:00:59. > :01:04.This is Lady GaGa. I am not joking. Hello! And this is all of the fund
:01:04. > :01:09.that you get backstage at the Olympia. The Shetland ponies, the
:01:09. > :01:14.horses that put on a great show, the dogs are in the arena, but the
:01:14. > :01:19.main focus is showjumping and this has been the man of the week: Ben
:01:19. > :01:25.Maher. You may have seen him win the World Cup qualifier on Sunday.
:01:25. > :01:29.Fantastic! I couldn't have wished for a better end to the year.
:01:29. > :01:36.terms of the Olympia Grand Prix, the big finale, you are riding
:01:36. > :01:41.Tackeray. Do you have a serious chance? The game plan was to ride
:01:41. > :01:45.Triplex. He was fantastic yesterday but a bit tired this morning, so we
:01:45. > :01:50.will rest him and used Tackeray, who I have only had for a couple of
:01:50. > :01:56.months, but he is a good horse, it is a step up for him. If you have
:01:56. > :02:01.had a fabulous week. Good luck. The British line-up includes Nick
:02:01. > :02:05.Skelton, who is aiming to go to another Olympic Games. One of the
:02:05. > :02:15.most experienced show jumpers in the world, he will be riding Big
:02:15. > :02:19.
:02:19. > :02:25.Star and I took time out with him and made was in 1978 when I broke
:02:25. > :02:32.the high jump record. Yes! What a fantastic performance! I wasn't
:02:32. > :02:38.very old. It made good TV coverage, it made the front page of the daily
:02:38. > :02:47.newspapers. That had a big impact on my life. A star is born, Nick
:02:47. > :02:52.Does it amaze you that you might get three generations of the family
:02:52. > :02:59.who all of them know who you are? suppose, I had been at it a long
:03:00. > :03:05.time, so you get the families, or whatever, probably the grant
:03:05. > :03:11.mother's Remember Me More! I am 54 this month -- grandmothers remember
:03:11. > :03:17.any more. You are going into an Olympic year. What is the strongest
:03:17. > :03:22.line-up that Britain could offer? Actually, they have always said we
:03:22. > :03:27.haven't got very good depth in our country but I disagree. I think we
:03:28. > :03:34.have a good team. We can field a good team. Me, Scott Brash, Michael,
:03:34. > :03:40.Ben Maher, John, Peter Charles, Robert Smith. I think we can put a
:03:40. > :03:45.good team together but my mind is definitely set on next August.
:03:45. > :03:50.you feel you have unfinished business with the Olympics?
:03:50. > :03:59.last conversation in Athens, probably yes! Yeah. That was very
:03:59. > :04:03.close. But at the end, it wasn't good enough. The horse was probably
:04:03. > :04:09.a year too young, looking back. But this was has a different mentality.
:04:09. > :04:13.At the end of the day, you need luck. We might be sitting in 12
:04:13. > :04:22.months' time thinking, where did it go wrong? But you have to give it a
:04:22. > :04:27.good shot. Tell me about Carlo. was good at the Europeans. I was
:04:27. > :04:32.disappointed not to have one. He was so close. He had the silly
:04:32. > :04:36.fence down which he needn't have had. He was a bit unlucky. He did
:04:36. > :04:43.not win but I was a bit annoyed about that. It was nice to get a
:04:43. > :04:48.bronze medal but for London, that is the only thing that matters to
:04:48. > :04:53.me, next year, it is London. would put everything else on hold?
:04:53. > :04:59.Even risking your own health? Everything, yet. Definitely, for
:04:59. > :05:03.sure. Let's say everything goes into plan and you right into the
:05:03. > :05:09.arena in Greenwich with a shot at the Olympic gold medals. If you win
:05:09. > :05:15.it, is that it for Nick Skelton? Do you ride off into the sunset?
:05:15. > :05:20.don't think so. You want more, don't you. It would be one of the
:05:20. > :05:24.stories of London 2012 if Nick Skelton were to make the team with
:05:24. > :05:30.fixed are or Carlo. Nick Skelton has admitted he is not really an
:05:30. > :05:34.indoor course, Big Star, so who is in contention to pick up a big
:05:34. > :05:44.prize of �20,000? And D Austin will be alongside Michael Tucker in the
:05:44. > :05:45.
