September 3, 2006

Dramatic Final Competiton for Showjumping Individual Gold at The FEI World Equestrian Games Aachen 2006
Karen Robinson for HorsesDaily®.com Photos by Cealy Tetley

Carbon Copy Mistakes

Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum was favored to make it to the final four; she sat fifth after the team final. One of the trouble makers on Saturday’s tough first round was a large oxer on flat cups at number three, with either a forward five or holding six to the water jump, number four. It became evident that in order to clear the water, riders had to make a firm decision about striding, and to develop enough pace after the effort of the square oxer.

Michaels-Beerbaum had mentioned that she made a rider error on day one, when the water was on a tricky line, jumped from the opposite direction. Once again it would be the water that caused her four faults, when she seemed indecisive on the approach and Shutterfly didn’t have the speed to clear it. Going last in the group, Madden made an almost identical error. Authentic, very possibly the most careful horse in the world, put a foot in the water after a similar approach from fence three.

“I think the cards will be reshuffled on Saturday,” said Michaels-Beerbaum after the team competition. She could be hired as a show jumping psychic: many favorites fell away, including three of the four top riders going into Saturday’s competition. When the cards had all been dealt and played, an unprecedented three women were in the top four, joined by ex-Dutchman Jos Lansink for Belgium. Madden was still in the lead, with only four faults to her name, though the slate was wiped clean on Sunday, where four nations would be represented in the ultimate test of riding.