Fox-Pitt Leads Early in Olympic Eventing

Great Britain's William Fox-Pitt defied all odds to take the early lead as Olympic Eventing got underway at Deodoro Olympic Park in Rio de Janeiro Aug. 6. 

 

Riding the 16-year-old stallion, Chilli Morning, the man who spent two weeks in a coma after a fall while competing in France in October 2015, threw down a great dressage score of 37.00. 

 

"All along Rio has been my target, totally," said 47-year-old Fox-Pitt. It was unrealistic, but it was mine. I was in a coma for a couple of weeks and my sight was quite dodgy, I went from blind to seeing double so when I started jumping there were two jumps. It's been a journey, but I've had so much support!"

Through the first day of dressage, U.S. rider Boyd Martin and off-track Thoroughbred Blackfoot Mystery ranked 17th individually. The American team ranked seventh in the early going. 

A second day of dressage is scheduled Sunday, Aug. 7.

Martin and Blackfoot Mystery are at their best in cross country, which is scheduled for Monday, Aug. 8. The cross-country course designed by Pierre Michelet has been a major talking point.

Fox-Pitt described it as "a decent course, the biggest Olympic course I've walked, but 'Chilli' is more than ready, I just hope I can do him justice."

 

He continued, "It's a true Michelet course, four corners and four skinnies, always committing you so that if you are not right on line then you will have a run-out, always encouraging you to attack it. The distances are all on the long side, it's the most difficult Olympic Games I've seen but that's how it should be. It will be a pretty good feeling if I go clear."