03 March 2009
14 August 2008
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13 August 2008
What a night!
the trot up as Sonja and Jag were held for re-inspection thankfully
they passed and produced a double clear on the teams round.
Our team was amazing and produced some amazing performances. I really
don't think any of the critics have a leg to stand on. In the end we
were beaten fair and square by the best combinations on the world.
Personally it was an amazing week this was no doubt a true 4* event.
The cross country was spectacular, fair and very tough but there were
pleth of slow options flor those less experienced.
As for last night I have almost no voice left after leading the
"Aussie Aussie Aussie" chant 9 times.
I fly out today so a quiet one I just need some sleep. See you all soon.
The pic is Shane at final trot up. More pics when I can get near a
computer.
12 August 2008
Final day
First up let's hope all our ponies are fine and all get through.
Our team is less than a rail behind the Germans so we are well placed
to put some heavy pressure on them.
As usual I will probably be proved wrong but here is my prediction for
the final results.
Team gold Australia
Silver great Britain
Bronze Germany
Individual
Gold. Megan and Jester
Silver clayton and ben
Bronze who cares. Apparently the rules stop three members of a
national team taking all three individual medals even if they place 1
2 3?? Hopefully I am wrong and if so a third Aussie for the Bronze
John
11 August 2008
Wow!!!!!!!!!!!
I was scared that I needed to stop Clayton Amy Tryon fell at the fence
after me and there was confusion as to whether the course was clear
thankfully it was.
All of our combos looked awesome although Lucinda had her hands full
with Little Brit who pulling for much of the course.
Jester and Jag also looked great I have a great photo of Jester at my
fence. Shane did his thing and was fastest on course with only 9.2 time.
I had a number of incidents at my fence. The first was a rider
eliminated for missing the B element.
I also had the first rider to attempt the slow route have 3 stops and
get eliminated. The most exciting was when Karen O'Connor glanced of
the BC of the fence and ended up JUST staying on the saddle.
So all horses and riders finished basically unscathed we will see how
the trot up goes.
So all of our guys finished clear with time.
Megan on 51.0 is 3rd with 15.6 time
Clayton on 53.4 is 4th with 16.4 time
Lucinda on 57.6 is 11th with 27.2 time
Sonja on 58.8 is 13th with 13.6 time
Shane on 62.5 is 16th with 9.2 time
Germany lead on 158.1 with Australia on 162.0 and the Poms on 173.7.
Go the Aussies
John
It's 3.50am
nothing more exciting than XC day at the Olympics even at 3 am.
I wish all the riders and horses well and know that they all will not
finish XC the course is too tough for that I hope that they all come
home safe and well.
John
10 August 2008
After dressage
Firstly the good news Australia is still first on 102.8 with Germany
on second on 115?? And USA in third.
Sonja went out early this morning and they did a very good test
scoring 45.8. Unfortunately Shane wasn't so lucky (no pun intended)
but Lucky got spooked by the TV camera and wasn't quite settled for
the rest of the test they finished on 53.3.
We are off to the cross country Course this arvo to have another look
it is bloody muggy at the moment.
John
I forgot
moments before his test. Apparently the horse went lame on the warm up
the French team are now down to 3 riders as they only trotted up 4 to
start with.
Another but of goss this morning Bettina Hoy (she is a coach for
Japan) she was commenting quite loudly how she is trying to get Andrew
to switch to riding for Germany!
John
1st day of dressage!!!!!
with a great test.
There was no doubt in most peoples mind that Lucinda would beat
Clayton and possibly even kick his butt but Little Brit was just
magnificant her flying changes were awesome she got two 10's. Even
sown of the dressage riders that were watching were jealous of the
changes.
The American girl Gina Miles gave us all a big scare with her test
which was brilliant and was beating Clayton until her flying changes
which were woeful, thankfully. We have really been talig the piss put
of both the Pommy and US spectators and official nothing like a bit of
rivalry.
The dressage started with a US rider taking 2nd place from Clayton.
Then Megan and Jester followed immediately and for most of the test
were slightly in front of Lucinda. I guess in the end those tens of
Little Brits really did make the difference.
But Jeater is a DUDE!!!!!!! I have never seen anybody enter the arena
so quickly Megan was so keen she almost took out the stewards on the
gate.
The final test of the night was a Belgium rider who pulled of an
awesome test to take second place.
So at the end of day one Australia is leading by nearly 20 points with
Lucinda in outright 1st. Megan in 3rd and Clayton in 5th. Tomorrow
morning we have another early start Sonja is on at 7am Shane at about
9am.
