First comp report from France!

Booboos said:
rara007: yes, they are completely shooting themselves in the foot with it! What do they care about the horse's breeding if it has talent? In reality it is there to protect the French studbook (and therefore French breeding business), but it's being challenged in the EU (with respect to foal registration but it may have repercussions for competitions as well). Thanks!
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To defend the French a little bit (yes really) all this regulation has traditionally been tied into the larger scheme of horse sports being funded by the government, Team riders having to ride French bred horses etc. Apparently all horse "profits" including the equivalent of Tote money, does (or used to, my info is quite old) go into a common pot so they have a lot invested in keeping foreigners out and horses either in or tracked. It's protectionist legislation like exists for agriculture as the real business is breeding not hobby competition.

It will obviously get struck down by EU regs in the same way many agrictultural quotas have been but it did have some point originally. Other countries have similar legislation.
 
TELL THEM ABOUT THE MEDICAL CERTIFICATE BOOBOOS!!

and I reckon the FFE and its marvellous computer system is funded by the above, ie, money from racing going into the PMU, rather than bookmakers profits.
As an aside, money in small amounts is awarded if your horse becomes a Cheval de Loisir,( trained to be an allround riding horse,)
or, a young Arab showing promise in , say, Endurance events.
There would be many more examples of how the "State" supports the horse world.

Anyway, I digress from your report !
 
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Tarrsteps: you may well be correct, I have no idea where it comes from, but the end result nowadays is problematic. The French are extremely protectionist in a variety of ways. I know of a few BHS qualified instructors who cannot teach in France as their qualifications are not recognised. 20 months in and I am STILL trying to matriculate my lorry, I won't even tell you what I have already gone through for that. I met an English bloke at the garage yesterday who's been trying with his lorry for two years and we nearly cried on each other's shoulder! :D Now they seem to be asking that the company that made the lorry 10 years ago comes to certify the body!
The barriers are real and difficult to overcome.

JCWHITE: :D OK, you need a medical certificate pronouncing you fit to ride to even look at a horse. I visited the GP 7 months pregnant for the first one, first time he had ever seen me and he just signed one for me without checking anything. Second year he signed it without even looking at me, the secretary dealt with it. It's a money making paper trail - just like Greece. Just like the vet who turned up to look at my passport and sign a form in French before the horses could be registered.
 
Booboos, I've been reading all your trials and tribulations and I must admit, I can't believe how difficult it is. Here I've been whinging away about the fact that now that I've joined BD that I have to get permission from USEF to compete (and to drop from group 3 to group 8 where I should be) at a cost of an additional $55 to do so. It really irks me to have to pay the USEF for a membership in order for them to say that I've never been a member, so that BD will allow me to compete at the correct level.

After reading all your nonsense about competing in France (not YOUR nonsense, but the French nonsense...) I will now happily post the $55 and correct application forms without another word of complaint!
 
strangely a lot of the language of dressage is french, but perhaps from times gone by.

considering the amount of complicated stuff they force on everyone, they rarely clean the droppings off the fields and seem to ride most horses in draw reins and break in a 2 1/2 years, priority review would be a good idea.

even at the lowest levels as far as i know they have to do sitting trot, a completely counter-productive approach to my mind, as it stops the horses going forward.

some of the reason for excluding none or semi-papered horses and on occassions fully papered cross bred horses that we would accept as normal, is to enable them to track the successful competition lines, in effect it can also excude part breds, which is a great pity as the different breeds have much to offer.

any vehicle that does not conform is best sold in the country of origin, and buy another within france already reg, a bit like the horses really!!
 
PucciNPoni: it is a nuissance to have to pay extra in such cases but I think overall BD is quite well organised and their rules make sense.

tristar: yes all tests are sitting trot (my nemesis!). I had to do trot on a long rein for 10m on a circle for this test and it really doesn't work in sitting trot. Spurs are also obligatory which is another weird one, especially as no one seems to know about the rubber ones.
Nothing wrong with the vehicle, I've had it since new, it's just another paperwork nightmare! There is no way I am buying a French horsebox - crap quality, insane prices!
 
Have PMed you re the trainer :)

Another french "funny", i went into 3 banks at xmas time to change up a 500euro note, i was told by each of them that they dont have cash on the premises, umm hello you are banks!!!!!! :)
 
Oh, I was not making light of your adventures, Booboos - French bureaucracy is a special kind of hell!!!!!

