinou has been taken with his family, coaches and team vet Dr Carsten Rohde.

Sam — as he will be known at the Games when commercial prefixes and suffixes are stripped from horses’ names — won individual and team gold at the London 2012 Olympics with Michael.

He is now 16 years old, but continues to show brilliant form — he won Burghley last year and Badminton this spring, allowing Michael to clinch the Rolex Grand Slam of eventing. He too had a run in Aachen where he finished sixth.

Back to back titles?

The fact Sam is heading to Brazil raises the possibility of him winning individual back-to-back gold medals, something which only two horses have ever done before in eventing — Marcroix, in 1928 and 1932 with the Netherlands’ Charles Pahud de Mortanges, and Charisma, with New Zealand’s Mark Todd in 1984 and 1988.

Continued below…

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‘A born event horse’: what makes Michael Jung’s Badminton-winning ride so good?

Throwback: Michael Jung wins Badminton Horse Trials – plus the $350,000 Rolex Grand Slam

Mark Todd: ‘Michael Jung was at his best — a normal rider would struggle to get FischerRocana FST round a three-star’ *H&H VIP*

Michael will ride in the German team alongside reigning world champion Sandra Auffarth on Opgun Louvo, Ingrid Klimke on Hale Bob OLD and Andreas Ostholt, who makes his Olympic debut on So Is Et. The travelling reserve is Julia Krajewski with Samourai Du Thot.

The full definite entries for the equestrian events in Rio were released by the FEI yesterday, but of course substitutions can still be made in the case of injury.

Don’t miss H&H’s full Olympci preview in 28 July issue, plus pull-out form guide and exclusive interview with Michael Jung in 4 August issue.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now