Six Riders Whose Olympic Dreams Were Cut Short

Horse and rider selections for the 2016 Olympics are all but final. (Looking at you, Canada). We know who’ll be representing in Rio De Janerio for most countries come August. And, consequently, the faces we’ll be missing this year because the planets, stars, and/or team selectors have conspired against them.

Ian Millar

The last time Ian Millar wasn’t named to an Olympic team, it was 1968. The reigning world record holder for number of Olympic appearances (he’s competed in 10, not including the 1980 “Alternate Olympics” where he was part of the gold medal winning team), it’s hard to imagine a Games without Team Canada’s veteran show jumper. Alas, while the 69-year-old phenom feels fit to compete, his horse is not. Dixson, Millar’s top mount of the past three years, underwent two sinus surgeries for hematomas earlier this year. Unfortunately, they were not completed in time for the horse to be competition ready.

Scott Brash

Olympic team gold, first Rolex Grand Slam title holder, two-time Longines Global Champions Tour champion—at just 30 years of age, Scott Brash (GBR) has one of the most impressive resumes in show jumping history. However, the former world #1 will not be defending his title in Rio. Both his Olympic hopefuls—Hello Sanctos and Hello M’Lady—picked up minor injuries at the start of the 2016 season and are still not in full work. Brash was forced to pull out of Games that were to be the final championship for Hello Sanctos. *Tear mark*

Bertram Allen

Irish wunderkind Bertram Allen has been astounding audiences since he burst onto the international stage at age 19 and won the opening round of the 2014 World Equestrian Games aboard Molly Malone. After securing Ireland’s sole Olympic spot through his world ranking standing (he’s currently #9), it’s been a race to Rio between Allen and countrymen Denis Lynch and Cian O’Connor. In a surprising twist, it was dark horse Greg Broderick and his 10-year-old gelding MHS Going Global who were tapped to ride for the Irish. Broderick is ranked 252 in the world. Allen, nine.

Jessica Phoenix

Technically, Jessica Phoenix (CAN) is still in the hunt for selection as Equestrian Canada hasn’t declared its official team yet. But word on the street (ie, Horse Canada) is that Canada’s top ranked eventer is being passed over for the main Rio squad and will be named as the reserve rider instead. (Rebecca Howard, Selena O’Hanlon, Colleen Loach, and Kathryn Robinson are said to make up the final four.) Tension between the Canadian Olympian and chef d’equipe Clayton Fredericks, along with a less than spectacular season this year, have been cited as probable causes for the controversial move. Phoneix has allegedly appealed selection, the results of which have yet to be revealed—officially or otherwise.

Andrew Nicholson

A veteran of the past six Olympics, with three medals to his name, New Zealand’s Andrew Nicholson is notable for his absence in the Rio selection process. The Kiwi rider famously fell out with the New Zealand high-performance squad following an altercation with the team vet at the World Equestrian Games in 2014. (Nicholson alleged that his horse was left without veterinary assistance on numerous occasions, leading to a heated confrontation with the vet.) He has not been on the high-performance squad since October that year and, therefore, is deemed “not selectable” for the Rio Games.

Hiroshi Hoketsu

At 75-years young, Hiroshi Hoketsu was one of 11 Japanese riders making a bid for the 2016 Olympic Games. Prior to the qualifying event, his horse contracted an unspecified illness, rendering him unable to meet the criteria for team contention. Hoketsu was the oldest athlete to compete at both Beijing in 2008 and London in 2012. Had he shown in Rio, he would have captured the title of oldest Olympian ever that is currently held by fellow equestrian Arthur von Pongracz.

 

Sigh. So goes life with horses.