Irish rider Greg Broderick will take no further part in the Rio Olympics showjumping competition after finishing equal 50th after today’s round. Only the top 45 make the cut to go through to tomorrow.
Greg had eight faults in Sunday’s first qualifier with Going Global, but a clear today would have left him equal 30th and in a position to progress to the next stage.
But the Irish pair had four faults at the difficult water jump at fence eight today as well as a time-fault.
“He was very good bar the foot in the water — he jumped out of his skin,” said the rider after his round. “The water was off a nice seven strides so it was hard to get a good gallop to it. He did all the rest so easy.”
Greg was still hopeful at that stage that he would make the cut for tomorrow. After that round, the top 35 riders move on to the individual final on Friday, when they start on clean slates.
“We just need a bit of luck now to get us through, he’s a horse who can jump clear in the individual final,” said Greg.
But it wasn’t to be.
Asked about how Going Global has coped with the atmosphere in Rio, Greg said jumping in the Aga Khan (the Nations Cup) in Dublin is good preparation.
“After jumping in front of 30,000 people, an Irish horses can cope with this — he has the brain for it,” said Greg. “You don’t find the same kind of pressure here, team jumping means more pressure.”
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Defending Olympic team champions Britain also had a bad day today and will take no further part in the team contest in Rio, although three Team GB riders (Nick Skelton, Ben Maher and Michael Whitaker) have made it through to tomorrow as individuals.