[MrsFitzDarcy&Feliks]

Unfortunately I can't find the list online, but it is in the print edition. The U.S. isn't predicted to win any medals according to the list though.

Does this surprise you? What are your picks?

[Mara]

Not that I expected SI to have a clue, but yeah, even I was shocked at some of the choices.

Dressage indiv. - Laura B was the only British rider chosen, and the prediction is bronze. (They picked Isabell Werth (?????) for the gold). Uh, what about Carl & Charlotte?

Showjumping - no US anywhere (except maybe team, can't remember). But they predict Eric Lamaze to take bronze in the individual. Nothing against Eric, but Derly Chin de Muse is still kinda youngish and hasn't turned in the sorts of performances we've seen from (for example) Cylana and Flexible this year.

Also, the only factoid they could drum up about Eric was his 1996 suspension. Cripes.

As I said, I wasn't expecting much of SI.

[vineyridge]

How can you have any respect for a magazine who chooses a rider for gold who isn't even on a Team? Isabell Werth wasn't chosen for the German Team and refused to be an alternate.

[Equibrit]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/201...ons/index.html

Medal projections for the 2012 London Olympics, compiled from predictions by the staff of The Associated Press:

EQUESTRIAN

Team Dressage

Gold: Britain

Silver: Netherlands

Bronze: Germany

Individual Dressage

Gold: Adelinde Cornelissen, Netherlands, on Parzival

Silver: Laura Bechtolsheimer, Britain, on Mistral

Bronze: Steffen Peters, United States, on Ravel

Team Jumping

Gold: Switzerland

Silver: United States

Bronze: Germany

Individual Jumping

Gold: Rolf-Goran Bengtsson, Sweden, on Casall

Silver: Rich Fellers, United States, on Flexible

Bronze: Pius Schwizer, Switzerland, on Nobless M

Team Eventing

Gold: Britain

Silver: New Zealand

Bronze: United States

Individual Eventing

Gold: William Fox-Pitt, Britain, on Lionheart

Silver: Andrew Nicholson, New Zealand, on Nereo

Bronze: Phillip Dutton, United States, on Mystery Whisper

[MrsFitzDarcy&Feliks]

I swear to sweet Jesus that was not the one in the print edition!

[Mara]

I swear to sweet Jesus that was not the one in the print edition!

Most definitely not. In the print edition (I have it at home), the US does not medal in showjumping either as a team or individually. Can't remember the other results. . .will check later and post them.

[BAC]

How can you have any respect for a magazine who chooses a rider for gold who isn't even on a Team? Isabell Werth wasn't chosen for the German Team and refused to be an alternate.

Yeah I was wondering the same thing, I guess she has been on so many teams SI just assumed she would be on this one as well.

I do hope their Eventing picks are correct though, as I am cheering for WFP and the Brits.

[vineyridge]

I read something interesting recently about the XC course. The designer, Sue Benson, said that it will not be of the "highest" difficulty. But someone else, a Brit, IIRC, said that the Greenwich course is so unusual and so twisty that trying to predict on past performances at "normal" CCI courses is a futile exercise. Not the riders, but the horses' past performances.

[BAC]

I read something interesting recently about the XC course. The designer, Sue Benson, said that it will not be of the "highest" difficulty. But someone else, a Brit, IIRC, said that the Greenwich course is so unusual and so twisty that trying to predict on past performances at "normal" CCI courses is a futile exercise. Not the riders, but the horses' past performances.

There has been some discussion about the x-country course, and about riders choosing a particular horse (when they are named to a team with more than one) that is best suited for the course at Greenwich. There is not enough terrain for lots of long gallops so its a twisty type of course and there are lots of hills requiring a well conditioned horse with sufficient stamina to get around. Its not that it isn't difficult, but its difficult in a different way than many previous Olympic courses.

[MrsFitzDarcy&Feliks]

There has been some discussion about the x-country course, and about riders choosing a particular horse (when they are named to a team with more than one) that is best suited for the course at Greenwich. There is not enough terrain for lots of long gallops so its a twisty type of course and there are lots of hills requiring a well conditioned horse with sufficient stamina to get around. Its not that it isn't difficult, but its difficult in a different way than many previous Olympic courses.

Well, this jump, XC #6, looks devastingly beautiful, but the curved face ... potentially devastating.
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...1/LPIC1564.jpg

[TRNasty]

The only mention of the USA in the SI print edition was a blurb that we could possibly "jump" onto the medal stand in team stadium under the listing of the countries they thought would medal. My husband recently started getting the subscription again and I haven't been pleased with some other comments/predictions they have made in an another issues a few weeks ago on a NASCAR topic. Clearly when it comes to less popular sports, they don't check their facts.

[ccoronios]

Why would SI be accurate? Do they even consider "equestrian" a SPORT??? (well, anything other than racing, perhaps)

Carol

[Glimmerglass]

Why would SI be accurate? Do they even consider "equestrian" a SPORT???

Sadly that is a fair question. However back in the day SI certainly did give equestrian sports (beyond racing) as excellent source material for well written articles. Hugh Wiley made the cover back in the day

[ccoronios]

Yes, I remember those days. They haven't occurred recently, to the best of my knowledge - NOT that I check SI regularly.

C

[vxf111]

Just read this issue waiting in the waiting room at the trailer dealers... and it was so poorly written and researched. All the articles. The article on the US female gymnastics felt like it was written by a 3rd graded and made the team members seem really goofy. No real information, No good hook. No real insight into the team members.

Then I read Sidelines magazine, and by comparison SI seemed like Candide.

[SSacky]

Well, after all the uproar about not being predicted a medal... USA does end up coming home empty handed.

[Zevida]

Well, after all the uproar about not being predicted a medal... USA does end up coming home empty handed.

Hey! Steffen still has an outside shot, if he rides the best test of his life and 3-4 riders falter.

(In other words, yep, empty-handed, which I expected. )