HORSE DEALS COVERAGE 2008 Beijing Olympics, Hong Kong

Norwegian Team members, Stein Endresen and 'Le Beau' demonstrated the form that saw Norway take the Bronze medal, their first ever Olympic Jumping Medal. They jumped twelve and clear to help the history making Norwegans. "There are only four million people in Norway and not many horses," he commented, "we are usually better at skiing. This is more than a dream, Bronze is just like winning Gold. This will give the sport a boost in Norway".

Laurie Lever produced the round of his life with the Australian Warmblood, bred by Colin and Judy Gronn, 'Drossel Dan' .With a far from disgraceful 16 penalties yesterday in the first round of the Teams competition Laurie and Dan jumped a super four penalty round today, just faulting at 6a, a Liverpool 1.52m x 1.70m oxer. Their combined score over the three individual qualifiers saw them in equal 29th place on a total of 21 penalties and an invitation through to the Individual Final.

With three riders qualifying for the Individual final, this was the greatest day in Australian showjumping history. Edwina Alexander and the 15.2hh Selle Francais gelding, 'Itot du Chateau' were the only combination to jump a double clear in the Teams competition which is a staggering achievement.. Edwina has qualified in equal second place for the Individual Final, on a total of four (from the first round). Australian Team member, Peter McMahon failed to appear on course. It was not until the end of the Teams competition that we heard he had an accident with 'Genoa'. The mare fell on Peter in the practice area and broke his collar bone. A sad way to finish his Games.

Jumping is a tough game, and no one feels that tonight more than Australian Team member, Matt William. Matt was the anchor rider for Australia and as can happen, 'Leconte' did just not jump as well as he did yesterday for 16 penalties in the second round of the very tough Teams competition.. Canadian Team member, Ian Miller is 61 and competing at his ninth Olympic Games. He commented on the pressure an anchor rider feels. "Anchor riders are a funny group, not normal really. It requires tremendous energy to do it". At just 23 it was a difficult task for Matt and he coped very well. He is at the beginning of a brilliant career. Matt too has qualified for the Individual Final (36 riders to qualify with only three from any one team). Australia finished just out of the eight in ninth place (41), ahead of seven countries and less than two fences behind fifth placed Germany (34).

"Captain Canada", Ian Miller, the veteran of nine Olympic Games jumped four and clear over the two team rounds to anchor Canada's Silver medal. The delighted Miller joked that the average age of the Canadian Team was 51 and that including the Chef d; Equipe they had "over 200 years of experience".

This is how Norway won their first ever Olympic Equestrian Team medal. Morten Djupvik added just four penalties with the impressive Holsteiner stallion, 'Casino' to qualify for the Individual Final in equal 23rd place with 17 penalties over the three rounds.

Last to go for the USA, Beezie Madden and "Authentic' had a foot in the water resulting in the US finishing the two Team rounds in equal first place with Canada, both countries on 20 penalties. This forced a history making jump off for the Gold Medal. Canada was handicapped in the second round with the withdrawal of Mac Cone's 'Ole' due to injury. US riders, Mclain Ward, 'Sapphire', Laura Kraut, 'Cedric' and Will Simpson, 'Carlsson vam Dach', all jumped fast clears to take the Gold Medal. Canada's Eric Lamaze jumped the fastest clear with the super quick 'Hickstead". But when Jill Henselwood had one down with 'Special Ed' the game was over and Canada had to settle for Silver. It was the first Canadian Team medal since they won Gold in Mexico in 1968 and the first Olympic medal for the absoutley delighted Ian Miller.

Brazilian rider, Camila Benedicto with 'Bonito Z' by Bionic Royal over the beautiful oxer Liverpool at 6a. They jumped with a good eight penalties, which included a foot in the water, which again was on a related (eight stride) line from the double of Liverpools at 6ab. So it was water, water and water. Not good if your horse did not like water. Camila finished in equal 38th place.

Japanese Individual, Tazio Sugitani with the Calido Mare , 'California' during the second round of the Teams and third round of the Individual Qualifier. They jumped with eight penalties to finish the three rounds in 37th place.

New Zealand combination, Kirk Webby and the Nonstop mare, 'Sitah' finished the three Individual Qualifiers with 24 penalties and an invitation to the Individual final, finishing the three rounds in equal 33rd place. They are pictured over the 93cm x 1.50m x 1.90m Chinese Umbrellas triple bar at fence 2.

Bernado Alves and 'Chupa Chup' a Holsteiner gelding by Caretino jump safely out of the Liverpool double 6ab. They added eight penalties in the third Individual Qualifier to finish in equal 20th place with 20 penalties. The top 35 including equals go through to the Individual Final on Thursday night.

