Anti-Zara feeling

[Twiglet]

Lurking on another board (obviously not one with as many nice people as this one!) I saw a post regarding whether Zara Phillips, and how many people DIDN'T want her to win BBC Sports Personality of the Year (basically I think because she's royal).

Is this a general feeling?!

I just can't see why horsepeople wouldn't want the sport represented in such a public arena by such a successful young sportswoman! Regardless of whether she's royal, she's done incredibly well for herself and IMO should be applauded for it.

Opinions?

 

[Sags_Deer]

have you seen the h&h comments from newspapers about her, one paper even thought eventing wasnt much of a sport. Townies have no flppin idea.

 

[AmyMay]

Not sure if you have read H&H, but both the Telegraph and the Guardian are very anti - the Guardian was downright rude quite frankly.

 

[Twiglet]

Ah, but if you read the whole Guardian article it was taken from, it was incredibly balanced, and probably more fair than a lot of other stuff written about her. The 'sheepdog trials' piece was the writer quoting a colleague as an example of anti-equestrian feeling. It by no means reflected the tone of the article itself, which was quite a nice piece IMO.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/monarchy/story/0,,1860195,00.html

 

[Sooty]

I am sorry to say that the horse riding fraternity is generally disliked and the victim of huge misconceptions. We are generally seen as overly rich, snobbish and a waste of space - being royal on tpo of that is enough to send some people over the edge. Ho hum. Oh, and as road users we simply don't exist.

 

[pootler]

I would really like to see her win this, to raise the profile of equestrianism and because she worked damn hard to get it. My parents live near her and know people that work with her etc. She is really nice and down to earth, not a silver spoon type at all.

Strikes me there are lots of petty minded types out there who are just jealous. Oh and complete plonkers like
the broadsheet journalist who said eventing is the same kind of thing as sheep dog trials. I'd like to stick him on a fit eventer and see how he gets on.....

 

[eahotson]

The Guardian says Eventing is not even a sport; its like sheepdog trials. They obviously know a huge amount about it

 

[LEC]

I am just thrilled no footballers/rugby/cricket people are on there. Think they should send all the journalists training with the British team for the day and then turn around and say they do not work hard and its easy.

 

[Sags_Deer]

well put sooty. yep i met her on a course i was doing, very normal, down to earth but so is her mum. its not their fault they are born into royalty is it.

 

[AmyMay]

[ QUOTE ]
Ah, but if you read the whole Guardian article it was taken from, it was incredibly balanced,

[/ QUOTE ]
Ahh, fair enough - only saw what was in the nag and dawg.

 

[flyingfeet]

I am totally pro Zara

I am convinced that she got Olympia back on normal TV (for us that don't have Sky!)

Any press for any equestrian sport gets my vote!

 

[siennamiller]

apparently she was shopping in primark the other day so she must be pretty down to earth!
It is so annoying when people slag off something they know nothing about!! Bloody guardian

 

[Weezy]

Just seen a piece on the news - Darren Clarke is tipped to win, Zara prob 2nd - I think we ALL need to call as many times as we can afford and try and tip the balance - the prob is that even non-golfers will vote for Darren as a sympathy vote as, without wanting to sound at all derogatory to what he had to go through, a sympathy vote is all it was (if you dont know, his wife died of cancer a few weeks before the Ryder Cup, which Europe went on to win) as usually the Ryder Cup team is in the team catagory (which no doubt they will be anyway)

Too many people think us riders are snobs

 

[AmyMay]

[ QUOTE ]
apparently she was shopping in primark the other day so she must be pretty down to earth!
It is so annoying when people slag off something they know nothing about!! Bloody guardian

[/ QUOTE ]
Can't imagine that there's anything 'down to earth' about her tbh. However, what she did was a fantastic achievement - and she should be applauded.

 

[siennamiller]

why not? Just because she is royal doesn't mean she can't be? I always imagined her mother to be quite tough and to take no prisoners and I think she would probably be the same

 

[Sooty]

Have to agree with you. Princess Anne insisted her children didn't have royal titles in order that they could make their own way in the world, and to an extent that is what they have had to do. They have obviously had significant advantages, but in Zara's case I really do think she is very grounded and ordinary.

