Mark Phillips: ‘The Olympics are life-changing with extreme highs and lows’

Highs, lows and high drama in an extraordinary setting, says Mark Phillips

I went to my first Olympic Games in Mexico in 1968 as reserve rider just after my 20th birthday.

Thereafter every Games was a milestone in my life and I planned meticulously for the next, firstly as a rider and then as a coach, through to London, 12 Olympics later. They are unique, bringing life-changing experiences of extreme highs and lows.

As an avid Olympian, I was glued to my television last weekend. What a setting, what a beautifully crafted course, and there was no shortage of drama.

Kitty King and Vendredi Biats didn’t make the British top four, but like a true team player she travelled to France in case of any last-minute upsets. The Americans were not so lucky.

They substituted Will Coleman’s Off The Record for his second horse Diabolo at the last minute, only for Diabolo to have a foot abscess on arrival. Under US selection protocols they were not allowed to put Off The Record back in, giving Liz Halliday the chance at a first Olympics. Then when HSH Blake with Caroline Pamukcu put a hindleg in the ditch at fence 16, their chances of a team medal were gone.

When Kevin McNab pulled up on Don Quidam, the Australian selectors must have wondered if they should have left Andrew Hoy at home. And when Jonelle Price had a glance-off, had the Kiwis done the right thing by leaving Badminton winner Caroline Powell on the sidelines?

This three-in-a-team and all-to-count format is brutal; any error and team medal chances are finished.

The cross-country was always going to be mostly about the time as the fences were not overly technical. Tom McEwen put his best foot forward to save the day early on. Thereafter he and JL Dublin were simply foot-perfect.

Laura Collett, too, was wonderful. London 52 was a little sticky into the last water and Laura followed team orders to go the longer way at the corner after, leaving her two seconds over the time. Thus the door was opened for Michael Jung and Chipmunk, impeccable as ever, to take the lead.

Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo looked masterful, only to get 15 penalties added later for being outside a flag.

The video I saw quite clearly shows that neither the horse nor the rider had touched the flag and it was the “brush” that pushed the flag down. But after five hours of debate the ground jury refused to change their “field of play” decision, leaving the Brits just one showjump in front of France and two in front of Japan.

The best decision?

Under the FEI General Regulations, the ground jury were able to use the official Olympic Broadcasting Service footage to help them with the decision. However, only footage from static cameras was used. It is sad that at an Olympic Games in particular, they didn’t use all the means at their disposal to come up with the best decision.

The chefs d’equipe had communication issues in working with technical delegate (TD) Marcin Konaski, and at the time of writing a number of chefs are planning to make an official complaint to the FEI.

It is the TD’s responsibility to make sure that all video cameras are placed in optimal positions on cross-country day. This clearly didn’t happen at Ros Canter’s fence and led to Swedish and Spanish appeals also being dismissed.

In the showjumping the tension was unbearable, but in the end the French made it quite easy for the Brits to clinch their second successive team gold. Japan jumped into the bronze medal spot, counting substitute Toshiyaki Tanaka who hadn’t done either the dressage or the cross-country – something that traditionalists will find difficult to accept.

Laura Collett had the last fence in the first round to hand the lead back to Michael Jung but jumped a super clear in the second to clinch individual bronze. Tom McEwen rode the best I’ve ever seen him to jump double clear for a well-deserved fourth place.

Chris Burton also jumped double clear for the silver – but we will all remember Paris for the British team gold and an amazing third individual gold for Michael Jung.

● What were your highlights of the Olympic eventing in Paris? Tell us at hhletters@futurenet.com, including your name, nearest town and country, for the chance for your letter to appear in a forthcoming issue of the magazine

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