DeRosa Daily Equestrian Olympic News
Horsesdaily Veteran Olympic Reporter Diana DeRosa Brings Us Into Her World

Olympic Team Dressage Begins

Wednesday kicked off the Dressage competition with Grand Prix going over two days.  Courtney King-Dye was the only U.S. rider to compete today under the lights. All the dressage events will be held at night in order to avoid the hottest part of the day.  These lights are quite good and our photos feel like they are jumping off the page because the lights seem to give them that extra luster.

Courtney’s ride was impeccably precise.  I felt like you did everything right but also that she was being just a little cautious and not taking any chances.  As a member of the team her score was important.  After the first 24 riders had gone, she stood fourth with a score of 70.458 behind Heike Kemmer on Bonaparte (72.250), Emma Hindle riding Lancet (71.125) and Imke Schellekens-Bartels riding Sunrise (70.875).

While I was watching the ride I was thinking that she was toning it down a slight bit from what I saw in the Selection Trials but then suddenly at the end of the ride Mythilus did the most brilliant piaffe and passage tour to end his ride which showed even after that long test he had plenty of stamina and brilliance to disply.

Tomorrow Debbie McDonald and Brentina and Steffen Peters and Ravel go and then the Teams with be named followed by an award ceremony.  I am hopeful after seeing Courtney’s ride that we are among the top contenders for a medal.

It’s getting a little tougher as the time goes on and looking around I see a lot of tired faces.  I know tonight I could feel myself wanting to slip away a couple of times but I caught myself and was back on target again.  All our competitions now are at night, which means all the filing and downloading of photos doesn’t start until 1:00 or 2:00 in the morning which is the middle of the day in the United States.

But we are here seeing the action firsthand and bringing it to you as quickly as we can.  Take some time to write and pass along your thoughts, comments, anecdotes, how to survive with no sleep suggestions, or even jokes.  I’d love to hear from you – dderosa1@optonline.net.