Fran Jurga's Discover London Olympics Blog

Our horse industry insider has the scoop on horses, people, venues and events in the upcoming Olympics and Paralympics.

Olympic jumping horses to be sold

Olympic Sculpture: Cross-country “Horses” at Auction

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Team GB's Peter Charles and Vindicat W

Jumping: USA’s Jessica Springsteen Buys Gold Medalist Vindicat W

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Olympic Dressage: Dutch Medal Winners Celebrate

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Bell Tea headquarters London Olympics mural

Olympic Sponsors: Mark Todd’s Cup of Tea

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Spanish Riding School by Brian Scott

Olympic Dressage: What do medal winners do next?

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Hawley Bennett and Gin & Juice at Badminton Horse Trials 2011

Olympic Eventing: Vets, Volunteers and a Loose Horse

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Olympic Jumping: McLain Ward’s Sidelines Support

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Olympic Dressage: The Elite Freestyle

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composers and choreographers are everywhere

Olympic Dressage: Music Mixup Magic

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Olympic Dressage: Musical Freestyle

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Tim Stockdale rider vision test

Olympic Science: Jumper Eye Movement

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Do the Anky polka Fran Jurga Discoverhorses.com

Olympic Dressage: Do the Anky Polka

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Olympic Statistics: Home Advantage

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Olympic Eventing: Cross-Country Strategy

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Olympic Eventing: Where Welfare Meets Science

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Olympic Equestrians: Science Saddles Up

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Paralympics: Olympics Are the Warmup Act

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Check the shoes!

Olympic Ab Fab Special: Comic Gold

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Australian ten dollar bill

Olympic Fashion: Big Aussie Footsteps

The Australians might not have the designer names like Ralph Lauren and Stella McCartney, who designed team uniforms for the USA and Great Britain, respectively. But when it comes to trading gear, I don't think you'll find too many Aussies willing to trade their team jackets or their shoes for anything in the world. Except maybe a gold medal. ... MORE
Greenwich Park, looking down on the stadium

Olympic Equestrian: Greenwich Park

Slides of London's equestrian complex in idyllic Greenwich Park depict a floating city above an ancient turf. Galloping hooves will leave their psychic mark in this neighborhood forever but the Olympics has promised to fill in the hoofprints with care; the park will be restored when the Games are done.. ... MORE
World's largest Olympic rings mowed by Shire horses at London's Richmond Park.

Olympic Rings: Shire Horses at Work

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Matthias Rath and Totilas at Aachen in 2011

Olympic Dressage: Totilas and Rath Out of Games

The German Equestrian Federation announced this morning that dressage superstar Totilas will not be representing Germany at the London Olympic Games. ... MORE
Fran Jurga Discover Olympics blog British Airways ad campaign

Olympic Commercials: London Calling!

British Airways' Home Advantage commercial for the London 2012 Olympic Games tells Brits: Don't fly! Find out why an airline wants people to stay home on Fran Jurga's Discover London Equestrian Olympics blog. ... MORE
Nicola Wilson and Piggy French in dressage warmup

Olympic Eventing: Piggy French Withdraws

The British equestrian team office has announced that a horse injury means that Piggy French has withdrawn from the eventing team; she will be replaced by Nicola Wilson ... MORE

Olympic Jumping: Syria’s Ahmad Saber Hamcho

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Fran Jurga BBC America Hugh Bonneville lr

Olympic Humor: BBC America’s Twenty Twelve

Fran Jurga on BBC AMERICA's new Twenty Twelve "mockumentary", about six mismatched London Olympics planners, led by Hugh Bonneville (Downton Abbey). ... MORE
Rafalca with Ann Romney stable

Olympic Dressage: Rafalca vs. Stephen Colbert

Fran Jurga shares videos from comedian Stephen Colbert and USEF's response; she ponders Rafalca and the Romneys' effect on the London Olympic dressage ... MORE
O Team AU Equestrian Australia logo 2012 lr

Olympic Eventing: Team Australia Named

On Monday 18 June 2012, Equestrian Australia's selection committee for the Eventing discipline identified the five horse and rider combinations to be nominated to the Australian Olympic Committee for selection to the 2012 Australian Olympic Team. ... MORE

Olympic Eventing: Team vs Individual Medals

The naming of five British equestrians to their nation's nominated Olympic athletes list for the sport of eventing may be a bit confusing to readers. Why five? And which riders are actually "on the team" and which of the five will compete for individual medals. ... MORE

Olympic Eventing: British Team

According to an announcement on their website, the British Equestrian Federation announced last night that they have formally nominated five riders to the British Olympic Association (BOA) for Team GB. The nominations must now be reviewed and ratified by the BOA before the athletes are selected for Team GB. ... MORE

Olympic Jumping: Saudi Ban Reduced

Fran Jurga's Discover London Olympics site reports that two Saudi Arabian showjumpers have had their bans reduced in time for them to compete in London at the 2012 London Olympic Games. Khaled Abdullaziz Al Eid and Abdullah Waleed Sharbatly appealed an 80-day FEI ban after they were found guilty of illegal medication for their horses; the ban was reduced. ... MORE

Olympic Eventing: Tim Boland

Fran Jurga's Discover London Olympics reports that Australian three day event rider Boland and his 11-year-old bay Hanoverian gelding GV Billy Elliot won the CCI3* at the 55th Annual Melbourne Three-Day event this weekend, after leading from start to finish. Melbourne was the last event for selection to the Australian team for the London 2012 Olympics; team veteran Shane Rose was second on APH Moritz. Currently four of the top ten event riders in the world are from Australia, according to the FEI rankings. ... MORE
What if life imitated art and an event's patriotic logo could come to life? Barbury Castle Horse Trials made it happen.