:05:45. > :05:48.commentary box. Verdi III went really well yesterday. He is a top
:05:48. > :05:54.10 riders. That is a really good indoor horse. That is one I would
:05:54. > :05:58.definitely go for. Meredith Michael's jumped an eight-year-old
:05:58. > :06:04.yesterday. She has 16-year-old Checkmate tonight and that is a
:06:04. > :06:11.horse that has a lot of top-class comic indoor, Grand Prix form.
:06:11. > :06:16.Meredith is tiny! Does it help when a rider is so small? The weight on
:06:16. > :06:21.a horse's does matter in a lot of equestrian sports. She is liked.
:06:21. > :06:25.Some of the big lads use their strength to their advantage because
:06:25. > :06:29.of their power, but she has a light touch and she uses that to her
:06:29. > :06:35.advantage and allows the horses to run and jump which has affected her
:06:35. > :06:43.style. I have got a feeling that the big success that Ben Maher had
:06:43. > :06:49.yesterday it might not be repeated for Britain tonight. I think we
:06:49. > :06:56.have a German 14-year-old at mare, that horse has been saved for
:06:56. > :07:06.tonight. Let's see how it pans out. An international class. A very big
:07:06. > :07:23.
:07:24. > :07:33.course, built by Bob Ellis. Let's season and this horse has had to
:07:34. > :07:38.
:07:38. > :07:48.Nevada, it is an open five strides and he had to push the horse down
:07:48. > :07:56.
:07:56. > :08:06.mainstays of the British team over the last few years. 1993, he won
:08:06. > :08:10.
:08:10. > :08:20.with Impulse. He was riding for and legs, trying to get the
:08:20. > :08:25.
:08:25. > :08:31.that entrance looking in determined mood and he rode like that, too, I
:08:31. > :08:36.think. That was Peter riding at his best. He was incredibly determined
:08:36. > :08:41.and he has a lot of strength to hold a horse in balance, keep the
:08:41. > :08:51.horse focused. And so often, Peter comes out and jumps a clear round
:08:51. > :09:01.on Grand Prix des. -- day. When Peter wants something, my word...
:09:01. > :09:06.
:09:06. > :09:11.watching. The Swiss is fourth in the world. Verdi III. This course
:09:11. > :09:21.has been operating extremely world and one least it got Masters. He
:09:21. > :09:21.
:09:21. > :09:29.has had a good week. -- Stuttgart Masters. He put in a tremendous
:09:29. > :09:35.performance on Saturday here. fascinating with breeding there
:09:35. > :09:43.were days. This course is officially a Dutch were warm-
:09:43. > :09:47.blooded. It is out of a German mare as well, so the bloodlines are
:09:47. > :09:55.spreading all around Europe now. Let's remind ourselves of a
:09:55. > :10:01.warmblood? That is a specialist tour spread on the Continent the
:10:01. > :10:07.competition -- specialist horse. They originate from the working
:10:07. > :10:10.mares, they have had some British blood, they have been bred
:10:10. > :10:15.specifically for jumping and dressage. Very different from
:10:15. > :10:25.thoroughbreds. That is the main point. No Irish blood in them at
:10:25. > :10:29.
:10:29. > :10:34.fence but improved the rest of the way. He has only got 10 seconds.
:10:34. > :10:44.Very close... He could be in trouble.
:10:44. > :10:55.
:10:55. > :11:00.APPLAUSE. Look at that! Was it time, less than half a second. The
:11:00. > :11:09.most important thing is, he is in the jump off. It is building into a
:11:10. > :11:19.really exciting looking jump off a. Nick Skelton won it in 1982, 1983,
:11:20. > :11:29.
