Olympics-Equestrian-Britain won team show jumping gold

Olympics-Equestrian-Britain won team show jumping gold

Britain won team show jumping gold on Monday after a tie-breaking jump-off with silver medallists the Netherlands while Saudi Arabia captured a bronze.

August 7, 2012 12:00 by Reuters

Britain won team show jumping gold on Monday after a tie-breaking jump-off with silver medallists the Netherlands while Saudi Arabia captured a bronze.

It was Britain’s first gold in jumping since 1952 and a first-ever team medal for the Saudis. Rider Khaled Al Eid won an individual bronze for jumping in the Sydney Games.

Victory was assured after three clear rounds for Britain in the jump-off, led off by veteran and hot individual gold prospect Nick Skelton, who has yet to have a fence down in three days of competition.

Skelton heaped praise on horse Big Star.

“He has everything you need in a horse – he’s got all the scope, he’s super careful, he’s brave, he has an intelligent head on him, he’s good to ride,” he said before the jump-off.

Saudi Arabia, anchored by a strong showing from Prince Abdullah al Saud, finished with a score of 13 faults, ahead of stalwarts Switzerland and Sweden and defending Olympic team champions the United States.

(Reporting by Sarah Edmonds, editing by Alan Baldwin)