Badminton XC coverage is not live via the BBC red button this year

[RachelFerd]

Off topic but that record makes interesting reading. Stepped up to I and did ok first 3 (though A Le W is an easy course at lower levels. Don’t know if that’s true at higher levels.) Then faulted XC or E 3 times in a row. Back to N and 60 XC pens 3 times in a row and sold. Doing ok at BE100 with a junior. But clearly not an ‘5*, Olympics and more’ horse.

Those weren't its first Is.... did a few before, had a horse fall at Aston, went back to Novice for lots of runs, went back up to 3* and did well, then did the next 3 Is, then went south again. Three horse falls is worrying in a career like that though. Now with Bill Levett's son by the looks of it - so not like its gone to an amateur or novicey junior home.

 

[teapot]

Thought streaming quality was absolutely fine all afternoon but maybe that’s just luck?

Scores are more like a Friday than a Thursday which is great to see!

 

[RachelFerd]

Thought streaming quality was absolutely fine all afternoon but maybe that’s just luck?

Scores are more like a Friday than a Thursday which is great to see!

Yep, no issues here either despite having no electricity for a while and having to stream off a phone hotspot!

 

[Ample Prosecco]

Anyone watching again? I am proof reading the final draft of a book so doing this more or less guilt free!

 

[Ample Prosecco]

Though if errors make it into print, I’ll blame Badders.

 

[TheMule]

I'm watching- still quite glitchy here with slo-mo then speeding up. Such a shame if it's like this tomorrow ?

 

[billylula]

Off topic but that record makes interesting reading. Stepped up to I and did ok first 3 (though A Le W is an easy course at lower levels. Don’t know if that’s true at higher levels.) Then faulted XC or E 3 times in a row. Back to N and 60 XC pens 3 times in a row and sold. Doing ok at BE100 with a junior. But clearly not an ‘5*, Olympics and more’ horse.

Poor horse. Looking at its record it could do with a year off and then stay at 90/100.

 

[Ample Prosecco]

What is really heartening is that these are the best event riders in the world on the best horses. And THEY jog in the walk, come above the bit, anticipate a change, get tight, are insecure in the contact. Perhaps I can forgive myself for my errors and be less self critical about my dressage

 

[Ample Prosecco]

ISH with no recorded breeding in now. Does that mean he’s quality bred but paperwork not done or literally that he was not bred to be a performance horse? If the latter, how common is that snd how do these horses get found? Could there be sll sorts of potential super stars with owners who have no idea they are sat on potential 5* horses!!

 

[Honey08]

wonder what the people who helped her but him made of that! But I guess horses often don’t fulfil their apparent potential

I’d have thought people crowd funding would have mostly done it to help EK stay up there, if it has to be sold to fund a better horse, so be it.. I put money in for Jonty and Art, who never really did anything due to the accident. I really wouldn’t have minded seeing the horse go to someone else and keep competing.

 

[Honey08]

Ps, re the scoreboard not showing scores, it was pretty sticky yesterday, and stopped frequently. I felt sorry for some of the badminton newbies that probably didn’t even get photos of themselves doing their test in front of their own name.

 

[Michen]

Funny about the french rider doing someting to the noseband before the tack check!

 

[Ample Prosecco]

I saw Jonty and Art as very different. He made the horse and was already successful on him and it was a glorious horse-human love affair! I was happy to donate to that and love seeing how well Art is now doing in helping Jonty recover.

If people wanted to support EK’s career, fair enough. But why her over anyone else?? She barely knew the horse. And surely every rider comes across exciting young prospects they would love to buy but just can’t. Why was this horse any different?

 

[Ample Prosecco]

Just curious incidentally - no judgements here! Generosity is always noble. I just wonder what the impulse to help was.

 

[Honey08]

I guess they just liked her?
She looked so like her mum yesterday, now she’s getting older, it was uncanny!

 

[Supertrooper]

Wow go Laura and Dan, score of 21

 

[Ample Prosecco]

Wow go Laura and Dan, score of 21

Amazing! Lovely test

 

[TPO]

I saw Jonty and Art as very different. He made the horse and was already successful on him and it was a glorious horse-human love affair! I was happy to donate to that and love seeing how well Art is now doing in helping Jonty recover.

If people wanted to support EK’s career, fair enough. But why her over anyone else?? She barely knew the horse. And surely every rider comes across exciting young prospects they would love to buy but just can’t. Why was this horse any different?

It was all the false promises that got my back up (& her doing a go fund me in the first place already had).

She guaranteed that this horse was a star and knew he had thr quality. She promises people behind the scenes access, to meet him, course walks, regular updates and to come to Badminton with him.

So she clearly hasn't upheld her side of the deal!

The whole thing was really crass and bad taste imo

 

[PipsqueakXy22]

I’d have thought people crowd funding would have mostly done it to help EK stay up there, if it has to be sold to fund a better horse, so be it.. I put money in for Jonty and Art, who never really did anything due to the accident. I really wouldn’t have minded seeing the horse go to someone else and keep competing.

