EMILE FAURIE ... TROI this may get interesting!!!!!!!

FREESTYLER

FREESTYLER

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Emile must have been reading my thoughts in this weeks H & H........ how true his comments are.......How to attract the public to dressage!!!!!!!! I must admit my thoughts did turn to dressage to music AND amazingly when I showed some "non horsey" people some videos of horses "dancing to music" they were amazed.......Wow, thats sooooo coooool!! Oh Look, he is dancing!! We would love to come and watch some of that!! It may not be "classical" BUT first you have to attract people.... then they get interested..want to know more... may get hooked.... may have LOADSA money, may not want to ride but spend their money in the sport, buy a horse, sponsor a rider etc... so they can be part of it etc..... blah blah...!!! The other thought I had is "Classical"..... the rider and horse are still classical, BUT they are dressing up for the audience... classical ballet... do they not get dressed up for performances?? Excuse me if I am wrong... not a ballet fanatic
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People want to see something they can relate to ... ie.. music.. everyone loves a bit of music? Yes? No?!!Add to it a performance by horse and rider...? Am I barking mad or do you agree??!! ... I would just like to hear peoples thoughts!! Or am I barking mad
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LOL!! Thanks Fatarse2!!!!!!! We need to do whatever we can to attract people.... well within limits!!!!

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How about adding some big fences and some big prizemoney....and perhaps even some betting
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I agree - the whole thing needs to be sold to the audience by making it a real 'show', the only thing is I guess, understanding the technical side and what the horses are doing may confuse some.
 
The who show and raszzamataze worries me though it's whats happening now and we get audiences booing when their favourite didn't win. The problem being that their favourite wash flashy but not doing correct dressage.
Surley this would just enocourage the flashy movers that are popular now but already it's proving that their health suffers for it.
 
I found his article really interesting - totally agree with we won't know if something's going to work unless it's tried and tested! I liked his comments about the scoring system
 
Thats already been talked about on eurodressage a while ago, heres a quote from the FEI site:

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SAFETY AT PRIZE GIVING CEREMONIES. Due to the increased safety risk for riders and horses, the International Dressage Riders Club (IDRC) proposed that new recommendations should be made for prize giving ceremonies and that only the first three placed riders should be in the line up. The remainder of placed riders (up to 6) could make a tour in walk, trot or canter whilst being presented by the speaker. A steward should always assist with the “parade” and /or line up. In addition the AIDEO and the FEI would inform organisers that in the interest of safety, they should not encourage very loud music at prize-givings

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Actually when i originally posted about prize-givings i hadn't realised the FEI had been considering changing them - i just happend to post it because i had read what happened to Anky. You never know, maybe people from the FEI read HHO
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You can certainly rely on Emile to make some challenging points!

There is ever growing support for Dresage to Music and, the fact that there is now a Restricted Section for Novice & Elementary at Championships, shows just how much it is growing.

However, there is a real issue of the "performance" taking over from the purity of the dressage. We see that all the time, the person who has the lively music and acts up to the crowd will gain their approval more easily than the rider with greater technical expertise but not as much pizazz. The two need to come together for the best answer.

The scoring comments were interesting and I'm sure will generate discussion amongst judges.

As for the prize giving - Hickstead trialled that at their CDIO this summer. It certainly made life easier for the top 3, who came in separately for a presentation and the anthem. However, a few of the riders in the lower placings, who paraded around the arena whilst their names were being announced, did seem to be having the same issues of keeping full control.

But the real issue is not participation, but audience. That's the bit that needs solving. How do we get people to come along and watch, and what do they want to see?
 
Yes, it is audience......maybe a questionnaire to "non" competitve horse lovers etc to ask what would entice them to come to a dressage event? Many people I talk to do not even know what dressage is... my local shop said I will have to come and watch you one day and have a bet on you!!! LOL!!! He thought it was similar to racing.... so maybe Rambo you are not far off!! LOL!!!

To be honest, I did use to find watching Jumping more exciting and dressage awfully boring as I did not know much about it etc... that is it I suppose.......one forward push is of course the scoring, especially on a large monitor etc. so that people can become involved. I know this would be an expense for some but again maybe BD and its members could get involved.... dinner and dance, auction (donations from top dressage riders etc...), demos... proceeds given back to a fund for BD to distribute to purchase monitors??? and or each BD area could use money to promote dressage... leaflets of up and coming "large" events to start with... with raffle ... prizes to meet winners and their horse... who would appear in local paper... am I rambling on!!!!!!!!

I think to be honest, people want to see something they can understand a little... take for instance.. cricket... NO OFFENCE OK!!! I know very little about it and hence I find it boring to watch... but if someone invited me to go and I have a leaftlet explaining a little about it.. then I would probably be more interested... nothing worse than watching something you dont understand.. bit like me trying to watch a programme in Italian... me no understandy!!! (I know a little French and now German...ya, das is gud!!)te he!!

So anyone else ideas? Anyone famous on here who is willing to participate... look, Jordan can do it... surely we as members of BD can.
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....???!!!!!!!! Then again maybe Jordan could help us in dressage!!!!!!!!!!!
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Freestyler, I think you've hit the nail on the head there - at the risk of being controversial, dressage is very dull to the untrained eye as all the horses are doing the same thing, over and over again and people have no idea what makes one better than the other. I know this because apart from the people I know on my yard and through here, I have no horsey friends and sometimes I subject them to my eventing videos! They all love the jumping parts and think the dressage is dull as ditchwater as they do not understand it.

