Show Jumpers Qualify For Medal Round
Sunday, August 17, 2008
Team GB riders Ben Maher, Tim Stockdale and Nick Skelton put in good, consistent performances in the first round of the team show jumping competition on Sunday to finish on 16 faults, which puts them in joint fourth ahead of Monday’s final round.
Ben Mahler
With only five clear rounds all evening, and just a fence separating Great Britain and Canada – who share the fourth spot – from joint leaders Switzerland and the USA, the competition remains wide open.
An early blow to Britain’s chances came with the news that John Whitaker’s Peppermill was unable to compete. Peppermill was a little tight and stiff over his back on Sunday morning and the decision was made to withdraw him – and by extension six-time Olympian Whitaker.
Nick Skelton and Russel got the team off to a solid start to finish with eight faults. As the competition unfolded this turned out to be a good round, but Nick felt he could have done better.
"I shouldn't have had two down I’m very annoyed,” he said. “When I wanted him to run on, he held back and equally when I wanted him to shorten, he ran on for our two fences down. We'll have to wait and see what happens."
Tim Stockdale and Corlato were next in for Team GB and matched the four faults they picked up in the qualifying competition on Friday. The mare jumped well and Tim was pleased with the performance.
“I’m very pleased with her,” he said. “She felt really on it, much crisper than the other night. The message came back to us that some of the fences were difficult to see under the lights, with the white screen and the flame as backgrounds.
“If there is a right type of mistake to make, I did it by jumping too high over the middle part of the combination. Tonight has gone well for me with no mistakes.”
The pressure was on relative youngster Ben Maher (pictured), on Rolette, but he also jumped well and had a fence down late in the course to pick up four faults. He had some concerns about the water jump which had been causing some problems throughout the evening.
"The water was a big ask for her with her experience," he said. "But I was thrilled with how she jumped it.” He went on to comment on the fence he had down,
The combined score of the three riders was enough to secure joint fourth ahead of Monday's second and final round where the top eight teams will jump again over a different course to decide the team medals.
