Shadowdancing
Well-Known Member
I'm not particularly competitive, but I've been around horse shows a lot, mainly watching others compete. I've seen some things going on that I felt were not very sporting, but hey, like I say I'm not competing, maybe it's just me.
I thought it might be interesting to discuss what is and what isn't acceptable in this area, and share some of the incidents we've experienced and bemoan why it happens at all...!!
1- Went to a local show, pretty small. Last class was the down and out. The only one with prize money. Several riders went in for it, including a guy who'd rocked up late in the biggest horsebox I'd seen and was clearly pretty much a professional. However, this guy, apparently a friend of the organiser, sat out the first 5-6 rounds till everyone else was out, then came in and jumped 2 rounds, winning... how was that fair exactly?
2- blocking practice jumps. I've seen this happen twice now, once where a woman had her daughter warm up by circling the practice jumps making it impossible for anyone to use them and said they wouldn't be long when asked to move, and another time where, once they were finished warming up, two riders parked up right in front of the jumps and got into an indepth conversation which apparently made them deaf to requests to move... is this a known tactic?
3- avoiding going first in the jump off- so 3 riders in jump off, one had two horses so had just moved to her second, the first didn't get into the jump off. Member of rider 3's entourage actually went to get her and send her in first even though rider 3 was actually the first one to go clear. Rider 3 then wandered away from entrance and entourage hooked and sent second rider in next so she could go last! I willed organiser to say something but they didn't seem to notice and were too busy chatting.
Soo those are some of my examples.. are they bad sportsmanship or is it just what happens... anyone got any examples of their own.
I thought it might be interesting to discuss what is and what isn't acceptable in this area, and share some of the incidents we've experienced and bemoan why it happens at all...!!
1- Went to a local show, pretty small. Last class was the down and out. The only one with prize money. Several riders went in for it, including a guy who'd rocked up late in the biggest horsebox I'd seen and was clearly pretty much a professional. However, this guy, apparently a friend of the organiser, sat out the first 5-6 rounds till everyone else was out, then came in and jumped 2 rounds, winning... how was that fair exactly?
2- blocking practice jumps. I've seen this happen twice now, once where a woman had her daughter warm up by circling the practice jumps making it impossible for anyone to use them and said they wouldn't be long when asked to move, and another time where, once they were finished warming up, two riders parked up right in front of the jumps and got into an indepth conversation which apparently made them deaf to requests to move... is this a known tactic?
3- avoiding going first in the jump off- so 3 riders in jump off, one had two horses so had just moved to her second, the first didn't get into the jump off. Member of rider 3's entourage actually went to get her and send her in first even though rider 3 was actually the first one to go clear. Rider 3 then wandered away from entrance and entourage hooked and sent second rider in next so she could go last! I willed organiser to say something but they didn't seem to notice and were too busy chatting.
Soo those are some of my examples.. are they bad sportsmanship or is it just what happens... anyone got any examples of their own.