Road from Winter Training List to the Olympics

[Badger]

I looked back at the Winter Training list named in December and tried to reconstruct what happened to all those horses. 3 of the A list made the team, none of the B list, and the two horses that finished first and second at Rolex and made the team were not part of the training session.

http://useventing.com/competitions.php?id=1302

USEF Names Eventing Winter Training List

Updated: 2007-12-17

A Squad

Kristin Bachman/35/Lovettsville, VA/Gryffindor/13/Thoroughbred/G/Krisitin Bachman
Missed Rolex due to injury
Stephen Bradley/45/Leesburg, VA/From/14/Russian Thoroughbred/G/Charlotte Harris
Named as substitute to short list in May
Heidi White/42/Aiken, SC/Northern Spy/14/English Thoroughbred/G/Heidi White
Not presented for final vet inspection at Rolex; named to team, horse injured in team training in UK
Phillip Dutton/44/West Grove, PA/Woodburn/9/New Zealand Thoroughbred/G/Acorn Hill Farm
Named to short list, then named alternate to the team
Phillip Dutton/44/West Grove, PA/Tru Luck/10/TB/G/Ann Jones & Shannon Stimson
Not named to short list
Phillip Dutton/44/West Grove, PA/The Foreman/11/Thoroughbred/G/Ann Jones
Named to short list, removed after splint injury in June
Gina Miles/34/Creston, CA/McKinlaigh/13/ISH/G/Thomas Schulz & Laura Coats
Made the Olympic team (withdrew Rolex before dressage)
Bonnie Mosser/45/Unionville, PA/Merloch/10/Thoroughbred Cross/G/Bonnie Mosser
21st at Rolex, named as substitute to short list in May, then named to short list to replace The Foreman, then named alternate to team, horse injured in team training in England
Karen O'Connor/49/The Plains, VA/Theodore O'Connor
6th at Rolex; Teddy died in freak accident at home barn
Karen O'Connor/49/The Plains, VA/Mandiba/8/Irish Sport Horse/G/Joan Goswell
Did not run Rolex; named alternate to the team, thenmade the team as replacement for Northern Spy
Karen O'Connor/49/The Plains, VA/Hugh Knows/11/Irish Sport Horse/G/Jacqueline Mars
Withdrawn before stadium at Rolex
Amy Tryon/37/Duvall, WA/Poggio II/15/Thoroughbred/G/Mark Hart
Did not run Rolex; named to the team

B Squad

Laine Ashker/23/Crozier, VA/Frodo Baggins/12/New Zealand TB/G/Laine Ashker
Horse died and rider injured after Rolex jumping accident
Stephen Bradley/45/Leesburg, VA/Brandenburg's Joshua/12/TB/G/Southern Edition Farm
4th at Rolex; Named to short ilist in May, abcess at mandatory outing at The Fork
Jan Byyny/40/Purcellville, VA/Syd Kent/9/New Zealand TB/G/ Jan, Jo and Richard Byyny
?
Darren Chiacchia/43/Ocala, FL/Better I Do It/14/Swedish Warmblood/G/Adrienne Iorio
Rider injured jumping another horse at Red Hills
Darren Chiacchia/43/Ocala, FL/Windfall 2/15/Trakehner/Stallion/Timothy Holekamp
Rider injured jumping another horse at Red Hills
Mara Dean/34/Round Hill, VA/High Patriot/9/Oldenburg/G/Irish Oaks Farm
Did not compete at Rolex
Will Faudree/26/Southern Pines, NC/Antigua/18/Australian Thoroughbred/G/Will Faudree
Named to short list
Jon Holling/30/Ocala, FL/Direct Merger/11/Thoroughbred/G/Janet Olsen
Horse died on course at Red Hills
Clark Montgomery/26/Bryan, TX/Up Spirit/8/Irish Sport Horse/G/Carol Montgomery
Did not compete Rolex; named as substiture to short list in May
Kim Severson/34/Keene, VA/Tipperary Liadhnan/10/ISH/G/Elizabeth Wachtmeister
5th at Rolex, named to short list in May
Allison Springer/33/Marshall, VA/Arthur/8/Irish Sport Horse Cross/G/Allison Springer
13th at Rolex
Amy Tryon/37/Duvall, WA/Coal Creek/7/Thoroughbred/G/Kathryn Sullivan
Did not compete Rolex
Amy Tryon/37/Duvall, WA/Leyland/7/Thoroughbred/G/Elisabeth Nicholson
Did not compete Rolex
Jennifer Wooten/29/Buellton, CA/The Good Witch/11/Irish Sport Horse/M/Daisy Tognazzini
7th at Rolex, Named as substitute to short list in May, did not make team or alternate

