USA Team Analysis and WEG Medal Contenders

BY PETER GREEN

2010 World Equestrian Games success will come to the team who performs well at this Championship cross-country jumping level.  Dressage leaders must go out and tackle the challenges of a 4-star plus course and leave enough in the tank to jump clean through another difficult round on Sunday.

Early indications of the WEG cross-country course seem to show that the key to doing well this year will be four strong cross-country horses.  Does the US team have that in the four pairs chosen for the team positions?

The US team has Ballynocastle RM,  Tipperary Liadhnan, Woodburn and Neville Bardos.   While the team has extensive four-star experience, this WEG Kentucky course is a bigger, more challenging, world-class track than the combinations have tackled in the lead up to these Games.

The US selectors obviously picked cross-country jumping machines in all four team horse and rider combinations.   Woodburn has the most obvious chance of leading the team with his second place finish at Rolex this year.  His dressage with Phillip has matured to be in the top ten, while his cross-country and stadium jumping ability is steady and gets good results.  Neville Bardos and Boyd get the jumping job done when it counts at FEI competitions, being clean and fast.  His dressage results, at past FEI competitions, are not an indicator of a top ten placing this time out but his jumping ability and Boyd’s go get’em attitude makes this horse a good team choice.  Reggie and Buck are steady in the jumping phases with dressage being their weakest link.  Kim’s record with Tipperary Liadhnan does not show a consistent Sunday’s effort.  Show jumping will be a heart breaker if the recent work with Katie Prudent does not show thru in this FEI effort.   The longer and more demanding championship cross-country course may be harder on these horses than their horse trials of the past.

While we believe Mandiba would have been a possible team choice except for an unfortunate AEC performance with a stop at fence number 2 of cross country, his selection as an individual will give him a chance to redeem himself, hopefully.  The dressage phase for Mandiba is usually a strong point and his show jumping on Sunday is very reliable.  Saturday’s one-off mis-communications with Karen resulting in the odd 20 could put him out of the money.

Becky and Comet have represented America often with limited success.   These Games are at her most successful venue, which should allow her to relax and perform her best.   She might be the dark horse.  Her strong dressage performance should place her in a good position for Saturday.  With Comet’s jumping ability and Becky’s experience, if all goes well, come Sunday she should be well positioned.  Comet has all the right qualities and if they are in sync, look out for this combination.

PICKS FOR TEAM PLACINGS:

GREAT BRITAIN

This is the team to beat, with the reigning Rolex Kentucky champion in William [Fox-Pitt] and Cool Mountain, and the experience of this side at true championship courses.   Even without their reigning WEG Gold Medalist Zara Phillips and their missing 2004 Olympic Gold Medalist Leslie Law, who unfortunately has no mount at this level, (residing in the US – maybe we can get him to change his citizenship) this team has all the experience at this championship level.  Pippa [Funnell], notably winning Kentucky as part of her Grand Slam series makes this venue not foreign to her.  Mary King has more experience than all the other competitors put together.  Piggy French would be the newcomer to this level of team competition but what a side to be on.  This English side will be a strong contender for a team gold.

GERMANY

The reigning WEG champions have a strong field with two returning 2006 WEG team members in Ingrid Klimke and Frank Ostholt.  The other team members, Andreas Dibowski, Michael Jung, Dirk Schrade, and Simone Deitermann (listed as an individual) are strong German choices.

UNITED STATES

With their powerful cross-country jumping ability, the US team will hopefully be standing at least on the bronze podium. It will be a close race for that spot between the US, New Zealand and possibly Australia, but we think the US can persevere. If all things go right, they could even take a higher medal.

NEW ZEALAND

Another possible top 5 team placing could go to the Kiwi’s with Andrew Nicholson, Mark Todd, Jonathon Paget, Caroline Powel, and Clarke Johnstone.  Most of these members have tons of experience at all championship levels with Toddy being one of the most successful competitors in the history of eventing, with two consecutive Olympic Golds.

AUSTRALIA

Christopher Burton, Sam Griffiths, Sonja Johnson, Paul Tapner, Megan Jones and Stuart Tinney are all riding for this usually strong eventing nation.  Loads of experience, including Paul’s recent Badminton win, puts this team in possible medal contention.

FRANCE

The French team could have a possible good showing with Jean Teulere who is the most experienced with tons of wins.

CANADA

This group has steadily performed well at the four-star level.  We give this team a shout out for their ability to consistently place and are up-and-coming to the world-stage championship level.  Kyle Carter has a great deal of experience at this Kentucky venue along with Hawley Bennett-Awad, Selena O’Hanlon, Dianna Burnett, and Ian Roberts.  A reasonably strong group of individuals who would love nothing more than to stand atop a medal podium.