 

[Agent XXX999]

Didnt she buy Toytown from the local pony club? I am sure they paid hardly anything for him. Its not like she bought herself a ready made international horse and went of to play at being an eventer - she has worked hard at it and clearly has the talent (something you cant buy regardless of your title)

I agree that she has raised the profile of all things equestrian and this should be applauded. She looks like a down to earth sort of girl and I know (from experience) you can never judge someone on the way they are portrayed in the media (especially if you read the Daily Mail)

 

[weevil]

I will be voting for her though I do think Darren Clarke will win.
I think it is very easy for non-horsey people to underestimate Zara's achievements compared to those of other high profile sportsmen.
And as for eventing not being a sport

IMO boxing should not be classed as a sport and I really object to having 2 boxers in the running for sports personality

 

[Twiglet]

Zara has sponsorship, and works hard to finance her eventing. Regardless of the family she was born into, she's not going to get her estimated running costs of £0.5m a year signed off as public expenditure!

I think she's tough and gutsy, and parents/money/privilege would only get someone so far - as we all know, it takes a hell of a lot of bottle and determination to succeed with horses, and to make European and World Champion shows a very rare talent.

 

[jemima]

Disgusted this morning to read in the Telegraph that "the Queen undoubtedly used her influence to ensure" that Princess Anne won it all those years ago. Umm I don't think so.

 

[suestowford]

[ QUOTE ]
Lurking on another board I saw a post regarding whether Zara Phillips, and how many people DIDN'T want her to win BBC Sports Personality of the Year (basically I think because she's royal).


[/ QUOTE ]

I think I know the board you mean, it strikes me that it's full of spite that board, so I'm not surprised by this.

I think she deserves to win, she has achieved a lot, and what's more, she has actually won something which is more than you can say for most British sportspeople. Also, she does have a personality (remember when they gave it to Steve Davis - a more dull person -at the time- it would have been hard to find?.

 

[Twiglet]

Yes, I think we're talking about the same board!
Quite sad really considering that Zara has probably achieved more with horses in her 25 years than most of the members of that board have in the entire lifetime.......mieow!

 

[no_no_nanette]

When we went to Ireland recently it was amazing how different the attitude to horsey people was, I couldn't believe it! Whereas here I've got used to the V signs when we are towing a trailer .... what IS people's problem over here??!!

totally agree that Zara deserves the award on her own merits - don't forget to vote on Sunday evening!

 

[magic104]

She could buy all the talent she liked, if she could not ride it would be a waste of money. Horses are not machines, therefore she has proved her merit. All we can do is vote if we feel she deserves it (which I do). If she wins it may just help get some more equestrian sports shown other then racing.

 

[Dogbetty141]

[ QUOTE ]
Lurking on another board (obviously not one with as many nice people as this one!) I saw a post regarding whether Zara Phillips, and how many people DIDN'T want her to win BBC Sports Personality of the Year (basically I think because she's royal).

Is this a general feeling?!

I just can't see why horsepeople wouldn't want the sport represented in such a public arena by such a successful young sportswoman! Regardless of whether she's royal, she's done incredibly well for herself and IMO should be applauded for it.

Opinions?

[/ QUOTE ]

I totally agree with you

 

[PapaFrita]

I like Zara. She's achieved what she has through hard work and deserves any and all accolades she gets. I don't really know about any of the other candidates for Sports Personality of the Year but I would like her to win because equestrianism doesn't get the recognition it deserves.

 

[dressagecrazy]

[ QUOTE ]
Lurking on another board (obviously not one with as many nice people as this one!) I saw a post regarding whether Zara Phillips, and how many people DIDN'T want her to win BBC Sports Personality of the Year (basically I think because she's royal).

Is this a general feeling?!

I just can't see why horsepeople wouldn't want the sport represented in such a public arena by such a successful young sportswoman! Regardless of whether she's royal, she's done incredibly well for herself and IMO should be applauded for it.

Opinions?

[/ QUOTE ]

I think Zara has done brilliantly i have voted and i wish her the best of luck. Anyone who can do all that she has done at her age deserves credit. Plus she has raised the profile of eventing in to the public eye which can't be bad in my book.

BTW i also know the board your talking about and i have earlier this week cancelled my account for that board. This just reliterates my doing so & im very very glad to be gone!!

Shame cause i used to like it, but i love it over here much more my kind of people & your all nice.

 

[Twiglet]

The problem is, that board in particular gives me such a giggle when I'm bored at work (particularly liked 'Is Twitching Illegal?' lol), and it makes me realise what a lovely place HHO is when I come back on here!

 

[dressagecrazy]

LOL 2310!!

 

[Agent XXX999]

Which board is it!

Please tell!