Not on the Winter Training List
Buck Davidson with BallyNoe Castle RM
Named to short list in May, named as alternate and traveled to England
Phillip Dutton and Connaught
Won Rolex, named to Olympic Team
Becky Holder with Courageous Comet
Second at Rolex, named to Olympic Team

Final Olympic Team:
Phillip Dutton
Becky Holder
Gina Miles
Karen O'Connor
Amy Tryon

Can anyone fill in the background on some of the others? What happened to Jan? Which other horses were eliminated from contention due to injuries?

[Badger]

Sorry, but I can't get my formatting (indents and bolds) to work and make this more readable. If someone else can quote it and reformat it, it might be easier to digest. TIA.

[Dressage62]

Syd Kent is injured.
See www.SureFireEventing.com "News"

[GreyDun]

I believe Syd Kent and Jan are back and competing - they just got 3rd in Advanced at Millbrook - http://www.millbrookhorsetrials.com/Results%202008%20MHT.htm

[Dressage62]

Thanks for the update!
Glad to see they're back!

[Badger]

So it looks like the fallout breaks down as follows:

Horse deaths:
Karen O'Connor/Teddy
Lane Ashker/Frodo Baggins
Jon Holling/Direct Merger

Rider injuries:
Lane Ashker/Frodo Baggins
Darren Chiacchia/Better I Do It
Darren Chiachia/Windfall

Horse soundness issue during the selection period (12/07 through 7/08):
Kristin Bachman/Gryffindor
Heidi White/Northern Spy
Phillip Dutton/The Foreman
Bonnie Mosser/Merloch
Karen O'Connor/Hugh Knows
Stephen Bradley/Brandenburg's Joshua
Jan Byyny/Syd Kent

Horse lacked international experience:
Kim Severson/Tipperary Liadhnan (horse green to level)
Amy Tryon/Coal Creek
Amy Tryon/Leyland
Buck Davidson/BallyNoe Castle

Why were the following eliminated along the way? Should any of these be added to the soundness list?
Stephen Bradley/From
Phillip Dutton/Woodburn
Phillip Dutton/Tru Luck
Mara Dean/High Patriot
Will Faudress/Antigua
Clark Montgomery/Up Spirit
Alison Springer/Arther
Jennifer Wooten/The Good Witch

[NeverTime]

The Good Witch, Antigua and Up Spirit and Woodburn all took part in the selection process (Up Spirit from abroad).

Woodburn was named an alternated for the team, Antigua didn't have a good showing at the mandatory outing and, while The Good Witch did very well at the same mandatory outing, her rider apparently was told something to the effect of "Good job but, sorry, we want people with more international experience, come back in 4 years."

Tru Luck and From were both on the short list, not sure what happened to them except that neither was involved in the mandatory outing.

[clivers]

Interesting retrospective Badger,
I'm amazed at the casualties (figuratively and in some sad cases literally) along the way. I followed the ups and downs of the Canadians as a couple of friends were on the list. It was eye-opening, but not necessarily in a happy feel-good way. Those riders/horses go through a hell of a lot trying to get to the olympics.

[Reynard Ridge]

Fascinating list. Nothing to add, but I'm very interested to follow what I hope will be an active discussion. Although I'm not exactly sure where the OP is going with this, it has the elements a great discourse.