Freestyle to music has far more public appeal as people can get more involved as to which is the better 'performance' even if they don't understand the technicalities.

Eventing draws crowds on the XC day because there is the chance someone will fall in the water and you might see a royal (don't laugh - my next door neighbour went to Badminton every year despite not being remotely horsey in the hope he'd see a Royal!)

So accessibility is an issue for those who don't understand the technicalities - perhaps at the start a commentary from a trainer showing what is and isn't bing looked for and why with one horse?
 
aHHHHH!! There is someone out there!!!

Thanks Spottedcat... and yup, it can be very boring if you do not know what you are looking for.. poor old hubby use to be bored "s...less"!!! until he understood a little...now he pokes his nose in too much!! LOL!!! My friends sister came to watch me at the Nationals, and they too LOVED the music... the rest... well, they kinda watched.. but LOVED the music, interpretation etc... (they are/were dancers and theatrical people)... so they really enjoyed the music even though they did not know that much... but yes, commentary would be good I think and some riders would say it may put them off... but if you are "in the zone" you will be oblivious to this.. then again... I heard a Judge say "6" when I was doing my test at the Winters and I thought "poo!" I will show you!! LOL!!! Even if commentary on what they are doing may help.. not necessarily how they are doing... if you know what I mean!! (who wants to be told they are riding poop in front of a crowd!!)LOL!!

Yes, " thrills, spills etc..."do bring a crowd... I know what you mean!! My hubby watches/participates in drag racing, and although we never want to see anyone hurt, they all wait eagerly for a cock up!!!

So, yup, I think commentary is a great idea....
 
Can't ride, don't ride but do watch Rosie eventing. I film as much as I can when I go because it helps her but must confess, dressage bit was boring, It's less so nowadays because I am actually beginning to understand what she's trying to achieve and can begin to appreciate a 'good' test.
I know eventing dressage is not the same as the real thing, but I think commentary is a great idea, so the audience understands what the judges are looking for. If people think it would interfere with the purity of the exercise then I think they have to accept that they will never get a big audience - we spectators are only human you know - lol.
Incidentally, due to being a bit daft (dyslexic), I keep reading Emile Faurie as email failure - sorry
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I am someone who doesn't really know much about dressage but I like to watch it and try to work out what each rider does differently, and try to see what effect what they do has on their horse. I think it would be really interesting to have someone commentating who not only knows what's going on, but can explain it to the audience.

I got really cross a few years back when watching some of the Badminton tv coverage. Clare Balding dismissed the whole dressage phase as 'strictly for the dedicated' and said 'all the tests look the same'. I did write to the BBC and suggest that maybe it was the job of the presenter to learn something about it and make it interesting, or get someone else to do it. Lately they might show a test or two but they have someone commentating who seems to say 'back to the hand' a lot (for example) without saying what on earth she means by that. This person (sorry can't remember who it is now) obviously knows what's happening but doesn't seem able to explain it properly.
 
I am adding one more voice for commentary and a shout for music
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I ADORE dressage to music and if it was connected somehow to some sort of commentary (maybe on screens?) then I think much more people would go. My non horsey friends loved it at Olympia last year. I am dragging my show jumping friend this year and I bet she will want to go next year without persuation!
Music and dressage are born for each other
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I am not sure about mad dressing up though as I wouldn't like to see dressage going down the 'circus' route.
 
Yes, music music music!!!!!

Another thing that came to mind, after speak to many people was what about Badminton? Dressage lost Goodwood, a great ground, great backdrop etc...... so what would be better than investing in an arena at Badminton, not just for dressage riders, but also S/J. Before Badminton actually took place, say 2 days before, Dressage could have a spot. Rest of the year, it could be used as a S/J venue/ Dressage? Badminton always creates a fab crowd, fab turnover, and where else to promote dressage? Yes, ultimately it would cost, doesnt everything... but surely you have to speculate to accumulate? Only another suggestion........!!!!!!!!

Also....full of it tonight eh??!!! Although some may feel it a "circus" feeling, someone I know went to Germany and attended a dressage sale, BUT it was like a family day out....in between dressage sales there were other "horse" shows, ie, again dressage to music, tricks on horseback, dancers with horses, etc.... etc... I know this could not be done at your local event!! BUT more major events could possibly do this together with advertising such events locally/Nationally incorporating other small shows to attract people... get them involved.. educate them a little so they understood a little, add a little commentary, even have a play back on large video showing some movements and what they were, what Judges wanted to see... ie. a horse getting a 5 and a horse getting an 8.......audiences have to be involved in what is going on........otherwise they will get bored... S/J is simple for the audience, they knock a fence, refuse.. etc... they know that is not good... they are out etc.....In dressage they see a horse going round in a big arena trotting, cantering and not knowing what is good/excellent/not so good etc......!!!!!!!
 
Ps. I see where people are coming from with regard to music, and the audience thinking some are better than others because of their music etc..and may turn into a circus ie. those that look "flashing but not working correctly but music got the audience going... but that is where commentary comes into play. there could be a short commentary before ......ie. fab music will not always win because the horse has to be in rhythm to the music, look closely at the way the horse is moving etc...... etc.........
 
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