Bronze! Edward, Adelinde and Anky © www.arnd.nl

London Olympic GHPC News

When time stands still, you have butterflies in your stomach and are so happy you could cry

9:15am. When you stand at the edge and watch everyone, there are moments when it goes quiet. Slowly and steadily. Moments when you are aware you are breathing in and out, the transitory nature of the moment, its value and are just as aware of the horse's pulse, its breath and almost its thoughts. We still have time, Edward and Undercover are one of the last on and the round with our precious horse is not a taxing one. Clip-clop, clip-clop go the hooves. Frits naturally has no idea that he will soon be competing with Edward for an Olympic medal. He pulls at the halter and wants to sample the grass tempting him in Greenwich Park. Does Olympic grass taste different?

Frits has a good look at everything © GHPC Vanessa

He looks very chic with his orange blanket, a real Dutchman no less. With his ears pricked up and his dark forelock he puts on a very important air. He is good at that. Cleaning, grooming, stroking, begging for a treat. He knows he is at a competition and laps up all the attention he gets without having to share it this time. Edward arrives. He always comes before mounting and all the commotion starts. It gives the two of them a quiet moment. As if swearing an oath to each other. Edward has Frits' head in his hands and Frits breathes him in. Calm.

It is not at all calm later in the trailer. Before a competition, Edward always goes to Frits first and then off by himself to listen to music. "It gives me such a lot of positive energy," he says when asked and then laughs so freely and easily into the wonderful music that you are full of positive energy yourself.

Cantering to the bronze medal © www.arnd.nl

3:35pm. It is time to ride in. Time for the acid test, time to show what Undercover has learned and Edward can do. He has only been riding Frits for four months. It is only their second Grand Prix Special and what is more in front of this audience, this breath-taking backdrop.

Cheers for the lap of honour decorated with Olympic bronze © www.arnd.nl

3:37pm. Frits is excited. He is on edge. He wants to go forward. Edward stays alert but calm. He feels and Frits fights. Not for a medal, Edward does that. Frits fights his excitement, he wants to please, he wants to do well. He wants to go forward. And there it is again that feeling of a knot in the stomach, the feeling of wanting to help and yet being doomed to watch. Is watching worse than riding yourself? We stand there keeping our fingers crossed, whispering prayers, holding our breath, wringing our hands, throwing up our arms in glee! They were fantastic! They mastered their second Grand Prix Special together, at this venue, at the Olympic Games! And when after Anky and Edward, Adelinde shines in the arena too, it is settled: Team bronze for the Netherlands – an Olympic medal for Edward and Undercover!

A radiant Edward right after dismounting © GHPC Vanessa

"I am so glad," beams Edward still completely out of breath. "He was hot, more so than on the first day. From the piaffe to the passage, he always wants to move forward. I think the long break was difficult for everyone because the horse has to completely readjust again. But I am so glad! What Frits does is unbelievable!"

IMPRESSIONS

Yippee! We won the bronze medal! Adelinde Cornelissen, Anky van Grunsven and Edward Gal © www.arnd.nl
Nothing goes smoothly without them: the Dutch grooms © GHPC Vanessa
At the stables - so proud! © GHPC Vanessa
That's the Olympic bronze medal! © GHPC Vanessa

Now we have a day to rest before starting again on Thursday (9 August). Freestyle to music! To find out what Edward, Nicole and Hans Peter thought up there and whether Frits came up with the goods again, read the next Olympic News from the Glock Horse Performance Center.