BEIJING 2008: Espoir de la Mare out of the Olympics

The French Eventing squad suffered a heavy blow this afternoon with the news that Jean Teulere's star performer Espoir de la Mare has been withdrawn from the 2008 Olympic Games on veterinary advice.

The 16-ear old gelding aggravated an old ligament injury some weeks ago but subsequently made a good recovery and joined the remainder of the team on the trip to Hong Kong.

However the leg flared up again after a gallop last weekend, and French Chef d'Equipe Thierry Touzaint yesterday confirmed that the horse will not compete.

He insisted however that the injury is not career-threatening and that the horse should be back in action with his 54-ear old rider within the foreseeable future.

Together this great French partnership claimed the individual gold medal at the World Equestrian Games in Jerez, Spain in 2002, team gold and individual fourth at the Athens Olympic Games in 2004 and fourth at last summer's FEI European Eventing Championships at Pratoni in Italy.

The remaining French horses and riders who will line out in the first veterinary inspection at the core Olympic venue in Sha Tin tomorrow afternoon are Eric Vigeanel and Coronado Prior, Nicolas Touzaint with Galan de Sauvagere, Jean Renaud Adde with Haston D'Elpegere and Didier Dhennin with Ismene du Temple.

TWO HORSES FAIL FIRST HORSE INSPECTION

There was disappointment for Chile's Ricardo Stangher and Brazil's Fabricio Salgado when their horses – Literal and Butterfly – failed to pass the first veterinary inspection for Eventing horses at the Olympic core venue at Sha Tin in Hong Kong this afternoon.

There was also a nervous moment for British fans when William Fox-Pitt's ride, Parkmore Ed, was dispatched to the holding area for closer examination. A noticeable girth gall had attracted the Ground Jury's attention but, after some deliberation, Technical Delegate Giuseppe Della Chiesa,

Ground Jury President Martin Plewa and Jury Members Marilyn Payne and Christian Landolt declared the 15-year old Irish-bred gelding fit for action along with the other 69 horses from 24 nations.

There was a real buzz of excitement in the air as the riders turned out smartly, many in specially-designed national uniforms, for this critical stage of the Eventing discipline but a hush descended when Fox-Pitt was asked to take his horse to the veterinary surgeon in the holding box. Parkmore Ed did not appear lame so there was great interest as onlookers debated what might be amiss. However the veterinary officials and Ground Jury were simply attending to the most important element of equestrian sport – the welfare of the horse – and having noted the wound were keen to ensure that it would not be a cause of discomfort to the equestrian athlete over the next few crucial days of Olympic competition.

Fox-Pitt explained afterwards that the gall had occurred following training a few days ago and that he had avoided riding Parkmore Ed more than was absolutely necessary over the past few days in order to allow the skin condition to heal.

There was an emotional moment for American rider Karen O'Connor also as she trotted-up the nine year old gelding Mandiba who earned a place on the US squad following the late withdrawal of Heidi White's team contender Northern Spy. Karen's hugely popular little pony, Theodore O'Connor, died tragically recently and was thus denied the opportunity to display his undeniable brilliance at Olympic level. But, as fate would have it, his rider has found her way to Hong Kong by other means and she will be sure to honour Theodore's memory with a good result despite Mandiba's relative inexperience.

Many of the horses were in “look at me!” mode this afternoon as they pricked their ears and extended their stride before the officials and spectators, and the riders will be hoping that this same magical quality will be on display when they ride into the arena to execute their dressage tests over the next two days.

Dressage begins in the state-of-the-art sand arena in Sha Tin tomorrow and continues on Sunday before the Eventing action moves to Beas River in the New Territories area, about 30 minutes away, for the cross-country phase on Monday. The medals will then be decided by the two final rounds of Jumping – one for team medals and one for the individual honours – on Tuesday night.