Japan have slid out of a medal position after one of their horses was withdrawn from the holding box at the Olympic eventing final trot-up at Paris 2024 this morning.
The nation had two horses in the holding box after initial inspection and Ryuzo Kitajima did not return with Cekatinka. Tanaka Toshiyuki will now come into the team to showjump on Jefferson and 20 penalties are added to Japan’s team score for substitution.
Japan will slip to fifth, with Switzerland moving up into the team bronze medal position and Belgium rising to fourth.
Ryuzo’s team-mate Yoshiaki Oiwa was also sent to the holding box with MGH Grafton Street, but the bay passed on re-inspection.
Shane Rose’s ride Virgil was another held by the ground jury – Sweden’s Christina Klingspor, the USA’s Robert Stevenson and France’s Xavier Le Sauce – but the Australian pair passed on re-inspection.
Three other nations will also carry 20 penalties for substitution after one of their horses was withdrawn before today’s Olympic eventing final trot-up.
Australian Kevin McNab’s ride Don Quidam suffered a soft tissue injury (the rider reports that he is expected to make a full recovery) and was pulled up by his rider on course yesterday, so his withdrawal was unsurprising. Shenae Lowings has a chance to make her Olympic debut when she showjumps in his place on Bold Venture.
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It was announced last night that Action Lady, the ride of Ireland’s Sarah Ennis, was lame on her off hind after completing the cross-country and had been taken by ambulance to the vet clinic.
Sarah reported last night: “‘Lottie’ gave me the most amazing spin around the cross-country today. Nothing can describe how talented this mare is. She loves to jump and jumps for fun and at only ten years old the best days are definitely ahead of us.
“We were a little unlucky today to lose two shoes early on in the course, it left Lottie with a small injury afterwards so we have decided it’s in her best interest not to showjump tomorrow. While I’m devastated, it’s the right decision to make as all any of us want at the end of the day is a happy healthy horse.
“We will have to keep the show jumping phase a secret from Lottie as she wouldn’t be impressed if she thought she was missing one of her favourite phases.”
Sarah and Action Lady M will be replaced in the Irish team for the final phase by London 2012 Olympian Aoife Clark and Sportsfield Freelance.
Brazil’s Carlos Parro has withdrawn Safira and Ruy Fonseca comes into the team to showjump on Ballypatrick SRS.
In addition, two individuals have withdrawn overnight – Spain’s Carlos Díaz Fernández has pulled out Taraje CP 21 10 and Finland’s Sanna Siltakorpi did not bring forward Bofey Click.
All the British horses looked on good form at the trot-up and Team GB come forward in gold medal position, with Laura Collett and London 52 holding individual silver overnight.
The team showjumping starts at 11am French time (10am British time), with the top 25 jumping for individual honours at 3pm French time (2pm British time)
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Pippa is a true eventing geek and has been H&H’s eventing editor since 2005. She has first-hand experience of competing up to British Eventing intermediate and international CCI2*-L level, and has worked in the industry on a top event yard. Pippa enjoys nothing more than immersing herself in the sport at the highest level, reporting from the five-stars and international championships, including the Olympics.
