Nick Skelton could extend his Olympic title by at least one year because of Corona. The Olympics were moved up one year, as everyone probably knows by now, so Skelton and his Big Star will remain the current Olympic champions until at least August. He looks back with us on his victory in Rio in 2016. "I wasn't quite comfortable until Lamaze had ridden," he reveals.
"I knew that if I didn't screw up, I had a good chance of winning," Skelton started. "Big Star rarely touched a rail. The first day I had a fault in the triple jump but that fault was completely my own fault. He also hadn't jumped a course of that calibre since winning the Grand Prix in Aachen in 2013. The first day of the Olympics was his eleventh course that year. With another horse I would probably not have been able/dared to do that. In general he didn't need much competition rhythm, it was enough to keep him in work at home. I realise that this was a risk and with another horse I would never have succeeded".
Big Star and Skelton had been a team for many years: "I got him under saddle as a young horse and immediately felt he was special," says Skelton. "When you can work with a horse for such a long time, you have plenty of time to get to know each other. The Olympic title was really the highlight of our collaboration".
Video: Skelton and Big Star in a class for 6-year-old horses
"I only realized that I had won when Eric Lamaze had ridden," Skelton laughs. "Eric had so many victories to his name with Fine Lady 5 at that point. I didn't really see her as the 'Olympic horse' but he is a great rider. He got everything out of her and his horse really did her best for him. I think everything went as it should and my time had finally come".
While the other riders jumped, Nick stayed on Big Star. "Normally I get off, go look, but by the time I got out the next one was already in, so I figured there was no point. What was I supposed to do about it? I might as well stay put and listen to the crowd".
Video: Skelton and Big Star's 'winning round' at the 2016 Rio Olympics
Source: The Horse Magazine