New Rules for Petplans

Tempi

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After having a VERY sleepless night last night thinking i hadnt qualified for the Winter Championships i have just got off the phone to BD.

I have qualified for the Winters, its the same as normal - top 2 from each Area Festival go through to ride at the Finals at the Winter Championships.

HOWEVER Prelim and Novice (and maybe elementary, they havent decided yet) will be having a 'ride off' in the afternoon of the top 4 combinations from the mornings Area Festival Finals test - to decide the overall 'Champion' - to me this seems TOTALLY pointless and a complete waste of our time and the judges time......but there we go.......

What does everyone else think?

Oh, and the fact that they are only doing it for 3 levels (or maybe even just the prelim and novice) seems pointless too - you either do it for all classes or non if you ask me
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So in effect the AF Final for those levels, isn't actually a Final at all.
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Say you won the 'Final'........you could then lose it in the ride off.
So the 'Final' becomes a 'Second round'.
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Seems completely stupid and pointless if I've read you correctly.
 
Different, but I wouldn't say totally pointless. Presumably it would test the combinations ability to perform consistently and under pressure? Might even start to increase the credibility of area festivals by giving the riders a bit more exposure.
 
Strange. Don't really see the point in making people ride again really. Seems a bit of a waste of time and extra stress on the riders. Also surely BD should consult on this or at least make it better known. This is the first I've heard of it.
 
yup you are totally correct - and i agree totally stupid and a waste of everyones time......and why do it for only a couple of levels?? Either all or non.....
 
Ugh.

So iritating when they move the goal posts like that. Esp. without really telling anyone!

You could see it from the point of view of getting to ride more than one test, therefore making it worthwhile going, but still too iritating....
 
id rather just ride one test tho - the stress of having to do one at the nationals is bad enough, let alone having to then ride again if you are in the top 4
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Don't see what they're trying to achieve with it at all?
If you won the final, then did the ride off and came 4th? Doesn't bear thinking about does it really.

Edit: And I'm really sorry for "causing" your sleepless night
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That is completely incorrect - not what is happening at all.

For reasons which will become clear very shortly, the Area Festival Finals will be able to take more competitors next year. The highest entries by far for Area Festivals are for the Prelim, Novice Restricted and Novice Open. Therefore, if was felt that for three classes and those three only, it would be a very positive thing to expand the opportunity for those riders who form the majority of BD's membership to have a chance to get to the AF Finals by taking the top 4 from each AF rather than the top 2.

There will be room for 60 competitors each rather than the 30 currently - however, clearly that cannot run as a single class. So, the Prelim, Nov Rest and Nov Open will be run in a two round format. Round 1 will run in the morning with two arenas running. In the afternoon the top 15 from each of those arenas will ride again. Unlike Trailblazers, the two rounds are running in the same day so that no-one is compelled to stable overnight - particularly important as the round 2 competitors will not be known until the completion of Round 1.

Not only does it increase the opportunities for riders to compete but, Yes, hopefully this will also raise the profile of the AFs and allow H&H to consider reporting on it.
 
so you have to learn two tests then? or do you ride the same test again?

I take it they are allowing more as its not being held at Solihul next year but somewhere else? Im think Hartpury or Kennilworth?
 
You'll just have to take it on trust that I am in a position that what I say is correct. I am also in discussion with the relevant people at BD to make sure that the correct information is given out in response to queries.

A full public announcment is due very shortly but, as it is tied up with something else, has to be coordinated with parties outside BD.
 
oh right - well the girl i spoke to at BD needs to be informed that shes giving out the wrong information then!!!!!

To me it still seems like a total waste of time but there we go......
 
I actually think it's a great idea Troi, as you say a huge number of your members are just average working amateur riders who support British Dressage. It is nice to see BD opening up oppertunities for them to ride at the finals, in a competition which is effectively aimed at combinations who aren't quite able to compete against the big shots at the main finals. Good on BD.
 
i just dont see the point - i think the whole excitment of it (for me) is getting 1st or 2nd place knowing that you are going to ride in the final at the Winters.

