COMMENTARY ON DRESSAGE OLYMPICS

[Anastasia]

Jennie Loristan Clarke has given SUPERB commentary on the dressage tonight. And its amazing when an International judge of her calibre says that it is hard for a British rider to receive an 8 in International competition!!

 

[teapot]

Am watching it now - find her commentary fantastic to listen to

 

[Hollycat]

Bah - no olympics for me as no sky. On a broader note, I think dressage marking is becoming tougher and tougher. A friend wrote for a judge recently - it was an Inter II and the riders were getting marked SOOO harshly. In contrast the eventing dressage at the olympics seemed to be judged in a really encouraging way which I thought was nice

Some of the movements a 'pure' dressage judge I suspect would give a 1 or a 2 were getting a 4 or 5 which lets people know there is work to be done but does not make attaining a 9 unrealistic if people do a really fab movement.

 

[LeneHorse]

Have just watched online for 3 hours. Jennie LC has been a superb commentator. Did you see Isabell Werth's horse throwing a tantrum? Yet she still went on to have the highest score. It just goes to show its true when they say if something goes wrong forget about it and ride the rest of your test - its only one set of marks. Wonder who'll come out on top on Tuesday?

 

[spaniel]

I have loved Jennies commentary thus far, thank you Jennie, and please, having told us you have, potentially, run up a credit card bill on the shopping front....what did you buy!!!!!??????

 

[Hollycat]

Where did you see it online? Is it only live or is it 'stored' so I could watch it now?

 

[Murphy3]

I've learned so much from listening to her talking about the horses' way of going and she is so positive. I must keep an eye out to see if she ever comes over here - would love to hear her in person.

Re olympic tests: everything that can go wrong goes wrong even at that level - makes me feel a lot better about my own efforts.

 

[cefyl]

JLC's commentary was a joy to listen to. Unbiased, honest, and informative.

On the other hand - Mike Tucker (I think it was him, please correct me if not) is sounding like the Murray Walker of the equestrian world. For those who do not get that analogy Murray Walker was a long long (toooooo long) commentator for F1 racing who kept getting drivers names wrong, cars wrong, tracks wrong, and so on.

 

[wishfulthinking]

Mike Tucker really annoys me, it drives me mad listening to him.

 

[Oldred]

Yes, what a difference it makes to have informed commentary from JLC with the marks as well! I've got about 9 hours of dressage on tape now which are more like instructional videos! Not that I'm ever likely to be competing at those levels but I can dream.

Here's question for dressage buffs. We Brits are getting soo much better (I remember watching international dressage 20 years ago) but, it STILL looks like the winning tests are those where the horse looks much more powerful and forward, contained impulsion and thrust. Why don't we produce that if that's what wins? Our riders are good enough and now we have the horses.

 

[skewbaldpony]

Mike Tucker can't even get place names right. In the jumping he kept tallking about a competition which had been held in 'Rio Dinner Jeero'.
I didn't see yesterday's dressage - previously, I had thought JLC was good for the in crowd, but absolutely hopeless for anyone watching who knew nothing about dressage, or even horses, but would like to learn.
We spent the day with DH's parents and rest of family, and they are typical sport lovers - during the Olympics, they start off knowing nothing about anything except the Football and the Tennis, but by now are confidently commenting on the hockey, the diving, the archery .... but not the dressage, since they can't understand a word of the commentary!!!