Seen here is Olympic equestrian contender Tina Konyot, a direct descendent of generations of distinguished circus riders and one of the four US Olympic dressage team members. Tina is ranked second in the US and is seen here on her horse, Calecto V, on which she will go up against the best in the world beginning this Thursday, August 2, in London.
Highest ranked in the US is German-born Steffen Peters who gained his US citizenship in 1992 and placed fourth in the Beijing Olympics. Another member is quite young for this level of dressage, 25-year old Adrienne Lyle, but media attention has focused not on the final rider, Jan Ebeling (also German born but now a US citizen) but on his horse Rafalca. The mare’s co-owner is Ann Romney, wife of GOP presidential candidate Mitt. Romney. Candidate Romney’s current overseas junket to London and the Middle East coincided with the arrival of his wife’s horse in London but whether the candidate will attend the dressage events this week on his return is unknown.
There are three Olympic categories for horse events: dressage, jumping, and eventing (which combines the first two with a 3.5 mile cross-country course of 28 obstacles). Both individual and team medals are awarded in each of the three categories. Thus, there are only six gold medals for which 200 riders from around the world are competing—including Queen Elizabeth’s granddaughter, Zara Phillips, who is on the British eventing team. All events take place in Greenwich Park, London’s oldest and home to the Prime Meridian Line (e.g., hence, Greenwich Mean Time).
Tina Konyot will ride on August 2 and 3 in the individual dressage event. The US dressage team expects the team gold to be won by Germany or Britain with the U.S.’s best chance a bronze.
The equestrian events are the only Olympic sport in which men and women compete against each other. The equestrian category is also the only event in which humans and members of the animal kingdom compete together. |
10 comments:
Hello Buckles,
I would like your followers to know that there is a new circus celebration in Mazomanie, WI this summer on August 19. The web address is
www.amazingmazo.com
How do I submit more info. and pics?
Paul Niebauer
bucklesw@tampabay.rr.com
What breed is this horse & are all
the dressage entries the same breed
Her horse is a 14-year-old Danish Warmblood stallion, a relatively new breed within the last 50 years. Tina found and purchased her own horse before others recognized its abilities and the price might have changed accordingly. A tribute to her eye and her skill in making this a great horse. I believe, however, she has since sold a part interest. And no, in competition the horses do not have to be the same breed.
Dick Flint
Baltimore
Chic,
Calecto V (Come Back II x Bahera x Rastell)is a Danish Warmblood stallion, and no all the entries are not the same breed.
Three time Olympic competitor Steffen Peters is riding Ravel, a KWPN gelding (Contango x Hautain x Democraat) He also has Legolas, a Westfalen gelding (Laomedon x Furstin x Florestan II) along as "back up." A KWPN horse is an acronym for a Koninklijk Warmbloed Paard Nederland or Dutch Warmblood
Jan Ebeling is riding Rafalca, an Oldenburg mare (Argentinus x Ratine x Rubenstein) owned by Ann Romney, Amy Ebeling and Beth Meyer.
Adrienne Lyle is riding Wizard, an Oldenburg gelding (Weltmeyer x Pica x Classiker)
The United States has two reserves, one in the above mentioned Westfalen gelding Legolas, and the other, a combination of Heather Blitz and her American-bred horse, Paragon.
The smart money has Great Britain going gold, followed by Germany silver, and the United States struggling for a possible bronze, which sucks, so I don't really give a shit what sawbone nags the other teams are riding. Go USA!!!! Hammer Them!!!!!
Wade Burck
Thanks fellas this is a beautiful
animal but these are all unfamiliar
breeds to me & I know quite a few
The jury is still out until I see a side-pass.
Several Olympic and equestrian websites carried the following story today:
At a US dressage team press conference this morning, Tina Konyot had journalists and officials holding their sides with laughter as she revealed details of her Olympic preparations. Asked what steps she had taken in terms of physical fitness she replied: “I’m 50 and I’m looking pretty good, aren’t I? Every time I think of working out I go and have a lie down until that thought passes …”
Konyot comes from a seventh-generation family with a circus background that has been involved with horses for a very long time. Her father, Alex Konyot, emigrated to the USA from Hungary in 1939 where he joined the military to earn citizenship before linking up with the Ringling Circus, and he trained Tina during her early career when there were few dressage coaches working in the USA. Her Czechoslovakian mother was a high-wire walker who came to the World Fair in New York in 1939, and remains famous for being the only woman to walk the high-wire without a net. She performed her last high-wire act in 1961, the year before her daughter was born, so Konyot has performance blood coursing through her veins. And her sense of humour is a breath of fresh air.
She said she discussed embarking on an Olympic training programme with her boyfriend, but his answer reflected her own feelings on the matter. “You see I like shopping, that’s when I get my exercise, and he was very much on the same wave-length. He said, Tina you just do what you do best and go shop, shop, shop!”
It’s some achievement to find herself in the US dressage team competing alongside Jan Ebeling and Steffen Peters at London 2011. So, when asked what message she would send back to young hopefuls in the US who have their own Olympic ambitions, Tina replied: “I’ve been competing since I was 15 years old and I’m now 50, so I would just say follow your dreams and never, ever give up!” This will be one lady to watch with interest when she is first into the arena on Friday morning with Calecto V.
I believe Mitt Romney said he is coming back to watch the swimming!
Our UK press thought this was a popularist move, rather that say he was coming back to watch a horse owned by his wife in what is considered an expensive and up market sport!
But after his earlier remarks about the UK do we want him back? We were ready for they Olympics... Yes we were!!
Thank you Mr. Flint for your informative comment. Her vsense of humour is so similar to our circus greats such as Lucio Ctistiani and his family, also the Hannefords and the Konyots among others who are very special in Dreessing room antics. I recall Arthur, Alex, Oscar and Dorita all being of that mold. We certainly hope Tina makes a fine showing. Circus people are a special breed to be sure. Wish Gaylord were alive to see this.
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