SOME say that if you sent him cross-country wearing a blindfold and facing backwards on his horse that Germany’s Michael Jung could still bring home Olympic gold.

The most phenomenal rider of the modern sport is the man they will all have to beat when the eventing discipline of the XXXl Olympiad gets underway at the Olympic Equestrian Venue in Deodoro in Rio de Janeiro (BRA) on August 6th.

Jung arrived at the London Games four years ago hoping to become the first-ever rider to hold the world, European and Olympic titles at the same time, and celebrated his 30th birthday by winning not one, but two gold medals.

He has since added team gold at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games in Normandy, France, in 2014, double-gold at last summer’s FEI European Championships in Scotland, and the CCI**** titles at Burghley, Britain, last September and both Lexington, USA, and Badminton, Britain, in May of this year.

Just a few short weeks ago he finished first and sixth individually in the latest leg of the FEI Nations Cup eventing 2016 series on the hallowed ground of Aachen, Germany. It’s no wonder that fans of this sport are in awe of the formidable athlete and his consistent supremacy.

Jung won’t compete in Brazil with his intended ride, Takinou who picked up an infection recently, but the fact that he has had to switch to his 2012 Olympic ride, 16-year-old Sam, won’t diminish his chances, as it was this horse that cruised into the winner’s enclosure at both Burghley and Badminton.

As defending Olympic champions Germany look strong, with Jung joined by the 2012 golden girls Ingrid Klimke and Sandra Auffarth, along with Andreas Ostholt. However they didn’t have things all their own way in Aachen where many Olympic contenders were giving their horses a run and the resurgent Australians sprang a major surprise by overwhelming their hosts.

Australia, Germany and the USA have all won the Olympic eventing team title four times, and Christopher Burton, Sam Griffiths, Shane Rose and Stuart Tinney look set to fly that Australian flag high once again.

The closest their neighbours from New Zealand have come to the top of the podium is the bronze they claimed in London four years ago, and they certainly shouldn’t be under-estimated this time around either as three of that side are in action again, including the charismatic Sir Mark Todd who took back-to-back individual gold with the great Charisma in Los Angeles, USA, in 1984 and Seoul, Korea, in 1988.

Only one other rider in Olympic history has ever achieved that distinction, Dutchman Charles Pahud de Mortanges with Macroix in Amsterdam, Netherlands, in 1928 and Los Angeles, USA, in 1932. However Michael Jung could possibly join that elite if he and Sam reign supreme once more.

BUSY

Todd will be a busy man in Rio, because not only will he be chasing down medals for himself, but the 60-year-old athlete will also be taking a significant interest in the performance of the Brazilian team he has been training for the last few years.

Canada, France, IRELAND, Italy, The Netherlands, Sweden and USA will also be in the race for the team title along with a Russian side fielding just three riders, and of course the British whose squad includes London 2012 team silver medallist William Fox-Pitt, as well as Pippa Funnell who took individual bronze in Athens, Greece, in 2004.

All three of the individual medallists from London will be in Rio, Germany’s Jung and Auffarth who claimed gold and bronze and Sweden’s Sara Algotsson Ostholt who separated them when taking silver.

In all, 29 of the 75 Eventing athletes are female and if one of them succeeds in winning individual gold she will be the first-ever female athlete to do so.

Jung, however, is unlikely to make it easy for anyone to spoil his seemingly unstoppable run.

The nations competing in Olympic eventing:

Australia: Christopher Burton (Santano ll), Sam Griffiths (Paulank Brockagh), Shane Rose (CP Qualified), Stuart Tinney (Pluto Mio). Reserve: Samantha Birch (Hunter Valley).

Brazil: Marcio Carvalho Jorge (Lizzie Mac Wayer), Ruy Fonseca (Tom Bombadill Too), Carlos Parro (Summon Up The Blood), Marcio Appel (Iberon Jmen). Reserve: Nilson Moreira da Silva (Muggle).

Canada: Rebecca Howard (Riddle Master), Colleen Loach (Qorry Blue d’Aurgouges), Catherine Robinson (Let It Bee), Jessica Phoenix (A Little Romance).

France: Karim Florent Laghouag (Entebbe) Mathieu Lemoine (Bart L), Astier Nicolas (Piaf de B’Neville), Thibaut Valette (Qing du Briot). Reserve: Nicolas Touzaint (Crocket 30).

Great Britain: William Fox-Pitt (Chilli Morning), Pippa Funnell (Billy the Biz), Kitty King (Ceylor LAN), Gemma Tattersall (Quicklook V). Reserve: Tina Cook (Billy the Red).

Germany: Sandra Auffarth (Opgun Louvo), Michael Jung (Sam FBW), Ingrid Klimke (Hale Bob OLD), Andreas Ostholt (So is Et). Reserve: Julia Krajewski (Samourai du Thot).

Ireland: Clare Abbott (Euro Prince), Jonty Evans (Cooley Rorkes Drift), Mark Kyle (Jemilia), Padraig McCarthy (Simon Porloe). Reserve: Camilla Speirs (Portersize Just a Jiff).

Italy: Stefano Brecciaroli (Apolle VD Wendi Kurt Hoeve), Luca Roman (Castlewoods Jake), Pietro Roman (Barraduff), Arianna Schivo (Quefira de l’Ormeau).

Netherlands: Merel Blom (Rumour Has It), Tim Lips (Bayro), Alice Naber-Lozeman (Peter Parker), Theo van de Vendel (Zindane).

New Zealand: Mark Todd (Leonidas ll), Jonathan Paget (Clifton Lush), Jonelle Price (Faerie Dianimo), Clarke Johnstone (Balmoral Sensation). Reserve: Tim Price (Ringwood Sky Boy).

Russia: Aleksandr Markov (Kurfurstin), Audrey Mitin (Gurza), Evgeniya Oychinnikova (Orion).

Sweden: Sara Algotsson Ostholt (Reality 39), Ludwig Svennerstal (Aspe), Frida Andersen (Herta), Anna Nilsson (Luron). Reserve: Linda Algotsson (Fairnet).

USA: Philip Dutton (Mighty Nice), Boyd Martin (Blackfoot Mystery), Lauren Kieffer (Veronica), Clark Montgomery (Loughan Glen). Reserve: Lynn Symansky (Donner).

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