It wasn’t to be the day Great Britain’s eventing fans had been dreaming off. With the Brits lying in third place after dressage, with William Fox-Pitt in gold medal position individually, things had been looking for promising for Team GB. But a highly influential cross-country phase saw all four team riders pick up jumping penalties, as British medal hopes slid out of view.
Pathfinder Gemma Tattersall proved the course was far from a walk in the (Olympic) park when she picked up two refusals – in the first water complex, and another at the tricky double of hedges at 11 – to finish score of 136.8pen.
“Unfortunately today, for whatever reason, she went very ‘green’,” said Gemma. “She jumped fence three absolutely enormously and I think that frightened her a bit. She certainly would never want to do anything wrong, but I think she had a bit of a fright.”
The pressure was on William Fox-Pitt, overnight leader with Chilli Morning. The pair were travelling well when a run out at 19/20 dropped them right down the placings. With a further 10.4 time penalties to add to their 20pen jumping, they now sit in 22nd place.
“I had a very good run, it’s just annoying that I went past that third element. It was really unfortunate and my fault entirely. I went too quickly for him and there was no way I could turn so he didn’t do anything wrong. He is a lovely horse and to be riding him around the course is a luxury so I’m sad I have wasted it,” William said afterwards.
Third to go for Team GB was Pippa Funnell and Billy The Biz, but unfortunately they picked up 20pen at the frog fence in the final water. With 20.4 time added to their score, it dropped them to 27th.
“It’s always easy afterwards to say I should have done this or that differently, but that is sport,” Pippa wrote on her Facebook page. “Yes, I should have circled before the frog but my competitive nature took over. One can cope with our own disappointments but letting people down who have put so much hard work in, family, home team, Franki Doodle, Yogi, and all of the amazing supporters, that’s what’s toughest.”
Finally, Kitty King set out on Ceylor LAN. But it wasn’t to be Britain’s day – Kitty picked up 20pen at fence 11 and added 33.6 time penalties.
“There are a lot of positives to take out of it, and he still did a great job,” said Kitty. “He jumped really well in the warm-up and felt fantastic and he felt brilliant over the first few.”
It puts Britain in eighth place ahead of tomorrow’s showjumping – more than 100 penalties more than current leaders Australia.