Olympics

In this series, the Chronicle follows six riders as they seek to fulfill their Olympic dreams in Hong Kong in 2008.

We still have a long road to get there, but I’m so excited to make a team. I’m feeling fantastic today. It took a little while to set in, but this morning, coming in and seeing Steffen [Peters] and Debbie [McDonald] and hearing them greet me with, “Good morning teammate!” Now that was a great feeling.

Several pairs showed off their show jumping prowess in today's Mandatory Outing conclusion.

There may not have been a victory gallop after the conclusion of today’s USEF Mandatory Outing for Olympic Eventing, but there were plenty of performances worth celebrating.

Should the USEF Mandatory Outing for Olympic Eventing be open to the public?

While events across the country are beginning to draw larger and larger crowds, many in the eventing community were disappointed to learn that this year’s Mandatory Outing at The Fork Stables was closed to the public.

Short Listed rider Karen O’Connor noted that she chose to travel to England to participate in the Mandatory Outing there, held in conjunction with the Barbury Castle CIC***.

The continental contingent shines on the cross-country.

This afternoon’s cross-country phase at the final USEF Mandatory Outing for Olympic Eventing was just what everyone hoped for – safe, positive and productive. All nine horses completed the CIC***-equivalent course in style.

Short List first-timer Jennifer Wooten said she didn’t know what to expect coming into this weekend, but her mare’s performances today buoyed her confidence.

Are our future Olympians flawless on the flat? Dressage judge Jessica Ransehousen irons out the kinks.

Click here to read McLain's first Road To The Olympics entry from our February 22 Issue.

I think we’re headed in the right direction. This sport is about peaking at the right time, and what I’ve learned as I’ve matured a little bit is that you can peak too early, so we’re just trying to get everything to come together at the right time.

We changed Sapphire’s bit at the beginning of this year. Originally, she went in a rubber snaffle, and then I went to a rubber pelham just to get a little bit more control; controlling her stride was always a factor. But by the end of last year, we thought that the pelham might be a little too much, and we wanted to try something different.

Now she goes in a slow twist eggbutt snaffle. I actually think she’s jumping and riding better than ever. She’s a more mature horse now.

About McLain Ward

Hometown: Castle Hill Farm, Brewster, N.Y.

Age: 32

Horses:

Our medical editor, who accompanied the U.S. horses to the 2007 Olympic test event and will be the Canadian team veterinarian in Hong Kong this summer, attended this pre-Olympic workshop and shares some of the findings of more than three years of research by world experts.

On Feb. 17, the “On To Hong Kong Pre-Olympic Workshop On Heat And Humidity” was held in Lausanne, Switzerland, through a combined effort of the FEI Welfare Subcommittee and sponsors The International League for the Protection of Horses and Peden Bloodstock.
   

At the conclusion of the five USEF Olympic Show Jumping Selection Trials there are still a few questions to be answered.