:11:29. > :11:33.with St James. Now riding his 80- sport. We know this is a super
:11:33. > :11:41.talented horse. Nick Skelton feels that the horse is probably at his
:11:41. > :11:45.best when he is outdoors. He is still a youngster. It was lovely to
:11:46. > :11:51.hear him say in that, looking at the contenders for Britain,
:11:51. > :12:00.unfinished business to be done, and that refers to Athens. So near, yet
:12:00. > :12:05.so far. To win Olympic gold on that occasion. This, and of course he
:12:05. > :12:09.won the bronze medal on in Madrid, are two medal contenders. But they
:12:09. > :12:14.have got to be there at the Olympic Games, fit and ready to do the
:12:14. > :12:24.business. Nick Skelton has two to choose from. This course will be
:12:24. > :12:33.
:12:33. > :12:41.that little bit more experienced. time but he is not going to feature
:12:41. > :12:45.in this year's Olympia Grand Prix. Sometimes it can happen, that first
:12:45. > :12:55.fence with a younger horse. Nick Skelton has not jumped him much
:12:55. > :13:04.
:13:04. > :13:08.is the world champion of 2002. A very good horseman. He has had
:13:08. > :13:18.appeared in the wilderness but he is very much back. He was third for
:13:18. > :13:37.
:13:38. > :13:44.riding an Irish-bred horse, this one in Limerick. What so many Irish
:13:44. > :13:49.horses on the scene nowadays. -- not so many. Dermott Lennon is
:13:49. > :13:54.riding with great pace. interesting thing about Ireland is
:13:54. > :14:01.that they have not qualified 18th for the Olympic Games so it will
:14:01. > :14:06.only be individuals -- a team. And number of individuals will be
:14:06. > :14:12.fighting for a place, this man and Billy Twomey. That was a very good
:14:12. > :14:18.round. He kept up a very good pace and Dermott Lennon is really
:14:18. > :14:28.impressing this week. Brilliant in the World Cup yesterday and another
:14:28. > :14:35.
:14:35. > :14:40.Great found. -- big smile. annoying in, the first fence.
:14:40. > :14:45.is what happens when you have that big build up. You can only go one
:14:45. > :14:50.way. He has not settled like he can. He did not have a very good round
:14:50. > :14:57.yesterday. I think he was unsure of himself but he finished good, so...
:14:57. > :15:01.Not to worry. He is still such an exciting horse. He has got
:15:01. > :15:11.everything. Yesterday was probably the worst round he had in his life
:15:11. > :15:21.
:15:21. > :15:30.Meredith won a great night, remember, very clearly in 2003.
:15:30. > :15:36.There was a big ceremony this year when that horse was retired. This
:15:36. > :15:42.has been the second string but this horse is very capable of winning a
:15:42. > :15:49.big competition. Mass of lead talented, Checkmate. He is 16 years
:15:49. > :15:54.old. -- massively talented. He did not have to do the World Cup
:15:54. > :16:04.yesterday so he should be fresh. Trying to make up the time and cut
:16:04. > :16:15.
:16:15. > :16:19.the course designers skills these days. It put the horse and rider
:16:19. > :16:23.under that little bit of pressure and speed that makes the risk of
:16:23. > :16:27.knocking offence that bit more. They cannot build than any bigger
:16:27. > :16:35.or more technical than they are so this is a useful weapon because it
:16:35. > :16:44.is more difficult when you have to cut the corners and keep moving.
:16:44. > :16:51.One down. She is American-born but now rides for Germany. She is very,
:16:51. > :16:54.very skilful. Just coming quickly down a corner, normally to jump a
:16:54. > :17:04.big vertical light back you go right into the corner to give
:17:04. > :17:10.
:17:10. > :17:16.Maher and this man in the World Cup, believe me, everyone has been
:17:16. > :17:20.talking about it here at Olympia. It was one of the best finishes to
:17:20. > :17:24.the Rolex World Cup qualifier that we have seen here at Olympia. This
:17:24. > :17:29.is the horse who has been one of his top horses for a number of
:17:29. > :17:36.years now. It has won him so much. It has also caused a number of
:17:36. > :17:41.disappointments. I remember at the World Games he had the wall down
:17:41. > :17:47.which put him out of contention for any medals for Germany. There was
:17:47. > :17:57.another one down. Then at the Europeans she let him down. But a
:17:57. > :17:58.
