HORSE DEALS COVERAGE 2008 Beijing Olympics, Hong Kong

Silver for Australia, Shane Rose, Sonja Johnson, Megan Jones, Lucinda Fredricks and Clayton Fredricks.

Australian Team member, Lucinda Fredericks with her clearly much admired, 'Headley Britannia' at the second veterinary inspection. They went on to jump clear in the final phase, but again the time caught the talented pair, for the addition of two time penalties. They finished in overall 26th place.

Australian Team member, Shane Rose did not have the best of luck with his 'All Luck'. Usually a good showjumper, Lucky, just rolled two rails during the Team showjumping phase. They finished with 70.50 penalties and in 27th place.

"Jag being Jag" again! Sonja Johnson and her super Stock Horse, 'Ringwould Jaguar' moved up from 23rd after the dressage, to 13th after the cross country, to ninth after the showjumping phase. Sonja and Jag jumped the only Team showjumping clear for Australia and their Team score of 58.80 contributed to Australia's Silver medal.

Australian Team member, Lucinda Fredericks with her careful, 'Headley Britannia' incurred two time penalties during the Team showjumping phase.

Clayton Fredericks produced a great Team ride with the Irish Sport Horse, 'Ben Along Time'. Fourth after the cross country, one showjumping rail, saw them slip to sixth place after the Team showjumping, but their Team score, 57.40 contributed to Australia's Silver medal.

Gina Miles from the USA produced two faultless showjumping rounds riding her lovely 14 year old Irish Sport Horse, 'Mckinlaigh' to claim the individual Silver medal with a total of 56.10 penalties..

No prizes for guessing that this is a photo of Megan Jones and her wonderful home bred, 'Irish Jester'. They look as if they should be in the showjumping team. Uncharacteristically, Jester had one rail down in the Team jumping and one down in the Individual jumping. Their Team score, 55 was the best of the Australians, but sadly the individual rail saw them slip from Bronze to a heartbreaking fourth place with 59 penalties.

The Bronze Medal Team from Great Britain. L-R Sharon Hunt, Mary King, William Fox-Pitt, Kristina Cook and Daisy Dick.

L-R The Silver Australian Team, the Gold German Team and the Bronze British Team at the Medal presentation. They don't half look pleased.

L-R Supportive Aussies. A delighted Jill Sinclair and a patriotic Chef de Mission, Brett Mace at the Eventing Medal presentation..

Sonja Johnson looks just a bit pleased in this photo, don't you think? 'Jaguar' too, who is usually pretty matter of fact about life, looks to be enjoying the moment too, and so he should. At 18 years old, what a finale for a great Australian eventer.

Individual medalists, L-R, Silver, Gina Miles from the USA, Gold, German, Hinrich Romeike and Bronze, Kristina Cook from Great Britain.

German dentist, Hinrich Romeike rode his 14 year old, Holsteiner, 'Marius' to win both Team and Individual Gold.

Australia's Dressage Team. L-R Chef d' Equipe, Deb Mac Nicol, Heath Ryan, Kristy Oatley, Hayley Beresford and Rozzie Ryan.

With a good run across country and two perfect showjumping rounds, Dutch individual, 22 year old Tim Lipps moved from 41st after the dressage to finish in 15th place on 75 penalties riding his Dutch gelding, 'Oncarlos'.

Second after the dressage, Karin Donckers and her French mare, 'Gazelle de la Brasserie' slipped to ninth after the cross country and held that position with one fence down in each show jumping round. They finished on 65.30, but the talented combination lost no admirers.

Despite a score of 57.80 German combination, Frank Ostholt and 'Mr Medicott' did not count for the German Team score and as only three team members were permitted through to the individual showjumping final, they missed out on that too. The Irish Sport Horse jumped clear in the Team showjumping.

New Zealand, Mark Todd looks to have lost none of his ability in the last eight non competitive years. Mark added just one time penalty over the team and Individual showjumping course and finished in 17th place on 77.60 riding 'Gandalf'.

German Gold medal Team members, Andreas Dibowski and 'Butts Leon' jumped clear for the Team, but had two down in the Individual showjumping phase to finish the competition in eighth place individually with 65.2 penalties.

Despite losing two of its Team members after the cross country, Sweden managed to take fourth place. Experienced eventer, Linda Algotsson was the best of the three remaining Swedes, riding her 'Stand By Me' for 13th place with 68.3 penalties.

Competing at her fifth Olympic Games, British rider, Mary King helped the Team take the Bronze medal riding her impressive, 'Call Again Cavalier'. They finished in 11th place with 68.10.

Polish rider, Pawel Spisak was thrilled to jump two clear rounds with his Polish Warmblood, 'Weriusz'. They finished the competition in19th place.

Caroline Powell and her Irish Sport Horse, 'Lenamore' were the best of the fifth placed New Zealand contingent. They jumped clear for the Team and had one down in the Individual showjumping phase to finish in 14th place on73.20 penalties.

Vittoria Panizzon and 'Rock Model' jumped clear in the Team showjumping for Italy, but had two down in the Individual. They finished the best of the sixth placed Italian Team in 16th place with 77 penalties.

Now riding for the USA, former Australian Team member, Phillip Dutton is pictured with his 2008 Kentucky winner, 'Connaught'. The USA finished in seventh place.

The unmistakable William Fox-Pitt rode 'Parkmore Ed' to help the British team take the Bronze medal. With a fence down in both the Team and Individual , they finished in 12th place, an outstanding effort considering they were 34th after the dressage phase.

Didier Dhennin was the best of the decidedly unlucky French Team. his Selle Francais mare, 'Ismene du Temple' by Cabdula du Thillard, 17th after the cross country phase, left all the showjumping rails in place to finish in sixth place with 59.80 penalties. The depleted Athens Gold Medal Team finished in 11th place.

British Olympic debutante, Kristina Cook, made the most of her opportunity riding the lovely nine year old gelding, 'Miners Frolic' to post two showjumping clear rounds, helping to take the Team and Individual Bronze medals. They finished with 57.40 penalties.

Ingrid Klimke in typically beautiful form riding the Hanoverian gelding, 'Abraxxas'. However, four jumping penalties and one time penalty saw the medal favourite slip to fifth place with 59.70 penalties.