Mexican combination, Frederico Fernandez and 'Zorro' , a Hanoverian stallion by Rabino, just clear the flimsy 1.60m Olympic Dragon planks. They qualified for the Individual Final in 33rd place with 24 penalties.

A tremendous leap for Patrick Lam and Hong Kong. Representing the host country, Patrick and the impressive Darco stallion, 'Urban' missed the cut for the Individual Final , but were thrilled with their performance at the Games. "I passed the finish line and reached my goal. I'm happy".

Saudi Team member, Ramzy Al Duhami with the careful and scopy Quidam de Revel gelding, 'Allah Jabek' over the lethal 1.60m Chinese Dragon planks at fence four. They finished with a total of 16 penalties over the three rounds, qualifying for the Individual Final in equal 16th place.

Running hot this season, Ireland's Denis Lynch and the Landkoenig gelding, 'Lantinus' added just two time penalties in the third Individual (second round of the Teams) Qualifier to head in to the Individual Final in equal eighth place with a three round total of eight.

A beautiful jump over a beautiful fence. Brazilian star and reining Olympic Gold Medalist, Rodrigo Pessoa with the Landaris gelding, 'Rufus'. They just lowered the last fence in the third individual Qualifier to head to the start from scratch Individual Final in seventh place with seven penalties.

Australia's "Mr Fixit" , John Vallance. John's jump construction abilities made him the first choice to keep the jumps in good working order.

It is difficult to imagine from this photo of Christian Alhmann and 'Coster' that the German Team had a disastrous Olympics to finish in fifth place! Alhmann finished the three Individual Qualifiers in an equally below par 31st place with 22 penalties.

Nick Skelton and the apparently temperamental 'Russel' make a beautiful jump over the biggest fence on the course, the 1.52m square x 1.75m Beijing Opera oxer. Nick and 'Russel' qualified for the Individual Final in equal 31st place with 22 penalties. The efforts to allow John Whitaker and 'Peppermill' to start in the second round of the Teams competition failed, with the British Team finishing in seventh place.

Sweden's Peter Eriksson, a member of the Athens Silver medal Team with the scopy and slightly unorthodox, Hand In Glove Selle Francais stallion, 'Jaguar Mail'. They added just four penalties in the Third Individual Qualifier to read to the Final in equal 27th place with a three round total of 20 penalties. The Swedish Team finished in eighth place.

The Individual Bronze medalist from Athens, Marco Kutscher from Germany could not find any form with the Clinton stallion, 'Cornet Obolensky'. A disastrous (relative to their expectations) 16 penalties in the second Team round and third Individual Qualifier saw them miss the cut for the Individual Final with 38 penalties in 43 place. Australia's performance, measured against the "best in the world" has been outstanding.

Britain's Tim Stockdale jumped four and eight in the Team competition riding the Corofino 1 mare, 'Corlato'. With four penalties in the first Individual Qualifier, they qualified for the Final in equal 18th place with 16 penalties. They are pictured over the 1.60m Yeat Dang Lung Mun wall, made up with (very) small bricks.

Canada's Jill Henselwood made up for a below par19 penalties in the first round of the Team competition, with a super clear in the second round riding her Argentinus gelding and Pan Am Individual Gold Medalist, 'Special Ed'. Their good effort helped force a history making jump off with the US for Gold. They qualified in 26th place for the Individual Final with 19 penalties.

Puis Schwizer jumped four and five for Switzerland riding the Calido 1 mare, 'Nobless M'. Combined with the four penalties in the first round, they qualified in 15th place for The Individual Final.

Laura Kraut's "little" 'Cedric' won the US selection trials and has become a bit of a favourite. Cedric is one of quite a number of smaller horses in the competition. 'Cedric' jumped four and clear and clear again in the jump off to help secure back to back Team Gold Medals for the USA. They finished the three qualifying rounds in 12th place individually with nine penalties.

Again great form from Norway. Team member, Geir Gulliksen and the Corrado 1 Holsteiner gelding, 'Cattani' jump a great Team second round for five penalties.

Ben Maher jumped a super second round clear for Great Britain riding the Dutch mare, 'Rolette' . "She is one of the best horses in the world in my opinion", commented a delighted Maher. With just one penalty in the first round, four in the second and zero in the third, Maher qualified for the Individual Final in sixth place.

Just a foot in the water marred a perfect second team round for the talented, Swiss rider, Steve Guerdat with the mare, 'Jalisca Solier'. They finished the three Individual Qualifiers with ten penalties and in 13th place.

Mclain Ward and 'Sapphire' brilliant in the jump off for Gold over the Forbidden City Verandah. They jumped clear and fast to help win the Team Gold.

USA Team member, Will Simpson and the Cassini 1 gelding, 'Carlsson vom Dach' in full flight over the last fence in the jump off, the Olympic Image vertical, for Gold. Like the two Team riders before him, Will jumped clear and fast.