Designers Land Beijing Olympic Project

Leopold Palacios and Steve Stephens have been chosen to design the show jumping course for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.

“It's our Oscar”, Stephens said. “We were nominated for an Academy Award and won.”

Their 60 page document, which included examples of their work and letters of recommendation, convinced the FEI, to give them the job.

The pair will also be in charge of the equestrian arena, managing everything from transporting horses to the medal ceremonies. That will mean dealing with 300 horses and 1150 athletes alongside some 30.000 staff, spectators and media.

The Beijing Organizing committee has given Stephens and Palacios a budget of $350.000 to design the course. The pair will not be paid for their work, other than expenses.

Palacios and Stephens have signed a confidentiality agreement not to reveal what the jumps will look like, but he and Palacios are toying with designs based on the Great Wall of China, a gong, Chinese dragons and lanterns. They must incorporate the Olympic famous five rings and the Beijing games logo.