2008 Summer Olympic Games Preview - Equestrian
July 17, 2008
The United States equestrian team had an outstanding 2004 Olympic Games in Athens with every
athlete on the team, in all three disciplines, coming home with a medal.
Equestrian is comprised of three different disciplines: dressage, jumping and eventing. There is an
individual and team competition in each discipline. Also, it will be one of the few events not to be held in
Beijing. Instead, Hong Kong will be the site of equestrian at the Hong Kong Sports Institute. The jumping
and dressage competitions will take place at the Shatin Olympic Equestrian Venue.
A total of 196 horse/rider combinations, across all three disciplines will compete in Hong Kong.
This year's Olympics is sure to be interesting, especially with Phillip Dutton due to compete for the U.S.
The 44-year-old won gold for Australia in both 1996 and 2000 at the Summer Games in the three-day
event team competition. In 2006, Dutton announced that he would be changing his citizenship, allowing
him to ride for the U.S.
Anky van Grunsven of the Netherlands will compete at her sixth Olympics in dressage. The 40-year-old
has captured six total medals, including three gold. She was tops again in Athens in 2004.
Another top international rider is New Zealand's Mark Todd, a 52-year-old who will also head to his sixth
Olympics. He won the gold medal in the individual three-day event in 1984 and '88, and captured bronze
in 2000. He also won a bronze in the team three-day event in 1988. Todd retired after 2000, but has
since made an incredible comeback.
Brazil's Rodrigo Pessoa, who won an individual gold in Athens Pessoa actually finished with a silver
medal in the jumping competition to Irish rider Cian O'Connor, but after a doping violation, Pessoa was
awarded the gold medal.
Following the competition in Aachen, Germany, the U.S. showjumping team was named. Beezie Madden
will be riding Authentic, McLain Ward will be aboard Sapphire, Will Simpson will ride El Campeon's
Carlsson vom Dach, and Laura Kraut will saddle Cedric. Kraut was an alternate for the 1992 team and
made her official Olympic debut in 2000.
(Sports Network)
July 17, 2008
The United States equestrian team had an outstanding 2004 Olympic Games in Athens with every
athlete on the team, in all three disciplines, coming home with a medal.
Equestrian is comprised of three different disciplines: dressage, jumping and eventing. There is an
individual and team competition in each discipline. Also, it will be one of the few events not to be held in
Beijing. Instead, Hong Kong will be the site of equestrian at the Hong Kong Sports Institute. The jumping
and dressage competitions will take place at the Shatin Olympic Equestrian Venue.
A total of 196 horse/rider combinations, across all three disciplines will compete in Hong Kong.
This year's Olympics is sure to be interesting, especially with Phillip Dutton due to compete for the U.S.
The 44-year-old won gold for Australia in both 1996 and 2000 at the Summer Games in the three-day
event team competition. In 2006, Dutton announced that he would be changing his citizenship, allowing
him to ride for the U.S.
Anky van Grunsven of the Netherlands will compete at her sixth Olympics in dressage. The 40-year-old
has captured six total medals, including three gold. She was tops again in Athens in 2004.
Another top international rider is New Zealand's Mark Todd, a 52-year-old who will also head to his sixth
Olympics. He won the gold medal in the individual three-day event in 1984 and '88, and captured bronze
in 2000. He also won a bronze in the team three-day event in 1988. Todd retired after 2000, but has
since made an incredible comeback.
Brazil's Rodrigo Pessoa, who won an individual gold in Athens Pessoa actually finished with a silver
medal in the jumping competition to Irish rider Cian O'Connor, but after a doping violation, Pessoa was
awarded the gold medal.
Following the competition in Aachen, Germany, the U.S. showjumping team was named. Beezie Madden
will be riding Authentic, McLain Ward will be aboard Sapphire, Will Simpson will ride El Campeon's
Carlsson vom Dach, and Laura Kraut will saddle Cedric. Kraut was an alternate for the 1992 team and
made her official Olympic debut in 2000.
(Sports Network)
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