HORSE DEALS COVERAGE 2008 Beijing Olympics, Hong Kong

Peter McMahon and 'Genoa' were first out for Australia in the Individual Jumping 1st Qualifier and jumped a super round. They had the crowd on their toes, with Peter doing a superb job with the headstrong and talented mare. The first course was set at 1.50m and Genoa just touched the 1.50m x 1.50m oxer at 10b to incur four penalties.

Laurie Lever and 'Drossel Dan' added just one time penalty in the First Individual qualifier, to get their debut Olympic appearance off to a great start. AS you can see they jumped well.

Twenty four year old Vincent Voorn, the son of Sydney Individual SIlver medalist, Albert Voorn, jumped the only clear round for the Dutch Team riding 'Alpapillon-Armanie' in the First Individual Qualifier.

We had heard so much about Edwina Alexander's 'Itot du Chateau'. Neither Edwina nor the Selle Francasis gelding by Le Tot de Semilly were disappointing, In fact they looked sensational. 'Itot' just rolled the back rail of the 1.65m wide oxer at 9. However, it is early days yet and Edwina was not not too upset with the rail. "Hopefully he will remember it the next time he enters the ring".

What a journey Matt Williams has been on over the past few years. The always talented rider, has become a sophisticated international horseman. 'Leconte' by Lasino also just touched 10a for four penalties in the First Individual Qualifier. Looking at this photo it is hard to imagine 'Leconte' going anywhere near a rail. After the first round, Australia is in eighth place of the 16 Teams.

2004 Athens Gold Medalist, Rodrigo Pessoa earned just one time penalty riding the ten year old Landaris gelding, 'Rufus'. Thirteen of the 77 to start jumped clear, with a further 14 incurring one time penalty.

German Team members, Christian Ahlmann and his sensational Holsteriner gelding, 'Coster'. This picture really needs no explanation. The German used this round as somewhat of a schooling session, with none of the team going clear. After this round the German Team are in 16th place and Australia in eighth!

Zuping Huang rode 'Pablo II' for the Chinese Team. They had two down and two time penalties in the 1.50m 1st Individual Qualifier. The purpose to this round was to determine the Team order of go for the Nations Cup.

Born again British rider, Nick Skelton jumped an impressive round with the Corofino 1 stallion, 'Russel'.

Christina Liebherr and the Libero gelding, 'No Mercy' look good over the Dancing Fans vertical. They got their campaign off to to good start with and impressive clear. In fact most rounds were impressive, whether clear or not.

Brazilian Team member, Pedro Venisse jumped clear with the Belgian Warmblood, 'Un Blanc de Blancs'. The Brazilian team finished the first Qualifying round in equal second place with a team total of one.

USA Team member, Mclain Ward and the wonderful Darco mare, 'Sapphire' make a beautiful jump over the Prosperity Fans Liverpool. They jumped clear and after round 1 the USA are in the lead with no penalties. The US tactics are clearly to get in front and stay there, whereas the Germans are playing a more complicated game. Time will tell.

New Zealand combination, Katie McVean and 'Forest' began well, but the stylish horse stalled through the combination 6abc and the round literally fell apart one from home.

Hong Kong Team member, Patrick Lam lives in Austria and came to the Games for "experience". He declared his clear round with the Darco stallion, 'Urban', "a dream come true". Urban looks pretty dreamy too. Patrick was so thrilled with his clear round, as were the spectators, that he threw his hat in to the air.

I am already running out of superlatives and we have only had one day of jumping. Pictured are German Team members, Marco Kutscher and 'Cornet Obolensky' by Clinton. The picture says it all really. It seems unbelievable that he had a fence down.

There are plenty of greys in the field and pictured are Swiss Team members,Pius Schwizer and the Calido 1 mare, 'Nobless M'. They had four penalties in the 1st Qualifier.

USA Team member, Laura Kraut with the Dutch gelding of unknown breeding, 'Cedric'. They had one down and one time penalty are were the discard for the otherwise clear American Team.

New Zraland's Kirk Webby with the Belgian Warmblood mare, Sitah by Non Stop over the tricky penultimate fence, The "Round Door in Luu Shang Gardens" gate. They jumped a good four penalty round.

Jumping is much more to the crowd's liking, with packed stands for the first day of jumping competition. Pictured are Hong Kong Team members, Samantha Lam and the Belgian stallion, 'Tresor' by Major de la Cour', owned by the Hong Kong Jockey Club.

Riding for Brazil, Camila Benedicto with the Bionic Royal gelding, 'Bonito Z'. They had one down and one time penalty for a total of 5 in the 1st Jumping Qualifier.

Canada's Eric Lamaze and the Dutch stallion, 'Hickstead' by Hamlet, high above the Dancing Fans vertical. They jumped clear with Canada in equal second place on one penalty after the 1st Jumping Qualifier round.

Norway's Geir Gulliksen and 'Cattani' a Holstein gelding by Corrado 1 are well above this oxer Surprisingly (from this photo anyway), they had three down.

Some readers may remember Hong Kong Team member, Kenneth Cheng. He trained with Chris Chugg in Australia and bought Jaybee Schultz. He is pictured with the super, 'Can Do' and nine year old Holsteiner gelding by Chambertin. They had one down and two time penalties for a total of six in the 1st Jumping qualifier.

Except for Ludger's expression, this is rather a serene photograph, with 'All Inclusive' looking to be effortlessly floating through the air. Hard to believe they had two down!

British Team veteran, John Whitaker had one down and one time penalty with the Burggraaf stallion, 'Peppermill'.

99.9% of horses would have fitted into this frame. Consideration was clearly not given that it was World Champion combination, Jos Lansink and the spectacular Cassini stallion, 'Cumano'. What a jumper!

The crowd showing their divided loyalties. Jos Lansink was indeed born in Holland and rode for the Dutch Team. However, some years ago he became a citizen of Belgium. Sadly Holland's loss.

The fabulous Beezie Madden, right in the middle of the horse, where she should be. The USA Team member has a wonderful partnership with the perhaps none too easy , but certainly talented Guidam gelding, 'Authentic'. They jumped clear of course.

Riding for Sweden, the talented Rolf-Goran Bengtsson jumped a four penalty round aboard 'Ninja' a gelding by Guidam.

Now based in Sweden, New Zealand Team member, Bruce Goodin rode the Hungarian Sporthorse Breeders stallion by Corino, 'Yamato' for 12 jumping penalties.