Hopes dashed for Scott Brash in Olympic individual showjumping final

Hopes were dashed for Scott Brash in the Olympic showjumping individual final today (6 August), but he leaves the Paris Games a British hero having helped bring home the team gold medal.

Scott and Lady Pauline Harris’ 15-year-old gelding Jefferson were 20th to go, with the 30 combinations jumping in reverse order of faults and time from yesterday (5 August).

They set off well across Santiago Varela and Gregory Bodo’s track, but succumbed to the oxer at fence 5b, with Jefferson just touching it with his back legs, to collect four faults. They stopped the clock 81.23sec, the fourth fastest time up to this point.

Scott Brash and the wonderful Jefferson has jumped brilliantly throughout the Olympic showjumping competition, and provided the vital clear round that sealed the deal for Great Britain in the team competition on Friday (2 August).

It has been all to play for in the individual medals, with the scores going back to zero for today’s final. The course – which includes a one-stride double and triple combination, 1.65m Notre Dam wall, a 1.65m wide open water, and an iconic Eiffel tower fence – has provided its fair share of problems, particularly fence 5b which has proved costly many of the riders.

There are only two clears at this stage; the first from ninth-to-go Germany’s Kukuk and the striking grey Checker 47 on 82.38sec. The only other clear came from Maikel van der Vleuten and Beauville Z on 82.06sec.

Frenchman Julien Epaillard and Dubai Du Cedre are in the luxurious position of jumping last, having posted the fastest clear in the qualifier.

It was bad luck for Ben Maher, who went in fourth with Dallas Vegas Batilly. The pair had four faults, having also fallen foul of fence 5b. Harry Charles withdrew this morning after Romeo 88 sustained a “small overreach” in the qualifier yesterday.

Japan’s Takashi Haase Shibayama and Karamell M&M retired during their round after collecting a handful of faults, as did Brazil’s Rodrigo Pessoa and Major Tom. Mexican rider Andres Azcarraga fell from Contendros 2 at the open water, fence 6.

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