Jorge Claims Emotional Gold At Aquece Rio Equestrian Test Event #1yeartogo #Rio2016

Marcio Jorge (BRA) and Coronel MCJ were popular and convincing winners of the Aquece Rio International Horse Trials, the test event that wound to a close at the Deodoro Olympic Equestrian Centre today. In front of a huge contingent of voluble fans, Jorge steered the talented grey to a supremely confident clear over the coloured fences to claim victory – and the gold medal – by a huge margin over runner-up Marcio Appel (Cross Rock), with Marcelo Tosi (Glenfly) in bronze.

Jorge had taken over the lead after cruising round Saturday’s cross country course well inside the time, but had only a slim 2.7 penalty lead over his main rival and compatriot Marcelo Tosi going into the final day. But Jorge and Coronel never faltered in today’s Jumping phase to complete on the mark of 44.5 that they earned in the Dressage two days earlier. The winners were the only pair to finish on their Dressage score, leaving them 18.8 penalties – four fences – clear of the opposition.

Rio 2016 Olympic Games

Going into the Jumping test, Marcelo Tosi had a three-fence advantage over Marcio Appel, and looked set to claim silver, but Glenfly took a brick out of the wall at the third and then lowered poles from a further four fences to rack up 20 penalties and drop to bronze.

Marcio Appel and Cross Rock faulted only once, kicking out the top rail at the Brazilian green and yellow triple bar and, with a final score of 63.3, held on for the silver ahead of Tosi. And Appel’s good form continued, as he also slotted his second ride, Iberon Jmen, into fourth with a clear Jumping round, overtaking Nilson Da Silva and Tiger Lu who added eight faults to their total when taking out the first two parts of the combination.

After the presentation ceremony, with medals presented by Nawal el Moutawakel, Chair of the IOD Coordination Commission for Rio 2016, and the lap of honour, Marcio Jorge talked of his determination to be a part of the Brazilian team for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.

“There’s strong competition to get in the team and it will be a tough selection, but we’re in a good position now as we had very few at this level in the past and we had no substitutes”, he said. “The Rio 2016 legacy will be spectacular, not only for equestrian, but for all other sports. It will be a great incentive to get a new generation into sport. And of course it also helps the high-performance athletes. I think the Olympics will leave us among the best sporting countries.”

Silver medallist Marcio Appel was bullish about Brazil’s chances of a place on the medal podium next year. “We have a real shot at an Olympic medal. Since the last Olympic Games, we’ve been training really hard and a lot of investment has gone into the team. Having the Olympic Games here in Brazil means that you’re a lot happier to get up early in the morning and work hard.”

With only Brazilian horses competing at the Test Event it was always going to be a victory for the host country, but the quality of the competition, and the impressive Deodoro venue with its dedicated back of house team and welcoming volunteers was a win for Brazil too. Roll on Rio 2016!

Marcio Jorge (BRA) and Coronel MCJ at the Olympic Equestrian Test Event – the Aquece Rio International Horse Trials – today at the Deodoro Olympic Park (9 August 2015). (Raphael Macek/FEI)

Aquece Rio International Horse Trials (final results) –

1, Coronel MCJ (Marcio Jorge), BRA, 44.5 penalties;

2, Cross Rock (Marcio Appel), BRA, 63.3;

3, Glenfly (Marcelo Tosi), BRA, 67.2;

4, Iberon Jmen (Marcio Appel), BRA, 68.4;

5, Tiger Lu (Nilson da Silva), BRA, 72.1;

6, Estiva TW (Serguei Fofanoff), BRA, 72.1.

Jorge Out In Front After Cross Country At Aquece Rio Equestrian Test Event

Marcio Jorge (BRA) and his compatriot Marcelo Tosi still hold the advantage at the Aquece Rio International Horse Trials, but it is Jorge at the head of the field after cross country not yesterday’s Dressage leader Tosi.

Eight horses were clear around the 20-fence 3.2km course designed by Pierre Michelet, the Frenchman behind the track at last year’s Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ in Normandy. Only two came home inside the five minute 41 second optimum time and it is those two – Jorge with his second ride Coronel MCJ and Tosi with Glenfly – who hold all the aces going forward to tomorrow’s final Jumping phase.

Rio 2016 Olympic Games

Jorge and the grey Coronel flew around the course, stopping the clock on five minutes 34 seconds, 17 seconds inside the time, to complete two days of competition on their Dressage score of 44.5 penalties, but with no fence in hand over Tosi for tomorrow’s Jumping.

The action opened at 10.00 on a blisteringly hot Brazilian winter morning. Jorge was first out on the course with the Thoroughbred Winner, fourth after the Dressage, but the pair slipped down the order to eighth after a runout at the skinny, the second element of the downhill fence 18. That tour of the track was the ideal preparation for Jorge’s second outing, this time with Coronel and the pair were foot-perfect throughout to cruise round in style and take over the lead.

“I’m very happy with both horses”, the Toronto 2015 Pan-American Games team silver medallist said after his second tour of the track. “The ground was very good and all the fences were inviting and very nice to ride.”

