2004 Olympic Games - Eventing

Bettina Hoy Wins Individual Gold in Eventing

by Astrid Appels of Eurodressage.com

German Bettina Hoy has won the individual gold medal in eventing after the stadium jumping phase, which will go down in the history books as one of the most thrilling Olympic eventing phases in history.

Hoy had to enter the ring after having faced one of the biggest emotional turmoil in her life. With Germany winning and losing team gold and she being penalized 12 time penalty points back and forth, Hoy entered the ring not knowing if she was fighting for gold, silver, bronze or nothing. But she was so brave and rode a very concentrated ride. Ringwood Cockatoo did knock down one pole and had 2 points time penalty (41.60 overall), so the individual silver was a certainty (depending on the lawsuits concerning team gold that will follow after the show), but gold was also an option depending on Touzaint's ride.

Touzaint must have felt like Atlas carrying the burden of the world on his shoulders, when he went in for his individual ride. Touzaint led after dressage and confirmed his number one position after cross country. He could afford one rail down. Two rails meant silver, three rails meant bronze. The 24-year old put down a monumental performance in Athens and everybody thought he deserved the individual gold.

Unfortunately, the Greek gods did not favor him, and it was a huge drama to see that Touzaint and Galan de Sauvagere knocked down a pole at the first jump, and then they had another one, and another one. Touzaint knocked down four poles in total and had 3 time penalties. The drama became a true Greek tragedy. Touzaint moved from first position into ninth. How sad for such a great rider to land into such an unrewarding position.

Expected to win silver was Pippa Funnell, but it was actually British team mate Leslie Law who surprisingly landed into silver medal position. Law and his gray Sheer L'Eau cleared the course in time. "I started out as 10th and then I climbed up from there," Law commented. "My horse was on fire tonight. You never know how a show like this can unfold."

Placing third and winning the bronze medal was American Kimberly Vinoski-Severson on Winsome Adante. Severson had one pole down and when she finished her course there was no face of happiness, but one of disappointment to be detected. Of course, she did not know the drama that was about to happen to Touzaint. Her overall score of 45.20 gave her the bronze.

In fourth place, with no individual medal but team bronze, were Pippa Funnell and Primmore's Pride. Funnell and Rose pinged off one rail and scored an overall of 46.60.

For Bettina Hoy, the pressure of this final Olympic eventing day fell off her shoulders after Touzaint's ride so it was unclear at first if she shed tears of joy, frustration or overall emotion. "Kurt [Gravenmayer], Paul [Schockemohle], Otto [Becker] were all supporting for me. I had to be concentrated for my ride," Hoy said, "They [the judges] have decided in our favor. Winning the gold; this is my wildest dream come true."

Photos copyrighted: Cealy Tetley

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