[Badger]

I wanted to look back at this list after following the team selection process all year. It just seemed like such a high casualty rate and I found it sobering to see it spelled out. It demonstrates just how many obstacles have to be overcome just to get close to the Olympics, much less get to the games. I wonder if this sort of casualty rate is par for the course (remember when Abigail Lufkin had three short list horses in the run to Sydney and had all three self-destruct?) or if this year is an aberration?

Was the casualty rate similar back in the Le Goff era, when we had a completely different team program?

Denny, any insights?

[JER]

Badger, thanks for the list. Really thought-provoking stuff.

I wonder how this compares to the selection lists in other countries like the UK or Australia. I know the GB team was chosen earlier and there were some substitutions, although the attrition rate was nowhere near as high as in the US.

[Badger]

I wonder how this compares to the selection lists in other countries like the UK or Australia.

That's a great question. Snoopy, any idea about the UK as you follow that lot?

I also wonder if the short format is an influence on soundness issues, as horses are running more often and don't have the traditional downtime after a long format three-star or four-star? But they also don't have as much conditioning pounding as they needed leading up to a long format.

[bambam]

So it looks like the fallout breaks down as follows:


Why were the following eliminated along the way? Should any of these be added to the soundness list?
Stephen Bradley/From
Phillip Dutton/Woodburn
Phillip Dutton/Tru Luck
Mara Dean/High Patriot
Will Faudress/Antigua
Clark Montgomery/Up Spirit
Alison Springer/Arther
Jennifer Wooten/The Good Witch
Badger- I think you can add Jennifer Wooten and the Good Witch to the lack of international experience list. I believe that is what Jennifer said in her blog that they told her at the final mandatory outing at the Fork.
I do not know for sure, but I would guess green to the level and youth may have been what kept Arthur out from the final considerations.
I would put both these pairs on the ones to watch for the future list.

[JER]

That's a great question. Snoopy, any idea about the UK as you follow that lot?

Tina Cook and Daisy Dick were both on the reserve list. They were moved up to the team when Zara Phillips and Lucy Wiegersma dropped out.

Lucy Wiegersma's horse, Shaabrak, had an abscess at the wrong time -- he was 100% sound by the time the team left and Lucy was very upset that the team wouldn't reconsider.

[BAC]

Tina Cook and Daisy Dick were both on the reserve list. They were moved up to the team when Zara Phillips and Lucy Wiegersma dropped out.

Lucy Wiegersma's horse, Shaabrak, had an abscess at the wrong time -- he was 100% sound by the time the team left and Lucy was very upset that the team wouldn't reconsider.

But there was no way to be sure when Shaabrak would be absolutely sound and I assume he lost conditioning time too, I agree with the team decision. And I think mentally its harder on the riders to keep them up in the air until the last minute as to which one will be going.

[pwynnnorman]

Also need to add Mandiba to the lack of international experience (wasn't he on the list?).

One thing we need to keep in mind, IMO, about the training list vs. what others do is that in Europe they are many, many more three AND four star competitions to prove their readiness.

No way we could ever have the same kind of process as they do across the pond.

[Badger]

Mandiba is on the list on the A squad and he made the team. He wasn't eliminated from a team slot because he lacked international competition, he made the team despite it.

Good point about the depth across the pond. I think it was Bonnie's blog that commented on going to a horse trial in England and finding there were 300 advance horses entered at that horse trial that weekend. Holy cow, I can't even imagine....

[snoopy]

That's a great question. Snoopy, any idea about the UK as you follow that lot?

I also wonder if the short format is an influence on soundness issues, as horses are running more often and don't have the traditional downtime after a long format three-star or four-star? But they also don't have as much conditioning pounding as they needed leading up to a long format.


Apparently I am not qualified to expand on this subject.

[Badger]

And that is going to stop you?

[snoopy]

In this instance yes...sorry. In order to expland I would need to name drop and that is tedious to some.

[Badger]

Snort. You aren't actually letting the smurfs get to you, are you?

[Reynard Ridge]

In this instance yes...sorry. In order to expland I would need to name drop and that is tedious to some.

But perhaps not to all. Can you put the transgressors on ignore for a bit and expound for those of us curious and are entertained by name dropping?