Matt Wrights Comment in H&H

LEC

LEC

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I agree with his comments on money but am very disappointed by his comments on young horses.
I am surprised nobody else has commented on this. I was really shocked that he buys French breds just because you can do more with them quicker. Also that he wants to do more with 4yos. I would feel so sorry if I saw a 4yo doing novice as I do not think they are mature enough.
Yes the Europeans might have better young horse classes but we still beat them hands down at international level when the horses are 13 years old not just 4yo. BYEH is a showing class but PAVO is about performance.
He may be having a good year this year on horses that were bought for him but he has not produced them himself. Also what has happened to Park Pilot and Cermont?
 
Doesnt surprise me tbh!
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It's a little bit like the racing lot. Remember how many young French racehorses there have been; some very successful, have to agree to that, but so many of them were burnt out long before they should have been and didn't last anywhere near as long as the majority of home grown and Irish horses which have been given far more time to mature; I'm pretty sure Peter Willett did an article in H&H some time ago when some of Martin Pipe's star French horses started losing the plot, many to never surface again. I'm sure Vicki can throw some light on that.
Must admit, MW is not my favourite rider although I admire that he can usually get a tune from most horses; such an advantage to have a horse dealer for a father!
 
It was interested to read .... 100% behind the lack of money and he is only trying to make a living out of the sport. Not sure he will do himself any favours over overing pushing 4 years olds but unlike me I would only have one or two horses at a time and that was all I had so could not rush and knacker them where by he will just go on to the next.

Bless he is rescuing french horses aleast someone is!!!!!!
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ONLY A JOKE but had to say it
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He made the comment...why take a horse to a *** when it could do a ** in Ireland and win more money. I think what he meant to say (and he did do this at Tatts in June) was.. why take a horse to a *** when you can do a * in Ireland and win more money. He was placed in the CCI* on a horse that was qual for 3*, even Mark Phillips (or WFP) I can't remember who, commented on this in their column the next week saying that advanced horses shouldn't normally be able to compete in a * event. My friend's horse was in this class, and everyone was just a tad pissed off at him (he admitted to anyone who asked that had just entered for the money).

Totally agree with you re pushing 4yo's as well. IMO even an intro is a big ask, its a lot more than just going to do some SJ or something and coming home again.

Don't think he will have done himself any favours by this article.

Fiona
 
He comes across as a bit of a mercenary idiot. Some of his points about UK prize money being low in comparison with entry fees and particularly compared with events abroad are valid. but I was shocked at the idea of letting young horses do more - 5 is realistically early enough - although the restriction on 4yos could be to no more than 2 intros, without being limited to the PAVO ones without much risk of abuse.
 
And what about the "these events could easily get sponsorship for their other classes" (paraphrasing). Does he really think there are hundreds of companies out there queueing up to throw money at a sport that gets hardly ANY media coverage?

Come on Mr Wright - let's all join hands and contact the living!!!
 
I think frankly in the article he came across as a bit of an idiot to me his comments were clearly ill thought out. Mary King is super competitive but seems to never push 4yos and never pot hunts. We will see if the others career goes on as long.
 
if peeps in this country did not ask such stupid prices for untried youngsters i am sure team wright would be buying them here. roger wright has been a dealer for years so if matt thinks he gets better value else where he probably does. and as for the rest well said matt
 
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Not one of my favourite riders, agree with some points about the prize money.

Damned glad I am not on this planet as one of his horses though!

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totally agree! i was gobsmacked wen he said that he would run a 4yo at novice! i wouldnt send a 4yo novice even with a pro!
 
I wasn't at all surprised by his comments to be honest - it summed up what I have thought of him all along - more interested in prize money and results than his horses. His comment about pros should never have to take a horse round an intro is rubbish. If any rider wants to take a young or inexperienced horse round an intro to give them a good experience it is a positive thing and not something to be sneered at.
 
Can't say I'm very keen on him. Dosen't seem to care about the horses at all. It's a little thing, but I can remember watching him on TV at one of the big B (Blenhim, I think) and he didn't even pat his horse- just jumped off and off he went.
 
And yes the comment about pro's not doing Intro, as one rider I respect alot for his results and mannerisms towards his horses said to me, "you can MAKE almost any horse do something for you, but its limit will be alot lower than a horse that has had time to learn its job and WANT to do it" TThink Matts comments sums up what his training methods lean towards, wanting to do the job or being made to do the job...hmmm....
 
I know who you are talking about Kat and he is a rider that has my respect - he starts his baby horses at Intro and takes the time to build positive experiences. I'd like to see him produce a 4* horse again and show these 'fast track' merchants how it should be done. His horses are around for season after season which to me proves they are sound and happy in their job- they don't 'disappear' off the face of the earth like some horses.....
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