Korean rider out of equestrian at Olympics but earns redemption

Hwang Young-shik, 33, was Korea’s sole entry across the individual and team equestrian competitions at the Chateau de Versailles in Versailles, France

Korea's Hwang Young-shik and Delmonte 7 in action during the dressage qualifiers at the Chateau de Versailles in Versailles, France on Tuesday. [REUTERS/YONHAP]

Korea’s lone equestrian rider at the Paris Olympics failed to make the individual dressage final after placing fifth in Group C with a score of 70.000 percent Tuesday, ending his narrowly won bid for a medal on the first day of competition.

Hwang Young-shik, 33, was Korea’s sole entry across the individual and team equestrian competitions at the Chateau de Versailles in Versailles, France. He competed with Delmonte, whom he began training with after the horse he was meant to show at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics died.

Hwang earned the spot after Palestine, South Africa and Qatar were unable to send a rider to the Games for either not meeting the minimum requirements or not having a contender.

Korea's Hwang Young-shik with horse Delmonte 7 competes in the equestrian dressage individual grand prix during the Paris Olympics at the Chateau de Versailles in Versailles, France on Tuesday. [AFP/YONHAP]

According to a detailed profile on the official Olympics site, Hwang “packed up within one week to travel back to Germany where he had left his horse Delmonte in training with Swedish rider Michelle Hagman because he had lost hope that his Olympic dream could be realised.”

And it was redemption for missing the action in 2021.

Hwang qualified for the Tokyo Olympics with a horse leased from two-time Olympic medalist Martin Schaudt but “after a quarrel with Schaudt, he relocated... and bought another horse, Bluebarry Dream. The new pair did not gel quickly enough to be ready for the Games and Bluebarry Dream died of colic a year later,” according to the profile.

The two athletes with the highest scores in each group qualify for the finals, along with the next six highest-scoring riders.

Hwang had fallen out of contention after the first day of competition. The qualifying rounds for dressage spanned two days.

Korea's Hwang Young-shik rides Delmonte 7 at the Chateau de Versailles during the dressage qualifiers at the Paris Olympics Tuesday. [REUTERS/YONHAP]

Equestrian at the Paris Olympics has been under heightened scrutiny after a video of British rider and two-time gold medalist Charlotte Dujardin whipping a horse surfaced ahead of the Games. Dujardin withdrew from the competition before the first day. The United States' Marus Orlob was disqualified from the dressage qualifiers Tuesday after officials spotted blood on his horse's leg.

Korea has never won an Olympic medal in equestrian.

BY MARY YANG [mary.yang@joongang.co.kr]