Olympic Equestrian: Galloping Union Jack

Great Britain's national symbol, the Union Jack, is everywhere in London in this pre-Olympics time. But who'd expect it to show up on a horse? Rising star eventer Laura Collett painted her ex-racehorse to become a national symbol as a publicity stunt for the Barbary Castle Horse Trials--and you can do it too! Fran Jurga's Discover London Olympics blog tells you how, in ten easy steps. ... MORE

Olympic Eventing: Stuart Tinney

Fran Jurga's Discover London Olympics blog reports that Australian Olympic gold medalist and eventing team stalwart Stuart Tinney announced last night that his top horse Panamera was sidelined and out of contention for the Australian Eventing Team that will compete at the London 2012 Olympic Games News story includes quotes from Tinney Eventing and Prue Barrett. Australia's National Performance Director for Eventing. ... MORE
Jennifer Saunders Houghton Horse Trials by Lauren Bezant

Olympic Celebrity: Jennifer Saunders

Fran Jurga reports that actress and comedian Jennifer Saunders of Absolutely Fabulous (AbFab) fame is fulfilling her equestrian ambitions after recovering from breast cancer and will be supporting the London 2012 Olympics as an ambassador for British Showjumping. We caught up with Saunders at the Houghton Horse Trials and share some exclusive photos of her in and out of the saddle. ... MORE

Olympic Transport: Sport Horse Rules

Should international sport horses flying between countries for competition be given a separate set of health regulations? The Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI) has been campaigning for a new classification system for several years. At the 80th General Session of the World Assembly of the World Animal Health Organization (OIE), the FEI's campaign moved forward. ... MORE

Olympic Dressage: Ulla Salzgeber

Fran Jurga's London Olympic blog shares news from Germany that Ulla Salzgeber, one of the world's most experienced and medal-adorned dressage riders, has withdrawn her name and her horse from consideration for the German dressage team that will compete at the London 2012 Olympics. The team will likely be obvious after Germany's national dressage championship at Balve this week. ... MORE

Olympic Torch: Jane Holderness-Roddam

British horsewoman Jane Holderness-Roddam will be one of the 8,000 inspirational people carrying the Olympic Flame on its tour of Great Britain. ... MORE
Zara Phillips and Toytown at Cheltenham Racecourse with Olympic torch on May 25, 2012

Olympic Torch: Zara Phillips

The Olympic Torch took a ride on a horse on its fifth day in Britain as it reached the famous Cheltenham Racecourse in Gloucestershire, southwest of London. A celebration at the racetrack included concerts, entertainment, and a ceremonial delivery of the torch to a stage by eventing champion Zara Phillips. ... MORE

Olympic Eventing: Michael Pollard’s Trailer Wreck

A news flash this morning tells us that Pan American Team Gold Medalist Michael Pollard's team of international event horses was involved in a road traffic accident just five miles from his training center in Dalton, Georgia. According to a press release sent on behalf of the rider, the horse trailer in which they were riding turned over, trapping all six horses on board. ... MORE

Olympic Dressage: Steffen Peters and Ravel

The US Equestrian Federation (USEF) Dressage Selectors met on May 24, 2012 and approved Steffen Peters' request that he and his horse Four Winds Farm Ravel be considered for the Short List/FEI Nominated Entry on the team without attending the USEF Selection Trials in accordance with USEF Olympic Games Selection Procedure. The request was granted. Peters and Ravel hoped to be named to the US Equestrian Dressage Team and compete at the London 2012 Olympic Games this summer. ... MORE
Greenwich Park Olympic equestrian arena construction by Gordon Burgess for Fran Jurga's Discover London blog

Greenwich Park: Stadium Update

Weeks of wet weather have threatened the integrity of the original plans to construct the temporary Olympic equestrian events arena in London's Greenwich Park. The stadium construction is under scrutiny by local residents who fear for the historic and natural features of the park. Fran Jurga provides background on the arena's change in plans. ... MORE

Olympic Games: The Torch

Fran Jurga's Discover London Olympics blog shows the passing of the Olympic torch in Greece on May 17, with a royal handoff to Great Britain's Princess Anne, who rode in the 1976 Montreal Olympics for Team GBR and is currently president of the British Olympic Association. The flame is now touring Great Britain. ... MORE

Olympic Eventing: Australia and New Zealand

The Saumur CCI 3* event last weekend in France was dominated by riders from the other side of the world. Four Australians finished in the top ten. Three other top ten places were filled by riders from New Zealand. First and second place went to Australia's Chris Burton. ... MORE

Unsung Olympic Hero: Dressage Groom Jenny Ellis

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Olympic Dressage: Charlotte DuJardin and Valegro

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Olympic Eventing: New Zealand’s Mark Todd

Fran Jurga's Discover London Olympics Blog reports that Mark Todd’s campaign for a seventh Olympic Games has received a setback with the withdrawal of his top horse. The two-time Olympic gold medalist has withdrawn NZB Land Vision from contention after the horse suffered a recurrence of an old tendon injury. ... MORE

Britain’s Fox-Pitt, 2012 Olympic Equestrian “One to Watch”

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Sport Horse Health: “Winning Ways” Conference

The International Conference on Equine Exercise Physiology (ICEEP) has announced a special educational event to be held a month before the opening of the 2012 Olympic Games in London, England. ICEEP's "Winning Ways" equine science conference is planned for Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool, England, on June 16-17, 2012. This meeting will be hosted by the University of Liverpool and will involve specialist equine clinicians from the university’s Philip Leverhulme Equine Hospital. ... MORE

Greenwich Park: World Capital of Equestrian Sports

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