SJFAN
Well-Known Member
For a few moments it seemed that GB riders had won the GPs in both Verona and Liege. Peter Charles and Murka's Rubert R were announced as the winners of the latter, with Mark Armstrong and Thesaura in an honourable 3rd place. But after a protracted delay it was declared that there had been a problem with the timing and the young Brazilian Pedro Veniss and Amarylis were given an adjusted time which took them to the head of the list, and Mark's time was altered demoting Peter to 3rd. Peter did not appear for the prize-giving so I don't know whether he was still arguing the case or if he had a plane to catch! Annoyingly the sound went off just before Pedro was interviewed - what he said might have been interesting.
Such a mix-up is not good PR for the sport. Many of us remember a similar case when Helena Weinberg was effectively robbed of the Olympia Grand Prix and Alison Firestone was given 1st prize.
Before the altered result today I was wondering if Peter's patron was as bored watching 62 horses and an 18 horse jump-off as she was by watching 72 Nations Cup rounds in the Super League events. While I have every sympathy over the fact that this year's format denied nations the chance of taking 5 riders to NCs (except for La Baule) I could not agree that 10 teams rather than the previous 8 made it boring. Before the invesntion of the Super League, Aachen always had AT LEAST 10 countries contesting the Nations Cup, with no sign of the audience being bored! A SL event could be boring if the teams were not fairly evenly matched, but all this year's classes were keenly contested.
Such a mix-up is not good PR for the sport. Many of us remember a similar case when Helena Weinberg was effectively robbed of the Olympia Grand Prix and Alison Firestone was given 1st prize.
Before the altered result today I was wondering if Peter's patron was as bored watching 62 horses and an 18 horse jump-off as she was by watching 72 Nations Cup rounds in the Super League events. While I have every sympathy over the fact that this year's format denied nations the chance of taking 5 riders to NCs (except for La Baule) I could not agree that 10 teams rather than the previous 8 made it boring. Before the invesntion of the Super League, Aachen always had AT LEAST 10 countries contesting the Nations Cup, with no sign of the audience being bored! A SL event could be boring if the teams were not fairly evenly matched, but all this year's classes were keenly contested.