lee pearson...arrogant much...

[Jump2It]

anyone else getting a ...bit sick of this guy.

Yes he has been very successful at paralympics...relatively low level dressage on very expensive horses...he has done well considering his 'handicap' but he just seems to come across very full of himself....why wont horse and hound put me on the front ... why am I not knighted yet blah blah blah

get sophie wells on the cover..real talent and gracious with it..

 

[ArcticFox]

Have to say I'm glad someone else thinks so. Even his comment 'i'm not a medal machine' just got my back up.

I've heard so many things about him recently he has really got me a bit sick of him. totally agree re: Sophie Wells, what a talent.

 

[FabulousFlynn'sMum]

I cant stand him!!! Sorry folks to be brutal but watching that documentary last month finished me off completely! I am actually over the moon he didnt get gold, and yes, I agree, thats a horrible unpatriotic thing to say but sorry, I cant stand the man!!!! xx

 

[Carefreegirl]

I watched the programme they did about him and another guy called Ricky (sorry can't remember his surname) and their quest to get picked for the team.

I was left a bit shocked after watching it and wondered if it was just 'bad editing'
There was once part where he sat in his car in the corner of the school teaching. It was truly awful and if I'd been that pupil I would of felt humiliated to see that on tv.

Speaking to other people since it seems that maybe it wasn't bad editing after all.


Ricky was very funny. There was a scene when he pulled up at Hartbury to watch a competition and when the parking official pointed him to a space he said " I'm disabled, I walk with sticks, can I park closer ". The lady ummed and arr'd and he said "I dribble as well". Then he was asked by his boss at work where he had parked and he said "in the spas' space" His manager sent him on diversity training.....

 

[glamourpuss]

Why the quotation marks around handicap? Lee Pearson is disabled yet despite this rides beautifully & is very successful at dressage. He has a muscle condition which means he cannot move his lower limbs properly....so again I don't understand the quotation marks around the word handicap...please enlighten me?
As for low level [snort] you are aware that he won a national elementary title against able bodied riders, aren't you? Hardly low level!
Expensive horses....most probably, i bet Carl Hester's horses aren't exactly dirt cheap either!
The knighthood thing? He has won gold at every Olympics he has competed in....& after getting an MBE, OBE & CBE I'm guessing he would like to think its next
I don't get the character assisination that seems to occur towards Lee, I really don't

 

[Stephani]

Good on him - whether you like his personality or not, his achievements merit serious recognition. Sir Lee Pearson? Abso bl**dy lutely!

 

[glamourpuss]

Phew Stephani I'm glad you posted, was beginning to feel lonely defending him!
I love how when Andrew Nicholson moaned about his dressage at the Olympics everyone just sighed & said 'Oh dear poor Andrew it must've been very frustrating' yet when Lee Pearson raises, IMO, valid points he is arrogant!
I can't believe anyone thinks that what H&H have done regarding the Paralympic equestrian team on the front cover was right. Lee didnt 'moan that they didn't put HIM on the front cover' he was upset that they didn't put the Paralympic TEAM on the front cover.

 

[monkeymad]

I'm afraid I also feel he comes across as arrogant. I am in awe of all the para-athletes, I have been in tears watching their sheer determination. However, I felt his comment regarding a knighthood somewhat distasteful - I mean yes he has overcome terrible physical disabilities and I am sure has inspired others to do the same. But to feel he is 'owed' a knighthood is ridiculous (now if he'd found a cure for cancer I may think differently).

 

[Stephani]

I just can't comprehend how he actually manages to do what he does - it doesn't seem possible, and yet there he is.....quite amazing.

 

[Scarlett]

Ignoring his disability completely I find him nauseating and a bit of an embarrassment. There's no doubting his success but he doesn't come across as a very nice person....

 

[fizzer]

You can be very talented and an amazing rider but arrogance is really off putting.

 

[Cyclops]

I know a lot of humilitiy has been shown by other members of our paralympic team but they all have to have a huge amount of determination and spirit to get where they all are - We all show that in different ways and given the problems Lee has had to overcome I feel that a certain amount of arrogance can be forgiven - i know that if I had had to deal with half the problems that our paralympians have had to cope with then I would feel enormously proud and maybe slightly arrogant!!

Shoot me down!

 

[MillionDollar]

He is arrogant, but he is also talented. And I'm pretty sure he's been at the Nationals (so competing against able-bodied competitiors) and competed PSG!? Off to look at BD.....

 

[PrillyD]

Thank you!! Yes saw him on a prog a few weeks back and he's a nasty piece of work!!!

 

[hcm88]

Not denying the fact that he's talented... but my gosh doesn't he know it. He's a sporting hero/legend and no doubt deserves a knighthood etc but his attitude isn't as enviable.

 

[MillionDollar]

Yep, he's competed PSG, and also Won(!!!) at the Nationals, so against able-bodied competitors, and I see a 2nd at the Winters too! Pretty impressive IMO.

