‘She deserved her place’: horse eliminated from individual Olympic showjumping under blood rule

Daniel-Meech-NZL-riding-Cinca-3_Tokyo2020_PN21_36504.jpg — Daniel Meech ( NZL) riding Cinca 3 in the Individual Jumping Qualifier for the Individual Final for the Olympic Jumping Competition at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games held at Equestrian Park in Setagaya-ku in Tokyo in Japan between the 23rd July and 8th August 2021

(Image credit: Peter Nixon)

New Zealand combination Daniel Meech and Cinca 3 were eliminated from the Olympic individual showjumping final last night (4 August) as blood was found on the mare.

The FEI announced that blood was detected on the 12-year-old Holsteiner at the post-competition check, and that under FEI jumping rules, this is automatic elimination.

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Eleanor is an experienced journalist who spent over eight years working for local and national newspapers before joining H&H as news editor in March 2016. Passionate about equine welfare and exposing the truth, Eleanor has reported on all aspects of the industry, from Brexit to anti-bullying campaigns, and from dressage rules to mules. Her sport of choice is showjumping, in which she competes her own horses, and she also enjoys reporting at local jumping shows through to international championships.

‘She deserved her place’: horse eliminated from individual Olympic showjumping under blood rule

“Elimination under this rule does not imply there was any intent to injure the horse, but the rules are in place to protect the welfare of all competing horses,” the FEI stated.

Daniel told H&H the mare was not hurt at all, and sent pictures showing that she had no wound, rub or sore.

“Cinca deserved to keep her place for history,” he added. “It was a tough track and she jumped amazing, I thought the heat just caught up with us in the end. I was first out and it was still very hot.

“It ruined what was a really proud moment for my team and country. I look forward to tomorrow’s team competition and doing my best again.”

Daniel, who competed at the 1996 and 2004 Olympics, and Cinca were the only New Zealand combination to make it through to yesterday’s individual final, completing the qualifying round with just two time-penalties.

Daniel said after that first round: “I was proud of her. It’s by far the biggest occasion ever for her. She took a little time on some jumps, and we went over time, but really I couldn’t have asked for more – she was perfect tonight.”

They went on to lower three rails and clock up time-faults in the final.

Equestrian Sports New Zealand appealed against the elimination, which was heard by the ground jury but dismissed.

H&H has previously reported on the controversial “blood rule”, under which a combination can be eliminated for “almost invisible” marks on a horse.

Cinca passed today’s (5 August) trot-up for the team competition, which starts tomorrow, in which she and Daniel will compete, along with Bruce Goodin on Quasimodo Z and Uma O’Neill on Clockwise Of Greenhill Z.

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