The Journey is Over but the Memories Remain

Article and Photos by Diana De Rosa

September 1, 2004 -- Now that I’m home and can reflect back on the Olympic Games I have a variety of feelings going through my head.

For Eventing, I am thrilled that the U.S. team of Kim Severson on Winsome Adante, Julie Richards on Jacob Two Two, John Williams on Carrick, Amy Tryon Poggio II and Darren Chiacchia on Windfall 2 won the Bronze Medal and Severson the Individual Silver but saddened that they didn’t have a chance to stand on the podium. Bettina Hoy had crossed the starting line twice and the judges were not doing their jobs when they didn’t blow the whistle. The timers weren’t doing their jobs when instead of clocking away seconds the timers were reset when she crossed the line. It was all a very confusing, very sad series of events. It would have been much nicer if it all was resolved right away rather than have the Ground Jury take the medal away from the Germans and Bettina, then have the Appeals Committee give it back and then the Arbitrators take it away again. It doesn’t leave a good feeling.

I am thrilled that our Show Jumpers are back and our team of Chris Kappler on Royal Kaliber, McLain Ward on Sapphire, Beezie Madden on Authentic and Peter Wylde on Fein Cera took the Team Silver and Kappler the Individual Bronze. But it hurts to know that Kappler’s horse ended up with a bowed tendon that occurred in a jump-off for the Silver Medal. Prospects are good that he will recuperate but I think we’d all like to know exactly why it happened. Some speculate it was the ground which because the grass is so new does not have a chance to root and therefore becomes like a rug on a dance floor. Others feel that at the Games you are pushing your horse to the absolute limit in all aspects and like any athlete who goes that extra yard there are prices to pay when you strain your body to that degree. But the question still remains as to why a few horses ended up with the same fate. It’s an issue that needs to be addressed because it is never good for the visual appearance of our sport when spectators see horses being taken away in a van.

I am happy for the consistent performances of our Dressage team of Robert Dover on Kennedy, Debbie McDonald on Brentina, Guenter Seidel on Aragon and Lisa Wilcox on Relevant 5 but just wish that Robert or Debbie could have had marks just a little bit higher in the Individual Finals so that we could have achieved our goal of getting an Individual Medal in addition to the Bronze Team Medal they claimed.