The Three-Day Eventing competition of the XXIX Olympiad concluded at Sha Tin stadium in Hong Kong with a moving award presentation ceremony that saw American Gina Miles capture the only eventing medal for Team USA—the silver, in the individual eventing competition.
Tied for fifth in the Individuals and going into the final show jumping phase, Miles was able to hold onto the U.S. team's only medal hopes by jumping cleanly with no faults in both the team and individual rounds. Competitors from Germany, Great Britain and Australia suffered knock downs and lowered placings.
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| Water jumps can test the mettle of even the most seasoned show horse. The HSUS/Dane |
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Falling Through the Ranks
The disappointing seventh-place finish of the U.S. team (which sat in third after the first eventing segment of dressage) came as a result of several riders' missteps during the cross-country phase.
And 2004 medalist Amy Tryon was eliminated after a fall on the course in which neither she nor her horse, Poggio II, were injured.
Tryon was the subject of much controversy and a 2007 suspension by FEI (Fédération Equestre Internationale—the governing body of international equestrian sport), due to the death of her mount Le Samurai. Le Samurai suffered a fatal injury last year on the course of the Rolex Kentucky Three Day event in Lexington.
Fans of other nation's teams had more to celebrate, with Germany winning gold in both the individual and team events, and Australia and Great Britain picking up the remaining eventing medals.
Sigh of Relief
But the general overall sentiment of the entire international crowd seemed to be one of relief—that no horses or riders were injured or killed due to falls, nor succumbed to the combination of extreme heat and humidity in Hong Kong. Event organizers and veterinarians—aware of the dangers and risks the tropical weather posed—went to great lengths to ensure that the world's participating equine athletes would acclimate to the climate, including housing them in air-conditioned stables and installing chilled misters.
Despite the team's best efforts to moderate the horses' indoor environment, there was nothing they could do to control the conditions in the open air outdoor arena. Several of the animals were perspiring as they entered the ring for competition following warmup rides.
Uncertain Future
In addition to the special needs of equine athletes when travelling abroad for competition, a number of factors have threatened the sport's very future at the Games. Some of these include a spate of eventing deaths at previous Olympics and other national and international events, and the high costs of building an entire cross country course for a one-time use. The safe conclusion of the 2008 eventing competition may well serve as a crucial reprieve—and perhaps none too soon.
Eventing deaths have become so controversial that the sport was the subject of recent critical investigative reports by HBO's Real Sports and ESPN. Indeed, even as the 2008 Olympic eventing competition was underway, spectators mourned the August 10th death of 23-year-old British rider Emma Johnson—the result of a rotational fall at the Mitsubishi Motors Hartpury Horse Trials in England.
The views on eventing safety (and the changes that have been made in hopes of improving it) among eventing participants at Hong Kong ranged from those of enthusiastic support to quiet, reluctant acceptance that the sport—and its participants—have changed. A new breed of competitors is involved that is less experienced and less steeped in the traditions of lifelong training and preparation than some of the remaining old guard of the sport, and changes may be needed to protect them —and their horses—from themselves.
Charging Ahead
The international eventing community might not have withstood another death at the Olympics as the world looked on, without facing serious questions about its future in the quadrennial international competition. It succeeded in showing the world that the sport could be played safely, at the most important and prestigious venue possible, and under far from optimal conditions.
In order to preserve its future, eventing's leadership must now build on this milestone and continue to make strident, continual steps to ensure the safety of its participants, both equine and human. The sport must continue to mandate expanded use of frangible and deformable obstacles, implement rider reforms that reward safety and penalize falls, and adopt an outlook that although accidents happen, no deaths are acceptable. Zero tolerance must be the ultimate goal.
Horses, Riders Unscathed After Rigorous Olympic Cross Country Course
August 11, 2008
Intense humidity and scattered rain hovered in Hong Kong Monday during the third day of the 2008 Equestrian Olympics at the Beas River cross country venue. Although Team USA fell in the overall eventing team placings, the overall competition was still a success for the equestrian community: no horses or riders were injured or killed like in the 2004 Olympics.
Risky Endeavors
The sport of eventing is one of the most dangerous Olympic sports. Numerous horse and rider deaths at the highest levels of competition in recent years have caused many to question whether the risks are too great.
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A Canadian horse and rider navigate over the Olympic course. The HSUS/Dane |
The same question was posed in a recent HBO Real Sports special on eventing.
