Oh Star and Minikus Leap Into the Lead

Todd Minikus and his horse, Oh Star, had the only clean round in the U.S. Olympic Equestrian Show Jumping trials, vaulting the duo from fifth place to first in the standings, with four rounds remaining.

Minikus, from Loxahatchee, Fla., is one of 11 riders hoping to earn one of four spots on the Olympic team. Wednesday’s round was the first of three at the Oaks/Blenheim Riding Park in San Juan Capistrano. The team will be chosen Sunday after the final two rounds at the Del Mar Horsepark.

“My horse jumped outrageous today,” said Minikus, 38. “I always say, you are only as good as your horse.”

Oh Star was perfect, bringing the crowd of approximately 4,000 to their feet at the end of the run.

One of few top-riders who owns his own horse, Minikus bought Oh Star five years ago in Germany, when the Oldenburg stallion was 4 years old.

“He looked like a good athlete,” Minikus said. “He looked like he could buck me off, and if they can buck me off then they can jump.”

The pair glided through the 13 obstacles on a difficult course set by British designer Richard Jeffery, featuring three double combinations, three 5-foot-3-inch verticals, and an intimidating line down the middle.

After opening with three standard jumps, the horses came upon a 14-foot water jump, that led into an oxer (a spread jump over two fences), followed by a double yellow and white combination that gave most of the riders fits. Seven of the 11 pairs committed faults through the line.

“We know in Sydney they’ll have some lines like that,” Jeffery said. “I was hoping to see a couple more clean runs though.”

Elise Haas, 21, of Sausalito, was the first rider to jump the course and her Dutch Warmblood stallion, Mr. Blue, refused the yellow combination, throwing Haas to the ground. Haas, who entered the event here in seventh place, was uninjured and able to laugh it off, despite picking up 38.25 faults on the elimination.

“That’s the first time that has ever happened,” Haas said. “It definitely wasn’t the Wednesday I planned.”

Fortunately for Haas and Mr. Blue, each rider is able to eliminate their worst score from the final five rounds.

Laura Kraut of Oconomowoc, Wis., and Liberty, a Dutch Warmblood mare came into Wednesday’s event leading with only 4.75 faults. However, two knockdowns on the middle line dropped the pair into second, with a total 12.75 faults. Minikus and Oh Star have 12.25.

“Both of us were a little rusty,” said Kraut, 34. “I just misrode the middle after the water. I’m hoping today will be my dropped score and that will be that.”

The riders carried into competition the faults earned in the first phase of the trials in Gladstone, N.J., in June. Two more rounds will be Friday at the Oaks/Blenheim Riding Park, with Sunday’s finals in Del Mar.