Welcome to our fourth and final show jumping live thread! Today 35 of the world’s best riders will return to the ring with a clean slate and compete in a two-round showdown for Olympic Glory.

#Rio2016: [Rio Website] [Live Stream] [Schedule] [JN’s Rio Coverage] [JN Twitter]

[The start list for round B is available here]

[the start list for the jump-off is available here]

The combinations will jump in reverse order of their penalties from the previous rounds, but the penalties themselves have been removed, and all riders will start at zero.

(If you’re looking for Round A live updates, click here)

All times listed are Eastern Time (ET), which is one hour behind Rio time (CT). The second round will run at 12:30 p.m. ET today, so we expect to see a considerable break between rounds.

 

Here is the Order of Go for Round 2:

1 17

12:28 – We’re just about to start the final round of the individual jumping, everyone! First in is going to be Luciana Diniz of Portugal on Fit For Fun 13.

12:32 – course is a max vertical, couple big oxers, triple combination, two more oxers, big vert, double combination, and the last GIANT fence that’s 1.80 meters wide with a liverpool beneath it.

12:33 – Luciana does it perfectly! What a way to finish. Such a horsewoman.

12:35 – Henrik Von Eckermann and Yajamila just fade out in the end of this jumping marathon that is the Olympic games, and have three rails down.

12:36 – Harrie Smolders elected not to ride Emerald in the final. Ben Maher is up now for Great Britain and has the first two down.

12:38 – The heat and work are starting to wear on these horses. Ben has another down in the triple to finish on 12 plus one for going over time, total of 17 when added to round A.

12:39 – Tiffany Foster of Canada coming down the chute now and the Canada fans are loud and supportive in the stands!

12:40 – Tiffany has four rails and one time. Brutal out there this round. Horses seem to have lost their edge a bit.

12:41 – It’s 82 degrees with 70% humidity in Rio at the moment.

12:43 – Philippe Rozier and Rahotep de Toscane of France finish on 13 faults. This course is breaking hearts!

12:44 – Pedro Veniss of Brazil on course, hoping to make history for his country on home ground.

12:45 – Clear through triple!

12:45 – HE’S CLEAR! Just one time penalty, and the crowd is absolutely wild! Stunning liver chestnut absolutely storms around this difficult course! Tremendous. I think I just turned a little bit Brazilian by happiness proxy. Beautiful.

12:47 – Ali Yousef al Rumaihi and Gunder come in to do their thang for Qatar and a shot at a medal.

12:48 – There are 14 nations represented in this final, what a huge moment for the sport.

12:49 – Ali has no jumping faults, just a single time fault like Pedro immediately before him! Now that the clear door has been opened, I would expect to see more.

12:50 – Here comes a man who hopes to be the first double clear, Kevin Staut and Reveur de Hurtebise of France.

12:51 – The rainforest double combination trips up Kevin at the very end for eight faults, with a final total of 12.

12:53 – Mclain Ward and Azur in for the USA now. Clear through the triple!

12:54 – Mclain and Azur have done all they can in this round, to end with a clear. That’s a grand total of 4, which ties them with Luciana at the moment in first.

12:55 – Alvaro Doda De Miranda also goes clear to join the top of the leaderboard! That despite someone yelling in the middle of his round and the whole crowd SHUSHING him. Brazil should be positively thrilled with their nation’s performance!

12:58 – Maikel Van der Vleuten in Team Orange comes in has a rail straight off, what a pity. He’ll finish with a 2-round total of 9.

1:00 – Here is our first 1-fault rider from round A, Matias Albaraccin of Argentina.

1:02 – Matias adds another time fault, putting him at 2 faults total, and into first! This is an incredible moment for an Argentian rider! Don’t believe Argentia has ever won an individual jumping medal.

1:03 – Rene Tebbel and Zipper of Ukraine in now.

1:05 – Rene and Zipper have a rail down in the double and add a time fault to finish with six total faults.

1:06 – Love the viewers joining our sport for the first time!

1:07 – Nick Skelton and Big Star for Great Britain in now – Riding so aggressively with absolute heart and they’re clear through triple!

1:07 – That’s our first double double 0! Tremendous riding, and into first place! The Brits will be delirious with joy for that!

1:09 – Edwina Tops-Alexander of Australia now, and our last shot for a female gold medalist, the first in history.

1:10 – Shucks, they have the first rail of the double combination rainforest to finish on 4, but still a tremendous performance here in Rio. Australia should be so proud.

1:12 – Jeroen Dubbeldam for the Dutch now – He gets a dodgey moment in the triple, but sorts it out. They have one time fault, but a beautiful round. Devastating, while also a round to be completely proud of. This sport is brutal, man.

