Who knows about olympic showjumpers??

[snail1973]

My daughter (age 5!) has to do a poster project about an Olympian over the next few weeks. I have been thinking about who might capture her imagination for this and decided that a showjumper would be best as she likes horseriding.

Can anyone advise who I should look at, is there any chance they would be jumping anywhere over the next few weeks so we could go and see them, or any magazines I could buy so that we could cut out photos etc for the poster (rather than her doing lots of writing which she is not keen on or drawing which she is even less keen on)

TIA

Zara Phillips, Mary King, John Whittaker

Princess Anne was an eventer.

Show jumpers are the Whittakers mainly, John and Michael.

Mary King is fabulous, eventing, also Pippa Funnel, William Fox-Pitt.

Horse and Hound?

And I'm watching the 1971 programme on BBC2: reminders of just how popular show-jumping was in the 70s than it is now (they showed Harvey Smith, and his gesture).

And he is the BSJA site which will help with loads ofinfo, forthcoming shows etc

Have a look here it's the uk equestrian site and gives you a guide to the different disciplines and the squads for each (if you click on 'competitions', then 'Guide to Disciplines' at the top). Could you copy some images and print them out?

DD is doing Pippa Funnell (eventer). Probably because she wrote books.

Brilliant, thanks everyone

I said showjumping, but eventing is probably just as relevant.

I realized that Badminton hrose trials is coming up. Does anyone know if it would be worth taking a 5 yr old to that? I thought if we could see her chosen person (whoever it is) it may help.

Had forgotten that Pippa Funnel has written books, she would be good as that gives another angle for getting interested in her

It will be heaving and unless you do dressage or they have made it through to the show jumping then I wouldn't bother. If you google British Horse Trials they should have a list of horse trials near you but who is there depends on your locality. The smaller ones you can wonder round the horse box area so maybe a photo or autograph if they are not busy.

Sorry, another question... having reread DDs letter about this project the teacher has asked for it to be about someone who will be competing in the London Olympics. But as far as I can see the squads have not been chosen in the equestrian events. Anyone know when the squads will be announced??

I would imagine that Badminton will be used as the trial for eventing but can't remember how long after they will announce.

I think Guy Williams may be competing. He does showjumping.

Does it take in the Paralympics? One of my favourite riders is Lee Pearson, Paralympian Dressage Rider.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lee_Pearson

He is great.

Pippa funnel is out the running for the Olympics now.

Probable contenders are here,

www.britisheventing.com/page.asp?section=1121&sectionTitle=British+hopefuls+%2D+London+2012%2E+Click+on+the+rider+headshots+for+their+biographies

Thanks FiveGoMad - problem is that I just don't understand the lists of fixtures they have on the official websites, and unless they say 'this one has the big name riders at it' I am finding it hard to know which of the fixtures we would be able to see people like Mary King, William FoxPitt etc at.

Looking at the different days at Badminton they obviously do different things. Sunday tickets are the most expensive, does that mean it is the best day??

Best forget Pippa Funnell then as she is out of the Olympics. Check out the news on the website below.

www.equestrianteamgbr.co.uk/olympic-equestrian-schedule

Thanks VivaLeBeaver, that's really helpful and I can also see a handy list on the site of the big fixtures that the Olympic hopefuls would go to - basically Badminton or Chatsworth in our timeframe (project due in at end May)

Yes, Sunday is the cross country and is the most popular for the thrills and spills

I think the Likely ones are, Piggy French, Mary king, William fox Pitt and Nicola Wilson. Plus another, which probably would have been pippa if her horses weren't injured.

So anyone want to suggest whether Badminton or Chatsworth are worth going to with DD, or should we watch on tv?

I'm imagining that she would struggle to see much at the big cross country jumps if there are lots of people (being only little). Would we be able to get a seat to watch the jumping do you think?

Sorry for all the questions but you guys seem to know what you're talking about and I don't want to drag DD off for a big (expensive) day out if its really not for her

Thank you

I haven't been to either badminton or chatsworth for quite a few years. I went as a kid a lot though and could see the action no problem. There's a lot of walking on x country day though as most people will walk the course spectating. So you watch a few riders at one jump, walk to the next, etc. I remember being knackered as a kid.

Oh and there's no seats.....unless you take your own!

Badminton on the Sunday (xcountry day) would be fantastic for a 5 year old as long as she is good at walking. My 3yr old DS managedto walk the whole day last year and loved it- he was still running along at 6pm after a 9am start.

The dressage & showjumping days involved a lot of sitting and watching whereas the xcountry has lots of fast action and plenty of walking if you walk the course.

She will be quite capable of seeing at most of the jumps, even into the lake and the grandstand seats are free of charge on Sunday so you can always sit and watch a few finishers.

There are also plenty of other things to do while you're there so I can't see why a young child would get bored.

(if you go, it's best to arrive from the Stroud side rather than M4 as the parking allocated is closer to the tradestands and less of a hike- some of the outermost parking is quite a trek when you have little legs)

Viva There is (now) grandstand seating out on the xcountry course as well