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olympic Games Special Message from Olympic Team Leader Kerri McGregor and Assistant Team Leader Tina Collins
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t the time of writing this, we are less than eight weeks away from the Olympic Games starting in London. And preparations are definitely ramping up, getting busier on a day-by-day basis both for the athletes, their personal support teams and for the Canadian Olympic Support Team. 2012 marks a significant year for the Olympic Games. Not only is it the first time that an Olympic Games has been held three times in the same city (1908, 1948, 2012), it also marks the 100th anniversary of equine competition at the Olympics. While the 1900 Games in Paris was the first time equestrian was part of the Olympic program, in the form of Polo, Jumping and High Jump, it wasn’t until the 1912 Stockholm Games that Dressage, Eventing and Jumping formed the equestrian events of the Olympic program. And did you know that until the 1952 Helsinki Summer Olympics, only commissioned military officers were permitted to compete in Olympic equestrian disciplines? Wow! We sure have come a long way since then. And today we still enjoy the distinction of being the only sport where men and women compete as equals, and where age does not necessarily give you a competitive edge one way or the other. I don’t know how I would have fared had my sport of choice been gymnastics, where if you haven’t taken up the sport by the time you are six years old you can forget it. Over the course of several weeks, Greenwich Park – the venue for all equestrian, the equestrian portion of pentathlon, and para-equestrian - will see 400 athletes (200 rider/horse combinations) competing on its historic grounds representing anywhere between 22-26 nations. And the setting to all of this will be the impressive Queen’s House - built between 1616-1619 and situated on the Thames. The fact that the equestrian events are being held at Greenwich Park is exciting for two key reasons:
1. It will provide a spectacular backdrop for both television and photographic coverage. Can you imagine having a picture of yourself doing an amazing extended trot, or soaring over that triple oxer with the London skyline in the background!
2. Equestrian will be at the heart of the Olympics instead of tucked away somewhere in the countryside. This second point is one that I think will make these Olympics really stand out, both for our equestrian athletes as well as the sport itself. More often than not, due to the infrastructure required to host equestrian competition at this level, the equestrian events are held outside of the host city. Typically it means a long commute for those athletes who are staying at the Olympic Village. And similarly it also means a significant commute for spectators wanting to attend.
Individual Medal Results Gold: Ulrich Kirchhoff & Jus De Pommes, Germany Silver: Wilhelm Melliger & Calvaro, Switzerland Bronze: Alexandra Ledermann & Rochet M, France Team Medal Results Gold: Germany Silver: USA Bronze: Brazil Three-Day Eventing— Individual Medal Results Gold: Blyth Tait & Ready Teddy, New Zealand Silver: Sally Clark & Squirrel Hill, New Zealand Bronze: Kerry Millikin & Out and About, USA Team Medal Results Gold: Australia Silver: USA Bronze: New Zealand
2000 Olympics/Paralympics, Sydney, Australia Dressage—Individual Medal Results Gold: Anky van Grunsven & Bonfire, Netherlands Silver: Isabell Werth & Gigolo, Germany Bronze: Ulla Salzgeber & Rusty, Germany Team Medal Results Gold: Germany Silver: Netherlands Bronze: USA Show Jumping Jonathan Asselin & Spirit of Xerox Jay Hayes & Diva Ian Millar & Dorincord John Pearce & Vagabond Individual Medal Results Gold: Jeroen Dubbeldam & De Sjiem, Netherlands Silver: Albert Voorn & Lando, Netherlands Bronze: Khaled Al Eid & Khashm Al Aan, Saudi Arabia Team Medal Results Gold: Germany Silver: Switzerland Bronze: Brazil Cont’d on page 26
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