Coronel has already done two three-star events, one national and one international, and has won both, so Jorge is in confident mode for the final test and says that the eight-year-old is a very careful jumper. He has no margin for error, however, as Tosi and Glenfly are a mere 2.7 penalties adrift.

“That was an easy course for him”, Tosi said of Glenfly. “He was easily within the time. He was very comfortable with the fences. He isn’t tired, I think he could do another one now.”

Tosi, who led after yesterday’s Dressage with Briefing DB Z, decided not to run the 11-year-old across country. “Briefing is a three-star horse and there was no point riding him today (in a two-star event)”, he said. “I will save him for his next event in three weeks.”

Friends Jorge and Tosi may still be vying with each other for the honours, but they are well ahead of the chasing pack. Last out across the country today, Marcio Appel and the 10-year-old Holsteiner gelding Cross Rock are 12.1 adrift off the pace in third, with Nilson Da Silva and Tiger Lu moving up from 16th after the Dressage to overnight fourth.

Three horses failed to complete the course. Ricky Candi (BRA) pulled up Natural TW after the first water, while Serguei Fofanoff walked Yankee Deapper home after two stops at the first element at the same fence. Luciano Drubi, who picked up 20 penalties for a refusal at the second element in the water with Riviera Lu, was then eliminated with Raica Lu after three separate stops on the course.

Marcio Jorge (BRA) and Coronel show a clean pair of heels on the way to the overnight lead after cross country at the Aquece Rio International Horse Trials, the Olympic test event at the Deodoro Olympic Equestrian Centre. (FEI/Raphael Macek)

The horse inspection is at 9.30 tomorrow morning followed by the final Jumping phase before the medal ceremony brings the Aquece Rio equestrian test event to a close.

Aquece Rio International Horse Trials (results after cross country) – 1, Coronel MCJ (Marcio Jorge), BRA, 44.5 penalties; 2, Glenfly (Marcelo Tosi), BRA, 47.2; 3, Cross Rock (Marcio Appel), BRA, 59.3; 4, Tiger Lu (Nilson da Silva), BRA, 64.1; 5, Barao (Fernando da Cruz), BRA, 66.5; 6, Estiva TW (Serguei Fofanoff), BRA, 68.1.

Tosi Tops The Field In Aquece Rio Equestrian Test Event #1yeartogo #Rio2016

Marcelo Tosi (BRA) performed the winning test in the Aquece Rio International Horse Trials after a supremely confident Dressage performance with the 11-year-old Briefing DB Z in the Olympic Equestrian Centre yesterday.

Rio 2015 Olympic Games

Tosi, who celebrates his 46th birthday next Friday, performed to a soundtrack of Mozart clarinet concerto to score 37.60 and secure a 6.9 penalty lead over compatriot Marcio Jorge with the impressive grey Coronel MCJ, but Tosi has decided not to ride Briefing in tomorrow’s Cross Country. He has a second chance of success, however, as he is also in third with Glenfly on 47.2, while Jorge, who was a member of the silver medal team at last month’s Pan American Games in Toronto (CAN), is fourth with Winner on a mark of 48.8.

Tosi, who competes in all three Olympic disciplines – Eventing, Jumping and Dressage – was based in Great Britain for four years, but moved back to Brazil last October in preparation for next year’s home Games.

Like the rest of the Brazilian team, Tosi is trained by Anna Ross for Dressage and double Olympic gold medallist Mark Todd for Cross Country and Jumping. Briefing, which finished 10th in the test event for last year’s Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ is a world-class horse, according to Todd, and Tosi hopes he’ll be his ride at next year’s Rio 2016 Olympic Games. “The Olympics will be great, having them in your own country, it keeps us motivated.”

Tosi enjoys a friendly rivalry with team mate Marcio Jorge: “We’re friends in and out of the arena. We always try to beat each other, it’s the best way to improve. There aren’t lots of riders at the same level to compete with here like in Europe, so it’s great to have him to compete with.”

Under the sun: Rio 2016 Olympic Games Test Event – the Aquece Rio International Horse Trials – off to a great start with the Dressage phase of Eventing at the Olympic Equestrian Centre today in Deodoro. (Raphael Macek)

Marcio Jorge will be first out on the Cross Country tomorrow, with the first of his two rides Winner, when the action kicks off at 10.00. Pierre Michelet’s track covers much of the same ground as that being prepared for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, but at 3.1km is substantially less than the distance horses and riders will tackle next year.

Aquece Rio International Horse Trials (Olympic Test Event) –

1, Briefing DB Z (Marcelo Tosi), BRA, 37.6 penalties;

2, Coronel MCJ (Marcio Jorge), BRA, 44.5;

3, Glenfly (Marcelo Tosi), BRA, 47.2;

4, Winner (Marcio Jorge), BRA, 48.8; equal

5, CDC Super Star (Andre Paro, BRA and Cross Rock (Marcio Appel), 52.5.