Articles: Horse News
Top Ten Individual Finish for Fellers at 2012 Olympic Games
Rich Fellers and Flexible
(Shannon Brinkman)
Contact:
United States Equestrian Federation, Inc.
4047 Iron Works Parkway
Lexington, KY 40511-8483
Tel: (859) 258-2472
Fax (859) 231-6662
Web site: www.usef.org
NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 8, 2012
By Joanie Morris
Greenwich, UK - Rich Fellers and Flexible put in a valiant effort in the
Individual Show Jumping Final at the Olympic Games and came up with a top 10
finish on just five faults. Swiss rider Steve Guerdat put forward an
immaculate effort to take Gold on Nino des Buissonnets while Gerco
Schroder's clear jump-off round meant he takes Individual Silver home to
Holland with the appropriately named London. Irishman Cian O'Connor would
have stopped the clock quicker in that jump-off on Blue Lloyd 12 but had the
very last fence down to settle for Bronze.
The United States was represented by both Fellers (Sherwood, OR) and McLain
Ward (Brewster, NY) in the Individual Final. Ward rode Antares F to a
12-fault effort in Round A, putting a foot in the water in addition to
lowering the heights of two of the fences on Bob Ellis' track. Five faults
was the cut off for the top 20 who qualified for Round B, so only Fellers
returned to the ring.
"It was a great course," said Ward after Round A. "It was hard but fair. At
this point you're starting to run on fumes. But my horse should have been
better. I felt like I rode the course better today than I rode a Nations Cup
so I was pleased with my riding. As always, I will look to see what I could
have done better down the last line."
Fellers and Flexible, who are the reigining Rolex/FEI World Cup champions,
came into the Olympic Games highly regarded for an Individual medal, a rail
and a time fault in Round A of the Individual Final kept that reality just
out of reach. They returned for Round B, which was bigger and wider and
turned in an immaculate clear. One of only four.
Harry and Mollie Chapman's diminutive 16-year-old Irish Sport Horse stallion
seemed to relish in the challenge of the second round.
"It seemed really easy for him," said Fellers who expected the little horse
to feel the effects of so much jumping. "He didn't feel tired at all in
there. I expected him to feel a little fatigued but he did that pretty
easily. He did that as easily as he's jumped any massive Grand Prix."
Fellers and the evergreen stallion finished up on a total of five faults in
eighth place. Fellers says his next major goal is defending their FEI World
Cup title in 2013.
Ward, a two-time Team Gold medalist, was philosophical about his performance
on Grant Road Partners' 12-year-old Baden-Wurttemberg gelding.
"It started well," said Ward. "It's been kind of a disappointing week for
us. To be honest with you I don't think we had the team we had going into
Hong Kong without the two horses (Sapphire and Authentic) but we were trying
to be a bit above par and we weren't able to do so. Maybe the horse ran out
of gas a little bit coming down the last line. I'm disappointed but it's
back to the drawing board and I hope to do better."
Ward - who along with Beezie Madden had a tremendous run during the years
surrounding the 2004 and 2008 Olympic Gold medals. Their two horses,
(Sapphire and Authentic) anchored one of the winningest streaks in American
show jumping history. Those horses are both now retired, and Ward is looking
for the next superstar.
"These horses have had great performances but they all had a little
inconsistency," said Ward. "I think that was a huge difference - during the
eight years of Sapphire and Authentic. You had Royal Kaliber on one end and
Cedric on the other during the prime of his career, if you could get a clear
round from somebody or even a four-fault round, you would have a very good
chance to medal. I think all of these horses are great horses but they
certainly don't have the record of consistency those horses had and
unfortunately I think it showed itself this week. It comes down to sponsors
and owners, we have top riders and I think we have good programs, but you're
only as strong as the horse stock you're on."
ENDS
Results are available at http://www.london2012.com/equestrian/
For more information about the U.S. Olympic Equestrian Team visit
http://usefnetwork.com/featured/Olympics2012/
The vision of the United States Equestrian Federation is to provide
leadership
for equestrian sport in the United States of America by promoting the
pursuit
of excellence from the grassroots to the Olympic Games, based on a
foundation of fair, safe competition and the welfare
of its human and equine athletes
|