I agree that id rather him go to a suitable home but i remember thinking at the time how on earth could she make claims that this horse can make it to the top when she barely knew him and he only had a record of up to BE100, possibly Novice, at the time she was crowd funding. It was a pretty bold claim which I remember she was very adamant about this horses abilities, when now it is evident he hasnt even come close... just seemed like a way to get people to pay for a horse because she wanted it... I also think the Jonty situation was very different, as this was one of his only shots at 5* and like someone else said Art was already a proven horse. Had it not been for Jonty's bad fall he mightve still had a couple more 5* with Art but I was so pleased that he managed to keep the horse he had ridden for a long time and built a partnership that clearly meant a lot to him, with whom he is still competing with albeit at a lower level

 

[Honey08]

Yes the Jonty situation was very different, they were an established partnership and I wanted to help them stay together, but people can decide for themselves what they do with their money. I seem to be unusual in that I really don’t enjoy watching him ride Art at lower levels. While he was finding his feet again I found the videos of him jumping Art quite difficult to watch.

 

[DirectorFury]

I saw Jonty and Art as very different. He made the horse and was already successful on him and it was a glorious horse-human love affair! I was happy to donate to that and love seeing how well Art is now doing in helping Jonty recover.

If people wanted to support EK’s career, fair enough. But why her over anyone else?? She barely knew the horse. And surely every rider comes across exciting young prospects they would love to buy but just can’t. Why was this horse any different?

I completely went off EK after she was done for drink driving and her public statement showed absolutely no remorse and was clearly just bitter that she'd been caught. I got a distinct impression that she didn't think she'd done anything wrong. I don't know how people justified giving her money after that!

 

[Honey08]

I think most of us did at the time, but it was a long time ago, she was a kid.. I completely went off Harry Meade when he flogged a tired horse round Burghley until it fell when he was young. But he’s grown up, been forgiven. I think EK was quite a privileged young lady and people took a massive dislike, but people never seem to want to get over it with her. I feel a bit sorry for her, she can never do right for doing wrong. Is it because she’s female? I just enjoy watching her ride, don’t judge too much.

 

[MuddyMonster]

Who is this commentating at the moment? Really enjoying it - I feel like I've learnt lots from her!

 

[AShetlandBitMeOnce]

Now I'm not saying this to beat down pure dressage or anything of the sort, it's a joyful sport when it goes right but I think I enjoy eventing dressage so much more as the horses generally look happier.

There were comments from the commentator that 'x' horse just dips his nose behind the vertical when he is tense, whereas in pure dressage it's a daily occurance to highly score a horse who has clearly never been ridden anything close to the vertical or above it. The horses aren't bitted right up in double bridles and super tight nosebands whilst foaming at the mouth, there's less tension/pain in the horses faces, they are focused on correct riding and anyone can score those top points and not only the far flung spider legs and it's just generally more palateable at the higher levels I think.

I think top level pure dressage, in some ways, is taking a not so nice turn in terms of what is being rewarded. And I am saying that as someone who leans towards dressage being the focus when I have had my own horses in the past.

 

[TheMule]

Who is this commentating at the moment? Really enjoying it - I feel like I've learnt lots from her!

Kylie Roddy

 

[PipsqueakXy22]

I think most of us did at the time, but it was a long time ago, she was a kid.. I completely went off Harry Meade when he flogged a tired horse round Burghley until it fell when he was young. But he’s grown up, been forgiven. I think EK was quite a privileged young lady and people took a massive dislike, but people never seem to want to get over it with her. I feel a bit sorry for her, she can never do right for doing wrong. Is it because she’s female? I just enjoy watching her ride, don’t judge too much.

I dont think it has anything to do with being female at all many of the top respected and most popular event riders are also female.

 

[Ample Prosecco]

I’m happy they consider 10 ‘young’ and therefore not yet physically developed. Lottie is 10 so that gives me hope that there could be a lot more to come from her.

 

[milliepops]

Now I'm not saying this to beat down pure dressage or anything of the sort, it's a joyful sport when it goes right but I think I enjoy eventing dressage so much more as the horses generally look happier.

There were comments from the commentator that 'x' horse just dips his nose behind the vertical when he is tense, whereas in pure dressage it's a daily occurance to highly score a horse who has clearly never been ridden anything close to the vertical or above it. The horses aren't bitted right up in double bridles and super tight nosebands whilst foaming at the mouth, there's less tension/pain in the horses faces, they are focused on correct riding and anyone can score those top points and not only the far flung spider legs and it's just generally more palateable at the higher levels I think.

I think top level pure dressage, in some ways, is taking a not so nice turn in terms of what is being rewarded. And I am saying that as someone who leans towards dressage being the focus when I have had my own horses in the past.

i'm not wanting to start a dicipline war... eventing was my first love after all... but the 5* test is equivalent to an easy-ish advanced medium. watch some fairly easy AM tests at BD and i think you will see horses having a much easier time than at GP, because it's a trifling effort by comparison

 

[AShetlandBitMeOnce]

i'm not wanting to start a dicipline war... eventing was my first love after all... but the 5* test is equivalent to an easy-ish advanced medium. watch some fairly easy AM tests at BD and i think you will see horses having a much easier time than at GP, because it's a trifling effort by comparison

I absolutely agree with you however, I don't think that any of the things I mentioned in my post are made acceptable just because it's a harder test, other than perhaps holding more tension/focus in the face.

 

[Bobthecob15]

I completely went off EK after she was done for drink driving and her public statement showed absolutely no remorse and was clearly just bitter that she'd been caught. I got a distinct impression that she didn't think she'd done anything wrong. I don't know how people justified giving her money after that!

100% agree with this, she was 19..old enough to know the law, no exceptions. People do make mistakes but like you say, the attitude she showed was really poor...which was then reflected on by the subsequent updated apology when she realised she was probably going to lose all her sponsors. That's what people seem to take issue with. I do enjoy watching her ride though, she is very good.