U.S. Olympic Dressage Team Gives Strong Start at Rio Olympic Games

RELEASE: August 10, 2016

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil – Dressage competition got underway Wednesday at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games, as 29 of the total 60 competitors representing 19 countries took to the main arena under cloudy skies at the Deodoro Olympic Equestrian Center to perform in the Grand Prix, the first test in the team competition. The U.S. team, going eighth in the order of the 11 nations, finished day one in fourth place after two superb performances from Allison Brock and Kasey Perry-Glass. Leading the team standings is Germany, while The Netherlands sits in second place, and Great Britain holds third.

Allison Brock and Rosevelt (Shannon Brinkman Photo)

Brock (Loxahatchee, Fla.), competing in her first Olympic Games, had the position of riding as pathfinder for the U.S. but kept her cool aboard Rosevelt, a 14-year-old Hanoverian stallion owned by Claudine and Fritz Kundrun. The pair has had much success at the international level over the past three years, both in the U.S. and Europe, and it clearly showed. With the exception of a mistake in the canter two-tempi changes, they executed a fluid test with several high points. They received many scores of 8 for their transitions and extended work in the walk and trot from the seven judges including Peter Holler (K), Susanne Baarup (E), Gary Rockwell (H), Stephen Clarke (C), Maribel Alonso (M), Thomas Lang (B), and Eddy de Wolff van Westerrode (F). The pair earned a score of 72.686%, placing it tied for seventh in the individual standings.

“Rosevelt felt great as he cantered in and halted, and his first trot extension felt amazing!” said a delighted Brock after her test. “He was trying really hard, and I have to give him a lot of credit as it’s both of our first Olympic Games and it’s a lot to be here, but he handled everything quite well. He has a super walk, and his trot work is really strong, but mostly he’s really fluid and consistent. The mistake in the two-tempis was totally my fault. My mind drifted when I heard the music playing in the background and I lost count. He’s a very sweet horse; he always tries to be a gentleman and is really reliable. He likes it here and likes this venue. I’m really pleased with how it went today.”

Kasey Perry-Glass and Dublet (Shannon Brinkman Photo)

Second to go for the U.S. were Perry-Glass (Orangevale, Calif.) and Dublet, a 13-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding owned by Diane Perry. Going late in the day, the Olympic first-timers made the most of their moment in the spotlight, earning a score of 75.229% to hold fifth place individually. Despite some noise distractions, the pair performed a smooth and elegant test, which earned many high marks, including multiple 8s from the judges for their passage work and flying changes. The pair also scored several 9s for movements including the right canter pirouette, piaffe-passage transition, and the final halt and salute.

“I was really proud of Dublet today,” said Perry-Glass with a smile. “He hung in there really well for me, especially with all the unexpected noise. To be able to keep him focused and together was a challenge for both of us, but he was there and ready to go! I really thought his piaffe-passage tour was really good, as were his two-tempis. We’re just fine-tuning the little things as it’s our first year competing in the Grand Prix internationally, so we’re just thrilled to be where we are!”

Competing for the U.S. in the second half of the Grand Prix on Thursday is Steffen Peters with Legolas 92, riding at 10:54 a.m. ET. Laura Graves and Verdades will anchor the U.S. team, entering the arena at 2:06 p.m. ET.

Leading the Individual standings after day one is Germany’s Dorothee Schneider with Showtime FRH on 80.986%, while countryman Sonke Rothenberger and Cosmo hold second with a score of 77.329%. Great Britain’s Fiona Bigwood and Orthilia are in third place on 77.157%.

Team standings after day one of the Grand Prix

The dressage team competition continues tomorrow, Thursday, August 11. The top six teams from the Grand Prix will move forward to Friday’s Grand Prix Special, after which each team’s top three scores from both tests are added together in order to decide the Team medals. The top 18 competitors from the Grand Prix Special will go on to compete in the individual final, the Grand Prix Freestyle, on Monday, August 15. Only three athletes from each nation are eligible compete in the Freestyle.

Care for equestrian athletes at Rio Olympic Games

The Rio Olympic Games has turned on the best possible care for the horses taking part in the equestrian events, with a hi-tech veterinary facility like no other.

Located at the Deodoro stables, the 1000 sq metre horse clinic features everything needed to keep more than 200 horses from 43 countries fit and well throughout the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, with specialists ready to care for every need around the clock.

Manned by a 130-strong team of veterinary surgeons, anaesthetists, imaging specialists and medical professionals from Brazil and around the world, the clinic includes the latest pathology, endoscopy, radiography and ultrasonography technology, as well as a dispensary, emergency surgery facility with padded recovery boxes, and specialist treatment stables.

