Cheating or just well prepared ??

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Michellehenry

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A number of us from our livery yard were due to take place in an arena ODE the other week. When I went to the venue the afternoon before to pay my entry I saw one of competitors from our yard going over the SJ and XC course for the following day. She had hired out the venue taking her instructor and the Instructor who was with the competitor was taking the horse over the jumps , especially the scary XC ones before the owner. There were several refusals but they kept going over each of the jumps and the course until no refusals.

This person came 2nd the following morning. I am not sure whether this was just good preparation or whether doing the actual jumps and course several times over the afternoon before the competition was cheating. What do you think ??
 
Personally is preparation not cheating!
I had this all the other week when I took place in a clients dressage test at the yard I ride at. Now, I teach there as well, BUT I also pay to have lessons. I ride Horlicks every weekend to help the yard, as they have too many horses that need more work, so coming up to dressage I was able to practice it, whereas the others could only practice it in their heads and when they had a lesson.
I cam e first and had a few comments about not doing it on Horlicks next time, and that I am too experienced to take part! My argument is, it all come down to the day, and it only takes the horse (or rider) to make a mistake and it all goes wrong!!
There was nothing stopping other competitors to hire out the course and practice first.
 
Definitely not right. It is not allowed in BE rules to practice over the course within 14 (I think) days of a competition. What possible satisfaction did it give that person to come second by doing that?

Of course it's not "cheating" unless the rules say so, and I partly blame the arena owner for wanting the income from letting people practice over the course.
 
I don't think its right that close to the competition date, however I wouldn't say its cheating, just giving yourself an unfair advantage.
But then again maybe thats the very essence of cheating.

Hmm
 
I don't know whether it counts as cheating but personally I can't see the benefit - ok they came second at this event but they aren't going to able to do this every time, and this won't teach the horse to be brave and deal with fences they haven't seen before.

I wouldn't get much satisfaction out of a place if I'd done that TBH.
 
I think dressage & xc/sj are totally different so don't worry on that score. Actually jumping the same course you are jumping the next day is out of order esp. if your horse is difficult and you get your instructor to get it over the hard fences. Way, way out of order!!! I'd be livid.
 
Cheating, she & her instructor should have known better.

The venue should not have allowed it either.
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The BE rule only applies where a course is not open for schooling to ALL competitors. A lot of centres dont close the XC course until 5 days prior and then just to allow the course to be prepared.
If the particular venue would have allowed anyone to hire the course then no, not cheating as everyone had the same opportunity. If however, it was only availableto the instructor then deffinitely out of order.
 
End of the day if its some local RC type ODE that was run at a competition centre and they have allowed people to use the jumps/same course the day before then I wouldn't have a problem with it.

I wouldn't see it as cheating personally but yes they no doubt would be at an advantage having ridden the course the day before but then again if there is nothing to say you can't go the following day to practice then their not really breaking any rules, it should of been down to the organisers to liase with the competition centre to prevent people hiring out the course.

Also sometimes some horses which can be very difficult and I mean head cases, can really benefit from going to the same venue the day before so they settle and don't spoil the following day, its very frustrating when you know a horse is capable of doing the jumps etc but acts up just because its a strange place, sometimes its not about a rider trying to cheat, its more about trying to get the best ....even if its just getting your horse in settled and in the ring, its not always about winning.
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I honestly don't know about this one.
I don't think it was right so close to the event. But on the other hand I am going to a BSJA venue next weekend with the full intention of popping my boy around a couple of classes to get him used to the indoor arena and jumps before I have my amateur second round the week after at the same venue.
 
If the option was there to everyone to hire it and have a go then I see no problem with it.
I put it down to good preperation.
I got moaned at by another livery when Is tarted winning the weekly dressage quite often, she was supposedly DIY turned up once in a blue moon and rarley rode them complained that I beat her.
If you put the effort in then you sometimes get to reap the rewards. Other times the horse still buries you in the dirt.
Could be the girl/horse knew they were going to be in trouble so needed the day before confidence boost.
 
Our yard build sj/working hunter courses the day before a competition and once built no one is allowed to school over them.

I think that is fair.

Of course liveries and school horses have an advantage as they are familiar with the fences and the surroundings but not a lot can be done about that.

I think jumping the exact course the day before a competition is unfair.
 
Wow, that is a lot of money to outlay for a 2nd place rosette?

I am very surprised at the venue hiring out the course BEFORE the competition too.

I would say it's like having a preview of an exam paper, so cheating IMO!
 
Jumping the exact course the day before is a bit off, especially if flags have been put out and fences numbered etc. However the course I go to to do hunter trials hires out the course (it's always closed the week before an event though) and as it's always the same course you can school over the fences you know you'll need to do.
 
[ QUOTE ]
A number of us from our livery yard were due to take place in an arena ODE the other week. When I went to the venue the afternoon before to pay my entry I saw one of competitors from our yard going over the SJ and XC course for the following day. She had hired out the venue taking her instructor and the Instructor who was with the competitor was taking the horse over the jumps , especially the scary XC ones before the owner. There were several refusals but they kept going over each of the jumps and the course until no refusals.

This person came 2nd the following morning. I am not sure whether this was just good preparation or whether doing the actual jumps and course several times over the afternoon before the competition was cheating. What do you think ??

[/ QUOTE ]

CHEATING - AND VERY DISHONOURABLE.
I would check with The BHS as to the pros and cons of this question. I assume the Instructor involved is BHS qualified? The BHS might just like a word or two with this person. Anyway, look on it that the person who then came 2nd in her class, cannot take the full credit for her position, can she? Good luck with The BHS.
 
Id say probably a bit underhand but good preparation.
Prestige Dressage allow you to hire out the arena in the days up to the event, when its all dressed up. It does give you an unfair advantage but they are allowing it.
 
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