The sport's participants have been forced to take a hard look at the causes of the deaths and get down to the tough business of finding solutions.
Rules Safeguard Horse and Rider
In the United States, equestrian leaders convened a safety summit in June to find answers that would build on changes announced earlier in the year. Earlier rule changes were designed to increase rider responsibility and, hopefully, save lives.
At the international level, a new rule that forces the elimination of any horse, rider or horse/rider pair that falls put five riders out of contention—including 2004 U.S. bronze medalist Amy Tryon. The rule was made to encourage riders to be more careful navigating obstacles that could cause death if navigated incorrectly.
When in China
Overexertion in the Hong Kong heat and humidity pose the greatest danger to equine athletes during cross-country eventing. While conditions are similar to summer weather in some parts of the U.S., top level competitions that are this strenuous and demanding are rarely scheduled during peak U.S. summer heat.
Although the humidity was intense, Monday's cloud cover and rain kept conditions much more tolerable. The first riders began the course at 8 a.m., and the last finished by 11:30 a.m., keeping horses out of competition during the mid-day heat. The usual course length was shortened by one-third, to 5.7 kilometers, which helped reduce the risk of such symptoms like pulmonary hemorrhaging, to which several eventing horses have succumbed in the past.
Several U.S. and international horses and riders have been killed or critically injured going over obstacles during past cross country eventing. Course designers have been challenged to make safety a priority, and this Olympics course was closely scrutinized to ascertain whether its layout would be successful in avoiding potential disasters.
The HSUS Heads to China to Monitor Olymipc Equestrian Games
August 8, 2008
Today marks the beginning of a journey that members of the HSUS equine protection team will make to Hong Kong, to attend the equestrian portion of the 2008 Summer Olympic Games. Just as we have attended the Games at other venues in the past, we will be on site to monitor the care, treatment and safety of the equine athletes.
The equestrian events are being held in Hong Kong rather than Beijing (site of the majority of this year's Games) because of the strong, well-established presence of the horse racing industry there, and the excellent facilities for the import, quarantine, stabling and competition of equine athletes from teams around the world.
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U.S Olympian Steffen Peters takes a practice ride on his horse. © The Associated Press |
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Spirit of the Games
The Olympic Games are steeped in tradition, pageantry and a strong spirit of congenial international competition. In no sport is this spirit more evident than in the equestrian competitions.
What is unique about these events, among all the Games, is that they are the only ones which include animals in the competition—with horses being the only animals involved.
It Takes Two
The horses on the U.S. Equestrian Team and those of other nations are athletes, just as crucial a part of the competition as their riders and—indeed—as the athletes in other sports. Just as the teammates in basketball, volleyball and other Olympic team sports, horse and rider are—dependent on each other for their success; responsible to each other for their joint failures.
Ultimate Trust
It is said that equine athletes, like their human counterparts, love their job, their sport, the competition. Watching a dressage horse in perfect harmony with his rider, or a stadium jumper run a clean course and witness a victorious air pump from his rider, is proof of the unique partnership that exists between the two.
The difference, of course, between human athletes and their equine counterparts is that humans are each, individually, in a position to make the choice to compete. They know the risks, of injury, pain and even possible death as a result of competition.
Horses may not be aware of those risks, and they are surely not in a position to choose whether or not they compete. But they are certainly subject to the very real risks and are capable of very real suffering—just as much as their human teammates. They rely on their human partners and the event organizers to make sure that their welfare is not jeopardized, and that the risks are minimized in every way possible.
The Events
The equine athletes competing in the Olympics—and those participating in eventing competitions the world over—are expected to excel in the three equestrian disciplines that comprise eventing: dressage, show jumping and cross country. Cross country—which requires horse and rider to navigate an arduous series of immovable jumps over a varied terrain—poses the greatest risk for horse and rider.
The unforgiving jumps, combined with an emphasis on speed over accuracy, means that if a horse fails to clear a jump and instead hits it, the result can be serious injury or even death. In the past 18 months, more than a dozen horses and riders have been injured or killed while competing in U.S. eventing competitions. This spate of deaths and injuries spurred the governing body of the sport, the United States Equestrian Federation, to call a summit earlier this year to discuss how to make the sport safer for humans and horses alike.
Fans of equestrian sport from around the world will be watching these Games with the hope that these concerns have been adequately addressed, and no horse injuries or deaths will mar the grandeur of this event. We are hoping to witness a rousing, inspirational and—most importantly—safe 2008 Olympic Games.