It's 11pm and I'm ok the bus to go back home.
Aussie Aussie Aussie Oi Oi Oi!!!!!!!!!!
John
08 August 2008
XC rehearsal
public inspection of the course I was able to sneak back to Shatin to
watch tow trot up.
Firstly our team all passed with no issues. As did the USA, GB,
Germany, Italy and Ireland. I didn't see the rest as I needed to run
back to the Uni for a shower before the party.
However I did see a poor fella from Chile get spun, I can't imagine
how heartbreaking it must be to male it to the Games and then not even
be able to do dressage.
Off to the party!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Early start
taken out to the cross country course. Today we are to rehearse our
protocols and procedures for cross country day.
Aparently we will have a number of people in gold carts that will have
refusals take alternate routes or have more serious incidents.
Then the public course inspection will be on from 2 - 6pm our job will
be mostly to keep the public off the track and answer questions.
Finally we have the opening ceremony party lucky we don't have to do
anything tomorrow.
John
07 August 2008
Some really nice looking fences
Cross Country walk
narrow track and although most of it is isn't huge direct lines on
quick routes are often very acute or really narrow
Typhoon!!!!!
inconvenience, worst of all we missed out on seeing the Cross Country
course. We had a briefing and some training we were even told what
jumps as were working on but we didn't see anything nut the inside of
a hotel.
I am now sitting on a bus that should be (nothing is certain) taking
us the the Cross Country course. We did actually to all the way out
there yesterday but that was just an enthusiastic bus driver taking us
to the wrong venue.
We arrive in the pouring rain went through security and then realized
we were at the wrong place, by then our bus had disappeared. Several
phone calls later we were back on the bus and going to the media hotel
for our training.
So anyway I hope that we will see the XC later this morning. It is
still raining with the last remnants of the typhoon warm but not too
bad.
John
06 August 2008
Oh my god
main arena.
The level of presentation is wonderful, it is such a shame it is a one
off venue. The arenas have a curious mix which seems to net fine sand
mixed with shredded newspaper. It feels OK under foot I am not sure
how it is to ride on, I will have to ask on of the guys when I get the
chance.
I bumped onto Lucky, Jester and Jag on Monday they all looked really
well and not terribly fussed by either the weather or the travel. They
all posed for some pics I will try and get some up as soon as I can
get to a computer.
By the way we are currently under a typhoon warning number 8 which
means we should be hit by a typhoon later today. Our training has been
postponed, we cannot leave the building and worst of all our breakfast
packages were not delivered so no food!!!!!!!!!!
We have a good mix of Aussie, Kiwis, poms and a yank here so it should
be great fun. Although last night was definitely too much bundy and we
didn't have dinner til after 9.30pm.
More soon J
John
02 August 2008
Arrival in Hong Kong!!!!!!
balmy 32 def C.
It was very exiting as I came down the ramp off the plane there was
two gentleman fellow volunteers with a sign with my name on it.
After greetings I was whisked through immigration and after picking up
my bag was waved through customs. A great way to start nothing is
quite like walking past the long queues.
I was escorted direct to my bus into town, so begins my Olympic
adventure, if only I could get my phone to work so I could call Kim
and the boys.
John
Singapore
definitely already screwed up. We had a meal about an hour out of
Sydney which was dinner time.
Then got a second meal about 1 hour from Singapore which was 1 am
Sydney time. Crashed in the transit hotel at terminal three at Changi
Airportvas I had 8.5 hours between flights for about $60 room for 6
hours with twin beds private bathroom and even a plasma I almost feel
human.
I'm gonna have another shower and go in search of food and good coffee
or three!!!
John
01 August 2008
Off to HK
about an hour I have taken a cocktail of cold and flu drugs to help me
make it through the flight to Singapore tonight and then HK in the
morning. Below is a pic of the A380 the first one I have seen in the
flesh. It is definitely a big bugger I will have to wait for my return
leg to try it out.
30 July 2008
Only 2 more days to go!!!!
At the moment I am just thinking about what I will get up to on my first couple of days in HK on my own. I definitely want to do some of the touristy things like the star ferry, the peak and definitely hitting the markets.
That’s it for now, see you in HK or perhaps Singapore if I cant sleep.
This is a pick of some of the first horses arriving in HK on Saturday, I think the Aussie horses fly out today.
J
14 July 2008
What am I doing in Hong Kong??
11 July 2008
Pictures from Sydney International 2008
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