Nick Skelton

[rsvp]

Class riding from Nick to win gold - what a super horse, jumped his heart out.

[Barmaid]

Agreed. Thrilling jump off. Great result.

[UKSWF]

Is Zara Phillips/Tindell competing this time?

[UKSWF]

Sorry, I did mean to Hijack your thread, Great riding from Nick Skelton, I really enjoyed it.

[scorpiojo]

Afraid not

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/06/21/olympics-2016-zara-tindall-misses-out-on-gb-selection/

[zebo]

No, it's not Zara Tindall's event, she's an eventer not a pure show jumper and she wasn't selected. Her horse had a bad injury last year and she hasn't done well since the recovery but why they selected William Fox Pitt after his horrendous accident is beyond me.

[zebo]

Skelton is amazing, he goes back to the Harvey Smith days, I recall seeing him ride in that era, he broke his back some years ago then went on to win 2 golds at London, not bad for a 59 year old, must be one of the oldest gold medallists.

[bunkmoreland]

Caught the end of this,and it brought me back to the glory days of David Broome and indeed Harvey Smith:-) Well done Nick Skelton,he looked a bit shell shocked after he won!

[Barmaid]

I thought that zebo and had to Google it. Oldest medalist won in shooting in 1920 aged 72. I still remember Skelton setting the record in the puissance in the 70s. I spent days outside with my Shetland trying to jump more than 6 inches. I learned Shetland ponies are stubborn.

[Tilly2]

Has Princess Anne been competing?

[jim360]

Show-jumping is a silly sport really. And yet -- it's probably the most tense I have ever been when watching it. Strangely compelling. And wonderful when it goes like this. Great work Nick Skelton!

[zebo]

Shetlands don't have the shape for puissance! I used to love watching that, they almost need crampons to get over those walls. Skelton has to be one of the nicest winners, he is so choked about his win but he has said that neither he nor the horse will be in Tokyo.

[rsvp]

tilly2 - princess anne was an eventer and hasn't competed for years and years - her daughter Zara is also an eventer - Nick is a show jumper - different event completely.

[Tilly2]

Princess Anne was in the photo of the Olympic Team, telling off Andy Murray.
I'm confused now.

[Tilly2]

Shows how much I know, RSVP!

[rsvp]

Tilly she wasn't competing though.

[Tilly2]

Oh! Why is she in the team then?

[Barmaid]

I think she is on the gb Olympic committee

[jackthehat]

She presented the Gold Medal to the Fijians when they won the Rugby Sevens.

[rsvp]

I suspect she was there to lend her support to the teams - especially the equestrian team - sort of ambassador. She's very active in the horsey world.

[zebo]

Princess Anne is the GB representative on the IOC so that's why she was there earlier. She competed at Montreal in the, then, 3 Day Event and she was the only woman not to have to submit to a gender test! One for the pub quiz.