Olympic cross country day which started early with a 6.30 am hotel departure and a whole wish list of things to go right for the team who have trained so hard for this very moment. Plenty of tick boxes….it had stopped raining, the sun was out, the ground was drying, the crew were in great form.
It is fair to say that we have trained for every eventuality, we have covered all bases and we have come into this Olympics better prepared and better trained as a team than ever before. What you can never prepare for is the unplanned one off moment that derails an entire plan with a couple of seconds of un-rehearsed footfall!
Jonelle and Hiarado (Jools) headed out as Team no.1 in 11th spot out and were flying although Jonelle did note that Jools was a little taken aback by the huge crowds that lined the route and surrounded every fence. A reported 40,000 had purchased tickets to enter the park and the good weather saw them turning up early to see the competition off.
A step up on a bank to silver birch rails walked a forward two with the possibility of short three depending on how horses landed on the bank. The course walks had been full of talks of options and changes of plan and the general feeling was ‘ride for two but prepare for three’. Jools popped up the bank fairly economically, Jonelle sat quiet for three as she thought Jools would just pat the ground and fiddle a short one in but Jools decided she had run out of room and she stopped.
20 penalties so early on in the course was a disaster for Jonelle, as pathfinder and personally as she is such a strong cross country rider. But in true Jonelle style she fought back bravely around the rest of the course which, ironically, went without a single hitch and Jools came home looking like a true championship horse. Adding just 8 time, which was impressive given the hitch, ended up putting 28 onto her dressage score which was never the plan and fair to say Jonelle was devastated.
Clarke Johnstone had a super round on Menlo Park (Jacko) and added just 4 time to his score.
Tim and Falco went in the last round of team riders and was amidst some of the very best in the world. Falco certainly deserved his place amongst them and he was simply sublime, throwing superb jumps, listening to Tim, galloping into every combination with his ears pricked and simply revelling in his power. Tim came home clean with just 2 time to add to his dressage and with a big smile on his face.
It was a case of ‘so nearly’ yet again as regards a team medal. For sure it’s not over yet but it does feel a bit like deja vous tonight!
