European eventing championships

TheOldTrout

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Is a time faults competition good for the sport though, discuss.
Good question. I think there's a balance to be had between testing jumping ability (as well as speed) and making a course offputtingly and dangerously difficult. Was it after the Rio Olympic cross country that someone on here said something about none of the horses would be feeling that they enjoyed their job? Which is my incoherent way of saying that although the course should be testing it should be fair.
 

Parrotperson

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Good question. I think there's a balance to be had between testing jumping ability (as well as speed) and making a course offputtingly and dangerously difficult. Was it after the Rio Olympic cross country that someone on here said something about none of the horses would be feeling that they enjoyed their job? Which is my incoherent way of saying that although the course should be testing it should be fair.

agreed. It should be fair. But there are no questions being asked here really. Not even a stop. And just as I said that someone stopped!
But it’s not quite what Mike etherington-smith would’ve wanted I think.
 

Denbob

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agreed. It should be fair. But there are no questions being asked here really. Not even a stop. And just as I said that someone stopped!
But it’s not quite what Mike etherington-smith would’ve wanted I think.

I might be being cynical and overreaching so bear with me, but after the horse death at Tokyo (although we all know it wasn't a jumping fall) and the absolute shocker that was modern pentathlon SJ (which is outside the remit of eventing obviously but still) do you think there's been some discussions about trying to avoid anything that might cause too many issues for the general image of equestrian sport?

This is not meant to discredit the riders/horses in any way at all, it's still a 4* track and I have the utmost respect for all involved!
 

Parrotperson

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I might be being cynical and overreaching so bear with me, but after the horse death at Tokyo (although we all know it wasn't a jumping fall) and the absolute shocker that was modern pentathlon SJ (which is outside the remit of eventing obviously but still) do you think there's been some discussions about trying to avoid anything that might cause too many issues for the general image of equestrian sport?

This is not meant to discredit the riders/horses in any way at all, it's still a 4* track and I have the utmost respect for all involved!

In short no. Simply because they wouldn’t have had time to think about what happened in Tokyo. no I just think there’s a huge gap between 4* and 5*
And this does look…..well on the easier side of 4*.
I went to burgham where Izzy won on monkeying around and that was harder imho.
 

NinjaPony

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Makes such a difference having decent commentary. Definitely a 'softer' course but feel I'm learning a lot from Tina and it's nice to see some really smooth rounds from our top riders.
 

Denbob

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In short no. Simply because they wouldn’t have had time to think about what happened in Tokyo. no I just think there’s a huge gap between 4* and 5*
And this does look…..well on the easier side of 4*.
I went to burgham where Izzy won on monkeying around and that was harder imho.

That's fair enough, like I said was probably a reach!
 

Parrotperson

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Ah. Mike etherington smith only brought in six weeks ago to sort out what was obviously a problem with the course. (Can hear him now!) saying he didn’t have enough time to basically make it a proper course by the sound of it. Interesting. The organisers obviously knew it wasn’t up to standard.
 

TheOldTrout

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agreed. It should be fair. But there are no questions being asked here really. Not even a stop. And just as I said that someone stopped!
But it’s not quite what Mike etherington-smith would’ve wanted I think.
There's been 2 stops, a broken frangible pin and a rider fall since we started this discussion. Forum curse??
 

elizabeth1

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Yes well Lucinda blaming Covid for it is just. ?????
But if that relates to preparing a championship course,she does have a point. It was a late decision to run these championships and in usual times a venue has a couple of years to plan the course. I think this one might have been done in six months or less.
 

teapot

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But if that relates to preparing a championship course,she does have a point. It was a late decision to run these championships and in usual times a venue has a couple of years to plan the course. I think this one might have been done in six months or less.

It can be done well though - look at Bicton, both at 4* and 5* level.
 

elizabeth1

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It can be done well though - look at Bicton, both at 4* and 5* level.
Bicton had a tremendous advantage though with Helen West at the helm for the first event snd her husband Andrew Fell at the second , with all their years of event management, including Andrew’s family experience at Ballindenisk!
 

elizabeth1

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Bicton had a tremendous advantage though with Helen West at the helm for the first event snd her husband Andrew Fell at the second , with all their years of event management, including Andrew’s family experience at Ballindenisk!
Come to think of it, perhaps Bicton could hold a European championships!
 

teapot

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Bicton had a tremendous advantage though with Helen West at the helm for the first event snd her husband Andrew Fell at the second , with all their years of event management, including Andrew’s family experience at Ballindenisk!

European Championships aren't put together by pony clubbers though. The FEI have enough of their own event management experience!
 
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