:17:58. > :18:05.very capable horse on its day. A 14-year-old mare. Not jumping the
:18:05. > :18:10.best of rounds. Marcus having to work quite hard here. As we talk
:18:10. > :18:16.about style and ability, Marcus is one of the best riders you can ever
:18:16. > :18:23.watch but it this is not a great round here. He is not getting much
:18:23. > :18:33.help from his mare. She is a bit unpredictable. Over the time as
:18:33. > :18:33.
:18:33. > :19:23.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 49 seconds
:19:23. > :19:33.blunter. He has been at the top of using in some of the other classes
:19:33. > :19:33.
:19:33. > :19:43.all week. You can understand why he is not jumping Triple X tonight. He
:19:43. > :19:53.
:19:53. > :20:03.will show jumping is about. You are up one day, fences the next. His
:20:03. > :20:18.
:20:18. > :20:24.round in the jump-off yesterday was do not fight happening too often. A
:20:24. > :20:27.very deep thinker at the sport, really works at it and my word, he
:20:27. > :20:36.is looking a tremendous prospect for the future of British show
:20:36. > :20:42.jumping. Careful over the first two parts, just moved slightly to the
:20:42. > :20:45.left. You see so often they lose a bit of hype and push into the air.
:20:46. > :20:52.All of these riders and horses it is the end of a long week and it
:20:52. > :20:56.shows. Only 11 out of 33 managed to jump the course clear. The riders
:20:56. > :21:00.do not get a chance to walk the course. They have a good look at
:21:00. > :21:04.the map and work out how many strides they have and when they get
:21:04. > :21:10.in there it is a real test of nerve and speed, a distinct advantage to
:21:10. > :21:20.those who were drawn late. It is a multinational field. We have two
:21:20. > :21:42.
:21:42. > :21:52.the draw -- the best of the draw. It is Britain's Peter Charles with
:21:52. > :21:57.
:21:57. > :22:03.clear. I would have thought he has got to go out and get clear that at
:22:03. > :22:09.the best pace he possibly can. is an interesting jump off. It is a
:22:09. > :22:14.long way round. There are some very big fences out there. Although
:22:14. > :22:24.there are a lot of horses, I think they have to be mindful that they
:22:24. > :22:44.
:22:44. > :22:54.have to jump the jumps. This is a don't think there is much of an
:22:54. > :23:03.
:23:03. > :23:13.option. Write to the other side of backwards. This is back up the
:23:13. > :23:21.
:23:21. > :23:26.arena. He is really motoring. great try a, 39.21. He won it in
:23:26. > :23:30.1993 with Impulse. Can he win it 18 years later? He has certainly given
:23:30. > :23:40.himself a good go. One wonders whether there is a bit more speed
:23:40. > :23:49.
:23:49. > :23:58.in there yet. This is a really good That was quick enough. It will
:23:58. > :24:08.still take a lot of beating. would agree with that. Now Rolf
:24:08. > :24:19.
:24:19. > :24:29.Goran Penston from Sweden on to number three. That was
:24:29. > :24:37.
:24:37. > :24:47.so Rolf Goran Benson will not be winning tonight. He has gone quick,
:24:47. > :24:56.
:24:56. > :25:00.definitely. He used as forcing the one early on and then people have
:25:00. > :25:10.to think about tactics. There is only one tactic, you have to go
:25:10. > :25:21.
:25:21. > :25:31.the horses anticipate the turn across the fence and here he was a
:25:31. > :25:42.
:25:42. > :25:52.bit sloppy with his front legs Vleuten. He has been a super winner
:25:52. > :26:01.
:26:01. > :26:07.this autumn. He has come of age rounds on the circuit. He is well
:26:07. > :26:10.placed in the European League so he is in good form. One of the few
:26:11. > :26:19.places they might be able to beat Peter Charles' time is when they
:26:19. > :26:29.have to go across the arena. A very hesitant jump there. They have to
:26:29. > :26:29.
:26:29. > :26:39.gallop flat-out across here. I am not sure he is quite quick enough.
:26:39. > :26:53.
:26:53. > :27:03.It is very close. He was fractionally quicker. The very last
:27:03. > :27:12.