1:14- THE CLOONEYS. Come on Martin Fuchs (SWI) and Clooney, the centerfolds of Olympic Show Jumping!

1:15- They bonk the front pole of the triple in an otherwise beautiful round to finish on 4 faults. We love you, Clooneys! You’ll get your Oscar someday!

1:16 – Defending Champs Steve Guerdat and Nino from Switzerland now. These have medal contenders written all over them. Overjumps first fence by 4 inches.

1:18 – Steve does it! We get a jump off between Nick Skelton and Steve, at least. Let’s add a few more, I’m not ready for the Olympics to end!

1:19 – Here comes a dark horse! Sergio Alvarez Moya of Spain making his Olympic debut at the top echelon of the competitors! Go Sergio!

1:20 – Gutting, brings down a beige striped something or other and then the first rail of the double combination rainforest. Still an admirable debut by this charming pair. Viva Espana Siempre!

1:22 – Sheikh Ali al Thani now for Qatar. Just love this pair.

1:23 – Ali is ROCK SOLID to join the leaders on a double clear! Gives all the credit to his horse as he rcvs up the crowd and points down. Beautiful moment!

shei

1:26: Christian Ahlmann for Germany now – clear through triple.

1:27 – Absolutely crushing rail at the double combination rainforest, his team devastated. No medal for my boyfriend Taloubet Z this round. One wonders what could have been without that jump-off Wednesday.

1:28 – Daniel Deusser in now, and he has an early rail. That will end Germany’s chances at a spot on the podium in the individual contest, a bit of a shocking conclusion for this team of stars. Daniel finishes on the 4 faults.

1:30 –

 

1:32 – There’s something about Bosty where you think he’s either going to die or win. They ran their hearts out, but they just couldn’t finish out a major oxer, to end with four faults.

1:33 – KENT FARRINGTON. Time to pray.

1:34 – BREATHE GUYS! He’s clear and into the jump-off!!!!

The face of “GIT’R DONE, VOYEUR.”:

kentff

1:37 – Peder Fredricson and All In of Sweden will join the other stars in the Jump-off!

1:38 – Eric Lamaze and Fine Lady 5 of Canada trying to make some legit history here, folks.

1:39 – PURE. CLASS. Eric and Fine Lady 5 not only come in clear, but almost FOUR SECONDS under the time that other struggled to make. This is gonna be good, y’all.

This is the long and short of it:

Six Riders in the Jump-Off:

jump off

1:52 – Nick Skelton starts us out in this Jump-Off.

1:53 – GOOD LORD this man took some risks! 42.82 and clear. Sharp turns and daring striding. This man belongs in the medals.

1:54 – Steve Guerdat for Switzerland now, and he has the first fence down!!!

1:55 – He’s not giving up, hoping others will make mistakes and comes in at 43.08 with the first rail. A brave comeback for a former champion.

1:56 – Sheikh Ali al Thani in now. Can’t breathe.

1:57 – Ali has a rail at the giant Tokyo Oxer and the last. gutting, but so respectable.

1:58 – Kent and Voyeur. If they go clear, they’ll have a medal.

1:59 – It wasn’t to be, as the pair have the first and last down with 42.23 time. He won’t make the podium with that. Gutting.

2:00 – Peder Fredricson of Sweden makes the most intense jump-off of his life look like another day in the practice ring, taking brilliant bold moves. Clear with 43+ secnds. He’ll have at least the Bronze, perhaps the silver – Eric Lamaze will decide it!

2:02 – Eric Lamaze riding like the devil himself is chasing him out of Rio. Fine Lady overjumping by inches and inches….

2:03 – He brings down the second-to-last!!! He’ll finish as bronze medalist, and shows no disappointment, pumping his fist.

2:04 – NICK SKELTON OF GREAT BRITAIN IS YOUR OLYMPIC CHAMPION!

2:05 – Nick looks absolutely stunned as droves of fans, friends, and competitors rush up to congratulate him!

nick

An improbable ending to these Olympics, after Great Britain’s veteran team fails to medal in the team contest, they now claim their first individual gold in Olympic show jumping, and I don’t know that there could be a better recipient from Britain than Nick, who started out these Olympics with a gutting 13 faults. From 33rd to first over six rounds is a rather astonishing comeback!

That will wrap up our live updates, and we’ll be bringing you a full report in the coming hours. Thank you for spending your morning and afternoon with us today and all week! If you’re new to Jumper Nation, thank you for visiting, and please make yourself at home! If you’re part of our loyal guard, thank you for supporting our endeavor to bring you thorough and irreverent coverage of this sport we all love so much.

Signing off,

Lorraine