70 year old passes dressage test for London 2012 Olympics-

In keeping with the Olympic theme of the last post, Hiroshi Hoketsu, the 70 year old Japanese dressage champion has passed the admission test for the London 2012 Olympics.

Hoketsu, whose 71st birthday is coming up shortly, was the oldest competitor at the 2008 Beijing games, at the age of 67 and 4 months. After winning an international tournament in France two days ago, he has shot to the top of the dressage rankings for the Asia-Oceania area, putting younger competitors to shame.

Hoketsu has already set a small record, competing in two Olympic games with a gap of 44 years between them: Tokyo 1964 and Beijing 2008. He was a reserve for the 1984 Los Angeles games, but did not compete.

The oldest person ever to take part in the Olympics was Sweden's Oscar Swahn, who won the silver medal for shooting a moving target at Antwerp in 1920 at the age of 72. Good luck Hoketsu!

Eek the weather forecasters one week said we were in drought and now are telling us we are going to be rained out for the whole of May.

Stay nice and dry with our Dri-Riders - the only thing to wear this May.

With the Olympics looming, we are getting really excited about the Equestrian competitions. The Olympic Opening Ceremony takes place on 27 July and will be followed by 12 days of equestrian competition. The equestrian events all take place at the Greenwich Park venue.

Eventing opens the Olympic equestrian events on 28 July with two days of dressage, followed by cross-country on 30 July and two rounds of show jumping on 31 July to decide the team and individual medals. Dressage as an individual sport starts on 2 August with two days of Grand Prix competition, which forms the first qualifier for both the team and individual. The top seven teams and 11 best-placed individuals go forward to the Grand Prix special on 7 August, which will decide the team medals. The freestyle to music to decide the individual medals takes place on 9 August. The first qualifier show jumping as an individual sport will be on 4 August. The two-round team decider is on 5 and 6 August. Team medals will be presented on 6 August. The two rounds of show jumping to decide the individual champion will be held on 8 August.

Good luck team GB!