:27:12. > :27:22.hesitation, all over the place. But Maikel Van der Vleuten keeping his
:27:22. > :27:48.
:27:48. > :27:55.cool. Just a bit of extra pace and very light and athletic across the
:27:55. > :28:05.ground. It does turn well. We know this man has got form indoors. Week
:28:05. > :28:05.
:28:05. > :28:47.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 49 seconds
:28:47. > :28:57.flies the last but it is eight, two fences down. Eight faults in the
:28:57. > :29:04.
:29:04. > :29:14.Very disappointing. He would have really fancied his chances in that
:29:14. > :29:34.
:29:34. > :29:41.against the clock. Peter will not have an easy time trying to hold on
:29:41. > :29:46.to his lead. Yesterday, he did take the long route in the jump-off. A
:29:46. > :29:56.bit of a pick up going to the start. It is all right, he has still got
:29:56. > :29:56.
:29:56. > :30:37.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 49 seconds
:30:37. > :30:47.takes the lead! They won it two years ago. Will it be their turn
:30:47. > :30:48.
:30:48. > :30:58.again? What a great effort from Dermott Lennon. Very tight. He kept
:30:58. > :31:02.
:31:02. > :31:10.there and that has taken a lot from Peter's time and we thought Peter
:31:10. > :31:20.was pretty quick. Now Norbert Smith with the 10-year-old Ude. -- Robert
:31:20. > :31:28.
:31:28. > :31:35.round out of this walls. He was working quite hard in the first
:31:35. > :31:40.round -- this horse. But he is not agile enough and unfortunately,
:31:40. > :31:48.with two fences down, he would just have to try to nurse him home now.
:31:48. > :31:58.Robert is not want to surrender and go for second place. He set off at
:31:58. > :32:02.a good gallop. He has settled him down now. Very often you see with
:32:02. > :32:08.these big numbers of horses, you don't get as many clear rounds as
:32:08. > :32:17.you think, and the pressure is now on. Dermott Lennon and Peter
:32:17. > :32:27.Charles, they are the two clear ats in that order. Two time at faults
:32:27. > :32:45.
:32:45. > :32:49.that face tell you? Absolutely. Hans-Dieter Dreher now. Embassy II
:32:50. > :32:59.has really impressed this week. Looking pretty quick, too, I have
:33:00. > :33:10.
:33:10. > :33:16.air but he has to gallop. That was amazingly quick! He has gone
:33:16. > :33:26.round... That has cost him, he should not have gone round there, I
:33:26. > :33:34.
:33:34. > :33:41.don't understand why he did that. enough. Beautiful jump over the
:33:41. > :33:48.last. As you rightly say, possibly going around cost him 40.3. He goes
:33:48. > :33:55.behind Peter Charles into third place, Hans-Dieter Dreher. Whether
:33:55. > :34:00.he forgot or had a momentary lapse, he should have turned. It is a long
:34:00. > :34:10.way around, even if you are moving at pace. That was a shame because
:34:10. > :34:10.
:34:10. > :34:20.it was a really quick round up until that point. Germany again now.
:34:20. > :34:27.
:34:27. > :34:37.Marcus. They won it three times on the trot, 2003, 2004. Can this man
:34:37. > :35:04.
:35:04. > :35:14.Only two has tried to get straight. been quick enough anyway. A good
:35:14. > :35:48.
:35:48. > :35:57.theatre over the years, and of course ever since Olympia started
:35:57. > :36:06.40 years ago it has grown beyond all dreams. In comes the challenge
:36:06. > :36:16.from France, Le Prestige St Lois de Hus. Is he going to finish with a
:36:16. > :36:22.
:36:22. > :36:32.Kevin has got to ignore all of his backing and keep concentrating on
:36:32. > :36:56.
:36:56. > :37:03.second, Hans-Dieter Dreher third. No. 8 for the Frenchman. He will
:37:03. > :37:09.not fit it in the top final line-up. It is so difficult for Kevin to
:37:09. > :37:14.control this course. Look at him. When he gets angry, the horse gets
:37:14. > :37:21.really untidy in his jump. It is so frustrating when a horse has that
:37:21. > :37:25.much talent. It must be awkward to sit on, too. Not pleasant at all.