 

[stroppymare153]

After Beijing Chris Hoy got a knighthood and Becky Adlington and Kelly Holmes got dame-hoods (?) all because they each won 2 golds. Strikes me as a bit discriminatory that Lee Pearson (and any other double gold medallists at Beijing) didn't get knight/damehoods as well.

Anyone who gets to the top level has to have a core of steel - whether they choose to call a spade a ****ing shovel and appear arrogant or put themselves over as sweetness & light and potentially get called hypocrits is up to them!

 

[ScarlettLady]

ALOT (not all!!) of athletes are arrogant, often it's how they get to where they get, because they have to have self-confidence, self-belief and determination, (particularly para-athletes), its how they get their drive. each athlete and their psychology are different though!!

I have to admit that I find the paralympics inspirational and very humbling!!

 

[smurf]

About 5 years ago a friend bought a horse from his partner, she asked me to go with her to collect it as it was a good 6 hour drive, so I said yes. They invited us to stay with them in their house - very kind.

Throughout the 24 hours we were there Lee was charming, witty and a lovely person. He was interesting to listen to and equally interested to hear about our horses and I came away thinking he was an all round nice guy.

Perhaps he does not come across well when being interviewed on TV but you can't deny he has a huge talent.

Give him a break !

 

[igglepop]

I think it is in part bad editing but also i think people seem to miss read his sense of humour, people saying about the program about getting selected he seemed good friend with the other guy and from what i have read else where support each other. They appeared like young team members to me enjoying banter. I think the arrogance people see is possibly a front not uncommon when people are different.

 

[CalllyH]

He has done himself no favours this Paralympics and lost of lot of fans I think. His comment about he didn't win because he didn't have a hard on so the horse didn't perform well was utterly disgusting.

A poor role model in my opinion.

And before anyone pulls out the but he's disabled and rides amazingly none of the other riders have behaved like him and bad manners and rudeness are inexcusable in my view.

 

[Goldenstar]

Most athletes show a some degree of narcissistic behaviour but he's really out there, completly up himself.

 

[Partoow]

I'm sorry but this thread is appalling . When you guys have put yourselves under the
Pressure of being at the top of your game for such an extended period then you can comment.
Until them when you are making judgements via a snapshot the please leave it. We have all said things we regret , they are just not plastered over the media.
I know Lee and know his humour can be 'dark' but actually he always takes time to help and encourage people from many walks of life.
Tolerance people.

 

[longdog]

Just want to say, I couldn't last a day living with Lee's disability - most, if not all athletes have to be pretty tough to get to the top. I would think that for a large part of Lee's life, he has had to struggle. He is only now, at the London Olympics, being given the limelight he so richly deserves. Arrogant? Possibly, BUT, it is very easy to come across on camera rather differently to what you truly are & I can only salute Lee for being, brave, talented, & when I have seen him on TV, very funny.
Sir Lee Pearson? - bring it on!

 

[Garfield1537]

After watching the documentary on him I too agree he came across quite negative! And it appears that's just the diva he is! Yes personality wise a bit of a diva but you can't disagree he is a cracking rider!

 

[PucciNPoni]

Don't know the man except for in the media - so from that point of view yes he does come across as a bit full of himself. But who knows, maybe he needs that to keep on top of his game. Sometimes competition is about self belief and psyching out the competition. I think his riding ability (with or without his disabilities) are something to be admired. His media face needs a little "polish" perhaps.

 

[Rowreach]

Whatever one may think about Lee or any other para athlete (and fwiw I have a lot of time for him), what an utterly disgusting thread this is. One of the worst I've seen on HHO.

 

[Lolo]

Rowreach- utterly agree. He's an amazing athlete, riding horses at a level I could never manage, no matter how expensive the horse or 'low level' the dressage. He has come across as being quite cocky but I found him hysterical- he seems to have a very black sense of humour which can be taken badly And let's face it- there are very few people in the horsey world who have such an impressive list of achievements, and equally very few in the 'outside' world. I think he's quite entitled to feel a bit miffed that his 10(?) golds don't put him on a par with Chris Hoy and the likes.

On another note, there seems to be this expectation that para-competitors are humble and almost grateful to be there? We should be humbled by them, but they have no reason at all to be humble, especially with form like Lee's...

ETA: I don't think it's low level dressage on expensive horses, lol! Just re-read and had a mini heart attack that's how it came across!!

 

[quirky]

Whatever one may think about Lee or any other para athlete (and fwiw I have a lot of time for him), what an utterly disgusting thread this is. One of the worst I've seen on HHO.

^^ This.
It certainly won't make nice reading for Lee, who I believe is a user on here , though I am sure he will rise above it, like the thoroughly decent person he is.

 

[rockysmum]

Dont know anything about Lee, so not commenting on that.

Just a question on knighthoods/honours etc. Do they get them simply for winning golds or being succesful in whatever it is they do.

I thought they got them for using their success to help others, charity work etc etc.

If I am right then its not how much you win, its what you do that is positive with your success.

If not then I cant see the point of them to be honest.