The whole point of the Areas was to allow members to have that 'festival' experience, why make it even more complicated at the nationals, and secondly what happens if you cant spend all day at the Winters? It was working fine as it was - now there will be 2 lots of 2 judges - what happens if they dont mark similarly and one marks higher than another? Then people with the lower marking judge are going to miss out.

Tbh if thats what they are doing then thats whats happening - i just dont see the point.
 
Ah yes, but quite a lot of the combinations who go through in the Areas have qualified for the Regionals but choose the Areas instead as its an 'easier' route to the Winters - how is that fair?

if anything i think if people qualify for the regionals then they shouldnt be allowed to do the petplans.
 
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now there will be 2 lots of 2 judges - what happens if they dont mark similarly and one marks higher than another? Then people with the lower marking judge are going to miss out.


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It won't make any difference on the marks given though will it? it's the top 15 from each arena that do the second round.
That's how I read it anyway!
 
Ah yes, but quite a lot of the combinations who go through in the Areas have qualified for the Regionals but choose the Areas instead as its an 'easier' route to the Winters - how is that fair?

I agree with what you have written, yes some people choose the AF over the regional just so they can say they have been to the 'Winters' as it is most certainly easier to qualify that way, I suppose it comes down to whether you wish to aim for the higher level and stretch yourself and perhaps not win or qualify, or whether the winning is more important?

if anything i think if people qualify for the regionals then they shouldnt be allowed to do the petplans.
Now that I agree with !

And if you read Troi's original post there will be 2 arena running in the first round with the top 15 in each going through, so it doesn't matter 2 hoots if one judge is marking higher than the other.
 
ahhhhhhhhhh i read her post as top 15 over all, not from each arena! now i understand it better! (monday and all that)

I suppose that makes sense then - i wonder where the new venue is.............

yes i really dont understand how people can choose whether they do the regionals or the petplans - i think if you are good enough to qualify for the regionals you shouldnt be allowed to do the petplans. As i understood it the petplans were 'invented' for people who couldnt get regional qualification.

I think it would be a good rule to bring in that people who qualify for regionals cant do them - it amounts to 'pot-hunting' in my book.......
 
To be honest, hearing Troi's news, I think it could be excellent if they are going to make it a stand alone Championship.
If more people get to compete it's a good thing.

However it does seem a bit odd to have a different format for the lower levels. I appreciate that there are far more competitors in those lower classes but it could work for the higher levels too.
Perhaps if there aren't enough competitors to make it the top 15 through to the second test, then make all riders do both tests, IF the scores were acummulative.
Or if there were only say 20 in the first test, then take the top 10 to the second test?
 
Yes i agree- but running it at the same time as the Winter Championships seems a bit silly. If they want a higher profile then make it its own final, don't run it alongside the Winters.

In all fairness my NO class was TINY at Burrows Court, and the Novice Restricted and Prelim weren't that big either - not as big as you get at Wellington. At Wellington all the Petplan classes are huge - but then at elementary and above only the first 2 will qualify as normal which i dont think is right. Personally i think it should be all or none.

i agree that getting more to compete is a good thing, but then why not have a second round before the Winters, rather than on the same day?
 

But unless I'm reading Troi's post wrongly, I got the impression that it will be it's own Championship. Not at the same time/place as the Winters.

I can't think that with all the organistion something like these two events takes that they could run them at the same time but at different venues.
 
oh right - well i think its a good idea if it is separate - will definately increase the profile of it a lot, and then the 'two class' part is a much better idea.

Im not very good at reading between the lines!!
 
now youve said that and ive re-read what has been written it does sound like they are making it a separate competition which is a good idea i think.

Im no good at waiting for things - i wonder when it wil be annoucened.....and when and where it will be held.....
 
I like the sound of the new idea for area festivals. I think their profile should be raised as there are many riders our there who will never qualify for the regionals but want to be able to ride at a championship competition.
 
Exactly - i wish they had announced it before the Area Festivals, as im sure a lot of people are totally unaware that 1st - 4th qualify in the prelim, NR and NO.......
 
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