:37:25. > :37:32.We are getting into the meat of this. It is going Ireland's way at
:37:32. > :37:40.the moment and still to come, Spain and Belgium. Could the 19-year-old
:37:40. > :37:50.Manuel Anon and Rackel Chavannaise win this? Spain have never won it.
:37:50. > :37:57.
:37:57. > :38:00.They have not had any world famous young man. He has already been very
:38:00. > :38:04.successful in the Youth Championships. This horse has got
:38:04. > :38:14.the talent and this young man has got the youthful enthusiasm to keep
:38:14. > :38:17.
:38:17. > :38:24.having a go. I am sure he will turn last friends... He missed his
:38:24. > :38:33.stride and got away with it! -- Last friends. He must be quick
:38:33. > :38:40.enough? No? Not quite! What an effort! 19 years of age, that has
:38:40. > :38:45.got to be one to watch, surely. Manuel Anon. Second behind Dermott
:38:45. > :38:52.Lennon. Peter Charles drops to third. What a round. What an
:38:52. > :39:02.effort! He took every chance in the book. What a great mare. She picked
:39:02. > :39:07.
:39:07. > :39:17.heart in his mouth there because that was close! Now it is Ludo
:39:17. > :39:27.Philippaerts. He has won the World Cup qualifier that he hasn't won
:39:27. > :39:51.
:39:51. > :39:56.the Olympia Grand Prix. -- but he at the moment... It was just
:39:56. > :40:06.getting untidy! He could not keep his shapes. This is a very fast
:40:06. > :40:09.
:40:09. > :40:17.round. Great effort. Shake of the head! Time was pretty good. But he
:40:17. > :40:27.had one down. Dermott Lennon, first, second is Spain's 19-year-old and
:40:27. > :40:34.
:40:34. > :40:39.then Peter Charles. Germany is in the lower placings. Robert Smith
:40:39. > :40:48.doing well to finish in 11th. Robert Whitaker with that one time
:40:48. > :40:54.Congratulations. Was it a late decision to put her in the class?
:40:54. > :41:00.It was a late decision to come here! Never mind the class! This
:41:00. > :41:07.mare only started jumping in May. She had only done as a six-year-old
:41:07. > :41:12.a 1.3 levels. She has been very competitive all year. It is just
:41:12. > :41:18.the last few shows that we started to think bigger. And a real chance
:41:18. > :41:22.for you to be back in the big time. It is really nice. I have a couple
:41:22. > :41:29.of horses that can jump at this level now so it is great for.
:41:29. > :41:33.you got a wonderful reception. There is as many Irish as British.
:41:33. > :41:38.This show get a lot of television and everybody loves it so it is
:41:38. > :41:44.great to be here and even better to win it. A fantastic way to sign off
:41:44. > :41:48.the week. Well done. Thank you. Let's have a word with Peter
:41:48. > :41:54.Charles. For a while you must have thought he would hang on. It is
:41:54. > :41:59.difficult. You have to do something to make mistakes but not look a
:41:59. > :42:07.clown. I am delighted. It is his first big Grand Prix and he was
:42:07. > :42:17.class. I am very pleased. Well done, good stuff. The 2002 world champion
:42:17. > :42:18.
:42:18. > :42:25.for Ireland, Dermott Lennon! Winning the Olympia Grand Prix,
:42:25. > :42:29.with a lovely horse, Loughview Lou- Lou! Dermott Lennon takes the Grand
:42:29. > :42:36.Prix for Ireland. There is more sporting action later in the week.
:42:36. > :42:43.On Wednesday, seven Premier League matches. You can see highlights at
:42:43. > :42:46.10:45pm on BBC One. Manchester City and Man United both in action. Ben
:42:46. > :42:50.Maher ends the week as the leading showjumper and Dermott Lennon for
:42:50. > :42:55.Ireland takes home the Olympia Grand Prix. This lot have still got
:42:55. > :43:01.work to do. He is part of the grand finale, all part of the great show