Mary King and Blyth Tait are among those to share their Sydney memories, in a digital recreation of the Olympic cross-country course.
CrossCountry App has released the interactive map, online and on the app, to celebrate 20 years since the Australian Games.
Visitors are invited to tour the course, stopping at each fence, and in between, to hear from riders Mary, Blyth, Stuart Tinney and Amanda Ross. The eventers remember how they and their Olympic horses of two decades ago tackled the course, while
Stuart also looks back on the medal ceremony as he, along with Andrew Hoy, Phillip Dutton and Matt Ryan, took Australia’s third consecutive team eventing gold.
Course-designer Mike Etherington-Smith is also involved, explaining how the course and the Games venue came to be over three years.
“One great thing that has come out of the Sydney Olympics is the legacy of the venue,” said Blyth, who now designs courses at Sydney.
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“It is a world-class facility that must contribute to the preparation for Australian teams when going overseas. It is such a credit that it is such a great venue 20 years later.”
The Sydney International Equestrian Centre still hosts events, from 60cm to four-star level.
“It has been an engrossing and fun project,” said CrossCountry App co-founder Jose Diacono who was a volunteer at the Games.
A wide range of contributors submitted photographs and documents of the competition and fences, while the interactive course includes extracts from a panel, where Mary, Blyth, Stuart and Amanda watched their rounds along with Mike Etherington-Smith.
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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.