One horse 9 ambulances on site at the Rio 2016 equestrian center 

The clinic offers routine supportive veterinary care and, should any emergency first-aid be required, the specialists are on-site to treat the horses. Nine specially equipped horse ambulances will also be on the venue if any horses need to be transported to the clinic.

In addition to the clinic, a network of physiotherapists is on hand to keep the horses in top form, while the horses’ temperatures, food and water intake, and weight are permanently monitored by their grooms and veterinary specialists.

While the Games are taking place in Brazil’s winter season, there can be weather fluctuations, so keeping horses cool in Rio is a major focus. Horses cope with heat very differently to human athletes because of their size but, just like humans, getting their core temperature down after exercise is key.Every day, over 46,000 litres of water and 400kg of ice to chill the water is being used across the Olympic Equestrian Centre just for washing down horses after training and competition.

Tents housing banks of cooling fans, used for both the equine and human athletes, are available at the finish of the eventing cross country phase, and next to the training and warm-up arenas for jumping and dressage, keeping Rio 2016’s most-muscled athletes chilled.

“The health and well being of our horses is the top priority during these Games,” said Brazil’s Dr Thomas Wolff, President of the Rio 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Veterinary Commission. Many of our horses on site have their own team veterinarians, and it’s great to see how impressed they are with our facilities.”

Wolff, who will be working directly with Olympic Veterinary Services Manager, Brazil’s Juliana de Freitas has been the Brazilian Equestrian Federation’s head veterinarian for the last 15 years. He was Brazilian team vet at the Seoul and Beijing Olympic Games, and runs his own practice in Sao Paolo specializing in horses competing in the three Olympic disciplines – Jumping, Eventing and Dressage – and racing.

“Our horses always deserve the very best, and at these first Games in South America, they’re getting just that,” Wolff said.

“We know everything about every horse on site every second of the day thanks to our monitoring system, and with the world’s best veterinary care on offer for our horses we’re now very much looking forward to seeing medals won and new Olympic records set in Rio.”

Who will take care of your horses after you’re gone?

It would be nice to think that you can get all your affairs in order before you die.

In an ideal world, you could rehome your homes at your leisure and die knowing that they have gone to a good home.

Sadly, not all of us have those opportunities. Sudden or accidental death can leave those you left behind sorting out some very complex matters unless you have given your last will and testament careful thought.

Throughout our lives we occasionally have to make tough calls about horses too frail, ill or injured to carry on. At the time the decision can be very hard indeed, but few owners ever regret ending a horse’s suffering, even though they may sorely miss the animal’s companionship.

Ironically, surprisingly few of us make calls about what should happen to our horses – or cats, dogs, or other pets – in the event of our deaths.

What do you want to happen to your horses?

If you want to provide for the ongoing care of your animals, make provision for it in your will.

It’s important that you do not leave money or assets in your will directly to your horses or other pets.

Almost universally, animals are considered property and not legal entities such as a person, company or trust. You cannot therefore leave money to a piece of “property”.

However, as they are property, there is certainly nothing stopping you making provision in your will for the proper ongoing care, sale, or gifting of the animals.

What you must do is leave the money to meet your wishes to a designated person – or other acceptable legal entity which your lawyer can advise you on – with the instruction that the money be used for this purpose. Be specific and put in writing what you want done with the animals.

You should discuss the situation in some detail with the person you intend passing this responsibility to. What are their circumstances? Where could the horses graze if your property is sold?

The person given the responsibility need not be the executor of the will. It will normally be best to give the responsibility to someone with an understanding and empathy for horses.

Above all else, be realistic. It’s understandably pointless leaving $500 for the ongoing care of a five-year-old horse with potentially 25 years of life left.

Likewise, there would seem little point in setting up a trust with $1 million to care for your small herd, when they may graze away the rest of their lives without fulfilling their true potential as hacks, show jumpers, or whatever purpose you originally bred them for.

If you have limited means, leave a sum for reasonable ongoing care while new homes are found for the horses. Allow a sum for the advertising or marketing of the horses. You can also stipulate what happens to the leftover money, so there be some “change” from this exercise.

Seek legal advice in preparing your will, as how you word your wishes can be crucial in getting them fulfilled.

Finally, don’t forget to revisit and update your will regularly. Circumstances change, people die, horses die (or more arrive).

You need to ensure that your will meets your current circumstances and hasn’t become outdated.

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