2004 Olympic Games - Eventing

A Tour of the Cross Country Course

by Diana DeRosa 

August 16 – Athens Greece -- The cross country course in the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens Greece has a total of 34 jumps in all with many more jumping efforts. Each jump also has an alternate route for the riders who feel that the shortest route might be too difficult for their horse. These longer routes will cost them time.

As a special to the horsesdaily.com viewers you can see all of the jumps in our Phelpsphoto photo gallery – all 34. But just to give you an overview. The first few jumps are pretty straight forward. #1 is an oxer covered in flowers, #2 is covered with fruits with brush on the top so if the horse hits it won’t hurt, #3 is a wide log jump with lots of space between the logs, #4 is another log with flowers draped around it. All of these are pretty straight forward single jumps.

Then #5 is more involved and pretty (a log – but really different) followed by #6 A&B, which is a rock wall and in the distance is a beautiful mountain setting. Then #7 is straightforward – a basic log jump, #8 is a table jump fairly wide with a roof over it, #9 is a large log set at the top of a hill which means having to jump after negotiating the rather steep grass incline. Then there is the first water, a jump many of the riders consider to be one of the most difficult because it requires maintaining a very straight line to go over 9A,B,C (B&C are the corners of two boats). Onto 11 which is another log jump, 12 is an interesting farmyard where the horses have to jump over a small house which is rather wide. This jump is called the Traditional House and is similar to a Greek country house.