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Olympic debutante eliminated from Tokyo dressage under blood rule

Martha Terry Martha Terry

    • Full-time London lawyer Caroline Chew’s Olympic dream came to an end when she was eliminated from the Tokyo Olympic dressage grand prix under the blood rule (Article 430.7.6.1 of the FEI dressage rulebook).

    Her 17-year-old gelding Tribiani was midway through his test, when the judge at C – Francis Verbeek of the Netherlands – rang the bell and stepped out of the hut. The judge dabbed Tribiani’s lip with a wipe to show there was blood, and Caroline, who rides for Singapore, then left the arena at a walk.

    Caroline believed her horse caught his lip in the corner before the one-time changes.

    “It was a bit of a freak accident,” she said. “He was going all right and feeling good, presenting really well. Then he just caught his lip in the corner – I didn’t feel anything happen, but obviously the judge saw it and rang us out.”

    Caroline Chew riding Tribiani in the grand prix at the Tokyo Olympics, before being eliminated under the blood rule

    It was a disappointing end to a “huge and unexpected” journey to the Olympics for Caroline. Not only was it her own Olympic debut, but she is the first Singaporean rider to compete in the Games.

    “It was kind of miraculous we got here anyway, so I felt humbled and privileged to be the first Singaporean at the Olympic Games for an equestrian,” said Caroline, who had qualified at the last opportunity. “It’s a shame discussing how it ended. But it is what it is.”

    Tribiani (Solos Landtinus x Landadel) had given Caroline a taste of the big time in the World Games in Tryon three years ago.

    Caroline, who trains with Matt Frost in Gloucestershire, juggles working full-time for Freshfields in London with dressage training. During Covid, Caroline was able to stay at the yard and ride full-time. However, usually she is working in the office from Monday to Thursday, and then staying at the stable from Friday to Sunday.

    “It’s a challenge for everyone involved, there’s been a lot of understanding from my coach Matt, and my work colleagues,” she said. “It’s been pretty severe sleep deprivation. But it’s great, I get to pursue both dreams.”

    For most of 2020 and the first couple of months of this year, Caroline was back in Singapore because she thought she had not qualified for the Olympics. Despite the disappointing ending, Caroline has achieved a huge milestone for herself and her country.

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    Martha Terry
    Martha Terry

    H&H features editor
    Martha is an experienced journalist who is mad-keen on horses and dogs. Her reporting CV includes the Paris Olympics, European championships, Aachen World Equestrian Festival and World Cup finals. After growing up with assorted liver and white springer spaniels, she enjoyed 14 years with two rescue dogs. Now, her constant companion is Fidget, an extremely energetic and habitually muddy black and white springer. Martha has written on topics as diverse as a top horse’s clone to the best GPS trackers for dogs, as well as equestrian and rural matters for Country Life, The Field, The Times, The Spectator and The Telegraph alongside Horse & Hound.
    Martha Terry

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