It was just to the more general comment that they are doing it just to be annoying. That's just an added bonus for them! ;)
 
Allover: thank you! Funnily enough I had the same problem! The bank kept asking me where I got the note from (erhhhh another bank?!) and they had to call the manager down to inspect it!

TarrSteps: I like the French today. Our planning application came through yesterday and we didn't even have to sacrifice our firstborn.
 
Booboos, this was super to read :D Well done on getting out there and on all yours 7s! :)
I can't believe there are no shows at all in July and only one in August. Could you travel further perhaps?

Booboos said:
Just to give you a brief flavour of what I had to go through, just for my competition license I had to send in copies of my ID, bank identity verification document, signed forms, copy of my UK comp record and doctor's certificate. All this had to be validated by my RC and it's still not all in order as I appear to be missing verification of the equivalance of the French exams...
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You mean you got your medical certificate just by turning up??? :eek: In Italy we have to go to a specialist Sports Medicine Dr (EVERY SINGLE YEAR!!) and undergo the torture of several minutes of steps (can't remember the rate of steps per minute but it's tough ;) ) immediately followed by an ECG *rolls eyes*

NOT FAIR!! :p
 
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Really enjoyed reading your comp report, and great pics too! The french system sounds totally random, so well done for even getting there :D
 
FrodoBeutlin: thank you! It's really difficult to go further away because of the baby. She is (still!!) a total boob-monster! Ahh, I feel better now, the Italian Equestrian Federation clearly makes you suffer more!

whorls: thank you!

MrsMozart: thank you! (I love 'm'duck' btw! I used to be called 'duckie' all the time when we lived in Staffs!).
 
How mad! :eek: :eek: I know the Germans like to tangle everyone in red tape, but this sounds far far far worse. Well done, anyway, on getting there and on getting a stack of 7s. That sounds promising for once the equiivorous speaker isn't there! :D
 
Oh man, the French and their rules!
I am lucky that I passed the French exams when I was younger, and I obsessively keep hold of my licence number (final exam taken in 1995 I think it was) just in case I ever need it LOL! Indoctrinated or what?!
 
well first of all yipeee for getting to the comp! Must have felt nice getting out and about again! Second of all thank you for making me feel slightly better about England. I have seriously been thinking of leaving this damp windy mist hole for somewhere the sun shines... At least we have nice shows and indoor schools and rubber arenas on the doorstep though I suppose! For a country that came 25th best in the world to live I suppose that IS something?! ;) :p
Well done for your mark, I think that is really good especially since you haven't been out for a while and it did sound a very spooky place! Enjoy your sunshine, wine and shorter working hours as I am sure August and the next competition will be around before you know it :).
 
First, congratulations on your biggest achievement - actually getting out to a competition in France :) Anything else is just a bonus ... We travel up to three hours for shows from Haute Savoie and we still only have one comp in July and none in August! Because so many of the French go away for long holidays in August, any comps held just don't get the entries (round here anyway).

I am extremely jealous of your instructor! I am desperately searching for someone to have lessons with, but all in vain so far!

The important thing is that he got some really good marks when he wasn't avoiding the speakers of doom :)
 
It must be lovely to be back out competing :)

I do like your grey, shame about the spook but these things happen don't they. Well done though!

Can't believe they don't compete during the winter and you have to have all that just to register- they do take it seriously don't they :eek:

Look forward to more comp reports from France!
 
MissTyc: I don't blame you! Keep your license in triplicate in the bank!!!!!!!!!!

Firewell: thank you! I have to admit that the sunshine makes up for a lot of crap! We're getting a little pool for the summer so I can jump straight in after riding! How cool is that?

JGC: thank you! Where you are it would almost make sense to pop to Germany for lessons!

SummerxStarsx: it is, I did miss it, speakers and all! Compared to the UK it's a massive let down, but what can you do?!
 
Booboos said:
MissTyc: I don't blame you! Keep your license in triplicate in the bank!!!!!!!!!!

Firewell: thank you! I have to admit that the sunshine makes up for a lot of crap! We're getting a little pool for the summer so I can jump straight in after riding! How cool is that?

JGC: thank you! Where you are it would almost make sense to pop to Germany for lessons!

SummerxStarsx: it is, I did miss it, speakers and all! Compared to the UK it's a massive let down, but what can you do?!
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I hate you! :p
 
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