As a tribute to the Olympics, and all Olympians, Jump-Off brings you a special Olympic Edition.  

Toy Boy Almost An Olympian

Pukai certainly made it to the Olympics, but he almost got there with the wrong horse.  The Thailand Equestrian Federation entered Toy Boy, the horse that the Thai government had bought for Pukai, and not Eliza Jane.  It was only 3 weeks before the games that the mistake was discovered.

South East Asians at the Olympics

Thailand’s Pongsiree “Pukai” Bunluewong is not the only South East Asian horseman at the Athens Olympics.  Pongsiree’s mother is also officially accredited, as his groom.  Singapore’s Ho Nai Yue is stewarding.  Langgeng Sutopo of Indonesia is a groom for Bermuda’s eventing rider Tim Collins.

Shebby at the Olympics

Our Shebby, Astro’s Olympic host commenting about Eventing, “The relationship between man and feline is really something very special…”

It’s clearly not horses the Shebster has got his mind on, now is it.

True Olympic Spirit I – through the eyes of a double gold medal winner

Bettina Hoy (GER), on Chris Bartle, the coach of the German team helping New Zealand rider Heelan Tomkins in the warm up training:

"This is what is so special about our sport. We all help each other, regardless of being rivals. Look at myself: my husband Andrew is in the Australian team here and we all train together."

True Olympic Spirit II – through the eyes of a medal winner denied a gold on appeal

Didier Courreges (FRA) - Team silver medalist on the silver-gold-silver protest-appeal-reinstatement medal shift of the French Eventing Team.

“At first we were pleased with our silver medal, then we cheered about being awarded the gold when the official results were published. Now we are back into silver position and we do not like it.”

What's in a Horse's Name?
 
Poggio II (Amy Tryon, USA)
Tryon, a fire-fighter from Washington State, found the horse that was to become her Olympic mount from a classified ad in her local newspaper, the Seattle Times. She and a friend bought him for just 2500 dollars. Then aged five, he was being used as a pack-horse in the mountains. Prior to that he had been on the track and even won a race. His official name was 'Chester's Time to Fly', his track nickname was Pogo, as in pogo stick. Bouncy from the start, he proved his jumping ability by jumping in and out of his field for fun, which he still does.   After a double clear round in her first Olympic Games Amy commented:  "He has never been easy, but I never lost faith in him. It has been a long haul, as I have had to adapt my style of riding to how he wants to be ridden. But I trust him 110 per cent."  Bouncy, individual and with his own style, Poggio was named after the bottle of Italian wine Amy and her friend were drinking while discussing his future.
 
Mr. Noppus (Hendrik Degros, Belgium)
When a Dutch horse breeder decided to breed one mare to the stallion Boy B, the stallion owner made him the offer that if he could produce another mare, he could also use the stallion for her, for free. The mare was Jeanette, and the foal went on to come to Athens aged just nine to compete in the Olympic Games. A free horse perhaps, but not bad for one whose name translates as 'Mister Nothing'.
 
Oaklea Groover (Rebel Morrow, Australia)
In 1999 Rebel Morrow spent 300 dollars on a failed racehorse destined for the knackers' yard. Now she has just competed at her first Olympic Games on the same horse, who likes to take life in the groove.  "Groover is an amazing horse, but when he is not competing he takes life easy - just to eat and sleep."
 
Drunken Disorderly (Mark Kyle, Ireland)
Mark Kyle's wife Tanya bought this horse as a four-year-old. His previous owner, Duncan, was nicknamed 'Drunken Duncan' not for any reason of insobriety but because his friends thought it tripped off the tongue. But it was over a beer or two that his former horse became 'Drunken Disorderly'. Tanya said: "He's a super horse but he has always liked to do things his own way and as a young horse he was a bit wobbly and uncoordinated."
 
Air Jordan, ridden by Germany's Frank Ostholt, is named after the US Basketball star.
 
Miss Ferrari (Harald Ambros, Austria)
Dentistry student Harald Ambros (24) bought Miss Ferrari as an unbroken three-year- old and was the first person ever to ride her. His father deals in cars, all Italian marques, so it was to the motorsport world that they turned for a name. "It was easy" recalls Harald, who is riding at his first Olympic Games on the now nine-year-old mare." She is fast, reliable and very, very cool!"

To read previous editions of Jump-Off, please click on the links below:

Other fun:
South East Asian Open World Dressage Championship 2004
Rodrigo to ride for Malaysia
Jump-Off's New Years Resolutions - 29th December 2002
Selling Terms

Thanks to everyone who has contributed to this and previous Jump-Offs.  If you have an interesting story that you think should be in Jump-Off, please e-mail pete@equestrian.com.my